My Journey Through Different Tarot Decks
So, I got into tarot a while back. Wasn’t really planned, just kinda happened. I saw a deck, thought it looked cool, and picked one up. Didn’t know anything, really. Just opened the box and started messing with the cards.
My first deck, like probably most people’s, was based on the Rider-Waite-Smith system. You know the one, with pictures on all the cards, even the numbered ones (the ‘pips’, I later learned they were called). I spent a lot of time just looking at those pictures, trying to figure out what they meant. I’d pull a card, look at the little book that came with it, then look back at the card. It was slow going, but I stuck with it. That deck became my go-to for a long time.
Then, things got interesting. I was chatting with someone, and they pulled out their deck. It looked totally different! The numbered cards, the suit cards, they didn’t have full scenes like mine. They just had, like, cups or swords arranged on the card. That was my first encounter with a Marseilles-style deck.
- I got curious and bought one myself.
- Tried reading with it. Man, it felt weird at first!
- Without the full pictures on the numbered cards, I had to rely more on the number itself and the suit, and how the symbols were arranged. It forced me to think differently. Took some getting used to, for sure.
Around the same time, I stumbled across another type – the Thoth deck. Saw it in a little shop. The artwork was intense, really abstract and packed with symbols. Honestly, it looked kinda complicated compared to my Rider-Waite. The names of some cards were different too, and the whole vibe felt more, I don’t know, mystical or something? I picked one up eventually, but I admit, I didn’t dive into it as deeply right away. It felt like a whole different system to learn, and I was still getting comfortable with the others.
And then there are Oracle decks. These popped up on my radar too. They aren’t strictly ‘tarot’ in the same way, with the Major and Minor Arcana structure. They seemed more free-form. Each deck has its own theme, its own number of cards, its own way of working. I grabbed a couple that resonated with me.
- Sometimes I just want a quick, direct message, and an oracle card feels right for that.
- Less structure, more intuitive feeling, I guess.
What I Do Now
So now, I’ve got a small collection going. I still use my Rider-Waite-Smith style decks a lot, especially when I want that story-telling vibe from the images. But sometimes I’ll reach for the Marseilles if I want to focus more on the patterns and numbers. The Thoth deck… well, I pull it out now and then when I’m feeling particularly studious or want a really different perspective. And the oracle decks are great for daily pulls or when I need a little boost.
Finding what works for you is key. There isn’t one ‘right’ type of deck. It’s about exploring and seeing which ones you connect with, which ones speak to you in a way that makes sense. It’s been a fun process, just trying things out and seeing what happens.
