Deck Wanted?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 04 Apr 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Angel_fire	04 Apr 2005
Hiya Everyone Can anyone tell me, the easiest to use Tarot Deck out there. Is there ones where the picture will almost give you the interpretation of the card? (I know you should use intuition, but till I get that advanced I would like the card to be able to tell me what it means). Also I know that you should use the cards that stand out the most to you, but this way has cost me a small fortune, as I own a fair few packs. I bought them (cos they jumped out at me) got home and found they were not at all what I was after. Surely someone out there must of designed a pack that are the most easiest to interpret (meaning the picture dipicts the meaning). Love Angel_fire x

Emily	04 Apr 2005
Hi Angel_fire, Which decks have you been using? The standard Rider Waite Smith is an easy deck to learn with - you can learn to read it intuitively or invest in a good book to learn the symbolism then move on. If you don't like the artwork of the Rider Waite Smith then there are recoloured versions of it with much sharper artwork - the Universal Waite and the Radiant Rider. There is also a set called 'Beginners guide to Tarot' by Juliet Sharman-Burke which includes a deck (Sharman-Caselli deck) that is explained step by step in the companion book. It follows Rider Waite symbolism and is an ideal beginners deck and book set - Although I only bought this set some months ago and its been very helpful to me too. Its on the lower end of the price bracket but the cards are very good quality and should stand up to repeated use and study. I don't really know of any deck that could give you the precise meanings just by looking at the card but you could always use a cheat sheet next to your deck as you study it. It also depends on what kind of deck you are looking for - there are RWS clone decks, Marseille or Thoth and Thoth clones. Hope you find what you are looking for. :)

Emily	04 Apr 2005
Hi Angel_fire, Just checked and you have three of the decks I mentioned lol. What about the Morgan Greer or the DruidCraft - both very easy to read with - the DruidCraft is pagan but much better done than the Robin Wood was and the Morgan Greer is a RWS clone deck with nicer artwork. :)

Angel_fire	04 Apr 2005
Hiya Emily Thanks for the advice, I only got the Juliet Sharman-Burke at the weekend, I have just started working with them and I am getting along brilliantly with them. I read about them on this site, so thought I would give them a try. I'm waiting to receive the Joan Bunning book from Amazon, am hoping that will be a help too. Have checked out the Morgan Greer Deck, do agree they look beautiful. Love Angel_fire x

Elektra	04 Apr 2005
Well, there's always the Quick and Easy Tarot, which has the meanings written right on the cards! I'm personally having brilliant, easy, unbelievably intuitive readings with the Bright Ideas deck. I didn't think I'd get on so well with it, as the artwork isn't my usual style, but the pictures are absolutely jam-packed with meanings and I think that the modern style makes it easier to intuitively relate to. So that's the one I'd recommend for beginners, but as it's not traditional tarot (though IMO it follows the RWS meanings relatively closely) I'm sure some will disagree with me :). Good luck!

Emily	04 Apr 2005
Hi Elektra and Angel_fire, I too am having some amazing readings with the Bright Idea Deck - never thought I would take to a deck that was so different from what I'm used to but I love it. I've only glanced through the book the cards are so easy to use, the keywords really do fit and the artwork just feels so right. :) The 'Beginners Guide to Tarot' might be what you are looking for - I think the artwork of the cards is very good, very attractive - the backs can be a bit off-putting though. :D I like the Joan Bunning book too - I used to go to her site and work through the excercises so often that I bought the book. I know some on here don't advocate book learning but for me, well I'm a natural book reader, and I have picked up so much from many books - I think you need a push when learning tarot and reading others views on tarot cards helps.

shadowdancer	04 Apr 2005
there are so many ways you can learn tarot but at the end of the day it is always going to take time, effort and real dedication. 78 cards is no mean feat to remember and interpret. I was lucky that a tarot reader of some renown in the area I lived offered to teach two of us over a period of 5 weekends. Suffice to say his down to earth and humerous approach made it a joy. To this day if it hadn't been for Peter I would never have set off on the path I took with the tarot. I had tried reading and learning from books but ended up very frustrated, very early on. My "teacher" taught me to be humble with it, and to be honest with each and every reading. He was a Londoner with a day job of being a driving instructor. His approach of being direct and to the point has stayed with me ever since, and although I have had many decks come and go in my possession, no matter what deck I am using, I still use this approach. To whoever is learning the tarot, be patient and take your time. I know what it is like wanting to run before you can walk (I still do it with other aspects of my life) but the tarot will not let you do that believe me! In a few years time you will look back at the early days and laugh affectionately. I remember my first readings lasted 10 minutes at most before I dried up. Now?? Heck I'm lucky if I finish in under an hour if I have a 1 - 1 reading to do! Enjoy the journey though. Davina

Silverkitten	04 Apr 2005
Davina, Thanks for your words of encouragement. This is a little bit where I am at right now. Finding it hard to know what to do with my cards at this stage. I really don't know what to do on a daily basis for practice. I live out in the boonies, and don't have contact with anyone, much less read for anyone. So, it is just me and my cards. I sit and look at them, and don't know what else to do. I do hope that I will look back on this dry period later on and see it as funny, because right now I'm in fear of loosing my love for the cards. Blessings, Donna

shadowdancer	04 Apr 2005
Hey hang on in there if it is really deep down, what you want to do. I find that it is an all or nothing type of way of being. I do know of people who started off saying they wanted to learn, then realised after what was involved, that they didn't want it enough. They realised that they could not commit enough to it long term and gracefully pulled away. If you know it is the path you want, do a little at a time. Find a way that suits you. Find a deck you can really, really resonate with and make it your best friend for this period of time. Find friends who are going to be willing guinea pigs in the early days, willing to have a reading to support you as you learn. FInd a few minutes each day to just look at a card and say what it means. Each time you look at it, you may find something new comes to mind each time. Believe it or not, you will find yourself on the road of learning without even realising it. If it becomes a chore, ask yourself if you just need a break or if you need to pass up on the learning for now. There is no set way of doing it, but if you DO persevere, in time the rewards will be so worth it. I find if I don't do a reading for a week or so I get withdrawal symptoms! Good luck with it all, but you are in the best place for guidance and support. Davina

Cerulean	04 Apr 2005
by Juliet Sharman Burke and you liked it. Joan Bunning's Learning the Tarot has a great website, as well. www.learntarot.com Hope you enjoy the decks and books! Cerulean

Emily	05 Apr 2005
Hi Silverkitten, Why don't you try practise readings on celebs? I too am in the same boat as you, pretty isolated - apart from on here I don't know of anyone in my area who reads tarot cards in real life - I don't read for anyone apart from myself, which I enjoy but you can only ask so many questions before you run out and they turn into general spreads lol. So I do test readings on celebs - Michael Jackson, the Pope, Brad Pit, anyone in the news - no one but me will ever see these readings so I don't think it infringes on anyones privacy and it gives me practise. :)

sunflowr	05 Apr 2005
You can also do readings for people in here, and for online friends. :)

The Deck Wanted? thread was originally posted on 04 Apr 2005 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.