Which deck helped you to read tarot?

Cocobird55 said:

The first deck that i could read from just looking at the pictures was the Buckland Romani. it was totally clear what the cards were telling me.

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Gorgeous artwork!

Argh! I'm trying to respond to everyone, but can't keep up! I'll stop here by saying thanks to everyone for the great suggestions

Gwynydd said:

Argh! I'm trying to respond to everyone, but can't keep up! I'll stop here by saying thanks to everyone for the great suggestions

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aww bless, no need to reply to everyone like that, no one exspect it even though it is appreciated for sure :-D

I learnt from a Fournier TdM, well sort of, then found a herbal tarot I liked a lot, but was not really 'good' at reading until I bought Gill tarot and discovered you could do comparative readings.

My first deck was the Hanson Robert deck. I was about twelve or thirteen and it appealed to my innocent nature. I actually outgrew it rather quickly but it helped me learn some basics and I still have the deck. [emoji5]

I originally learned and studied on RWS but personally did not enjoy it much for reading. Early on I relied on a few decks from Baba Studios (particularly the Victorian Romantic.) I found they worked wonderfully for me. I wouldn't say their decks are specifically new reader friendly per-say - It would depend largely on the reader (what they respond to and resonate with.) Another deck that helped me immensely was The Druidcrat Tarot. I actually think deck is fantastic for new readers (and the guidebook is amazing.) However it has a strong pagan theme and won't appeal to everyone.

There are many good suggestions posted and I don't think you can go wrong with them! The last piece of advice I have is make it about *you*. What do you feel about it? What do you think about it? Allow yourself the freedom to explore that. What interests you? Mythologies? Religions? Art Periods/Styles? Animals? History? Astrology? Geometry? Etc. What are you drawn to? What do you connect with? Take a look at as many cards as possible and don't rush into a purchase until you're comfortable. c:

I hope you find exactly what your need!
Blessings~

I started with the Thoth, because that's the one I particularly resonated with ever since I read that magazine article that introduced me to the world of Tarot. I didn't heed to the old "RWS for newbies" advice, and never regretted it, although I did look into RWS and TdM next.

Talking about the Pagan Cats, well, if that's your entrance, go ahead, but if you wish a general understanding of Tarot, that wouldn't be the one to go for. I would recommend one of the classics for a newbie - but that's just me.

First rule is, begin with something that truly speaks to you.

What really made it click for me and got me hooked for good on tarot was Mary K Greer's book Tarot For Yourself. This book relates the cards to your life, they become immediately relevant so that you remember them. If I remember right she has you look at all the 2's, all the 3's and so forth to see what they have in common. It is illustrated with a lot of different decks. It is probably pretty dated by now in some ways.

I really don't think it is the deck that matters. This is why such a diverse assortment of decks have been mentioned.

Robert Place's book on the history of tarot has a whole section on reading. It shows you how to look at a few cards in a row and see the shapes and patterns made by how the cards interact. This more than anything helped me learn to read, as opposed to understanding individual cards. This one is illustrated with the RWS but after you learn to see this way it works on a lot of other decks as well.

Another thing that helped, although I wouldn't recommend it for a beginner, was sitting down with a good book on the Thoth that explained the numerological and Kabbalistic REASONS behind the meanings in the Minor Arcana. Then I could see how some of Waite's choices were different and why. Is the Seven of Swords really about theft or deception or was Pixie Smith using that scenario to illustrate something more general? Is the Six of Swords anything to do with a journey over water?

Gwynydd said:

I am a tarot beginner. I use the Morgan Greer mini to learn on. I love the deck, but I hear/read about people who say, 'once I started using xyz deck, everything fell into place so much more easily.'

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The problem with recommendations is that my xyz deck is not necessarily your xyz[/i] deck.

For a beginner, I think it is essential to have a copy of the main deck of the school of Tarot you're drawn to -- the Rider Waite Smith in your case -- even if you're not drawn to it. (I wasn't. I have learned to appreciate it, but it's not my go-to choice.) It's Deck Zero, the mold on which all RWS-type decks are modeled.

Sibylline said:

But most importantly, go with what you're drawn to. So far, your instincts are not steering you in the wrong direction.

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THIS. It may take you some trial and error, but you'll find it.

Oddly enough, it was a Lenormand deck that brought me to Tarot (French Lenormand). And it was the Voyager that made the bridge possible for the sheer plethora of images
Go with your heart. Sappy, corny but true.

Gwynydd said:

Thanks for that I definitely want some sort of foundation deck, for sure. Would the Radiant count as that?

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I have the radiant and its sorta foundation learning deck, followed by morgan-greer and aquarian. but my best working deck is the world spirit deck. I sher hope the new version gets printed soon. I really hate sun boy and i can't take him out of the deck.