My favorite Tarot decks
an immersive picture tour
For the first time in my life, I gifted myself something for Valentine’s Day!
(See picture above)
Since I am a natural curator and collector, as well as a lover of history and ancient cultures, I thought I’d dive into some of my favorite Tarot decks, as each one comes with a distinct consciousness and personality of its own.
If you like getting lost in art museums, consider this post a visual tour :-).
As usual the Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) original deck retains its top spot on everyone’s list. Beginners should use this deck because its imagery tells a crisp and clear story. For example, some more esoteric decks might show the Five of Wands with just five sticks or five pens. For beginners that’s not helpful at all, because what does a picture of five pens mean? But with RWS, we see five people carrying these wands that resemble big sticks in a cluster, exuding a chaotic and tense energy. There is a lot of jostling and competition, and nobody’s body language or movement is in harmony with another. It is easy to deduce then, from the picture alone, that struggle is present and there is a lack of consensus.
Most professional readers have many versions of the RWS deck. You can start with getting a mini-pocket sized version to carry around. It’s also easier to shuffle those! Then there’s the circular version which is fun because it breaks up the rigid structural energy of all the rectangular cards on a table or in a spread. Reminds us that we can be professional and serious with readings but also have fun and throw in a little play.
Another version of RWS that I really like is the Black and Gold Tarot, because of its gold foil details that pop out when the light hits it at different angles. There is a feeling of solemnity, sacred presence, and divine essence.
Last but not least, check out the Universal Tarot, which is a recolored version of the original RWS. The colors are brighter and more vibrant, which provide just enough contrast with the original that both can be used in a reading without confusing the two decks. Below, I put The High Priestess Card for the original (left) next to the Universal (right) to show its difference.
Note: there are so many versions of RWS that a couple books could be written on it! This is just scratching the surface, and shows some of my preferences.
Next, we continue with the journey of RWS but make a pivot in time to Past, Present, and Future. One of the most innovative-themed decks I’ve come across are these sets that start with the original RWS cards but create scenes of what happens just before, after, and around the same time but from a wider angle or different perspective. They are called The Before Tarot, The After Tarot, and Tarot of New Visions.
Let’s examine each of these.
With the Before Tarot, we look at the Knight of Cups card. Traditionally with RWS, it shows a knight on a horse with a single cup. But with the Before Tarot, we see the scene before that, showing where the Knight gets his cup! The lady here is wearing a fiery red dress and holding the cup in a reverential manner. To me, it means the Knight is in touch with his feminine side, having earned the cup of emotions and heart power from his long journey.
I would use this deck to understand the Past. Tell the story behind how things came about. Bring in that awareness. It’s the deck to discuss past choices and revisit everything that has happened before.
In the New Visions Tarot, the idea is to reveal hidden parts from RWS that we didn’t see before, kind of like taking the camera and zooming out or pivoting and shooting the scene from a different angle. New details come to light, intriguing us and provoking further interpretation. This may be controversial, as some may prefer to leave the images on a general note to leave the Tarot reader (as well as client) more room for interpretation.
Here, we look at the Magician card. With RWS, all feels straightforward as this looks like a solitary figure doing his magic with no one in front or behind him. However, with New Visions, we see that he is actually performing for a crowd. He has a big audience! And behind him, there is a monkey that resembles Abu from Disney’s Aladdin. The monkey is very much his trusted confidante and helper, and has his back at every turn, making sure he doesn’t get blindsided while he is engrossed in his performance. Also, while with RWS, all four Minor Arcana suits (Pentacle, Cup, Sword, Wand) are laid out on the table, with After Visions it looks like the Wand and Sword are now on the floor. Why? I’ll leave that as an open-ended question.
Now as we examine the After Tarot, we see it’s the scene immediately after what is shown in RWS. This is a deck about the future, and what is on the other side of our choices in the present. Oftentimes we like to get assurance that what we are doing now is the right thing and will pay off. This is the deck to project that.
With the Star card, we see that the woman has now immersed herself completely into the water, a sign of further spiritual evolvement and mergence with her Higher Self. She is still aware of her duties to pour the water for others, but now she is also doing it for herself too. The bird in RWS, originally perched on the tree, has now taken flight, signifying an enhanced sense of freedom and liberation. Breathtakingly beautiful message.
Another deck that deserves mention here, and is very popular, is The Vice Versa Tarot. It’s the only deck I’ve seen where there are images on the front and the back of the cards. This gives the reading perspective and flow, as we are encouraged to examine a situation from all angles. Compared to RWS, the imagery is also far more realistic and dreamy, like scenes from an actual movie.
The next deck I am so excited to share is called Deviant Moon Tarot. It’s relatively new and one of the decks I just bought for myself. I’ll be honest: it’s probably not everyone’s cup of tea and feels a bit like a special occasion type of deck. However, if you’re a Discovery fragment (see my previous post about them here), this is YOUR deck.
Of all the fragments, nobody knows darkness, manipulation, and pain the way Discovery fragments do. They literally coined the term “complex trauma.” As the name Discovery suggests, these people are curious about everything, and they’re even willing to go the depths of the darkness to see what it’s all about. The characters in this deck are inspired by the Moon, or shall we say, the dark and deviant side of the Moon? Like the Moon, Discovery fragments keep so many secrets, are connected to their feminine side, and are constantly in their feelings, although they also carry many illusions.
When exploring the complexity and messiness of human relationships, this is my go-to deck.
Note: an honorable mention deck of choice for Discovery fragments is Dancing in the Dark Tarot. See picture below…no further explanations needed.
If the artists Magritte and Dali got together to pay homage to pretty women, their creation would be the Mystical Moments Tarot. The surrealist imagery is hauntingly beautiful, like scenes from a dream. At times Alice in Wonderland, at times Inception, at times The Secret Garden, it’s a wonder that keeps on going and going.
Note: there’s an Oracle of Mystical Moments too! Same artist. I can’t decide which one I like better so I may end up getting both!
Another note: for an even more surrealist dream deck, check out the Dreamkeepers Tarot.
Now it’s worth noting that with tarot decks, the more standard ones, which are also mass produced, are priced on average around $25. I’ve seen some go as low as $15 and as high as $35.
However, there’s a vast world of Tarot decks out there! As we speak, many Kickstarter campaigns are running to finance the creation and production of new and innovative decks. You can also follow the indie Tarot artists on Instagram to get a feel for how their work progresses. Also, there are rare vintage decks that have stopped printing. Whether it’s up-and-coming or vintage, these decks will typically go for above $60, sometimes even over $100.
One example of an ultra-fancy deck is the Fantôme, a Multidimensional Tarot. It even comes with an augmented reality guidebook and app!
Another one that I am absolutely in love with is the Stardust Tarot Deck, by Terra Soleil. Actually, I love all of their decks. Check them out HERE.
One deck that is fast increasing in popularity, which I’ve seen being used by professional and mainstream readers over and over, is the Gilded Tarot. Like RWS, its imagery is clear, and is easy to interpret for beginners. Its unique-ness lies in the luxuriousness of its subjects and the way they are depicted in bejeweled ways. I am a jewelry aficionado and collector myself, so this deck captured my attention right way…see how the Minor Arcana cards all have a colored stone at the top? And the way the Pentacles are portrayed…too stunning for words.
Being a minimalist when it comes to design, and wanting a smaller deck I could travel with, I went with the Sun and Moon Tarot. What I love about this deck is that it is colorful without being crowded, overwhelming, or overbearing. Lots of empty space, open skies, wilderness, long distance scenes. The depictions are Kabbalistic in Nature, and gives a different spin on the symbolism present in RSW…for instance The Devil is represented as a goat holding the Caduceus. There is that tribute to Nature, to the elements, and to rich traditions of our past. All in all, I get so immersed in it I forget where I am sometimes.
No Tarot deck recommendation list is complete without one about animals right?
First, for the serious ones, the Anima Mundi Tarot is highly recommended by professionals. It contains no humans in any images, only animals and nature. When I connect to its energy it is extremely introspective. Like going on a silent retreat. Taking a pilgrimage into the wild unknown. Almost completely leaving the body and being in the soul. It’s a real deep dive into the spiritual journey, one that beginners wouldn’t feel ready to undertake just yet.
Fortunately, there are plenty of less intense decks featuring animals! Here is a selection of my favorites:
Way of the Panda Tarot - it doesn’t get any cuter than this! Pandas getting their spiritual groove on!
Blooming Cat Tarot - what a neat idea to put cats and flowers into one deck!
Luna Lapin Rabbit Tarot - the rabbit in this deck reminds me of Peter Rabbit and The Velveteen Rabbit, two of the most memorable stories from my childhood. In Chinese mythology, there is an immortal rabbit that makes potions for the deities, and he resides in a palace on the Moon. Naturally, these are magical animals, somewhat mysterious but carries with them the intuitive depths of the Moon.
To close out the grand tour, as a Tarot collector it’s important to know who the major players are in this space. To me, that honor goes to Lo Scarabeo, whose annual catalog is a must-see to stay up-to-date on what’s in the spotlight. Of course, the indie decks will keep coming, but those are more scattered, and we would need to seek them out on places like Instagram individually.
Hope you had fun! Remember there is no right or wrong in Tarot, just what comes to your intuition in the moment. Don’t forget to cut chords and clear external energies, as otherwise you may find yourself stuck in energetic containers that you didn’t intend to be a part of in the long term.