>>>I don't have a deck as of yet, suggestions for a first deck?<<<

Dear Kathy,

You're best bet is to look over a number of decks and see which one "speaks" to you. Which feels most comfortable? Which seems easiest to understand? Your best guide is your own intuition. There are literally hundreds of decks on the market, so don't worry that you won't find the best or the perfect deck. The best is the one you feel most comfortable with. And if you find another deck that you like better down the road, it won't cost a lot to buy a second deck or a third, etc.

I currently own about ten Tarot decks, and I'm not an avid collector, so my collection is a rather small one, tiny in the context of a serious collector. I use the Thoth Tarot for readings and studies, but I wouldn't recommend it for beginners, since it is a very complex deck of cards and can be confusing at first. It is also one of the most expensive, not for the deck itself, but for all the books by Aleister Crowley that you will need to buy for your studies of the Thoth. There are a few that I own simply for the artwork, the Tarot of the Cat People, the Tarot of the Ages and the New Orleans Voodoo Tarot. And there are divination decks like the true tarot but with somewhat different cards and fewer or more of them. The Tarot of the Orishas is close to the design of the 78-card tarot, but with a few more cards and a very different conception. I don't consider it a Tarot deck at all, but an interesting approach that is close to tarot in its purpose.

Many people begin with the Ryder-Waite Deck, so many that Tarot readers with many years of experience tend to refer to it as "the baby deck." The phrase is a bit too snobbish for my taste, but it is an excellent starter deck and will let you "get your feet wet." Not a bad place to start at all, at all.

>>>Can someone explain "charging" and "cleaning" the cards?<<<

"Charging" means invoking some form of metaphysical energy into the deck so it will be a powerful tool for your readings. This often involves consecrating the deck to some general purpose by a wide variety of methods. Perhaps you might consecrate a deck to the service of your own Holy Guardian Angel. I can't and won't try to supply a ritual since there are so many possibilities that I would only confuse the issue. The same with cleaning. I don 't recommend soap and water <G>, but many people find that passing their deck through the smoke of an incense stick or cone does the job. Cleaning is supposed to clear the deck of any "energies" it has picked up from past users or querents. I'm not sure there are any "energies" involved, but if it makes you feel comfortable, by all means do it. I find it is more important to wash your hands after each reading to symbolize that the past reading is done and the next one will be fresh and new.

>>>Do you need to have brand new cards or can you get used ones?<<<

In this, as in all the other questions it is a case of "dealer's choice." If someone who wishes to support your studies of the cards gives you a deck of their own, accept it and consider it a blessing and a mark of confidence. But when you see a new deck in a store and feel that you simply must have it, buy it and use it as your intuition guides you. Intuition is the most important value that you bring to the cards yourself, better than all the lessons and all the advice anyone else can give you.

The short version is: Look over the decks available at your local metaphysical bookstore and get the one you feel most attracted to. There's always time to change your mind later if you run across "the perfect Tarot deck for Kathy."

With love under will,

Bob, Adastra,
The Wizzard of Jacksonville

Lots of info to check out and try. I figured in time I'd have more than one deck for sure. Looks like the Waite deck seemed most "clear" because of the designs/pictures. I knew this would be to perfect place to ask questions! Thanks guys!