World Tarot Day (25th May) was founded by Den Elders in 2003. The aim of the day is to raise awareness of Tarot and to celebrate its use as a tool regardless of any differences in belief and approach, which vary wildly across all readers. World Tarot Day has gathered support from many Tarot organizations, individuals, and websites across the world, including us here at Simply Tarot.
We can’t think of a better day to start learning how to read Tarot for yourself. All you really need to get started is a Tarot deck and some supplementary information which you can find lots of in books and online, including here on Simply Tarot.
A few years back, Mum and I created our own Tarot deck for beginners. We wanted to create something that wasn’t overly complicated and full of vague symbolism that’s difficult for learning readers to get to grips with. We believe that Tarot, first and foremost, is a powerful psychological tool that can aid self-help and development. We wanted a beautiful Tarot deck that would reflect our approach and highlight the more positive, healing side of Tarot.
You can view all the card artwork across the website. If you take a look here, there’s lots of feedback from our customers which you can use to help decide whether it’s the right deck for you or not. It’s not just beginners that love our deck though, we’ve had great feedback from more experienced Tarot readers who cherish the deck and use it every day as mentioned in this review on Aeclectic.net.
Choosing the right deck for you is a very personal thing and we recognise that our deck won’t be for everyone. If you’re looking for a different Tarot deck then here are three decks that I’ve used and would recommend.
If you’re looking for something to get you started, try the Sharman-Caselli Tarot Deck which was published in 2005 by Giovanni Caselli and Juliet Sharman-Burke. It has all the brilliance of the Mythic deck but is pitched at just the right level for people starting out. It might not have the psychological depth of the Mythic deck (below) but the book is a really practical guide that I kept referring back to for years. The images are beautifully hand drawn and painted which is a bit of a must for me. I think it adds a depth that I don’t always see in CGI decks – just my personal preference.
The Mythic Tarot is by far and away my favourite Tarot deck after our own but is probably more suited to an intermediate or 
advanced Tarot reader, or someone who knows a bit about mythology. The use of Greek mythology to explain the situations, experiences and characters portrayed by the Tarot is nothing short of genius, and enables the learner to develop a really three dimensional understanding of the Tarot card meanings. The cards were created by Liz Greene, Tricia Newell and Juliet Sharman-Burke in 1986. I credit this deck with giving me the understanding I have of Tarot today and I would not be on the journey I’m on without it.
First issued in 1910, the Rider-Waite Tarot is almost certainly the most widely used tarot card deck in the world. The cards are designed by Pamela Colman Smith in accordance with Arthur Edward Waite’s instructions. An instructional booklet by Waite is included, explaining the tarot card meanings and how to use the cards for divination, with an introduction by Stuart R. Kaplan. It’s not my favourite deck by any means. I don’t have any really personal connection with it but many do and use it as their main deck for life and it has a well-earned place in many Tarot collections.
Whatever deck you choose, we hope it’s the beginning of a really wonderful journey for you.
When I was learning Tarot, I found it to be a fairly lonely and sometimes hostile experience. I had one friend who was also learning Tarot and so we relied on each other for support and practice. I didn’t find anyone else, or any organisation, that I really clicked with and felt able to rely on for help and support; despite all the forums I’d been reading on.
I’d really like for Simply Tarot to be a key partner in the journey for people learning to read Tarot. We’ve got lots of free information on the site including Tarot card meanings, Tarot card spreads and guidance on how to build up quality Tarot readings.
I would like to build longstanding relationships with our Tarot learners and readers and to offer professional guidance, support and camaraderie to one another. Whatever deck you choose to start learning with please do sign-up to Simply Tarot using the form at the bottom of this blog. We’re committed to always offering a range of information and guidance for free. We’re looking for other Tarot readers to join us in our efforts to support other people and ultimately for the formation of our Marketplace. So, whether you’re a newbie or an oldie, please sign up and get involved today.
Happy World Tarot Day! We hope it’s the start or continuation of something wonderful for you all. We want to be here for you every step of the way so please contact us if you ever need help or just want a friendly ear to talk to about Tarot.
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