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September/October 2003 Cosmic
Choosing a Tarot Deck

by Sarai St. Julien

There are hundreds of tarot decks in print. There are cards that feature herbs, dragons, Egyptian symbols and the legend of King Arthur, amongst many other options. They can be round or rectangular and come in many sizes. There is even a glow in the dark version of the BOTA Tarot!
Here are a few issues to ponder to help you pick that first deck:

Sexual and Gender Orientation

If you’re trying to get in touch with your feminine side, empower yourself as a woman, or inspire your female friends, you may prefer a deck with a feminine focus. Two examples are the Daughters of the Moon and the Goddess Deck.
If you are looking for a deck that recognizes all sexual orientations you’ll appreciate the Cosmic Tribe Tarot Deck.

Additional Information

Some decks include additional information to help the spiritually minded. The Crowley Deck, for example, includes kabalistic and astrological correspondences. The Barbara Walker and the Hanson Roberts decks provide translations of card names into several European languages.

Size and Shape:

If you have small hands you may find it easier to work with a smaller deck or a round one. The Mother Peace deck is a round deck which is available in two sizes. The African Tarot is small, just 3 1/8" x 2 ¼". The Connolly Tarot is available in two sizes, and the Hanson Roberts is available in several sizes.
That said, larger cards can be easier to interpret, particularly if they are quite detailed. The Lover’s Tarot is fun to use, in part, because of its great size (9" x 5").

Your Level of Patience

If you’d prefer a tarot deck that doesn’t require endless memorizing, you might like the Quick and Easy Tarot or the Starter Tarot. Both decks feature brief explanations of the cards, printed on the card’s face. You can literally read the cards you’ve laid out.
The Voyager Tarot too is readily understandable without prior knowledge.

Classic Tarot Decks:

The Tarot of Marseilles, which originated in the late 1400’s, is still widely used. The Rider-Waite is the world’s most popular deck.
Becoming familiar with any of those decks will help you understand and interpret other decks.

Your Finances

If you’re not sure you want to invest $25 or more dollars in a tarot deck and book set, consider buying a used deck or a new deck and a used reference guide. Many book stores and metaphysical shops sell used tarot decks and sets for as little as half the original retail price.
Smaller decks cost less than full sized decks. The Tarot-to-Go kit includes a compact version of the Hanson Roberts deck and a small, easy to follow, instruction book and costs less than $10.

Resources for Selecting Cards

New Renaissance Booksellers and Powell’s on Burnside have displays of sample cards from a large number of decks. On-line take a look at Aeclectic Tarot: www.aeclectic.net/tarot/decks.html to preview over 400 decks, read reviews, and learn which cards are best sellers and why.

The Most Important Consideration

Ultimately, what is most important is that you enjoy working with the deck you select. Learning to interpret the card can be a chore or a pleasure. If you find the images particularly inspiring or beautiful, each time you look at the deck it will be like giving a small gift to yourself.

Sarai St. Julien is an Intuitive Reader and Certified Voyager Consultant. You can contact her at Titania Moon Intuitive Consulting: 503.204.0854 or sarai@titaniamoon.com.