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Discussion
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So I’ve been lurking on here and considering buying a deck for myself. And a few days ago I scrolled past the Cosmic Slumber deck by Tillie Walden and it is GORGEOUS. I’ve seen a few pretty decks in my time lurking r/tarot, but that was the first deck that made me stop and screenshot. It was the deck I originally wanted, but I learned that the reader’s booklet doesn’t have reverse card interpretations and it might not be as good as a learning tool because it lacks the symbols given by the Rider-Waite deck. I am very detail oriented, so I’m considering ordering a more detailed reader’s guide for Rider-Waite, if I get that. I saw that it wasn’t suggested for beginners but I’m the type of person that draws a card and notices something specific about it stand out. Like the horse’s face on the sun card or the pentagram above the devil’s head. So I think that Rider-Waite may give me more complete readings in the beginning. BUT, I had to spend an hour hunting amazon for a Rider-Waite deck that felt like it would work for my needs. Maybe it’s because it’s amazon, but it seemed like none of the cards were the right size, or the right colors, or had small misprints that might effect the anonymity of an unturned card, or had cards missing, subpar guides, etc. But I have finally found a Rider-Waite deck! It just doesn’t call to me quite like the gorgeous colors and designs in Cosmic Slumber.
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Alternatively, I found my friendly local occult shop and am planning on going there soon for my first in-person reading. I’m pretty excited and want to order my cards now, but maybe I should wait and see if I meet my cards in-person?
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A second side note: maybe I shouldn’t even get cards right now? From the automatic readings I get online (which I know aren’t the best source but they’ve been pretty spot on a few times,) I’ve gotten the sense that the cards are telling me to leave it alone and focus on the work in my life. Like I’ve gotten a couple of cards that signify false solutions. And this is in the wake of a rough break up and a lot of major changes in my life, and I have thrown myself into the tarot rabbit hole fairly quickly and deeply. But I’ve also always been into the supernatural and the mystical. My mom gifted me a tarot deck as a kid but I never learned. Ever since adulthood I’ve placed a lot of worth on intuition and self communication.
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I don’t know! Should I get the gorgeous deck, the practical deck, wait to see what the occult store has, or just leave it alone? But I already have a serious stalker card (the devil, mostly reversed) and I’m already seeing patterns (mostly pentacles and swords) and so I don’t think I should just leave it alone.
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This turned into way more than I expected! Thank you to everyone who stuck with me through it!
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My first deck: should I get the one I like the most or the recommended classic? Or not at all?
updated 3 years, 2 months ago 2 Members · 6 Replies
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You should get the deck that resonates with you. I own multiple decks, but only read from one (Hanson Roberts)
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Get whatever speaks to you! If you like the images/artwork/general vibe then go for it!
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One thing I like about the RWS deck is that it is pretty standard, it’s super cheap, and it’s easy to find. Even if you don’t use it for readings, having it as a second/study deck is usually pretty accessible. I always recommend it to new readers, but it doesn’t mean it has to be the deck you use! You can just flip through it and reference it while you’re learning, if you really love another deck.
I don’t personally feel any resonance with the RWS art, not really… but I still end up looking at it almost every day. You can be in love with another deck, and still benefit from a RWS deck.
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I recently dived into tarot, and the first couple decks I got were just based on artwork. But as I learned more about tarot through the RWS tradition and symbology, I grew to dislike them more and more for being so different. If you’re gonna go down the rabbit hole, you might want to start with RWS, if that’s the deck structure of the other deck. Part of my rabbit hole is learning origins and meanings of all the different symbols, astrological, elemental, and qabalistic correspondences, etc. I was kinda disappointed that the first decks I got didnt have most of the RWS symbolism, or switched things like elemental associations without giving a real reason for it. So I wish I just started with RWS and stuck with it until I learned more of the basic symbolism, and knew more about what I liked and disliked about newer decks. Then I’d only have 2 decks, instead of 5 lol. If you have the money maybe just buy both, or only cool looking one and a book that covers RWS meanings with full pictures. So you have an easy resource to compare the two decks. I really think it is best learning with RWS, or the original deck in whichever tradition of tarot you want to use, but that doesnt mean you cant do it with a book or something, and just use more aesthetically pleasing decks. I dont think the little booklet that comes with decks are enough to learn tarot by themselves. Theres so much more going on than a couple keywords.
Also if you dont like the RWS art style, which I absolutely dont, check out Llewellyn’s Classic Tarot. It’s almost identical. Some scenes are slightly different and some colors are too, but I find the art sooo much better even if it’s a bit overly colorful and cartoony.
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I agree that you should definitely get a deck that resonates with you. Think of it this way: If you don’t like the artwork, you’re not going to spend much time working with the deck. If you don’t connect with the artwork, bringing intuition into your readings is going to be more difficult.
That said, there’s no harm in waiting until you check out the selection at your friend’s shop. And getting a cheap deck in the system you are most interested in learning (whether RWS, Thoth or Marseille) as a study deck is fine, too. There are a bunch of RWS decks from traditional art to stuff like the Everyday Tarot for under $15-20.
As far as online readings warning you off, I couldn’t say without seeing what cards you actually drew and the spread and etc., but are you sure it was a warning against using tarot at all vs. expecting it to give you quick/magical solutions? Tarot can be a lot more than just a divination tool; folks like Jessica Dore and Katey Flowers have explored the psychology behind the cards and how you can use them to help ground yourself and tackle mental health issues or everyday obstacles in your life.
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You need to look at a few things… yes.. how the symbolism resonates with you is a factor and so is how the deck fits in your hand. I personally can’t stand the gilded decks while they are favorites for others. I like a paper feel to my cards, rather than a slick surface but the slicker surface makes is easier for some to shuffle. Also look at your learning style. If you are someone who like a lot of research and reading of history and background or are you more learning by doing? The advantage to the RWS is the volume of knowledge around it. There are many books, papers, websites and sources available that delve deeply into the symbolism and the practice. A lot of this translates forward into RWS based decks. It does require a certain amount of mental agility to do that translation when the RWS meaning differs slightly from the deck you chose and it’s booklet.
Tarot is a journey and you decide yourself where you want it to take you and how to walk that path. But no matter which deck you choose, you are not limited to only that one for life. I’ve been doing this for over 40 years and I bought myself a new deck just a couple of months ago.. because.. OMG.. Crows!!
