Selection of Decks
Introduction
Choosing your own tarot deck is a very personal thing; every deck "feels" different to every person. You should choose the deck whose images really speak to you.
There are debates about owning more than one deck. Personally, I only own a deck (Rider-Waite), being a novice as well as a... low allowance person. ^_^ That deck is recommended for beginners like myself. I am now eyeing the beautiful Thoth tarot deck, that I've been lusting over for quite some time. I also wanted to collect the Unicorn deck, Aquarian deck, Chinese deck, Tarot of the Moon Garden as well as the Witches' Tarot.
Tarot decks are not at all widely available here, and the Rider-Waite deck is the only kind I can find in a particular large bookstore, so I may order by shipping through Amazon.com.
Starting Out
The best way to pick your own deck is to find a store in your area (e.g. Kinokuniya at Ngee Ann City and Times Bookshop in Centre-point for Singapore) that sells many different decks. New Age and metaphysical bookstores are more likely to have a good selection on hand, although many chain bookstores do carry the more popular ones, such as the Rider-Waite, and will be glad to special order any of the other decks.
When you visit the store, ask if they have representative pictures of each of the decks. Some stores will let you look at a deck from the box, but I have a warning note here: if you do not know much about the tarot, you may not think this is a big deal, but many tarot readers will not buy a deck that has been handled by others. A deck is a personal thing, and many tarot readers believe that their decks take on something of themselves.
Picking the Deck
Whether you are looking at a folder or the deck itself, look carefully at each card. Some decks will appeal to you, others will give you no feeling at all. You want a deck that is going to jump up and really grab you. The strong "attraction" of the card to your mental self is the sign that it should belong to you and you know that it would feel just right to your touch.
