Tarot and Oracle Deck Faves

The tarot and oracle decks in my card collection all carry a special meaning to me.

For this post, I’ve sifted through my collection and chosen my top favorites. Now, I haven’t deck-shopped in a very long time, so a lot of the tarot and oracle decks you’ll find here are a little dated and not-too current—some are even out of print.

But I thought it would be fun to share these with you because I feel they’ll give you a sense of my tastes, aesthetics, and how my own decks—the Practical Magic Starter Deck and Pinoy Practical Magic—have turned out the way they did.

Most of the photos in this post are taken from the websites linked to each post—everything has a shop link too… Should you be feeling extra spendy as you browse through this post, you can easily tap the link and get a deck for yourself too ;) *wink wink*

ENJOY!

Sakki-Sakki Tarot

Published and Created by: Monicka Clio Sakki
What I Love About this Deck: I learned about this deck on YouTube, when it was relatively new, and it was one of the first decks I ever bought. I remember ordering it while I was at work (oops) and was so excited when the package came from Israel and reached my post office! I have the official book that came with this deck, and I would have to say it was really this deck that helped me break down the RWS and put it in terms I could understand. Yes, the illustrations are super modern and quirky and whimsical, but the foundation of this deck is classic RWS, and that’s why it was so instrumental in me and my tarot education. I remember bringing this deck everywhere I went, reading the little white book and the official companion whenever I had spare time. I’m so lucky I scored this deck and got myself an extra copy, because it’s sold out and is now going for an incredibly high price. Monicka is also such a sweet person—I’ve corresponded with her over email because I damaged my first box (it’s a DIY, assemble-yourself, box which I find super unique) and she very kindly sent me a replacement and some goodies. One of the first professional deck creators and tarot people I’ve ever personally interacted with, she just helped shape my own experience of the tarot community and indie deck creators. I pull this one up to read for myself on the reg!

Apparition Tarot

Published by: Spirit Speak Tarot
Created by: Mary Evans
What I love about it: It’s simple, modern, and smart in its symbolism. I’m a huge fan of Mary Evans’ artwork and this was the latest tarot deck she created. I love how these cards feel in my hands—they’re pretty large, but sturdy, with gold gilding on the edges. They make a lovely *swoosh* sound when I overhand shuffle them too! I feel like the readings I do with these cards are always clean—they’re minimal and give me just what I need without going overboard or dramatic.

Vessel Oracle

Published by: Spirit Speak Tarot
Created by: Mary Evans
What I love about it: This is one of the first decks I ever bought (quite possibly one of the first oracle decks too!) and therefore carries a nice, nostalgic kick for me too. The reason I keep using this deck, over and over, is because its choice of words are so on the nose and relevant. As with the Apparition Tarot, I love the doodle-y feel too. I don’t always use the guidebook that comes with this, but when I do, I always feel a very welcome kick in the butt.

Wayhome Tarot

Self-Published by: Bakara Wintner
Created by: Bakara Wintner and Autumn Whitehurst
What I love about it: One of my favorite tarot decks was written by Bakara and illustrated by Autumn, and the beginnings of the Wayhome Tarot are found in the pages of that book. So when these illustrations actually became a real deck, I was all in. The Wayhome Tarot is both accessible and deep, multi-faceted and simple, and even if it doesn’t come with a guidebook, I found myself reading with it very instinctively. It also feels great in the hands! I look forward to in Bakara’s weekly Sunday readings using this deck, and her pulls always inspire me to work on pulls for myself with this too. I love the name they chose for this deck—how it represents how you can find your way home with the tarot.

Postcards from the Liminal Space

Self-Published by: Bakara Wintner
Created by: Bakara Wintner, Christian Berry, and Kaylee Christenson
What I love about it: This oracle deck is based on a deck from 1970, Morgan’s Tarot, which was actually one of the first decks I ever bought for myself. I love the pen and ink doodles of this deck and find it so much more relatable than Morgan’s Tarot (which inspired it). Bakara also uses this deck regularly in her Sunday readings, and I find it fascinating—how she knows this deck inside out and can quote it all the time. I appreciate the guidebook that comes with this deck—it helps me decode every card and go further than what my eyes spot and my subconscious instantly tells me. I can’t read with the Wayhome without tapping into Postcards. This deck introduced me to the concept of the liminal space—something I’ve gotten to know a little better (as best as I can, I guess) now that I’m a little further in my card practice. This deck is modern, witty, humorous, intelligent, and out of this world.

Inquire Within

Published by: Worthwhile Paper
Created by: Kristen Drozdowski
What I love about it: This deck will do well, whether or not you’re into tarot / oracle cards. The messages are so easy to grasp, so meaningful, and so beautifully laid out and illustrated too. I feel myself veering towards black and white decks lately, and this executes the palette so elegantly. It’s also got lovely gilded edges, making every pull feel extra special. I ordered this deck from the States and had it shipped to an address there. I would see this all over Instagram but tried to hold off, but when my friend Macy brought it to one of our road trips, I was sold and knew I wanted to add it to my collection. The name of the deck says everything too—it encourages you to inquire within to find answers (I’m often surprised by what I discover!).

Fuzzy Prism Oracle

Published and created by: Holly Simple
What I love about it: I have the previous edition of this deck, which is black, white, and pink, with touches of silver. I love Holly Simple’s quirky illustrations—they’re very smart, and so are the words she chose to fill her first oracle deck. I used this deck for a lot of love readings and they always seemed to drive a point so effortlessly. I continue to pull from this deck for myself when I’m looking for whimsical visuals. This kind of falls in the same genre as Spirit Speak’s Vessel Oracle—what can I say, I guess I have a type!

Queen Alice Tarot

Published and created by: Dame Darcy
What I love about it: Dame Darcy’s first tarot deck, the Mermaid Tarot, was one of my ultimate favorites when I started reading tarot. It’s also one of my most worn decks (I actually have multiple copies!). When she came out with an Alice in Wonderland themed tarot deck, I tried to resist because I had already stripped my collection down and didn’t want to add anything more. That said, I do love Alice in Wonderland and I also love her illustration style, so I caved and got it. I ordered this deck from Etsy, had it shipped to a US address, then had it sent to me. This deck feels absolutely rich—it comes in a beautiful magnetic enclosure box, the cards are glossy and silver-edged (I don’t ever want to riffle shuffle them because I don’t want to break the gilding). I just love flipping through these cards, even if I’m not reading. I like quizzing myself, trying to guess at particular scenes from the book. I do read with it (only for myself) sometimes, but I feel that beyond reading, this is a collector’s piece I wouldn’t ever let go.

Moonchild Tarot

Published by: Starseed Designs
Created by: Danielle Noel
What I love about it: While I have the Starchild Tarot (Danielle Noel’s first deck), I would have to say that nothing compares to the Moonchild. It uses collage (of which you know I’m a fan of!) and is executed in such intricate detail, I can’t help but stare at every card every time I pull something. This deck is pretty expensive and it feels and looks it—from the art deco style backs with gold detail, to the smooth and thick card stock, to the rose petal finish two-piece box, this feels extremely luxurious. I get into phases with this deck—sometimes I’ll use it for weeks on end and then leave it for a while. One sign that this is a favorite is it sits right at the front of my tarot cabinet—always accessible and easy to reach for. I don’t think this is a deck for beginners (unless you’re just instantly attracted to the art, then by all means, get it even if you can’t read tarot). The guidebook that comes with is very thorough, however, and I feel will give you a substantial background about the cards. There are so many layers to each image, however, and I feel that if you’re a natural storyteller who just likes to peel layers off of images, then you’ll have one heck of a good time with this.

Small Spells Tarot

Published and created by: Rachel Howe
What I love about it: You’ll see a pattern with my deck choices—I like simplistic, black and white, modern doodles. Small Spells is the epitome of this! And since I am talking graphics, I also love Rachel Howe’s distinct lettering work on this. I have a friend who I read for who actually met Rachel Howe in NYC (which I found so cool!). I don’t use this deck a lot, but once I get in a mood, I’ll use it non-stop and usually pair it with one of the oracle decks I mentioned here (all of which are b&w too!). Rachel created a colored version of this deck and it’s been haunting me these past few weeks—taunting me to break my no-spend. Lol, why would I need a color version of a deck I already have? Because it’s so cute! (will update you if/when I break my resolve)

Out of Print Decks by Marisa dela Peña

Published and created by: Marisa dela Peña
What I love about it: Ever since I discovered the Circo Tarot, I’d been following Marisa dela Peña’s work and have gotten all (YEP) her decks. She’s focusing on decolonization work now, so I feel extra lucky that I invested in her self-published work while I could. My collection includes the Circo Tarot (which was also picked up and slightly revised as the How to Deal deck), the Strange Lands Oracle (ADORABLE), and the Persephone Tarot (which is a black and white—again—deck dealing with mythology). I’m still a follower of Marisa’s even if she’s not creating decks anymore and I credit her posts for introducing me to the concept of decolonization and anti-racism.

ON ITS WAY: Modern Witch Tarot

Published by: Sterling Ethos
Created by: Lisa Sterle
What I love about it: I don’t have this deck yet but it’s the first tarot deck that broke my no-spend in months. I’ve been looking it up online all through quarantine, and finally a couple of weeks ago, I decided to break my “fast” and treat myself to this deck. I love the modern imagery, the callback to the Rider-Waite Smith, and the relatability. I am so looking forward to getting this! I don’t have it yet and I know it’s already going to be a (current) fave.

KICKSTARTER: Amulet Friends Oracle

Published and Created by: Holly Simple
What I love about it: You already know how big a fan I am of Holly Simple, so when she announced this kickstarter last year, I signed up right away. The Amulet Friends Oracle seems like a fun, super colorful, sister deck to the Fuzzy Prism (and of course, Holly Simple’s own tarot deck which I also own). This is very me, and while I have tamed my shopping habits, the collector in me could not resist adding this to my stash. Super excited to receive this and have been thrilled at all the updates Holly’s been posting on her social.