DECKS
Choosing
a deck with which to work is to some extent a personal
matter; one which may be great for you,
may be poor for the next Tarotist. If you do not yet own
a suitable deck, you may wish to acquaint yourself with some
of the decks mentioned below and study a book or two prior to
making a purchase. To begin to know decks, consider making
a special effort to examine them critically in person; some occult
or New Age stores have sample decks which you can inspect.
Decks may also be purchased from many chain, on-line, and used
bookstores, and Internet auction sites.
When you shop, consider looking for
decks which are not only visually attractive and excite you,
but also encourage you to think. You may also wish
to ask an experienced Tarotist for his/her opinion before purchasing
one. Of the numerous decks available, some which may be
particularly suitable to new students are described below.
Also, should you become an advanced student, they will probably
continue to serve you well.
Note: The
publisher of the following decks is U.S.
Games Systems unless otherwise noted.
Rider-Waite-Smith Decks.
Rider & Company published the first member of this seminal
and generally highly respected family of decks in 1910.
It was designed by the famous occultist A. E. Waite and drawn
by Pamela Colman Smith. Unlike virtually all earlier decks,
such as Tarot of Marseilles
decks, the numerical or pip cards (those numbered Ace through
Ten) include illustrations which were specifically designed,
in part, to facilitate divination (e.g. see illustration of the
Six of Cups [left] and compare it to that of the Tarot
of Marseilles). Because many books and resources
on the ’net use a Rider-Waite-Smith deck, such a
deck may be particularly valuable to new Tarotists. Generally,
the lines which comprise, in part, the images remain similar
from deck to deck, but the coloring varies significantly. The
Rider Tarot Deck (ISBN 091386613X)
(see illustration, below, left) is described by the publisher
as “the world’s most popular tarot deck”
and they may very well be correct. Of currently available
versions, it probably most closely resembles the earliest
members of this family. (However, whether Waite and Smith
were satisfied with these early editions is unknown.) Other
members include: the Universal Waite Tarot Deck (ISBN
0880794968) (see illustration, extreme right) and the Albano-Waite
Tarot Deck (ISBN 0880794666) (see illustration, top of this
paragraph). If you are not shopping for a Rider-Waite-Smith
deck but would like one which is generally similar to it, consider
the next one or see Other Decks.
Illustration (top of
paragraph): The Six of Cups from the Albano-Waite Tarot Deck,
adapted from the work of A.E. Waite and Pamela Colman Smith (copyright
© 1987 U.S. Games Systems). Click the image for a larger
one.
Illustrations (immediately
above, left to right): Temperance from The Rider Tarot Deck
by A. E. Waite and Pamela Colman Smith (copyright © 1971
U.S. Games Systems) and Universal Waite Tarot Deck adapted
from the work of Waite and Smith (copyright © 1990 U.S.
Games Systems). Click images for larger ones.
The Robin Wood Tarot Deck
(Llewellyn, ISBN 0875428940). This popular deck (see illustration,
left), which was designed and drawn by artist and author Robin
Wood, was published in 1991. Although the design is original,
it is generally similar to a Rider-Waite-Smith
deck. Therefore, many books and resources on the ’net
which use a Rider-Waite-Smith
deck, may also typically be used with this deck. Wood,
a committed pagan, has also authored The Robin Wood Tarot:
The Book (Livingtree; ISBN 0965298418). Her work may
also be seen at Robin
Wood Enterprises.
Illustration (above):
The Ace of Cups from The Robin Wood Tarot Deck by Robin
Wood (copyright © 1991 Wood). Click image for a larger one.
The Thoth Tarot Deck
(ISBN 0913866156). This generally highly respected deck
(see illustration, right), which was designed by well-known occultist
and magus Aleister Crowley and painted by Lady Frieda Harris,
was first published in a limited edition in 1944. Although
some new Tarotists take to it like a duck to water, others find
the imagery confusing and overly complex. If you elect
to use it, you will probably want to purchase a book specifically
written with it in mind, e.g., The
Crowley Tarot: The Handbook to the Cards by Aleister Crowley
and Lady Frieda Harris or the more challenging The Book of Thoth.
Illustration (above):
The Hermit from The Thoth Tarot Deck by Aleister Crowley
and Frieda Harris (copyright © 1944 Ordo Templi Orientis).
Click image for a larger one.
Tarot of Marseilles Decks.
Many members of this historic family of decks were originally
printed from woodblocks and date from the 16th through 18th centuries.
Some of them are still regularly used today, especially in France.
New Tarotists might work well with them. However, be forewarned:
although the Trumps and Court Cards include illustrations which
may assist in divination (e.g., see illustration of The Moon,
above, left), the pip or numerical cards (those numbered Ace
through Ten) typically contain no keywords or illustrations specifically
designed to facilitate divination. The Six of Cups (see
illustration, above, right) essentially depicts six cups—period.
(Compare it to the Six of Cups from a Rider-Waite-Smith
deck.) For this reason, some new Tarotists may have
difficulties. Nevertheless, if you are interested in these
decks, you may wish to obtain: Tarot Classic (ISBN 0913866547),
which is based on an 18th-century design, or Tarot of Marseilles
(ISBN 09138666091) (see illustrations, above), which is adapted
from a deck published by Jean Dodal circa 1700.
Illustrations (above,
left to right): The Moon and Six of Cups from Tarot of Marseilles,
adapted from Jean Dodal (copyright © 1996 Carta Mundi).
Click images for larger ones.
Other Decks.
Additional decks which may be suitable to new Tarotists are available;
only a few can be mentioned here. If you are seeking one
which is generally similar to Rider-Waite-Smith
decks, in addition to the aforementioned The
Robin Wood Tarot Deck, you may wish to consider:
Aquarian Tarot Deck by David Palladini (ISBN 0913866695),
The Gendron Tarot by Melanie Gendron (ISBN 1572810653)
(see illustration),
Hude’s Tarot Deck by Susan Hudes (ISBN 0880791373),
Morgan-Greer Tarot by Lloyd Morgan and Bill Greer
(ISBN 0913866911) (see illustration, right), The Sacred Rose
Tarot Deck by Johanna Gargiulo-Sherman (ISBN 0880790121),
or Spiral Tarot by Kay Steventon (ISBN 1572810971).
Illustration (above):
The Queen of Swords from Morgan-Greer Tarot by Lloyd Morgan
and Bill Greer (copyright © 1979 U.S. Games Systems). Click
image for a larger one.
Still Other Decks.
If you are especially adventuresome, have already worked
with one or more of the aforementioned decks, or want one which
is clearly different from those already named, you may wish to
consider: The
Cosmic Tribe Tarot by Stevee Postman, which is packaged
with a guidebook by Eric Ganther (Destiny, ISBN 0892817003),
The Hermetic Tarot by Godfrey Dowson (ISBN 091386692X)
(see illustration, left), Motherpeace Round Tarot Deck by
Vicki Noble and Karen Vogle (ISBN 0880790636), or Tarot of
the Spirit by Pamela Eakins and Joyce Eakins (ISBN 0880795441).
Illustration (above):
The Emperor from The Hermetic Tarot by Godfrey Dowson
(copyright © 1971 U.S. Games Systems). Click image for a
larger one.à
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Copyright ©
2000 James W. Revak. All rights reserved. Version
2.1 (8/12/00).