Divination is a talent. Some of us may be born with it while others have to develop it. Tarot Cards are tools we use for the purpose of divination. How well we develop this talent will depend on the tools we choose. We practice with our tools, we learn to expand on the basics and some of us become very good at what we do with out tools. Others find that the tool does not work for them, and the look for other tools. Reading tarot cards is not for everyone. I know people who hate the cards, but they are very good at Runes or dream readings. The choice is dependent on your talent and what you are drawn to. I also believe the experience makes a big difference in what we choose as our tools. Working with a difficult deck to read will frustrate even the experienced reader, and will cause the novice to walk away from this particular style of divination. The choice of deck is a very personal preference and is critical to the learning process. When I was learning there really was only one deck readily available to work and learn from, Rider Waite Tarot and today many people still start with this deck. While not remarkable in its design, it is what many other decks are based on, and if you get the book Pictorial Key to the Tarot you are on your way to learning the basics. A tarot deck is usually, but not always, comprised of 78 cards, containing 22 Trump or Major Arcana cards, and 4 suites of 14 cards each, numbered one through 10 and four Court Cards, these being called the Minor Arcana. The Court Cards are usually comprised of Page, Knight, Queen and King cards. This is the basic deck outline. These vary from deck to deck, mostly in the Trump or Major Arcana cards, and in the Court Cards. Sometimes a Princess or Prince is substituted for the Page or Knight, sometimes you will see God and Goddess substituted for the King and Queen cards. The Major Arcana cards can vary widely. The basic 22 cards originally told of the tale of the Fool progressing through life, and as he goes along, he meets the various other members of the Major Arcana or learns life lessons based on the meaning of the cards representation. There are many books out there that go into this ‘Mystery’ and two of the better books for reading on this are the Waite book I mentioned and The Complete Book of Tarot Reversals one of the best books I’ve read on reversed tarot card meanings. Each deck is unique in its design, its meanings and what the artist and/or author were looking to uncover on their own magical journey in life. I would recommend that you do not purchase a deck unless you also purchase the book to go along with the deck. Each deck is like seeing through someone else’s eyes, and you really do need a guide to understand what the designers were looking at. Each deck will appeal to a very specific audience. Some decks are very general, like the Witches Tarot Card Deck while some decks offer content or graphics that are themed or aimed at a specific topic such as The Fairy Ring Tarot. Decks are a personal choice. I suggest that you do not choose a deck quickly, but rather look at many decks first before deciding. There is actually a website on line that lists over 500 decks, with select illustrations from each and a short review, and it is a good place to start. Check into http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot and spend some time looking over all the decks they feature. Note that this site also shows OOP decks and unpublished decks, so not all may be available. But it is interesting to look at. Tarot cards are also used for magic. If you are looking into using these decks for personal magic and enhancement or meditations I would recommend Everyday Tarot Magic: Meditation & Spells as a good starting place. Finally, some of us collect decks, as some decks may appeal to us on a personal level but are not necessarily the decks we work with daily. We do bring them out for special occasions to show them off. I have a couple of decks myself and would like to recommend a few of my favorites besides the ones I have already mentioned. Animals Divine Tarot -- Lisa Hunt is a wonderful artist, and her newest deck Animals Divine Tarot is a different look at the tarot. Forms of the Goddess and animal spirits guide you through readings. This is a lovely deck for the animal lover and those who are into the animal aspects of Deity. Cosmic Tarot --  This deck is for all you old movie buffs out there. Silent film stars and old movie giants have their portraits grace these cards. You will see Danny Kaye, Bogard and Bacall, Douglas Fairbanks, Valentino, Mary Pickford, and so many others as you turn these cards. The artwork is first class. Shapeshifter Tarot and The Celtic Dragon Tarot feature the artwork of Lisa Hunt and she does a beautiful job bringing these decks to life with her talent. Whimsical Tarot Deck is very easy to read, very delightful in its content and the artwork is just too precious. A good beginners deck as well. Aleister Crowley Thoth Tarot Deck while not for everyone, is a classic deck and from its origins is an essential deck for the collector. Waking the Wild Spirit Tarot: Discover the Magic in Nature is a very upbeat, joyous deck that will appeal to a wide audience. Another good beginner deck. My current favorite is The Gilded Tarot. Beautiful visions and symbolism, easy to read and impressed many of the people I’ve done reading for with this deck. A deck to consider for your first deck. The designer of The Haindl Tarot Deck intended this deck to be universal in its appeal to many spiritual paths. Very surrealistic in its artistic medium, it is a deck that leads easily to contemplation of the journey of life. There are just too many decks to cover here completely. Decks are themed from Lord of the Rings, to unicorns, ferrets, Goddess decks, glow in the dark decks, children’s decks and Zen decks. My advice is to find something appealing to you, that you can work with for a while to learn the basics. Once you have the ground work done, then expand to other decks. And have fun with them. Divination can be fun with the right tool. boudica