Different tarot decks use different symbology. One of the most widely used and most widely taught is the Rider-Waite Tarot or one of its clones--the Morgan-Greer Tarot, for example. Still, it's important that a tarot deck speak to you, so look through different ones and read reviews to learn what people like and dislike about them.


Classic and popular decks are always in circulation, but new tarot decks are published each year so there is an ever-changing inventory to look through.
The top five tarot decks of all time are: Deviant Moon Tarot, Rider-Waite Tarot, Aleister Crowley Thoth Tarot, DruidCraft Tarot and Shadowscapes Tarot.;
, Defining exactly what you hope to accomplish in your relationship with the Tarot can help you on your journey as a reader. When you know your desired end result, you'll be better able to look objectively at where you are now and what steps you must take to reach your "destination." Ask yourself your intention for your Tarot deck or how you plan to use it to serve others. Mission statements may reflect goals such as wanting to develop greater intuition, enhance creativity or connect with spiritual forces. These statements are different and personal to each individual who crafts one.
 The best way to do this is to handle the cards. Shuffle them again and again. Put them in order (from Fool through the World, followed by each of the suits, from Ace through Ten, then Page, Knight, Queen and King). Handling your cards helps them to become an extension of you.
 The Tarot deck is made up of 78 cards: 22 major arcana and 56 minor arcana. You must memorize and be able to identify each card as well as give two divinatory meanings for each card.


Major arcana. The Tarot archetypes represented in the major arcana are pictures that represent life and the stages and experiences we all go through. It's meant to be the story of one's journey through life starting as The Fool (young, pure energy in spirit form) moving through events and cycles and finding completion in The World (the end of our life cycle).
Minor arcana. Minor Cards describes the people, events, feelings and circumstances we encounter on our personal "Fool's Journey."It represents events that are within the control of the individual and indicate how you do something. The minor arcana fairly closely resembles a traditional deck of playing cards. It's made up of four suits, and each of these suits are associated with one of the elements: Wands (Fire), Cups (Water), Pentacles (Earth) and Swords (Air). There are also the Queen, King and Knight (or Jack) of each suit plus the addition of Pages or Princesses.

Memorizing all 78 cards will take time. Try working with a partner who can quiz you using the deck as a kind of set of flash cards.
 A well-written book that will help you understand the basics of Tarot will be extremely helpful in getting you started reading tarot cards. Some take you through the process in a way that emphasizes memorization while others encourage participation. Choose a book that suits your learning style.


Don't plan to rely too heavily on your book. It will be helpful to get you on track for learning, but you need to integrate your intuition with your book knowledge to fully develop as a Tarot card reader.
Try this trick for incorporating your intuition into your learning. Look at each card and decide what you think it means. Don't worry about being right--just go from your gut. Then look in your book and see what it says. This will take the focus off pure memorization and the fear of being wrong and allow you to create readings that flow because of the way you've personally connected with the cards.
Choose a deck of cards.
Develop a mission statement.
Transfer your energy to the deck.
Understand how the deck works.
Get a good book.
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