At the moment, there are more than 1,500 variations of Tarot decks in the world, and their number is growing every year. However, choosing exactly the deck that turns out to be "working" and is ideal for you can be difficult at times. Some decks are ideal for teaching the art of fortune telling, while others will be difficult for beginners to cope with.
Tarot deck classification
All tarot decks can be conditionally divided into the following groups:
- traditional;
- universal;
- copyright;
- specialized.
Traditional (classic) decks include Egyptian Tarot, Marseille Tarot, Madame Lenormand's Tarot and others. Most of these maps were created in the 15th-17th centuries and were used in monasteries and among the nobility. At that time, almost every wealthy person was able to lay out the cards "for fate". The artists were honored to create a unique deck for a particular family. Most of the designs on traditional decks have remained largely unchanged over time.
The Tarot decks of Aleister Crowley, Tarot Osho, Tarot of the Golden Dawn, Tarot Ryder-White (Ryder-Waite) are considered universal. They were all created under similar circumstances, but at different times and in different countries. The third most popular in the world are Tarot of the Golden Dawn. It was designed by Samuel McGregor Mathers and painted by his wife Moyna. They were both members of the British Order of the Golden Dawn. Crowley's deck is in second place in terms of prevalence. The English mystic and magician Aleister Crowley, together with the artist Frida Harris, created the Tarot deck for 5 years, but it saw the light of day only after the authors' will was made public. Crowley's tarot is often used not only for everyday fortune telling, but also for magical rituals. The most popular in the world is the Arthur Edward White Tarot deck. The widespread use of the deck is due to its intuitiveness, ease of interpretation, and also "safety" - from such cards you can expect truthful answers to any questions. It is on the Ryder-White deck that it is best to comprehend the basics for novice tarologists.
Author's Tarot decks reveal the personality of their creators, the system of their worldview, and therefore the interpretation of the alignment is often difficult. However, it is the author's decks that will allow you to look at this or that situation from a completely unexpected side.
Specialized tarot decks work well only with a certain range of issues (as opposed to universal ones). An experienced tarot reader knows well when you can refer to such a deck, and in which you should look for another way of fortune telling or meditation. The Tarot deck of gnomes will perfectly tell you about the solution of a domestic conflict, answer questions regarding material wealth. Tarot Manara and Tarot Lovers are cards that answer questions of relations between the sexes.
The nuances of choosing "your" deck
If you are just going to discover the world of Tarot, then you should opt for one of the universal decks, for example, the Ryder-White Tarot. There are illustrations here on each card, which will make it easier to memorize, and the drawings themselves will help to interpret the alignment. It is worth noting that in the Ryder-White deck, the major arcana Strength and Justice have serial numbers 8 and 11, and not vice versa, as in most other tarot decks.
You can buy tarot on your own, but it is better if you choose a deck, and a person close to you will pay for it. It is considered a good sign to receive Tarot cards as a gift, but it is far from always possible for other people to guess on such cards. To the one to whom they were presented, this deck will answer any question and become an assistant in the spiritual search.
It is better not to buy tarot cards over the Internet. You need to feel "your" deck. In the store, ask the seller to show the decks you like for a closer look. If possible, remove the cards from the box, examine each sheet. It's okay if you feel cold on individual cards, but feeling like that on the whole deck is a sign that it doesn't work for you. “Your” deck should be pleasant to the touch, comfortable to hold in your hands, and evoke positive emotions. You should not try to find a rational explanation why this or that deck should be yours. Choosing a tarot deck is always intuitive.
