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The last twenty years have brought drastic change in the availability of information, instruction, and materials for those who wished to learn more about alternative spiritualities. Tarot cards, once available in the United States only in one or two designs as reproductions of ancient decks, are now widely diverse and representative of almost every culture on Earth. Artwork used on these cards ranges from sparse to comtemporary and flamboyant to extraordinarily beautiful, and individuals at nearly every level of Tarot knowledge and skill can find a deck that is appropriate for their use.
Close observation and experimentation is important when it comes to choosing your own cards. You know yourself better than anyone else knows you, so let instinct be your best guide when when you go to make this purchase.
The following reviews of tarot decks and sets will hopefully give you a nudge in the right direction. It is entirely possible that you will own a half dozen different decks before you find one that is exactly right, or you may discover that you outgrow one deck and must move to another as your level of skill changes. You may also use different decks for different types of readings, or use one deck for reading for yourself and a different deck for reading for others. People who have used Tarot for many years develop attachments to their cards, and treat them distinctively, as they do their friends.
Please note that decks are reviewed in the order of complexity of use, with simplest decks listed first.
The Rider-Waite Tarot
If any tarot deck deserves to be called "definitive," this must be it. More people in the United States have learned Tarot using the Rider-Waite deck than any other deck in history, if for no other reason than the fact that it has been generally available in the U. S. for at least 25 years. The Rider-Waite deck, and accompanying reference books, can be found in nearly every bookstore and new age shop.
The images used within the Rider-Waite Tarot are a mixture of modernized renditions of images used in historic decks and A. E. Waite's personal interpretations as communicated to the collaborating artist, Pamela Colman Smith. Mr. Waite was a member of the Order of the Golden Dawn at the time this deck was developed. It was first published in London in 1910, but the original plates were destroyed during World War II. The deck employs symbolic images on each card, and after a little practice even a novice should be able to read them without difficulty.
This deck is used as the "standard" in this review, as a way of comparing suits, symbolism, and Major/Minor Arcana cards.
The Osho Zen Tarot
While most tarot decks contain Swords, Cups, Wands, and Pentacles (or close equivalents), the Osho Zen deck contains Fire, Water, Clouds, and Rainbows. Reading with these cards is very different from "standard" decks, but is astonishingly easy and refreshing. The Osho Zen Tarot deck comes boxed as a set with a 176-page book which elaborates on the meaning and lesson of each card, and outlines the significance of each card in the reading. Even without the book, though, the cards are incredibly easy to read. The artwork is eloquent and brightly beautiful, and the entire range of human emotion and experience is represented. You will notice that the focus of a reading using this deck will change from "prediction of an outcome" to "a valuable lesson to learn," as befits the best of Zen philosophy.
The Haindl Tarot
German painter Hermann Haindl has incorporated images and symbols from many different cultures into this incredibly stunning Tarot deck. Each Major Arcana card bears a Hebrew letter, rune, and astrological sign; each suit card contains a colored border indicating its suit; and each Minor Arcana card contains a hexagram from the I Ching. Almost every reader can find something in this deck with which to identify, and the artwork is so expressive that the cards seem to read themselves. The Haindl Tarot is available as a boxed set with the book, "Haindl Tarot: A Reader's Handbook" by author Rachel Pollack.
The Robin Wood Tarot
These very popular cards were nearly ten years' in the making. Artist and designer, Robin Wood, wanted to create a deck that interpreted traditional Tarot symbols in a more modern way while keeping the true, unique energy of the Tarot intact. Special attention was paid to the Minor Arcana cards, making this an especially easy deck for beginners to use. The deck is widely available, comes with an instruction booklet, and uses suits and symbolism comparable to The Rider-Waite deck. Note: Some of the cards in this deck display nude figures, so if you are easily offended or wish to use the cards in the presence of young children, you may want to make a different choice.
The New Palladini Tarot
This deck is extraordinarily beautiful. It is the second deck to be designed and painted by David Palladini, whose first was "The Aquarian Tarot," first published more than 25 years ago. The suits and some of the symbols used in this deck are closely comparable to The Rider-Waite deck. The artwork is expressive, colorful, and eloquent, making this an easy deck to learn after just a little practice. The New Palladini Tarot is also available as a set with the book "Reading Tarot Cards: A Guide to the New Palladini Tarot" by Susan Hansson.
The Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg
Russian artist Yury Shakov produced a masterpiece in this Tarot deck, as is evident upon its inspection. The artwork is reminiscent of the style of Faberge eggs or fine Russian religious art, and ranks the Russian Tarot among the most beautiful of all Tarots. Suits and symbols are similar to The Rider-Waite deck, with the addition of images from Russian history and culture. A companion book, "Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg," by Cynthia Giles is available in the boxed set.
The Cosmic Tarot
Different levels of possible interpretation, as delineated in the book "Cosmic Tarot," by Jean Huets, make this deck a good choice for the more advanced Tarot reader. Designed by artist Norbert Losche, the cards display modern, even futuristic symbols, many modeled on famous actors and actresses. While the names of suits and Major Arcana cards are identical to The Rider-Waite deck, the names of court cards are not. The Cosmic Tarot is available in a boxed set, or the deck can be purchased separately. A second book about this deck, "The Cosmic Tarot: Signposts Along the Path," by author Laura Clarson, is also available.
The IJJ Swiss Tarot
This deck is a reproduction of a 19th century Tarot deck, and contains very simple symbolism in its Major Arcana cards. Unfortunately, there are no story-pictures on Minor Arcana cards, making it nearly impossible to read them without the assistance of a manual or instruction book -- unless, that is, you take the time to memorize each card's meaning. Although the deck does include a small instruction booklet, a full-size book specific to this deck is not available. The next best reference would be "The Key to the Tarot," by A. E. Waite, or any other Tarot book which uses The Rider-Waite deck as its template.
The Golden Dawn Tarot
Imagery in this deck is based upon late nineteenth-century designs from the notebooks of MacGregor Mathers and the Order of the Golden Dawn. As is true with the IJJ Swiss Tarot, Minor Arcana cards contain suit symbols only, making them more difficult to read for beginners. Suits and most of the Major Arcana cards are identical to The Rider-Waite deck, and an instruction book is included. The artwork, by artist Robert Wang, is very simple and straightforward in comparison to many of the other decks included here.
The Goddess Tarot
The focus is on women in this lovely deck. Artis Kris Waldherr created The Goddess Tarot especially for women, using feminine symbolism and imagery from goddess myths and legends worldwide. Each Major Arcana card is assigned a particular goddess, and Minor Arcana cards are dedicated to the everyday feminine perspective as it relates to creativity, love, loss, and prosperity. The deck is available as a boxed set including the book, "The Goddess Tarot," also by Ms. Waldherr.
The Witches Tarot
Artist Ellen Cannon Reed developed this deck with the Pagan community in mind. Many cards contain Qabalistic symbols, and court cards inflect different meanings on subsequent cards but do not necessarily carry individual meanings of their own. The basis of the deck itself is similar to traditional Tarot, but additional interpretive elements have been added, making this deck better suited to experienced readers or students of Wicca, Paganism, or other Earth religions. The deck is also available as a boxed set containing the book, "The Witches Tarot," also by Ellen Cannon Reed.
The Egyptian Tarot
This lovely deck displays scenes from ancient Egyptian life, religion, and culture on each card. Suits, court cards, and Major Arcana cards are nearly identical to The Rider-Waite deck, but all the symbolism is different. There is no instruction booklet or accompanying reference book, only a brief introduction and card meanings printed on an extra card. This truly is a deck for the Tarot expert who feels an affinity with things Egyptian, or who can read Tarot by emanation - it is most definitely not for the beginner.
Tarot cards are unequalled as tools to enhance the experience of self-knowledge and the development of intuition. They have an uncanny ability to make us face the things that we would normally avoid, to make us tell the truth about things we would rather not see. There is a deck out there somewhere that is perfect for you, for the way your mind and heart work, for your particular religious or spiritual outlook, for your affinities and abilities. Find and use them, and in doing so, you will learn to see the truth about yourself.
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