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Being quite new to the tarot I did not know they were different until I started researching them but there are so many conflicting opinions about various decks that I am finding the going both heavy and frustrating.

I have looked at the Rider Waite deck and have read that the Universal Rider Waite deck uses better colours and it seems to be the most popular. I know it will be down to the individual but as far as I am concerned for my purposes as long as every card has lots of detail in the pictures and is preferably available in a giant size as well, I just do not care.

So with that basic brief of my requirements can anyone make any suggestions? Or offer a better resource for researching the different types than Amazon?

I use the Prediction deck first put out by Prediction Magazine in the UK. I am sad to hear that the deck may well be out of production and even in the UK it is hard to obtain one. I only have one left and it will have to do me for life if this is true. It has the advantages that there are no images on the minor arcana and this gives me a lot of flexibility in what to say to a client. I use a combination of numerology meanings and the meaning of the suits to read the cards.

The Rider Waite is a very good deck for beginners because it has an image on every card,both minor and major arcana. I don't like some of those images which I consider a trifle bloodthirsty and I am not in the business of scaring my clients. I do use this Rider Waite deck for mail order readings though (on cassette tape) since the client cannot see the images.

The readings I do with the Rider Waite deck are far different from the ones I do with the Prediction deck so being able to use both is very useful for me if a client comes to me several times.

I do have various DVDs for sale on psychic matters including the Tarot. I am featured on every one of them chattering for 60 to 90 minutes about these matters. I do not advertise them openly. However you all know where to find me if you are interested.

The deck that comes with Tarot Made Easy is easy to use and easy on the eyes. I recommend TME to anyone starting tarot.

Here's a link to the review on TM.

Although it's said to be the easiest deck for learning with I can't get on with the Rider Waite and I seem to get on much better with the Renaissance Tarot deck

Noblet and Dodal Tarot De Marseilles

Dat, Dr Todd, I very much appreciate both your input but would you mind explaining why those decks specifically?

Level of detail? Type of graphics? Contemporary or traditional feel?

Robb - What do you mean by easy on the eyes? Colourful and comic like? Or just clear and easy to read?

I like the look of the Rider Waite deck, and have never used anything else. Most tarot decks are large; I have got a Rider Waite deck that is only slightly larger than a conventional deck, and I love it.

Also there is a jumbo version available, which I will be ordering soon for use in stage shows.

Having said all that, the best advice is to find a deck you like where all the cards are pictures (rather than some decks, which have plain number cards), and stick to that. I wouldn't be over-fussy, once you like the deck.

My current fave is the medievil Scarpini.
But as i have 29 decks, that does change regularily.
When i am doing private readings, i usually give the sitter a choice.

Strangely enough, the Witches Tarot (Not to be mistaken for the Tarot of the Witches - Cartoon looking deck) seems to get picked alot

Tony where have you seen the Jumbo ones, as i have looked and spoken to lots of shops, and they dont seem to be that big. (Oooer Missus)

This used to be my favourite pack until I discovered the Universal Waite (my 1970s Sheridan pack is laminated and a bit too sticky for use now):

http://www.sheridandouglas.co.uk/

Most of the images are based on the same symbolism as Waite's.

I also recommend the Douglas book that goes with it.

Barry

Both of these are probably totally unsuitable for doing actual readings however I love the designs of them.

Wormwood Tarot: http://www.poepuppet.com/wormweird.htm

and the Necronomicon Tarot: http://www.templeofdagon.com/archives/necronomicon-tarot-by-donald-tyson/

I used to use the standard Rider Waite deck but a couple of years ago I discovered the Rider Waite Universal Tarot deck. Same pictures but far nicer colours and better image production quality.

I like the Lo Scarabeo Universal Tarot myself. The listing of the card names in 4 languages (French, Spanish, Italian, and that other one...) is also a nice feature if you can make use if it.

I'd recommend the Rider-Waite deck to learn the exoteric (story) of the Tarot and then move on to the Crowley Thoth deck when you are ready to learn the esoteric (symbolism) of the tarot.

the Thoth deck is rich in symbolism an during a spread you can interact with the astrology and the qaballistic symbolism of the cards. The Art by lady frieda Harris is extremely evocative and really resonates with the sitter when you are doing a reading for them.

For serious esoteric work, I use only the Marseilles deck because of its clear symbolism, untainted by later theorising by the Golden Dawn. (Read Fred Gettings' The Book of Tarot for an in-depth analysis of the Marseilles deck.)

The Rider-Waite deck and its variations are the designs most familiar to the general public. Frankly, I don't think it looks very good and I don't like its symbolism either.

The "Tarot of the Witches" deck was the one designed for the James Bond movie Live and Let Die. The paintings are striking and slightly unsettling, and I suspect most people will find them vaguely familiar without knowing why.

There are SO many Tarot designs on the market. Tarot Korea has a useful gallery or museum of designs here, so you can browse around before deciding what to buy.

Most modern Tarot decks are pretty much rubbish for serious use. But for performance purposes, you should be able to find something that suits your individual style.

When it comes to someone new and just learning the Tarot I will encourage them to start with the Rider-Waite deck because of its simplicity. There are a few others that fit this same standard but I think they look a bit cartoonish. The thing is, you will find more written material using this deck as a primer than most any other out there. Start with it and the Eileen Connoly book series (http://www.amazon.com/Tarot-Handbook-Apprentice-Classic-Connolly/dp/0878770453 -- the starting point)

Once you're comfortable with these foundations, then you can start exploring other decks, finding the one that "speaks to you". I don't mean that in some esoteric way but more on how you are drawn to the deck and the ease by which you are able to "read" the cards. Let me explain a bit...

I use two different decks for two different types of situations; the primary deck I use for regular Readings is "The Old Path" Tarot. I use it because it is full of symbolism that allows me to "layer" the Reading; herbs or other plants in the background, colors, etc. are all keys that aid me in divining what each card is trying to say as well as better seeing what the over-all spread is trying to convey.

The other deck I use is the Ancient Egyptian Tarot but I use it when the client needs to focus on "issues". The artwork in this deck is simpler and less cluttered than the Old Path deck -- more "neutral" if you would. Because of this I'm able to work with the client in ways that aid them in solving the road blocks or personal short-comings they're dealing with.

Finding a deck that talks to you in these ways -- the artwork being akin to a cue card that triggers your memory -- is where you'll find your strength. But too, if you should move deeper into the Reader's work, finding decks that can be used to aid your clients on deeper levels, such as I do with the Egyptian Deck, delivers even greater benefit; especially if you look at how this contrast affects the client psychologically -- the new and different deck making the session "special" and obviously different from the standard Readings they've gotten from me before.

As Mark has already pointed out, you will sometimes fall in love with a deck that eventually goes out of publication for a while. It can be rather frustrating That is why I made certain I had several copies of my favorite deck when they came back into print. Sadly, there is still one deck that I absolutely love that still hasn't come back on the market and the almost 20 year old deck I have left really needs to retire. The deck I speak of isn't a Tarot deck but based on Bibliomancy; something I think most magic types would enjoy using because of how it is structured. They call the deck "ABUKERA" and I can assure you that it comes in handy on those long days working festivals or Psychic Fairs... far less burn-out!