Choosing Your Tarot Deck
There are literally hundreds of decks to choose from. Although they all carry the same story, the imagery may appeal to different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and some decks are simpler to read than others. If you're just starting out, it's best to choose a deck that "speaks" to you, meaning a deck that is easy to read and has an origin that can complement your own.
The Original Rider Waite Tarot Deck
The Original Rider Waite Tarot Deck (£9) is the ideal choice for English-speaking beginners. The imagery, created by artist Pamela Colman Smith, is vivid and easy to decipher. The deck is of British origins, with illustrator and occultist Colman Smith being born in London. She then grew up in Manchester, before moving to New York to study fine art at Brooklyn's Pratt Institute and finally she moved to Kingston, Jamaica, where she created much of her illustrative work.
Although many witches credit the divinatory powers of the deck to Colman Smith's own enchanted form of synesthesia, her illustrations were commissioned by the mystic Arthur Edward Waite. Both Colman and Waite were members of The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, which was a British secret society dedicated to the study of magic. It was one of the first and only secret societies of its time (late 19th century) that admitted women on an equal basis to men. Bram Stoker, the Irish writer best know for the horror novel Dracula (1897), was also a member.
Tarot Decks with Diverse Representation
Although The Original Rider Waite Tarot Deck has an exceptional history, it's not ethnically diverse. So, if you'd prefer a deck with more inclusive representation, we'd recommend checking out:
Our Tarot (launching Spring 2020), by Sarah Shipman, which is a truly feminist deck. It features images of influential women throughout history, like Harriet Tubman, Sophia Duleep Singh, and Joan of Arc.
Dust II Onyx: A Melanated Tarot Deck, by Courtney Alexander, features beautiful illustrations of African ancestors.
Kaleidadope Tarot: A Dope Deck, by Krystal Banner, has diverse pop culture iconography, like Beyoncé depicted as a goddess, LGBTQ+ imagery, and brown Lego men dressed as Knights — a fun one for party tricks.
The Legacy Of The Divine, by Ciro Marchetti, depicts modern illustrations of Native American and South American iconography.