Choosing a tarot card deck need not be difficult. Because learning to read tarot cards can be tricky at first it’s best to start simply. If you are a beginner and have never read the cards before we suggest you start with the Waite-Rider deck. This is widely acknowledged as the easiest tarot deck to work with.
The Waite-Rider deck was designed by members of the Order of the Golden Dawn. These same individuals also designed the Morgan-Greer and Thoth decks. If you’re not sure which deck to go with, start here. When choosing a tarot deck bear a few things in mind before you buy.
When choosing a tarot card deck you might want to learn a bit about its history before you purchase it. The abovementioned decks were designed by magicians for magical use. So in addition to tarot readings they can be used for spell work. It is suggested by many practitioners of the tarot that before you begin working with your deck you “key” it. Keying is the process of personalizing the cards for your own use.
Keying your tarot deck means that the tarot deck is now linked to your individual energy as well as the energy of the universe. If you are interested in doing spells with your deck keying will make this possible. This means that when you change or re-arrange the cards in the spread the physical universe also changes. After choosing a tarot deck and keying it you will want to use a signifier.
A signifier is a tarot card that symbolizes someone or something. During a reading the signifier is the entity that asks the question that needs to be answered. Many believe that readings that use a signifier are more accurate than those that do not. Using one means that the reading will be specific to the issue at hand. When choosing a tarot deck you will want to choose a signifier as well.
Signifiers can be based on chronological age and sun sign. In this case young children are symbolized by pages, teenagers by knights, adult females by queens and adult males by kings. When using the Crowley deck the page features both male and female cards (prince or princess). The adult male appears represented by a knight. When choosing a tarot deck remember that the process of reading tarot is an ongoing one.
This means that your link to the cards does not begin when you remove them from their box and end when you put them away. The cards are linked to you as an individual living within the universe. Bear this in mind when choosing a tarot deck. Study as many decks as you can before you choose one. Notice which ones feel comfortable and familiar in your hands. Choose tarot cards that you are intuitively drawn to and you will have found the perfect deck.