My First Deck.....Any recomendations?

For the past week I've searched through all 300 tarot/oracle decks to find one that really calls out to me. I've narrowed it down to two: Fantastical & Buckland. Are these good decks to start out with? Does anyone have a recomendation for this Cancer Pig as to witch deck would best suite my beginners eye? Or should I learn with both??????

Both are wonderful, but I recommend that you learn with Rider Waite (the Universal is a little easier on the eye) or a clone. Then after you have a good grasp of the meanings, get either or both. Good luck.

I would recommend that you select either of the two you really like and ALSO get the Raider Waite ... I think both the decks you are looking at follow the basic number and elemental corresondence as the Raider Waite (RW) deck. The reason for this recommendation is that many of the books written on Tarot use the RW for illustrations and talk sometimes specifically about that deck. By having both decks you can look at the pictures of both simultaneously and try follow the text with your RW so you can clearly see what they are talking about while seeing how to apply that knowledge to the deck you really like.

If you read through this site you will see that many of us are deck collectors so asking us which deck you should get will ofter get you the answer "get 'em all" ~chuckles~ ... Good luck on your Tarot endeavors and always know that there are plenty of people willing and able to give you an assist here at Aeclectic any time you want it. Also I highly recommend that if you are starting out that you visit the Tarot Basics Forum, set it on 180 days and go through the entire deck on this Forum starting with the Fool.

Love & Light,

Out of the two decks you seem to like i would say that fantastical would be better to learn with than the romani. However saying that i have been told the fantastical hasnt got as much symbolism as a new person to tarot may need.

If you can afford to buy the fantastical and a rider waite or universal waite. The waite decks are what most people use to learn with because there is a lot more reference to them than any other deck.

I have the romani deck and would imagine that one would be very difficult to learn with, of course though it depends on what speaks to you more.

Try looking at the decks and seeing which cards you can look at and understand easier ask yourself which one speaks to you more. If there is a deck where you can look at the cards and get a sense of what they might mean without any help this is probably a good deck to start with.

Lisa

If the Fantastical and the (Buckland) Romani decks really do call out to you, then get those...

It is true that many books are illutrated with the Rider/Waite deck. This, however, should not be a reason to also get that deck unless you so desire it. Though some comments for meaning are going to be deck-specific, the general meanings will transcend the individual deck.

What you call your "beginner's eyes" should adjust quickly to whichever deck you choose... and if you stay on this forum, you'll probably and up obtaining many other decks!

As the Waite deck as been mentioned a number of times above, let me also add my view: consider learning with a Marseilles type deck. The pips not being 'fully' illustrated doesn't really make it any more difficult - just different to what you would see if you followed the specific imagery Colman-Smith depicts on the Waite deck and its clones.

Hello. My 1st deck was the Mythic Tarot deck & my daughter's 1st deck as well. We find it is a beautiful set that people relate well to , as well as being a deck where the suits move in a sequence that is easier to remember than the Waite deck is. I am now ready for the Waite deck after becoming well respected and sought out for my readings with the Mythic Tarot. People who are repeat clients remember their cards from previous readings easily .~Madonna

Christopher, my mother is a cancer pig, and I'm a capricorn tiger. We have always had difficulty getting along! There was once a posting on these forums about which decks got along with which astrological signs. For a cancer , the "Enchanted Tarot" by Amy Zerner and Monte Farber is supposed to be a good deck (same as Zerner -Farber deck but bigger with borders and a Really good book). I actually love this deck and find it very good to read with , and I think it would be fine for a beginner. Try giving it a chance.