Can't decide which deck to get?

I've never owned a tarot deck before and am planning on getting my very first one so I want to make sure I'm making the right choice. I'm having a tough time deciding between the Aleister Crowley Thoth tarot deck and The Wild Unknown tarot deck. I find them both really beautiful and feel like the pictures in both decks really speak to me. I love how The Wild Unknown deck has no humans on the cards and is very nature based. But at the same time I love the almost abstract style and colors of the Aleister deck. Does anyone have any advice or experience with either decks? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

if you are just starting out and know nothing about Tarot..then I would suggest the Rider Waite Smith. Its easier to learn the meanings of the different cards. Once familiar then you can slowly move onto other decks
The wild unknown relies heavily on intuition I think, because of the minimal artwork
Just my opinion

it's completely upto the user what cards to go for. some say it should be ones you're gifted other's say choose what you're drawn to. There is no right or wrong in my opinion what you choose.

however, one thing I would say is make sure that that the font on the cards and images are easy to see.


A Few Alternatives to Rider waite
Sharman caselli
Connolly tarot
Cachet
universal waite brighter colours
colman smith
morgan greer
diamond tarot
tarot of the old path
tarot of a moon garden
halloween tarot

thoth similar
tarot of stars eternal
via tarot
some inspired by thoth
haindl
Rosetta
vision quest

I agree simple decks are much easier


there are so many my best advice is go to a book store feel the cards look through the decks sit in one where they allow you to drink something and make a day of it.
don't just buy on the spur go and re check until you feel yes, I have got to have this deck!

If you start off with a deck, Thoth (which I believe is it's own system in certain ways) or a RWS deck, you are going to learn;

Symbolism, color, and why the characters on the cards are doing certain things, facing a direction, or showing particular movements and actions. And then what it all means indivdually, and then together.

So then, when you look through other decks, such as, The Wild Unknown like you mentioned, you will be able to under where all that symbolism, color, actions came form and why.

Go ahead- buy any deck that appeals to you. Eventually you will have to learn all those things I mentioned in order to read any deck. But at least with a
*deck where all other decks have been based* you will have a foundation for any deck you chose.

The Thoth is an extremely difficult deck to learn on, especially if you don't have a background in Thelema. However, I can understand the appeal - it is lush.

I don't know the Wild Unknown, but my experience is that if you are motivated enough, you will drive yourself to learn on whatever deck you have. The danger with the Thoth is merely that it might overwhelm you if you don't have a background in either Tarot or Thelema (or for preference both), and possibly might leave you turning your back on it and feeling disillusioned, which would be a terrible shame.

I also think the Thoth is a very complex deck to start with. But maybe it is your deck of choice. Because I like to se the image to give me insights I do this: when I look at the entire deck first. Then, I ask a question (as if I were actually reading with it) and pick at random three cards. If the cards speak easily and give me a good idea of the answer, I do it again. And again. After some "fake" readings I can get an idea of the deck being right for me.
As for the Thoth, have you had a look at the Rosetta ? It is Thoth based and visually more "decipherable".
http://www.rosettatarot.com

I would take the time to really look at as many scans as possible of the decks you're thinking of getting. Choose whichever you feel most drawn to. Then be prepared to spend a lot of time studying your chosen deck. There is a lot of literature available for the Thoth. For the Wild Unknown, there's only the artist's rather succinct book, but standard RWS meanings work well with it, and I think Marseilles meanings may work as well. Whichever you choose, limit yourself to just that one deck until you've really delved deeply into all the symbolism on the cards, and until your intuition starts going beyond that and responds almost illogically.

Briar Rose said:

If you start off with a deck, Thoth (which I believe is it's own system in certain ways) or a RWS deck, you are going to learn;

Symbolism, color, and why the characters on the cards are doing certain things, facing a direction, or showing particular movements and actions. And then what it all means indivdually, and then together.

So then, when you look through other decks, such as, The Wild Unknown like you mentioned, you will be able to under where all that symbolism, color, actions came form and why.

Go ahead- buy any deck that appeals to you. Eventually you will have to learn all those things I mentioned in order to read any deck. But at least with a
*deck where all other decks have been based* you will have a foundation for any deck you chose.

Click to expand...

I agree with Briar Rose. Not only about the learning as the fact that you need a deck that appeals to YOU.

Yes, people will say Rider Waite - they always do.

BUT - if you really don't like the way it looks - and many don't - your tarot journey will be boring and depressing. You want to enjoy it while you learn - and you need a deck that speaks to you.

Lillie, here, started on the Thoth when she knew nothing of tarot at all, and lived to tell the tale. If that is the deck that calls to you - there's a reason for that. Go with your gut. You can change your mind later, anyway.

Don't believe those who say the Rider Waite Smith is where you should start because it's easier (sorry, everyone above me who said exactly that..grrrr.)

The Thoth will meet you wherever you are. I love the Thoth and found it very accessible once I'd stopped listening to people (and I'm not sure I have any background in Thelema). The great thing about the Thoth is that it will meet you wherever you are. It will feed you in bite-sized pieces if you let it.

If you are drawn to the swirling, swooping, intoxicating art deco lines, go for it and read DuQuette and Snuffin gradually and then - finally - The Book of Thoth itself. It can only enrich you.

I'm not sure why the Rider Waite Smith is the benchmark but I do think it's a useful system for reading the Wild Unknown. Sure it's intuitive but I think having a RWS basis is useful not because it's "easier" but simply because it sort of abstracts the RWS meanings and does something else with them.

I love them both but do be aware of strangers trying to tell you the Thoth is difficult. I would really have to beg to differ on the "not the Thoth, how about Tarot of the Moon Garden?" . The Thoth can be taken on your own terms. Many people did just that before the invention of the internet and learnt to read very, very well with it.

I agree with Le Fanu and Gregory. To add my own spin... go with your gut, that's kind of the whole point of this Tarot thing anyway (in a way). There will always be a reason you chose the first deck you did. If it were me, I would research the broader histories and systems (Rider Waite, Thoth etc.) as much as possible so that whatever deck I chose had an intellectual and historical context (but that's just the way my mind works). Once you have it in your hand, it will work for you, simply because you were drawn to it.

I have bought a copy of the Thoth, but have not dived into studying it as the right time has not come along. However, I'm sure what Le Fanu said about it meeting you where you are at is totally true, I'm sure I could pick it up and go for it tonight if I wanted to.

As far as the Wild Unknown goes... I bought it after being drawn strongly to the images and then found myself wondering how I could read a deck so sparse in imagery, so put it away for a couple of months. I picked it up recently and have been getting great readings from it with no study, no consulting the book (but that's how I read lately).

Just buy the one that feels the best... Anyway, I guarantee it won't be your last