Ritual : Tarot Decks I use

Tarot Decks

I use four main decks in my readings. I find these to be the most useful for me. The Connoly Deck When I first started getting serious about Tarot, I read Eilleen Connoly's book TAROT: A new Handbook for the Apprentice. It was quite good for a beginners level. I found however one problem. The deck I had at the time (a Rider-Waite) didn't match the illustrations used in Connoly's book. I went in search of the deck that did. It wasn't until the end of my vision quest, that I found it. I spent a day and half in Byron bay, before I visited Abraxas Bookshop. It was there I found them. As soon as I saw them, I knew that these would be my personal deck. Apart from myself, only two other people (close friends) are allowed to touch them. This has nothing to do with vibes or energy -- I just don't want them soiled. Oddly enough, the deck has dissappeared since I moved into my new house, back in November 1997. I'll find it one day, when it wants to come back. The Australian Tarot Deck These have been designed by Rebecca Jones, and I refer to them personally as the "Granny Jones" deck. Mrs Jones has drawn herself on the backs of every card, so I think this is more appropriate. I bought this deck while looking for another. Some of my best discoveries come via serendipity, and this was one. The whole deck has a no-nonsense / friendly feel about it. It's easy to read with them, and they are non-threatening. The Queen of Wands is my favourite card in the deck, the one I use to represent myself. Now I have Pegasus (who's white and looks like the dog on the card) this is doubly true! Tarot of the Orishas I hesitated about buying this deck for over a year. I'm glad I did though. It has a difference that makes it interesting to read with. This deck is based on Yoruba, the indigenous religion of West Africa. It has an interesting range of Gods and Goddesses, and the cards themselves scream their message at you. This one takes a bit more energy to read, but the messages given are never half-hearted! The Universal Waite Deck The first deck I ever own was a Waite-Rider deck, which I bought in 1979. I had a copy of this until 1996, when I gave it as a gift to a friend. The friend I gave it to is very good with Tarot herself, and in a later reading she gave me, predicted that I would buy one last deck and that this deck would have a "lot of stars" in it. I had hoped that the Orisha deck would be this, but it wasn't. I didn't find this until a trip to Katoomba. I wanted to do Tarot at the markets, but discovered that I'd left all my decks at home. I decided to buy another deck for this reason, and went looking in book and magic shops for one. I rejected several decks and finally decided to get a deck that I was familiar with -- a Waite Deck. This version of the Waite Deck has been recoloured and is nicer to look at. Then I had a look at the backs of the cards -- nothing but stars! I thought that this was the deck. Karma Cards These are not really Tarot cards as such, but a system based on Astrology. You draw 3 cards, one from each stack (Planets, Signs and Houses) to creat sentances that give you advice or ideas about conclusions. It's unusual, and it works. Guess what, this is the deck with the stars I was supposed to get. I don't mind getting the Universal Waite, but this is definitely the deck meant in the prediction. I knew it once I saw it, and used it. The Universal are nice, but I use this deck to give my clients "home work".