I firmly believe that there is a tarot deck out there for everyone. I realized this as I was looking down at my Joie de Vivre deck and wondering, “What kind of person would choose this deck?” Someone that is fun-loving and appreciative of the whimsy in life.
I’ve said before that when choosing a tarot deck for yourself, you must choose something that you really like the art on, otherwise you won’t build a strong connection with your deck. No strong connection, and you won’t have the mind-blowing experience of a truly accurate and catered tarot reading. I would liken it to the selection process of a wand in the Harry Potter universe… sometimes it truly is the deck that picks the wizard, and not the other way around!
So, how do you choose a tarot deck, or how do you know if a tarot deck is choosing you?
Choosing a Tarot Deck
- Does the imagery appeal to you?
- Do the Major Arcana cards “speak” to you in a symbolic language or theme you personally resonate with or understand?
- Do certain cards in a deck appeal to you?
- Do the Minor Arcana cards have a storyline running through each suit you can understand and follow from Ace to King?
When the Tarot Deck Is Choosing You
- Watch out for the synchronicity of clusters of “threes”: if you keep hearing about a certain deck, from different spaces and places, it may be a signal that deck wants to work with you.
- Someone hands you a deck… literally. I’ve heard of quite a few readers that have had their first tarot deck plopped in their lap!
Blessings,
~*~Hilary~*~
www.tarotbyhilary.com
Image courtesy of marin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Has a tarot deck “called” out to you? Have you been drawn to one deck, and how? Share your experiences in the Comments section below.
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There are a few cards that “sell” the deck for me. The Queen of Cups, The Empress, the Magician, and the High Priestess. Those are the ones that make or break the deck for me! I also like to see the interpretations on the Minor Arcana. That is the area of most constriction for deck designers, but it has the potential for the most expression.
Courtney Weber recently posted…NYC Commuter Motto, Witch Weasel Trains, Syrian Pagans in Danger
Courtney, yes, I too look at certain cards, and if I don’t like those cards, it’s a safe bet I won’t like the deck. It’s usually all of the ones you listed, and the Queen of Swords as well. I also like to look at the perceived “big baddy” cards as well to see if their depiction is in keeping with the rest of the deck, and also jarring/disturbing as those cards should be sometimes: The Tower, Devil, and Death.
Poor Minor Arcana. It’s the majority of the deck, but it’s also very foundational… if you can’t read the Minor Arcana because of the way it was depicted, then you can’t read with the majority of the deck! 😉
I never tire of exploring new decks. In addition to the cards Courtney mentioned, I look at the Death card, the Tower, and the Devil, next I take a look through the Minor Arcana to make sure it is congruent with the Major Arcana.
Now that I am writing more, I look for decks that will fit with the writing project I am working on. It is a lot fun to match decks with particular genre and painting projects. However, a deck must resonate well with me.
Chanah recently posted…A journey has begun
Chanah, oooh, you’re giving me great ideas about matching up decks with a particular genre of writing or art projects! Thanks for the great tip!