Guide to Choosing Your First Tarot Deck
- Richard Knight
- Jun 3
- 5 min read
My Tarot Deck Buying Guide for Complete Beginners
Contents
Your first Tarot deck is usually the most special of all. It’s the one you’ll always remember, the Tarot deck you will learn Tarot with, and the Tarot deck you’ll do readings on yourself with, uncovering all your desires, blocks and potential futures. You’ll more than likely become very sentimental about your first Tarot deck and will always keep hold of it (even if it gets a bit scruffy!)
How do I Know Which Tarot Deck is Right For Me?
If you’re a beginner at Tarot, choosing your first Tarot deck can be quite overwhelming. There’s a lot of pressure to get the right one… the one you’re destined to work with.
Can I Buy My Own Tarot Deck?
There is an old myth that says you should be gifted your first Tarot deck by someone else. Sometimes I think this is easier, as there are so many Tarot decks to choose from… but it’s just a Tarot myth, and there is no truth in it whatsoever. It’s perfectly fine to choose your own Tarot deck when you are just starting out.
What to Look For When Buying a Tarot Deck
As far as I’m aware, there are two types of Tarot decks.
The first group of Tarot decks are the older, more traditional cards.
The second group tend to be more modern and artistic.
Both have their pros and cons, so let’s take a look, shall we?
The first group of Tarot cards is the one you are probably familiar with already: the Rider Waite, Tarot De Marseille, the Visconti-Sfortza and the Thoth Tarot.
I actually think that these are the best to learn Tarot with (although the Thoth Tarot meanings differ and the symbolism is quite complex). They are fairly simple and easy to get the basic meanings “locked in” so that you have a foundation for your intuition to build upon. Many of these Tarot decks have been around for a long time and have become a universally understood language amongst Tarot readers.
I tend to see that the students of mine who use these classic decks have the most success when getting started and training their accuracy as Tarot readers.
If you’ve joined my 6-Week Tarot Masterclass, you’ll know I recommend the Rider-Waite Tarot deck - for all of the above reasons, but also because it’s very easy to get hold of.
The second group of Tarot cards (the modern, artistic decks) are often full of imagery that fires up the subconscious mind and imagination. This is great if your intuition is already highly accurate, but not so great if you’re just opening up your intuition and psychic senses.
These Tarot decks often come with guidebooks that explain the meaning of the decks, and sometimes they share non-traditional meanings. That’s fine, but if you want to use other Tarot decks alongside it, it’s probably best to make sure the cards all agree on the meanings so you’re not looking things up in multiple guidebooks and confusing yourself!
How to Pick a Tarot Deck That Speaks to You
There are a few other things to take into account when choosing your first Tarot deck.
First, consider the practical side of things:
What is the card quality like (important if you’re going to be using it regularly)?
Do the cards shuffle well?
Are the cards too big for your hands?
Then, consider the design:
Does the imagery speak to you?
Is it easy to differentiate between cards?
And most importantly… do you feel a connection with them?
Essentially, you’re looking for that feeling of “just right” when you pick up your Tarot deck. You’ll no doubt be working with these Tarot cards a lot, so you need to feel good about using them. And hopefully excited!
Key Takeaways
It’s a myth that someone else should buy you your first Tarot deck.
There are two types of Tarot decks: traditional and artistic.
The traditional Tarot decks are best for learning the Tarot card meanings.
The modern, artistic Tarot decks are good at triggering your intuition.
The Rider-Waite Tarot deck is a great beginner’s deck because it is widely available.
Consider the quality of the cards before you buy a Tarot deck.
The most important thing is that you feel a connection with your new Tarot cards.
FAQs
Are modern Tarot card decks better?
Modern Tarot card decks have some beautiful designs. They are great at stimulating your intuition and helping you access your subconscious mind, which is helpful during readings, but they are harder to learn due to their variety and non-standardised meanings.
What are the traditional Tarot decks?
Traditional Tarot decks include the Rider-Waite deck, Tarot de Marseille, and the Visconti-Sforza. Sometimes the Thoth Tarot is included in the traditional cards, although it is more modern, and some of the cards differ.
Should you use the guidebooks that come with Tarot cards?
It’s best to learn the Tarot card meanings independently of the guidebooks. Sometimes the meanings differ in each book, and it can be hard to memorise. I teach a simple way of learning the Tarot meanings in my 6-week Masterclass. Once these are familiar to you, you’ll find it easier to read the Tarot intuitively.
Ready to master the Tarot?
The world needs more dedicated, masterful Tarot readers right now. If you want to take your Tarot reading skills to the next level, then check out Revolutionary Tarot. In this 8-hour online course, I take you through my exclusive methods to read, interpret and experience the Tarot.
You’ll discover:
How to feel the truth within the cards, instead of just interpreting Tarot card meanings.
How to master two popular card spreads and spot hidden messages most Tarot readers miss.
Go beyond the traditional textbook meanings and read from a place of intuitive flow.
About Richard Knight
Richard Knight is a world-renowned Tarot reader and psychic medium. Over the past 40 years and through conducting over 80,000 Tarot readings, he has developed ground breaking techniques that have made him known as “One of the best Tarot readers in the world”.
He is passionate about bringing Tarot up to date and helping his students achieve mastery so they can serve others in a powerful, fulfilling way.
You can check out his online courses here, his live in-person events here, and sign up for his popular free Transformational Tarot Spreads here.
