Is there such a thing as a Holy Grail [perfect] Tarot Deck? Do you have one? Or is it a unicorn [impossible dream]?

[Misterei]

Do YOU have a perfect deck?

Do you believe such a thing even exists?

 

Over the years I've seen various newbies or even not so newbies in search of The Perfect Deck. A hero's journey like Arthur's quest for the Grail.

 

I feel sympathy for beginners in this day and age. They might experience pressure to find The Perfect Deck to start reading. In my time, no such pressure existed. There was the plaid-back RWS. Full stop. Yes, historically there *were* other decks out there in the 1970s. TdM. Thoth. IJJ Swiss, but a newbie in USA wouldn't know these existed. Morgan Greer released in 1979, but as a newbie you wouldn't necessarily know to look for it.

 

Over the years Ciro Marchetti's Legacy of the Divine came closest to being my *perfect* deck. It's built on the familiar RWS platform, but the color symbolism and artwork were more fitting to my taste. Yet I've always retained a fondness for RWS. It's the most popular deck in the world for a reason.

 

After getting swept up in the whirlwind of deck collecting and new decks that hit the scene since the digital revolution -- I abandoned the quest for One Deck to Rule Them All. I have different decks for different needs. The idea of a Perfect Deck is a Unicorn to me. A mythological creature that doesn't exist on the 3D earth plane.

 

What about you?

Do YOU have a perfect deck?

Do you believe such a thing even exists?

 

 

[gregory]

I don't believe such a thing exists - but Pagan Cats comes very close, as does Sweet Twilight.

 

I think an awful lot of people new to tarot expect to find one - and it isn't going to happen, which wastes a lot of time for them, and seems to trouble them. Find one that works for you, and work up if you happen to see another that works better, as you might say. My first was the 1JJ - from KMart, of all places. I LIKE it - but it isn't' even close to perfect. That, the Smith-Waite you refer to and the Thoth was all there was, back then. We all learned to cope with what we had. One is spoiled for choice now - and while I am a collector as well, in terms of reading. I don't think all that choice is helpful.

[DanielJUK]

I think whether a deck is perfect, is completely irreverent to me! I don't read decks or collect them to find them perfect. By trying to discover that, it's a distraction from reading and studying them.

Just like I am not looking for the artwork which fits me perfectly. I am interested in art and symbols that I can relate to better, same with decks but my main motive here is to read from them 🙂 .

[FindYourSovereignty]

I definitely fell into the horrible search of trying to find the perfect deck. I say ‘horrible’ because it 100% distracted me from actually learning to read tarot. At one point I thought I must be a collector instead of a reader and maybe I needed to just accept that. It was at this point that I told myself to pick a system and learn it with the traditional deck for that system. I bought a Rider-Waite deck and kept with it until I felt comfortable enough to branch out. I still don’t have my ‘perfect’ deck, but I sure do have fun reading with different decks. I love Global Fusion, Tarot of Mystical Moments, Sweet Twilight, and Tarot de St Croix to name a few. 

[Rose Lalonde]

One good thing my search for the perfect deck did was introduce me to different readers and reading methods, after years of reading in one way on my own. But that only happened because I actually bought and read with the decks I was trying out, back on AT forum -- a TdM study group, a Dame Fortunes Wheel period.  Someone from the US gave me a Victorian Romantic, and I read with that and studied RWS (before gifting that VR on to someone in Europe). So I guess it's similar to what @FindYourSovereignty said about picking a method... except, instead of one method, it was years of serial monogamy 😅. Finally I dove into Thoth, and decided to settle down with one system for the next decade, leading to now. 

 

But if the search becomes a distraction, a reason for not working with decks, then it isn't going to help with learning. Flipping through a deck is just not the same as reading with it. (Thus why we sometime buy decks, get excited, and then find it's not one that actually reads well for us.)

 

For the past 8 years I've read with a deck I love, and I don't think I'm likely to find one that reads better for me. Even then, there are one or two things I'd tweak for personal preference; I guess perfection is a unicorn. But I don't need it. This deck is close enough to perfect for me that I'm grateful to have it.

Edited October 8, 2024 by Rose Lalonde

[Troll]

Yes there is if you are an artist and can draw picture you have in your mind .I am not that`s why I have been looking a year for a deck. But I think in few years even guys like me will be able to get perfect set with the help of AI. But for now AI isn`t there yet

[Raggydoll]

Many experienced readers refer to having found their ‘soul deck’, so obviously it is possible to find a deck that is deeply special to you. The key here though is experienced. I think it’s a huge mistake to focus solely on aesthetics. It’s like sitting in a cafe and looking out the window, trying to find your ‘special someone’ just by looking at the people passing by and studying their appearance. 
 

There is nothing wrong with having high standards, but until you are an actual reader with some degree of experience, you wouldn’t be able to rate a deck in all the ways that truly matters. 
 

I do have a few decks that are very special to me. I don’t really like the word ‘soul deck’ but it’s similar, I have a good affinity and a deep connection with certain decks. The connection was uncovered and built over time. I think it’s like that with all tools. Until you know how they do their job, you can’t know if they are ‘perfect’ to you. I have come across many decks that looked really promising but ended up not being particularly good to read with. 

[Troll]

55 minutes ago, Raggydoll said:

Many experienced readers refer to having found their ‘soul deck’, so obviously it is possible to find a deck that is deeply special to you. The key here though is experienced. I think it’s a huge mistake to focus solely on aesthetics. It’s like sitting in a cafe and looking out the window, trying to find your ‘special someone’ just by looking at the people passing by and studying their appearance. 
 

There is nothing wrong with having high standards, but until you are an actual reader with some degree of experience, you wouldn’t be able to rate a deck in all the ways that truly matters. 
 

I do have a few decks that are very special to me. I don’t really like the word ‘soul deck’ but it’s similar, I have a good affinity and a deep connection with certain decks. The connection was uncovered and built over time. I think it’s like that with all tools. Until you know how they do their job, you can’t know if they are ‘perfect’ to you. I have come across many decks that looked really promising but ended up not being particularly good to read with. 

For me buying deck is simple .If you can live without a deck after a week of seeing it you don`t buy it.

[Deian]

Some years ago I viewed Oshos Zen Tarot as a very important deck, as I thought it was balancing out some of the traditional misconceptions that came with most other decks that keep that structure(major/minor arcana cards etc.).

 

Lately... Practice shows that the Tree(basically the way the flow moves in someones body and fields) is shifted and cleared out or obstructed in different ways in different people. Even if it is fully clear, it would still have experiences and Images that will go with each path that are unique for a person.

Basically meaning from my point of view, there is perfect deck for everyone for that point of their life, but that will change a month or two after, and its so specific that they have to make it themselves.

 

Of course, in the orders they do draw their own decks, but they did it keeping the symbology of the path that was given to them. And that symbology would be different for different people. For example if I have to draw my Moon, currently that would look like a forest at Sunset, nothing to do with any of the symbols they used in their decks.

So in my humble view, that shifts and changes as we do. Perfect deck would be a deck someone likes. But decks perfectly reflecting the Images in ones field and layers, can happen only if they make it themselves(easier to do now), but even then would change as they change through life.

 

 

Edited October 8, 2024 by Deian

[gregory]

1 hour ago, Deian said:

Some years ago I viewed Oshos Zen Tarot as a very important deck, as I thought it was balancing out some of the traditional misconceptions that came with most other decks that keep that structure(major/minor arcana cards etc.).

 

The structure of tarot IS tarot. It isn't some kind of misconception. Osho Zen is far more of an oracle deck - perfectly fine if you want to read with oracles, but it isn't really a tarot deck, whatever it says on the box. A particularly good review of it calls it a wonderful and highly evocative spiritual tool. That's the nub of it.

[akiva]

14 hours ago, Misterei said:

What about you?

Do YOU have a perfect deck?

Do you believe such a thing even exists?

Personally the only (subjectively) 'perfect' decks/oracles I've come across were the four I made myself (a paysans and three sets of younger futhark runes). But they're only perfect because they speak clearly. Visually there's much to be improved upon! 🤣 2 sets of runes were cut out of a cereal box, yet speak clearer than a lovely set I have made out of antique sapele wood. And the paysans is made from free clip art, and reads better than my Russian ones.

 

The issue with newcomers wanting a perfect deck is that they lack the knowledge and understanding as to what makes a deck good. It's not always just about how a deck looks. Even the ugliest of decks can have the loudest voices. It's about how much care has been put into designing (or following) a system, that's balanced, and does what it says on the tin.

 

Until you've got your hands dirty with different decks and a load of readings, how can you know? Is it any different than an artists selecting paints or pencils? The first set you buy are usually rubbish, then you know what you want, and can go looking for it 😊

[Raggydoll]

14 minutes ago, akiva said:

Is it any different than an artists selecting paints or pencils? The first set you buy are usually rubbish, then you know what you want, and can go looking for it 😊

This is a good analogy. And it’s also true different artists have different favorite tools, and these favorites can change over time as you grow and change. You can’t read a review and think that you know which tool will be great for you. I have tried that and it is too subjective, so I’m having to experiment as I go and try out different things. It also takes time to know if a tool is good for me, because I have to get used to how it works and figure out how to make the most out of it. But once I’ve given it a fair shot, if it still is not for me, I will sell or donate the tool. It’s the same with decks and magical tools. 

[Esclarmonde]

There's no such thing as a perfect deck that would be perceived as such by everyone (i.e. all readers at various stages of experience with Tarot). What to one person is a wonderful deck is totally "meh" to another, so I can't imagine a deck that would make everyone happy. What are the criteria for a "perfect" deck anyway? I like strong, definitive colours (but not garish), someone else might like gentle watercolour-type artwork, and another collage-type images. I think everyone has their own "perfect" deck - and maybe more than one.

[FindYourSovereignty]

1 hour ago, akiva said:

Personally the only (subjectively) 'perfect' decks/oracles I've come across were the four I made myself (a paysans and three sets of younger futhark runes). But they're only perfect because they speak clearly. Visually there's much to be improved upon! 🤣 2 sets of runes were cut out of a cereal box, yet speak clearer than a lovely set I have made out of antique sapele wood. And the paysans is made from free clip art, and reads better than my Russian ones.

 

The issue with newcomers wanting a perfect deck is that they lack the knowledge and understanding as to what makes a deck good. It's not always just about how a deck looks. Even the ugliest of decks can have the loudest voices. It's about how much care has been put into designing (or following) a system, that's balanced, and does what it says on the tin.

 

Until you've got your hands dirty with different decks and a load of readings, how can you know? Is it any different than an artists selecting paints or pencils? The first set you buy are usually rubbish, then you know what you want, and can go looking for it 😊

Yes, this resonates with my experience. It is in the using of a deck that I discover what I like and don’t like. 
 

And I don’t think creating a deck makes it perfect. Many creators make changes to their originals or have the “I wish I had …” thoughts after publishing their decks. As the creator, they do have the opportunity to make changes, as do we as we discover what works for us.
 

 

[Raggydoll]

5 minutes ago, FindYourSovereignty said:

Many creators make changes to their originals or have the “I wish I had …” thoughts after publishing their decks. As the creator, they do have the opportunity to make changes, as do we as we discover what works for us.

This has absolutely been the case for me. I look at some of my older creations and most of them do not fully resonate with me anymore. That’s part of why I keep making new oracles regularly. The other part is because each creation deepens my understanding and it teaches me new things. I don’t think I could ever create a deck or other divinatory tool and feel that it is THE thing that will forever be my perfect project. 

[FindYourSovereignty]

2 hours ago, Raggydoll said:

This has absolutely been the case for me. I look at some of my older creations and most of them do not fully resonate with me anymore. That’s part of why I keep making new oracles regularly. The other part is because each creation deepens my understanding and it teaches me new things. I don’t think I could ever create a deck or other divinatory tool and feel that it is THE thing that will forever be my perfect project. 

Yes, this makes complete sense to me. As I grow and learn more I am feeling interested in creating my own deck and I recognize that even that creation will morph as I continue to read.

[Misterei]

 

8 hours ago, Deian said:

... there is perfect deck for everyone for that point of their life, but that will change a month or two after, and its so specific that they have to make it themselves. ... Of course, in the orders they do draw their own decks, but they did it keeping the symbology of the path that was given to them. ...

Yes. Exactly. Our perfect decks changes as we change. You make an interesting point about the tradition of making your own deck but according to certain symbolism or principles. I recently burnt old drawings. Including a couple of Tarot cards drawn when i was 16. I was creating cards relevant to my 16-year-old self -- but I haven't been that person for years. My older self tut-tutted over my younger self's limited understanding of what the cards can actually mean.

5 hours ago, akiva said:

The issue with newcomers wanting a perfect deck is that they lack the knowledge and understanding as to what makes a deck good. ...

Until you've got your hands dirty with different decks and a load of readings, how can you know?

Yes. This is what struck me about the cards I started drawing at age 16. My own ignorance / lack of depth.

Interesting that your cereal box runes worked so well. Even tho I buy rather than make my tools, I'm often surprised when a cheap deck reads WAY better than an expensive one. 😉

4 hours ago, Esclarmonde said:

There's no such thing as a perfect deck that would be perceived as such by everyone (i.e. all readers at various stages of experience with Tarot). What to one person is a wonderful deck is totally "meh" to another, ...

Totally agree. I meant a perfect deck for *YOU* personally.

4 hours ago, FindYourSovereignty said:

... It is in the using of a deck that I discover what I like and don’t like. ...
And I don’t think creating a deck makes it perfect. Many creators make changes to their originals or have the “I wish I had …” thoughts after publishing their decks.

I think this is why I've not been able to create a deck even as an experienced reader. I am so determined to make it *perfect* ... that it never gets done. *sigh*

[Rose Lalonde]

46 minutes ago, Misterei said:

I think this is why I've not been able to create a deck even as an experienced reader. I am so determined to make it *perfect* ... that it never gets done. *sigh*

Yes! I tried, but I still like Tabula Mundi better than what I came up with. Maybe the longer you read, the more you realize how difficult it is to express everything that a card represents to you in 1 image?  That's the main thing for me at least. But of course the power of that image is the genius of tarot. 

[Troll]

22 minutes ago, Rose Lalonde said:

Yes! I tried, but I still like Tabula Mundi better than what I came up with. Maybe the longer you read, the more you realize how difficult it is to express everything that a card represents to you in 1 image?  That's the main thing for me at least. But of course the power of that image is the genius of tarot. 

Tabula Mundi is fantastic deck .I even considered it few months ago

[fire cat pickles]

Sola Busca? 

[Teemu]

I think this is a purely subjective matter, depending on three factors: 1st the inherent potential of the deck, 2nd the individual rapport, and 3rd the inherent ability the connect both to reader and querent.

 

So far, two decks fall into the category of "almost perfect" for me. The "True Black Tarot" is very energetic and deep for me, and gives a feeling of a very pure tarot, if you get what I mean.

 

The "Wildwod Tarot" simply works best for me on all planes, althought it is a bit unconventional as a  tarot deck. And it is jealous when I use other decks.  But it is "my" deck, I will use it whenever possible. We are soul brothers.

[Troll]

2 hours ago, Teemu said:

 

 

 

. And it is jealous when I use other decks.

What does it mean could you explain ?  this sounds very interesting

[Teemu]

Well.

8 minutes ago, Troll said:

What does it mean could you explain ?  this sounds very interesting

That is hard to explain. A deeper feeling and a clear message when I did the first readings with it, wanting to get to know it well.  I still do not know what to make of it, since Tarot takes only about 1% of my time. I shall see when I am retired in a few years.

Edited October 8, 2024 by Teemu

[Troll]

4 minutes ago, Teemu said:

Well.

That is hard to explain. A deeper feeling and a clear message when I did the first readings with it, wanting to get to know it well.  I still do not know what to make of it, since Tarot takes only about 1% of my time. I shall see when I am retired in a few years.

So something like a insight .That sounds fantastic good luck on your journey

[akiva]

15 hours ago, Misterei said:

Yes. This is what struck me about the cards I started drawing at age 16. My own ignorance / lack of depth.

Interesting that your cereal box runes worked so well. Even tho I buy rather than make my tools, I'm often surprised when a cheap deck reads WAY better than an expensive one. 😉

It's definitely something that takes time to develop. And that time is relative to the individual. 

 

It is interesting, I guess it's a lesson in not needing to spend tons of money on fortune telling. I don't need fancy tools, just things that are super cheap and easily replaceable 😆