The deck I read with does make a difference. Every deck has a different energy, a different symbolism, and a different history. This being the case, I will always identify the deck used in a reading.
THE DECKS
- The Dragon Tarot: by Peter Pracownic. This deck has dark, angsty illustrations, all of (you guessed it) dragons. Unfortunately, it also has a dark, angsty energy. This was my primary deck waaay back in the 8th grade. I'm not so fond of using it now, as I find the dragon illustrations rather difficult to commune with. Plus, the colors are just depressing. However, I will use it to do readings for some of my male friends ("Dragons! Cool!"), and am quite happy to let others play with it. I keep this deck in a large black velvet bag, lined with purple sateen. I'd recommend this deck to those who are into sombre colors, who can interpret the cards through non-animate symbols rather than through character illustrations, and who appreciate intricate illustrations.
- The Enchanted Tarot: by Amy Zerner. This deck is done collage-style, with lots of lace and filigree. It has a whimsical, romantic quality, and is certainly quite original. The cards are rich in imagery, if not in symbols that I appreciate. The pastels can be cloying, and at times I find the artwork so busy as to be distracting. However, I love that there is a person on every card (people-person, that's me), creating definite characterizations that enable me to read with relative ease. This was my first deck, and although I don't use it so much now, I still whip it out from time to time, especially for serious occasions and ceremonial workings. I store this deck in a large, black velvet bag. I recommend this deck to those who are attracted to multi-medium artwork and to the romance of the tarot tradition.
- The Vanessa Tarot: by Lynyrd Narciso. This deck is done in bright colors and an illustration art style. The main quirk to the Vanessa Tarot is that all the cards feature women - even the knights and kings are female. Although this annoys me at times, for the most part I find that it is only a minor drawback to a deck that has lots of bright, positive energy to go along with its sassy and dynamic attitude. The cards are approximately the same size as playing cards, and they come with their own sturdy little tin, making them ideal for reading on the go. I kept this deck in my backpack through the last two years of high school, and I still grab them if I'm going somewhere and think I might want to do an informal reading. I recommend this deck to women who have a sense of humor about tarot and like a little sass and feminism to go with their traditional Rider-Waite symbols.
- The Crystal Tarot: by Philip Permutt. This deck has fuzzy, colored-pencil artwork, and is distinguished primarily by its incorporation of crystals into its symbolism. As a witch who works with crystal magick, I find that the mix adds an entire new dimension to readings. If you're not accustomed to working with crystals, or don't think you can distinguish citrine from amber based on the picture printed on the card, there's no need to fear; the deck comes with a handily illustrated book that makes the connection between card and crystal for you. The downside to the book is that it offers no interpretations for reversals. When using this deck, I leave all cards right side up. Drawbacks to the deck itself include HUGE cards, and pip cards that are illustrated with only a crystal and the appropriate number of chalices, wands, coins, or swords. Today, I use this deck when I have the time to do long, in-depth readings and can consult my crystal collection and The Crystal Bible. I store it in the box in whence it came, along with its book. I recommend this deck for those who have (or wish to have) a good background in crystals, who can read based off memory of number/suit associations, and who have really big hands.
