Getting Started with Tarot and Oracle Cards
**More on the rituals and additional tools I work with in another post! For now, enjoy this getting started guide, and reach out with your questions.
My introduction to Tarot and Oracle cards
My first experience with tarot and oracle cards was during my life coach training program. We exchanged sessions with our peers to gain experience and to meet the coaching hours requirement for certification. A couple of my friends (hi Korri and Sarah!) worked with cards and would pull a card (or two or 12!) during our sessions. It felt like the thing I didn’t know I was missing. The cards opened me up in ways I hadn’t experienced before. I found it easier to talk about things that were happening in my life, and I felt more connected to my intuition and spiritual side than ever before. I bought my very first deck, The Fountain Tarot, and began using the cards to explore and expand my spirituality and deepen my connection with my intuition. I now have over ten decks and I’m always on the lookout for new ones!
There are so many ways to work with the cards, and I love to experiment. I’ve used the cards for journaling prompts, to initiate a conversation with friends, to answer a question or help me make a decision, and to plan my entire year!
Tarot vs Oracle cards
You may be wondering about the difference between Tarot and Oracle cards. I work with both, and love combining decks for readings. My personal view on the difference between the two is:
Tarot works with the shadow and is a truth-teller, and Oracle works with light, intuition, and Divine connection
The Tarot helps us confront and acknowledge the parts of ourselves we try to keep hidden. It often shows you what you are avoiding but it can also help you to move through the difficult stuff. Oracle cards are like a hug from the universe, reminding you that you are always being supported and guided, and that you are loved!
Choosing a deck
The only thing you need to get started with Tarot and Oracle cards is a deck- that’s it! When selecting a deck, it’s helpful that you feel a connection with it. What I mean by this is that when you see an image of the deck, or someone does a reading for you, there is an unexplained feeling of being known or seen. It can feel like the deck just gets you, or it delivers a message or provides a sign that gives you chills and lights you up.
It doesn’t have to be this big, though. You can simply like the illustrations, or find it to be beautiful. When you know, you know, and it doesn’t have to be a big lightning bolt of inspiration. As long as you feel some sort of desire to work with the deck, that’s good enough. You can also just start with the more traditional Rider Waite Smith deck, but I encourage you to have fun finding a deck that speaks to you!
My favorite decks
These are some of my favorite decks to work with, but of course there are SO MANY more decks out there. I encourage you to follow your curiosity, and trust it will lead you to the perfect deck for you!
Tarot: Fleurot, The Fountain, The Monstarot, Affirmators Tarot, The Linestrider Tarot, The Wild Unknown, Rider Waite Smith
Oracle: Affirmators, Wisdom of the Oracle and Goddess Power Oracle both by Collette Baron-Reid, Angels and Ancestors, Keepers of the Light
In the next post, we’ll talk about what to do once you’ve acquired your deck.
