Does the Deck Make a Difference?

Does which tarot deck you use make a difference in the reading? The answer is deceptively simple. The answer is only if it does.

Many readers talk about their decks having particular "power." Can seventy-eight pieces of cardboard have power? Yes and no.

The symbols on the cards have power. The history of the cards has power. The archetypes have power.

But the real power to do the reading comes from the reader.

If a reader feels more comfortable with a particular deck then that deck will have more power for the reader.

If a reader connects more clearly with a particular deck than that deck will produce better readings.

Often our clients are amazed by what is revealed in a tarot reading. The secret is that we readers are constantly amazed as well. The accuracy of the cards is astounding, even when we see it every day.

But some of us find some decks easier to work with than others.

The truth is this. Sometimes the cards come up in such a way that the message is clear and without dispute. Sometimes the cards are more nebulous and require more effort to interpret. It is the times when the cards seem unclear that our comfort level with the deck really matters.

Sometimes it feels that some decks speak to us more clearly than others. Some readers really see it this way because this is how it feels. I think the truth is more about resonance between the deck and the reader rather than some inherent power within a particular deck.

When looking at other products we might say one power tool is more useful than another. One brand of make-up may be higher quality than another. With tarot it is hard to gauge quality in that same way. We can look at the quality of the art, or an artist's ability to describe an archetype, but neither of these assures readability.

When it comes to tarot reading it is all about the preference of the reader and the skill of the reader. All tarot decks are powerful and useful. It’s up to each reader to find the ones that work best for them.