Buying your first Tarot deck will be a great experience. It will be exciting to discover the unknown, to find the answers to those question that you have been simmering for so long, and to learn new knowledge. Currently, there is an advantage of the diversity of decks to choose from (Celtic, Wicca, Fairy, Zen, Culture, Pagan, Myth, and Tradition).
For a beginner, it may be a bit overwhelming to select from a range of options. The following article will mention a few small tutorials to help you find out the deck that best suits you.
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1. The location
If possible, you should go to a store that allows you to observe the whole Tarot decks before buying. However, this may not be enough to reflect the energy of a complete deck! If you want to read the cards or want the deck to suggest you, the energy of the deck must integrate with your energy source. If not, you and your querent will feel uncomfortable, and this will hinder your reading.
2. The rarity of the Tarot deck
There are several decks of cards that are limited, classic, or no longer published, which makes them worth collecting and valuable. Painters like Ciro Marchetti have published a high quality limited edition deck with products that you cannot buy in the market versions. He created the special edition of the Legacy of the Divine Tarot that each deck is unique. Each Tarot card in the Major Arcana has various details with fine distinction in colors, as a result, there will be different decks for each person. The original Waite-Smith decks in the years 1909 -1930 cost up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars because of their rarity.
3. Images on the Tarot deck
Buying a deck with detailed pictures on the Minor Arcana will be necessary if you do not want to always bring the sample Tarot spreads available in a book. Instead, you just need to feel and see what you are interested in, and so are your querents. When having detailed images on the cards, you can specifically explain them in a way that makes your querents easily understand. Deep in the subconscious, everyone carries the memory of the main Prototypes. Even if your querents do not know the meaning of the card, their subconscious will still understand the images on that card.
4. Support for dreams
Thanks to a fund of social donations like Kick starter, independent artists can create their own Tarot decks. There are decks that stand out from other ones due to their quality as well as their vision. This is the case of the Tarot Fountain deck. This deck has the beauty that will support its creator’s dream and save a copy for yourself. Or the Prisma Visions Tarot with surrealistic artistic style and impressionism.
5. The origin of the Tarot deck
If possible, you should buy a new deck. Unless your deck is a gift from someone you know well and make sure his/her energy source corresponds to yours, you should buy a completely NEW one. Each deck has its own energy and it is reflected easily through the reader and through the querent’s energy source. Therefore, if you do not know the origin of the deck beforehand, do not take it. You will want to start a new relationship with your deck so you can co-operate and grow.
The energy of a new Tarot deck is very high, clear and positive that makes it easy to read. It is best to start with something totally new.
<<< See more >>> How Tarot Cards Work
6. Guidebooks
You should decide whether you want a guidebook with your Tarot deck or whether you have the ability to solve the cards without a book. Some decks will only come with a small portable brochure that gives basic information about the cards. For a beginner, this may not be enough information because the description is often primitive and lacks detail. Having a bigger guidebook will be great because it will help you feel what the author wants to convey when designing these cards and help you harmonize the energy flows in the deck.
Some Tarot decks have a symbolic system and mystical methods that can be explained more clearly when they are studied with a major set of guidebooks. If you find a satisfactory deck, but it does not have an accompanying guidebook, you can still buy general explanatory books about Tarot, although this explanation will not specialize in images on your cards.
With experienced Tarot readers, the accompanying guidebook may not be necessary because they have mastered the field of Tarot and are confident about the level of understanding and meaning of the cards.
7. The type of Tarot deck
You should decide whether you want a traditional or non-traditional deck. Traditional decks with 78 cards, including a Major Arcana and Minor Arcana set. There are some decks based on distinct mysticism, so some cards from this deck may be missing or changed compared to traditional decks. Some decks about Fairy and Celtic also have this feature. They follow their own system and will be slightly different from the traditional Tarot deck. You should be aware of this before buying any deck. Often these decks are quite noticeable because they will describe the card with different names instead of using the traditional ones. Non-traditional decks always have an accompanying guidebook to explain the mystical system and the hidden symbol behind each card.
It should be noted that if you buy books about interpretation, remember these books are based only on traditional decks. In this case, you will need to decide whether you want to own a deck that matches these books or not. This does not mean that you should avoid choosing a non-traditional deck, you just will need more research to understand how your deck fits into the themes and interpretations of Tarot. Some readers prefer to use more than just one deck for their solving activities.
8. Find a size that fits
Different Tarot cards come in different sizes. You’ve got to choose the size that’s right for your hand.
The most popular size of a Tarot deck is 7 cm x 12 cm. Giant Tarot cards may be great for group Tarot readings or parties. Regular Tarot cards may be better for face-to-face readings or personal readings. Mini cards are perfect to put in bags or backpacks. This is suitable for people who often travel or travel.
This is particularly important for when you handle and shuffle the cards. If the cards are too big or too small, they may be too clumsy for you or your clients to handle. So, before selecting a deck, handle the cards and practice shuffling them.
Finally, you should choose the Tarot deck that you interested in. Let’s practice with your deck usually to get used to the energy of it.
<<< See more >>> Tarot Cards Vs. Playing Cards
