Do you want to practise witchcraft but don't know where to start? Do you find it all too confusing? Maybe you've been practising for a while and want to go back to basics. Or perhaps you're a seasoned witch and want to explore more ways of practisin...
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The most recognisable version of the tarot was published in 1909, the Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) tarot. This deck was created by members of The Golden Dawn, a secret society that practised occultism. This particular version of tarot proliferated across the globe, and has the most commonly used symbolism today. If you research "How to read tarot" on the Internet, the RWS meanings are most likely the meanings you will learn first.
How to choose a deck
Choose your first deck carefully. You need a deck that you can connect with in order to learn how to read the tarot. A deck you "connect with" simply means a deck you like; you like the look of the cards, you feel calm & content when using it, and the deck is easy to handle.
If you don't like the illustrations, it makes you uncomfortable in any way, it's difficult to shuffle, etc, it probably means it isn't the deck for you. You should have a general feeling of "knowing" when a deck is or isn't right; this is your intuition speaking.
How do I choose a deck? There are literally hundreds! It can seem overwhelming at first, but there are places you can start.
1. Look at traditional decks. Some traditional decks include: > Rider-Waite-Smith > The Golden Dawn Tarot > The B.O.T.A. Tarot > The Hermetic Tarot. Also, any Tarot decks based on the Rider-Waite, known as Rider-Waite clones, are suitable for beginners, such as: > Aquarian Tarot > Morgan-Greer Tarot > Royal Fez Moroccan Tarot ... and many others. I don't recommend The Crowley Thoth tarot as your first deck. It is an excellent deck but too complex in symbolism for beginners.
2. Watch some YouTube videos. There are lots of good videos from people recommending decks for beginners. Simply search for "first tarot decks for beginners". If you already have a deck and want to look for more, try searching in YouTube for "my tarot collection" and you can get a lot of ideas that way.
3. Avoid pip decks. These are decks where only the major arcana is fully illustrated. While pip decks hold a lot of potential, they're best for people who have some experience in using tarot already. They are not useful at all for beginners learning the minor arcana.
4. When you find some decks you like, watch reviews and flip-throughs. Ideally, you want to handle the cards and look at them in real life, but this isn't always possible. Instead, type into YouTube "[deck name] tarot review" and you should be able to find a review of it. These videos give you a better idea of the size of the cards, the thickness/quality (card stock) and whether they have a glossy or matte finish, whichever you prefer. Reviewers often go through the guidebook provided too, which can help beginners. If you want to see what each card looks like, just type in "[deck name] tarot flip through" and you should find a video of someone showing you each card one-by-one.
Tarot decks vs Oracle decks
Oracle decks are any deck designed for divination that is not comprised of exactly 78 cards. Most oracle decks have fewer cards (around 50 or 60), but some are known to have over 100 cards.
