Which tarot cards are best for beginners. How to choose a tarot deck for serious practice

Where to start learning Tarot if you don’t even have the slightest idea how to choose the right deck? Everyone goes their own way: some tell fortunes, some meditate, there are a huge number of different ways for self-development. A deck of Tarot cards for beginners should be chosen slowly. There are many decks, and it’s worth listening to yourself and choosing the one that your hand reaches out to.

Main types of decks

Deciding on the most suitable option is not always easy. Some are good for beginners, others are too difficult for them. The following types of decks are distinguished:

universal;
classic (or traditional);
specialized;
copyright.

Among the classic ones are the Lenormand deck, the Marseille and Egyptian Tarot. Many traditional decks have existed since the 15th-17th centuries. Ekov. Some of them were used in monasteries. At that time, almost all representatives of the nobility knew how to make layouts. The artists were honored to paint a unique masterpiece for a wealthy family. Since those times, many images have been preserved unchanged. . Among the universal decks we can highlight:

Rider-Waite Tarot;
Golden Dawn;
Aleister Crowley.

They were created under similar circumstances, but in different countries and at different time periods. The Golden Dawn Tarot is the third most famous tarot in the world. The author is Samuel MacGregor Mathers and the artist is his wife Moina. Both held membership of the British Order of the Golden Dawn.

Crowley's cards take an honorable second place in their popularity. The deck is very beautiful and was created over five years: the English esotericist Aleister Crowley and the artist Frieda Harris worked on it. But the cards saw the light only after the will of the creators was made public. They are often used for magical rituals.

When wondering which tarot cards are best to buy for beginners, many are recommended to choose the Arthur Edward White deck. It is extremely popular due to its intuitiveness, ease of interpretation and, so to speak, safety. This is a good tool that allows you to get the right answers to all sorts of questions and helps beginners master the art of Tarot.

The specialized version is only good for working with a specific list of questions, and this is what distinguishes the cards from the universal ones. For example, Tarot of the gnomes will help resolve everyday conflicts, and Manara will answer questions about relationships and personal life.

How to make the right choice

It is best for a teapot to start with the Rider-White Tarot or take another universal type Tarot that you like. The variety of pictures makes it easier to memorize the cards, and the pictures help to interpret the layout. It is noteworthy that the arcana of Strength and Justice are designated by serial numbers eight and eleven, and not vice versa, as in other decks.

You can choose and buy a deck yourself, but it is preferable for someone close to you to pay for it. It is very good to accept cards as a gift, but it should be borne in mind that such a deck may refuse to answer questions from strangers. But they will be obedient in the hands of their owner.

It is better to avoid purchasing through an online store. After all, it is important to feel “your” deck. Visit an esoteric store and ask the salesperson to show you several different options. Open the box and view its contents. Listen carefully to your own feelings. If you feel a chill, then this is not your option. The sheets should fit well in the hand, exude warmth and evoke positivity. Do not try to find a rational explanation, rely only on your intuition.

You should choose a deck very seriously, as it will serve for a long time. When choosing, you need to take into account numerous factors. If you take into account every single nuance, you will be able to choose the ideal option.

First of all, you need to decide on the place of purchase. There is less risk of encountering a low-quality product in a bookstore; you can also go to a supermarket. The risk of purchasing defective cards at a kiosk is much higher.

Often esoteric stores offer books that teach fortune telling., and this is a great solution for dummies. Anyone can master simple fortune telling with Tarot cards for beginners.

It is worth choosing arcana with beautiful pictures and clear symbolism. Real Tarot should not leave paint marks on the palms, this is how it differs from a fake. The sheets should be counted to make sure that they are all in place - there should be seventy-eight in total. It is important to make sure that no two copies are identical in the box and that all images are different.

The advantage of open packaging is that it can be closely inspected. A closed one may reveal a defect. There is an opinion that the Tarot needs to be cleansed if the box has been opened. In fact, you will need to cleanse any Tarot, even those that were sold sealed.

Before you go shopping, you can look on the Internet to see what types of decks there are. This can be seen on special websites. After studying the pictures, it will become clear which option is needed, and you won’t have to spend a lot of time in the store.

However, many people prefer to make a choice relying on the advice of the seller. After all, along the way, a variety of questions may arise. The seller will tell you which Tarot cards are the strongest and help you decide.

Some people show a genuine interest in Tarot cards. For beginners, learning will not take much time, and if you set a goal, there will be no special problems.

Tarot card decks are of keen interest to many people, especially in recent years, when with the development of information technology, previously hidden knowledge has become accessible. Today there is a huge market for selling cards with many offers for every taste and color. How to sort through all this diversity and find your deck of Tarot cards? If you decide to learn to tell fortunes, then choosing your first deck is a rather important step, which in the future can become decisive in mastering the science of divination. It is worth remembering that Tarot is an established, stable system that includes 78 arcana, of which 22 are the major arcana and 56 minor, sometimes, if desired, they add 79 so-called white cards.

Tarot Thoth Shirt

Cards created by Aleister Crowley are widespread, interesting, and have a large number of fans. However, they contain a lot of symbolism and information. For independent study from scratch and interpretation is quite difficult.

Marseille Tarot.

The Marseille Tarot and similar decks, such as the Visconti Sforza Tarot, belong to the Marseille school of divination and are historically the earliest card decks. The design of the cards is in the original medieval style. There are differences in the interpretation and numbering of the arcana. In the Tarot of Marseilles, the minor arcana are not drawn, which makes them difficult to master at the initial stage. Otherwise, as in the Rider White system, there are no problems in acquiring such decks, and there is also a large amount of information for their successful study.

Having mastered and understood the essence tarot card systems , belonging to the classical ones, it will no longer be difficult to guess at all the others. For example, for a detailed consideration of issues of love and relationships, there are separate decks such as Tarot Manara or Tarot Casanova. Decks appeared that reflected individual teachings, theories or concepts. These undoubtedly include Osho Zen Tarot , Tarot Space of Options, Tarot Law of Attraction. The Tarot of Paracelsus will answer questions regarding health and treatment. Tarot of the Golden Taurus, Tarot of the Dwarves are good to use to consider issues related to finance and business. There is a separate rather extensive group of Dark Tarot cards.

Dark Tarot.

Tarot of Shadows

Dark Tarot refers to special thematic decks that have a specific design and energy that is not suitable for everyone. Dark decks are a mystical tool that helps the practitioner in his occult work, making it more meaningful and productive. For example, Dark Tarot decks make it possible to determine the type and source of magical negativity, as well as a method for neutralizing it. The Dark Tarot is indispensable when working with spirits and elements; it will help in the selection of protective amulets and talismans. Practicing graphic magic using runes in practice also requires a thorough diagnosis. The most famous decks from this group are the Tarot of Shadows by Vera Sklyarova, Tarot of Lucifer, The Gothic Tarot, Black Gremoire, Deviant Moon Tarot and many others.

How to choose a Tarot deck.

Choosing a Tarot deck so that you not only like it, but also find it useful is not easy. I hope that my practical advice will help you with this.

When choosing your deck, first of all, rely on personal feelings and preferences, while not forgetting about the tasks and goals that you set for yourself.
Depending on your goals, be it your first acquaintance with the Tarot system, replenishing your personal collection of cards, the desire to more thoroughly cover a certain group of issues, etc., you should determine what type (type) the deck belongs to - classic universal or thematic. It is important to understand and identify the features of the deck.
To get acquainted with the deck you like for the first time, it will not be superfluous to look at it in electronic form, read existing reviews, pay attention to the amount of materials on developing the deck, read the author’s book or the MBK (little white book), which is usually included.
If the semantic content, theme, or design of a deck of Tarot cards reflects a certain ethnic group, culture, or teaching, then it is advisable to familiarize yourself more thoroughly with this information for a better understanding of the meanings of the arcana.
I think it’s also worth paying attention to the proposed size of the cards for further convenient work with them. When directly purchasing or receiving the product, evaluate the quality of the print and check the integrity of the deck.

In order to choose a suitable deck, you need to know the description of tarot cards and their features. There are many schools that are difficult for a beginner to understand. Let's talk about the advantages and disadvantages of each.

The classic Tarot deck includes several suits:

Major Arcana
Minor Arcana: Wands, Cups, Pentacles, Swords

But decks are different, and beginners are often concerned about the question of which cards to choose. There are many of them - from traditional to non-standard versions.

Papus Tarot School
Waite School
School of Marseille Tarot
Crowley School

Each has its own characteristics, similarities and differences.

Papus Tarot School

Features of this deck and its distinctive features:

The major arcan, Justice, is number eight.
Major Arcana Strength is number eleven
The major arcana Jester is an analogue of the letter Shin, which is shaped like a fork. Located at number zero or twenty-one
Arcanum Magus is associated with the first letter of the Kabbalistic alphabet Aleph
Arcanum Magus - analogue of the twenty-second letter of the Kabbalistic alphabet Tav
The Lover's lasso depicts a young man flanked by two women, between whom he chooses his betrothed

There are no special rules for fortune telling on the Papus deck - no special rituals are required, it does not matter which hand you take the cards with. It also doesn’t matter the time or number of questions.

The founder of the school believed that in the process of fortune telling, a person connects to the magical egregor of the goddess Isis, who patronizes the Tarot.

Followers of this school use the following decks for fortune telling: Egyptian Tarot, Tarot of the Age of Aquarius, Tarot Labyrinth.

Waite Tarot School

The cards of this school have the following features and differences from traditional decks:

The Arcana of Strength corresponds to number eight
Arcana of Justice - 11
Arcana of the Fool - 0 or the letter Aleph
Arcana Magician - letter Bets
Arcana World - number 22 and letter Tav
The Lover's lasso depicts a couple - a man and a woman, either walking in heaven or at their own wedding

It is the Waite school that is most widespread in the modern world. The meanings of the arcana necessarily have an astrological basis.

Crowley Tarot School

This is a very specific deck called the Thoth Tarot. It has a unique image style and a unique appearance that is easy to distinguish from classic decks.

Peculiarities:

The Arcana of the Magician has three illustrations - Greek, Indian, Egyptian. The first one is the most common
The founder of the school recommended: turn to cards only on important issues that concern you most
Also, the author of the system believed that the cards help the fortuneteller to know himself, achieve trance and enter a state of meditation

Important: when using this deck, cards must be removed exclusively with your left hand.

Marseille school

The cards of this school are also famous for their specific design, which cannot be confused with other decks.

Peculiarities:

There are few color variations: in the illustrations you can only find beige, yellow, blue and red colors
The outlines of the figures are quite rough and are not particularly realistic
Popular decks of this school: Tarot of Marseilles, Tarot of the Angles, Tree of Life

Followers of this school also created unique artistic decks, which are distinguished by their non-standard appearance.

How to choose a deck for fortune telling

To get the right answers to the questions that concern you, you need to accurately select the right deck. Depending on the Tarot school, not only the appearance of the arcana will differ, but also the methods of fortune telling.

How to choose the right fortune telling deck:

Listen to your own feelings. “Your” deck will seem to call you. Hold the cards in your hands and feel if there is any discomfort. If you have feelings of anxiety, restlessness, or don’t like the cards in appearance, fortune telling is unlikely to be successful
If you have just begun to explore the magical world of Tarot magic, opt for decks with neutral or light energy. As a rule, these are bright cards painted in light colors
Dark shades are more suitable for experienced magicians and are completely unsuitable for magical love and financial situations
Ignore the tempting names and flashy packaging. Look specifically at the illustrations of the arcana. You should like them and be tactilely pleasant
It is not advisable to buy cards that are laminated and too smooth to the touch - they have practically zero energy. The ideal option is rough and thick cardboard
Examine the cards carefully - the images should be clear and well drawn
Hold the cards in your hands - you should feel as comfortable as possible. Don't buy decks that are too small or too big

Watch an overview video about choosing Tarot cards and the features of different decks:

The following decks are perfect for a complete beginner: Rider-Waite Tarot, Age of Aquarius Tarot, Universal Key Tarot. For health layouts - the Paracelsus Tarot, for love layouts - the Manaro Tarot.

The deeper you delve into the magical world of Tarot, the more decks you will buy over time. Professionals, as a rule, have several sets of cards with different directions. But it is quite possible that the first cards you buy will stay with you forever.

Tell your fortune for today using the “Card of the Day” Tarot layout!
For correct fortune telling: focus on the subconscious and don’t think about anything for at least 1-2 minutes.
When you are ready, draw a card:

People prefer one deck over another for two reasons. Some people choose a specific deck simply because they like the illustrations, while others are looking for a figurative system that is closest to them, for example, they prefer images of gods and goddesses of the ancient Egyptian, Celtic or ancient Greek pantheons.

Ceremonial Mages most often focus on traditional Tarot correspondences associated with the teachings of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Today this system is widely known.

Magical Tarot of the Golden Dawn by Sandra Tabatha Cicero

This deck is based on the traditional teachings of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The Major Arcana cards are filled with symbolism and imagery, while the Minor Arcana cards, as was customary in the so-called “medieval decks,” are numbered and executed in a conventional artistic manner.

Aleister Crowley's Tarot of Thoth

The Thoth deck is also based on the Golden Dawn's teachings on tarot cards, although modified according to Aleister Crowley's system of Thelema. The cards were created by the magnificent artist Lady Freda Harris.

Universal Tarot by Roberto de Angelis

This tarot deck is a new version of the Rider-Waite Tarot, the most popular deck of all time. The deck retains the original images by Pamela Coleman-Smith, but the lines of the drawings are softened, the style is modernized and looks more natural.

Babylonian Tarot by Sandra Tabatha Cicero

This deck combines the familiar attributes of the Golden Dawn with the imagery of Ancient Mesopotamia.

Tarot de Marseille (version published by Lo Scarabeo)

The most popular of the "medieval decks", it dates from the 18th century and became the model for many decks that came after.

Many traditional tarot decks are based on the attribution developed by the Golden Dawn. However, even between traditional decks there are significant differences in keywords, design and imagery, which naturally influence the choice of a particular card as a talisman. The same card from different decks can be used for different magical purposes.

So, Arcana Lovers associated with the zodiac sign Gemini and is suitable for invoking any of the qualities inherent in this sign of mutable Air, versatility, communication skills and ingenuity. But at the same time, the system of images of the Arcana Lovers in each of the five decks listed above suggests different purposes for its use. For clarity, here is an example of such different goals.

Magical Tarot of the Golden Dawn: to gain victory over insurmountable obstacles or free yourself from something that binds you.
Tarot of Thoth: to successfully unite opposites and achieve harmony.
Universal Tarot: Helps to realize the sacredness of sexual union or to better understand the spiritual concept called the Garden of Eden and its meaning for an individual.
Babylonian Tarot: to learn how to become a more attentive and loving partner.
Marseille Tarot: to ensure a successful marriage.

As another example, consider a card from the Minor Arcana, Six of Swords. The unique system of images of this card in each of the five decks has a very wide range of applications.

Magical Tarot of the Golden Dawn: to find stability after a period of conflict and struggle.
Tarot of Thoth: to achieve complete balance or make a qualitative breakthrough in the scientific or technical field.
Universal Tarot: to move forward after a long negative period.
Babylonian Tarot (here this card is called the Six of Arrows): to heal after a long illness or to become a healer.
Tarot de Marseille: Since the Minor Arcana of this deck are stylized and numbered, the Six of Swords will work for any of the purposes listed above.

As you can see, each Tarot card has a specific purpose, and the purposes may vary depending on the type of deck. About and about, you will learn in the following articles.

Choosing a Tarot deck is quite a responsible matter, regardless of whether it is the first deck for a beginner or an addition to the collection of a professional fortuneteller. Below you can familiarize yourself with the different types of decks, as well as the principles for choosing between them.

In the article:

Tarot decks - how not to get confused when choosing for a beginner

Beginners often ask the question - which Tarot cards are better? At the moment, there are several thousand decks - both classic and non-standard art versions (,). The best deck will be the one that suits you personally. It is impossible to determine a single version that will be universal and suitable for everyone. Below you will find decks recommended for beginners.

In the same way, we can answer the question of which Tarot cards are real? Everything that is offered in thousands of stores in our rather large country. However, only the deck that suits you will work.

If you are just starting to work with Tarot and are choosing your very first deck, first remember how many cards it should contain. There are 78 of them, of which 22 are the Major Arcana, and 56 are the Minor Arcana. Be careful when purchasing, there can only be so many cards in the Tarot, with the exception of the author's versions, which are difficult to classify. It’s best to start with one of the classic options.

If you already have experience in fortune telling, most likely you already know what schools of Tarot are. If you need to change the deck or buy another one, it is better to give preference to the school within which you have already worked. It is not necessary to understand these nuances when choosing a deck - it is better for a beginner to be guided by other principles of choice, which will be discussed a little below. But after purchasing the first deck, you need to classify it into one of four types, or schools - the interpretations of cards from different schools sometimes have significant differences, although there are also enough similarities.

Types of Tarot cards - four schools

Varieties of Tarot cards are usually called schools. These are not just varieties, they are separate fortune-telling systems that have many differences and similarities. There are only four classical schools. This is , and . The main differences are in the images on the cards, the numbering of the arcana, as well as the letters of Kabbalah. The latter are depicted on modern decks less and less often.

Papus Tarot School

Papus Tarot System has the following characteristic features:

Arcanum Justice is located at number 8;
Arcana Strength is located at number 11;
The Arcanum of the Fool can be zero or be located at number 21, it corresponds to the letter Shin, which is similar to a pitchfork;
The Arcana Magus corresponds to the first letter of the Kabbalistic alphabet - Aleph.
The Arcanum World corresponds to the twenty-second letter - Tav.
The illustration on the card The Lovers depicts a man choosing a life partner between two women standing on either side of him.

The last sign is now not considered sufficient for the deck to belong specifically to the Papus system, if there are no other signs. The fortune-telling system of Doctor Papus is distinguished by the absence of specific rituals. Cards can be taken with any hand, fortune telling can be done at any time, questions can be any and in any quantity. Papus himself wrote that when doing fortune telling, a person uses Isis, the patron goddess of the Tarot. That is why the decks seem to come to life, acquire character and some independence, becoming a reliable advisor in any matter.

Examples of Papus school decks - Labyrinth.

Waite Tarot School

Rider-Waite Tarot System has the following differences:

Arcana Strength is at number 8;
Arcanum Justice is at number 11;
The Arcanum Jester can only be zero; it corresponds to the first letter of Kabbalah - Aleph;
The Arcana Magus corresponds to the second letter of Kabbalah - Bets.
The Arcanum World, as in the Papus system, corresponds to the twenty-second letter Tav.
The lovers depict only a man and a woman, often they are in the Garden of Eden or at their own wedding.

As with the Papus system, the last feature is not considered significant enough to determine the school to which the deck belongs if the other features are not present. The Rider-White school is the most popular at the moment when compared with all other types. Rider-White decks have astrological aspects.

Crowley Tarot School

Cards Aleister Crowley systems impossible not to know. It was created by him. It is very easy to recognize by its appearance and style of illustrations. It is not too varied; there are no other versions of the deck other than the classic one. There are three variants of the image of the Arcana Magus - Greek, Egyptian and Indian, but in recent years only decks with the Greek design of this card have been published.

Unlike the system of Papus, who considered absolutely any question given to the cards to be important, Aleister Crowley recommended consulting the cards only on important issues. He wrote that Tarot serves to extract information from the subconscious of the fortuneteller. Therefore, adherents of Crowley's system practice fortune-telling after immersing themselves in a meditative trance, and lay out the cards only on green cloth. Crowley recommended pulling out cards exclusively with the left hand.

Marseille school

Marseille Tarot has too specific a design for the cards of this school to be confused with any others. The color scheme can be called poor - in the illustrations there are only red, blue, yellow and beige colors. The images have a rough rendering.

In addition to the classic decks and their many versions, there are also artistic versions of the Tarot that are difficult to classify. They are not recommended for beginners; interpreting non-standard Tarot is quite difficult even for professionals. These include, for example, those that are practically unsuitable for fortune telling. Tree of Life. They can be classified as one type of Tarot cards - art decks, non-standard or artistic decks.

Tarot cards - how to choose a deck

So, with the types of Tarot in general, everything is clear - most likely your deck will belong to one of the schools. Fortune telling methods and literature are chosen accordingly, and the interpretations of the cards are slightly changed. Involuntarily, different authors slightly modify the meaning of the cards, taking into account their personal vision, but there were still no fundamental changes in the meaning of the Tarot.

How to choose Tarot cards if you already understand which school interests you or decide to move on to this issue later? When choosing a Tarot deck, you need to focus on your own feelings. Your deck should be calling you. Hold a few selected sets in your hand and listen to yourself. For a beginner, it is better to choose options with light or neutral energy. Dark color shades take some getting used to, they require experience in fortune-telling, and most of them are not suitable for ordinary fortune-telling about love, work and situations.

Most often, cards are sold packaged. If you don’t look at store catalogs or galleries, you can buy a pig in a poke and be seriously disappointed. It is available on our website. Don't buy into the bright images on the boxes or pretty names. Pay attention to how the cards look. You should like the images, the backs, and even the feel of the cards themselves.

Of course, it is advisable to choose cards printed on thick, high-quality cardboard - this way they will last longer. It is undesirable to choose laminated cards; they slide when shuffled, and also do not retain energy well. Illustrations should also be clear and well drawn. It is good that the set fits comfortably in your hand and that the cards are not too small or too large.