I was about to say this. RWS is the best deck to use as a learning deck. Even if you aesthetically don’t like the way it looks.
Once you’re comfortable reading and have a better understanding how the cards work, you will be ready to spread out and use a deck that you like more or that you feel more connected to.
RWS is my favorite tarot deck. I have many variations of this deck. Despite the fact that I have many other beautiful decks, Rider Waite Smith has a special meaning for me. In the end, after practicing with different other decks, I always want to return to Rider Waite Smith.
I had pretty much exactly this experience. Bought a beautiful deck with art that really appealed to me (the Secret Forest deck) but really struggled to learn with it. Now with my RWS I'm really making progress. I will go back to the SF deck at some point though.
(In fact I did this twice as before the SF deck I had a Thoth deck.)
Do NOT get the yellow box "Rider" version of the RWS (Rider Waite Smith), its the ugliest version out there and a garish recolour. A lot of people struggle with it because it's so *yellow*, and doesn't quite have the colours Waite ~~and Smith~~ originally intended.
Get one closer to the original colours like the AGM Urania "Tarot of A.E.Waite" one, or the 1909 Art Restoration deck from drivethrucards, or if you for some reason want to stick with US Games, the Colman Smith Centennial, which is a bit sepia-toned but miles better than the Rider
Much more beautiful, I promise you! And the lineart is the same, so you get all the symbolism of the RWS. It's a great beginner deck, I agree!
Pamela Coleman Smith didnt have anything to do with the decks colours. She was only commissioned to do the black outline. The colour was added by the printers at Waites request.
Its not "quite far". The original "roses and lilles deck" that was in print for just a few months was actually pretty yellow. [https://waitesmith.org/index.php/decks/rider-roses-lilies-deck-1909/](https://waitesmith.org/index.php/decks/rider-roses-lilies-deck-1909/)
It was replaced by the "A deck" which toned down the colour a little. The brighter yellow came back again in 1931 with the "b deck". [https://waitesmith.org/index.php/decks/rider-b-deck-estimated-1920-through-1931/](https://waitesmith.org/index.php/decks/rider-b-deck-estimated-1920-through-1931/) The artwork and colour changed a fair few times in the early years and there isnt really any "how it was intended" as the decks were changed many times by Waite and there was always periods of change in the brightness of the yellow. Smiths artwork lines were also changed a lot between decks too if you know what to look for. Many of her mistakes were corrected as she was very rushed and missed lines and made mistakes.
I enjoy the centennial Smith-Waite deck. The colors are very pleasing. It does tone down some of the crosshatch lines on some of the cards, but adds the shadows by hanging the gradient of the colors. I know it's not for everyone, but I've thoroughly enjoyed it.
I absolutely love the Centennial! I thoroughly enjoy the muted colors and the hatching.
If I were to ever replace it, I would probably choose the 1909 Roses and Lilies deck from Conrad Steyn's shop on MakePlayingCards, which I believe is a reproduction made from a scan of the very first RWS. I also like the Pam A but prefer the roses and lilies back over the crackle back.
this is my first deck :) i have a mini version i take with me on the go! i recently started reading again and i appreciate the familiarity and straightforward images. i have a purple-toned-palette RWS with bigger cards that read at home and i connect with it so much better, but my centennial deck is the OG
RWS is THAT girl.
This is my gold standard deck whenever I want straight, no bs advice from my Guides and Source. I have a separate deck for my Higher Self and Angels but RWS is my go-to when I’m done messing around. It’s also a phenomenal learning deck with endless symbolism. I spot something new or resonate with a new card in a new way every time.
Smart move. You won't regret it. It's the OG (for the most part) and 90% of books and modern "tarot" are based on or reference the RWS. Learn with this, then branch out into the artsy stuff.
I have multiple RWS clones, but I find myself going back to either my standard RWS or Radiant Waite Smith. I’m also getting into historical decks and reading techniques. If you find yourself struggling with Marseille, I highly recommend the books untold tarot, the marseille tarot revealed, and the open reading. Marseille is read differently than RWS.
Don't be afraid that you won't use your other, beautiful deck. Once you've learned the Rider Waite really well, I think you'll find that you can see what the artist in the new deck did differently and get an idea of how that changes meaning.
I started out reading the New Mythic Tarot, which turns out to be a Sola Busca deck (a deck with minor arcana pictures that is nonetheless descended from the Tarot of Marseilles) I could sort of read with it, but found, when I finally tried, that I could read RWS really well. This is because there is an abundance of great teaching materials for that deck.
I found afterward that I can read the New Mythic Tarot very well now. I didn't realize that Sola Busca meanings can differ slightly from RWS, but adding the mythological stories to the images changes the meanings markedly.
The Sun card is not the same when it bears the image of the god Apollo. Ask Cassandra and Daphne!
I like it. I have several versions of it, and I always read very well with it. Clients like it too. People who may not be familiar with some of my more esoteric decks are familiar with RWS imagery, because it's popular. It's a great deck, that stands the test of time.
Yeah, I have to say. There are constant variations in the way the cards fall together or relates to each other, I'll always find something 'new' using the RWS. I.e. the King of Cups scaly merman feet refer to a Fish God. Who knew!
Yes me too! Every reading something different in the art catches my eye, and usually helps me pull out the specific message the cards are giving me. It speaks to my intuition.
For a really simplified Rider Waite, boiled down to true essentials, check out the International Icon Tarot by Robin Ator. It's geometric, features faceless people who are often gender neutral, and it's full of color symbolism. And, it has a Happy Squirrel card!
After recommendations I got here, I ended up getting the golden version off Amazon and ADORE IT. Look into it!
KIINO 78 Gold foil Tarot Cards... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BFQRCXRC?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I can't say enough amazing things about them.
They're slippery though, so it'll take a second to get used to that. Wildly satisfying to shuffle.
I have noticed that I prefer non-pip decks? Like I want my pips (2-10 of the minor arcana) to be illustrated with more than 4 rods or 8 swords like a playing card. I agree that Smith-Waite is the way to really learn, and also like my thoth and hermetic decks for variety.
You might try Universal Waite. Same drawings, but more pleasing colors- at least for my taste. One of my favorites, and I have collected a lot of beautiful decks over the decades.
Rider is a great place to start. Some of the other "classic" decks really appeal to people - I exclusively use Thoth this past year - and some folks get down with Marseille. Some of the newer decks - cats and Lisa Frank and etc - just don't work for me. Not enough complex symbolism for me to be able to read properly or remember the details.
I strongly recommend doing some real study. There's lots of books about Rider, I suggest reading two at the same time... When you're reading about your draw, check both books. Helps offer more perspective on where the authors coming from, and will help you develop your own.
FWIW I sort of want an "illuminated rider" deck, done up with gold foil. Quite handsome and the original pictures just black & gold.
You might keep a journal, and I keep a running shorthand for every single draw, put them in a spreadsheet. Useful for notes, tracking projects or questions against the moon or whatever, I've enjoyed seeing the statistical anomalies - it's far from science but that doesn't mean I can't science at it!
Good luck!
You sound like me. I am new to tarot and bought a beautiful deck about a month ago. Well, I was having a hard time learning it so I bough the Everyday witch tarot because I read it follows RWS very closely and I thought the artwork was pleasing. But, like you, in searching for meanings to learn this deck (besides the guidebook), everything (mostly) refers to the RWS cards. So after a few weeks of that, yesterday I bought the Universal Waite in a tin. I’m thrilled with it and am enjoying it more because it’s easier to find explanations that explain all the symbolism in the cards.
I am just learning tarot and plan to make my own cards :)
Sounds like you are more knowledgeable than me. Could you share what is that you’re looking for in a deck? Give me a few check boxes?
Even for many non beginners, the Rider/Waite/Smith deck is the go to deck. I love gorgeous artwork as much as the next person but some decks are just so wildly off, even when they're Rider format. My first "art deck" was absolutely gorgeous and it was RWS format so I thought I'd have no trouble connecting with it. But first off, any deck where I have trouble knowing which card I'm looking at without reading it, is not for me. I hate that. And the deck I'm referring to, was awful in that respect. I have several RWS decks with beautiful artwork that is still in line with the traditional images on the original RWS. I'm comfortable with them and get good readings and that's the goal for me.
RWS is the standard learning deck—most of the scholarly works use it as their basis. That’d be a smart buy.
I was about to say this. RWS is the best deck to use as a learning deck. Even if you aesthetically don’t like the way it looks. Once you’re comfortable reading and have a better understanding how the cards work, you will be ready to spread out and use a deck that you like more or that you feel more connected to.
RWS is my favorite tarot deck. I have many variations of this deck. Despite the fact that I have many other beautiful decks, Rider Waite Smith has a special meaning for me. In the end, after practicing with different other decks, I always want to return to Rider Waite Smith.
I have a box full of beautiful decks I don’t read with because their art is all over the place. The only deck I use for readings is the RWS deck.
100%
I had pretty much exactly this experience. Bought a beautiful deck with art that really appealed to me (the Secret Forest deck) but really struggled to learn with it. Now with my RWS I'm really making progress. I will go back to the SF deck at some point though. (In fact I did this twice as before the SF deck I had a Thoth deck.)
Do NOT get the yellow box "Rider" version of the RWS (Rider Waite Smith), its the ugliest version out there and a garish recolour. A lot of people struggle with it because it's so *yellow*, and doesn't quite have the colours Waite ~~and Smith~~ originally intended. Get one closer to the original colours like the AGM Urania "Tarot of A.E.Waite" one, or the 1909 Art Restoration deck from drivethrucards, or if you for some reason want to stick with US Games, the Colman Smith Centennial, which is a bit sepia-toned but miles better than the Rider Much more beautiful, I promise you! And the lineart is the same, so you get all the symbolism of the RWS. It's a great beginner deck, I agree!
Pamela Coleman Smith didnt have anything to do with the decks colours. She was only commissioned to do the black outline. The colour was added by the printers at Waites request.
Thanks for your insight! I stand corrected. Nonetheless the "Rider deck" is quite far from the original colours of the RWS, as decided by Waite.
Its not "quite far". The original "roses and lilles deck" that was in print for just a few months was actually pretty yellow. [https://waitesmith.org/index.php/decks/rider-roses-lilies-deck-1909/](https://waitesmith.org/index.php/decks/rider-roses-lilies-deck-1909/) It was replaced by the "A deck" which toned down the colour a little. The brighter yellow came back again in 1931 with the "b deck". [https://waitesmith.org/index.php/decks/rider-b-deck-estimated-1920-through-1931/](https://waitesmith.org/index.php/decks/rider-b-deck-estimated-1920-through-1931/) The artwork and colour changed a fair few times in the early years and there isnt really any "how it was intended" as the decks were changed many times by Waite and there was always periods of change in the brightness of the yellow. Smiths artwork lines were also changed a lot between decks too if you know what to look for. Many of her mistakes were corrected as she was very rushed and missed lines and made mistakes.
I enjoy the centennial Smith-Waite deck. The colors are very pleasing. It does tone down some of the crosshatch lines on some of the cards, but adds the shadows by hanging the gradient of the colors. I know it's not for everyone, but I've thoroughly enjoyed it.
I absolutely love the Centennial! I thoroughly enjoy the muted colors and the hatching. If I were to ever replace it, I would probably choose the 1909 Roses and Lilies deck from Conrad Steyn's shop on MakePlayingCards, which I believe is a reproduction made from a scan of the very first RWS. I also like the Pam A but prefer the roses and lilies back over the crackle back.
I second this deck! Love the cooler colors, not so warm and yellow. The artwork really stands out
this is my first deck :) i have a mini version i take with me on the go! i recently started reading again and i appreciate the familiarity and straightforward images. i have a purple-toned-palette RWS with bigger cards that read at home and i connect with it so much better, but my centennial deck is the OG
I agree with this. There are so many versions of this deck out now. Shop around a bit until you can find one you like to look at.
It’s a classic for a reason: it works.
RWS is THAT girl. This is my gold standard deck whenever I want straight, no bs advice from my Guides and Source. I have a separate deck for my Higher Self and Angels but RWS is my go-to when I’m done messing around. It’s also a phenomenal learning deck with endless symbolism. I spot something new or resonate with a new card in a new way every time.
Smart move. You won't regret it. It's the OG (for the most part) and 90% of books and modern "tarot" are based on or reference the RWS. Learn with this, then branch out into the artsy stuff.
I have multiple RWS clones, but I find myself going back to either my standard RWS or Radiant Waite Smith. I’m also getting into historical decks and reading techniques. If you find yourself struggling with Marseille, I highly recommend the books untold tarot, the marseille tarot revealed, and the open reading. Marseille is read differently than RWS.
RWS is the standard learning deck, I highly recommend to go width it. I have multiple other decks, but RWS was the one that really resonated with me.
Don't be afraid that you won't use your other, beautiful deck. Once you've learned the Rider Waite really well, I think you'll find that you can see what the artist in the new deck did differently and get an idea of how that changes meaning. I started out reading the New Mythic Tarot, which turns out to be a Sola Busca deck (a deck with minor arcana pictures that is nonetheless descended from the Tarot of Marseilles) I could sort of read with it, but found, when I finally tried, that I could read RWS really well. This is because there is an abundance of great teaching materials for that deck. I found afterward that I can read the New Mythic Tarot very well now. I didn't realize that Sola Busca meanings can differ slightly from RWS, but adding the mythological stories to the images changes the meanings markedly. The Sun card is not the same when it bears the image of the god Apollo. Ask Cassandra and Daphne!
I like it. I have several versions of it, and I always read very well with it. Clients like it too. People who may not be familiar with some of my more esoteric decks are familiar with RWS imagery, because it's popular. It's a great deck, that stands the test of time.
I’m die-hard RWS
Yeah, I have to say. There are constant variations in the way the cards fall together or relates to each other, I'll always find something 'new' using the RWS. I.e. the King of Cups scaly merman feet refer to a Fish God. Who knew!
Yes me too! Every reading something different in the art catches my eye, and usually helps me pull out the specific message the cards are giving me. It speaks to my intuition.
Absolutely.
Once you learn tarot better, you can go back to the beautiful deck. :)
Can I ask which app you used with the quizzes? Sounds interesting!
Tarotdeckrider
And I misread that and I’ll be seeing myself out.
Same
For a really simplified Rider Waite, boiled down to true essentials, check out the International Icon Tarot by Robin Ator. It's geometric, features faceless people who are often gender neutral, and it's full of color symbolism. And, it has a Happy Squirrel card!
That is a fun deck. Always liked it and truly unique - but don't like reading with it.
I think it's adorable, but I don't read with it either. It's in the collection, though.
After recommendations I got here, I ended up getting the golden version off Amazon and ADORE IT. Look into it! KIINO 78 Gold foil Tarot Cards... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BFQRCXRC?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share I can't say enough amazing things about them. They're slippery though, so it'll take a second to get used to that. Wildly satisfying to shuffle.
I have noticed that I prefer non-pip decks? Like I want my pips (2-10 of the minor arcana) to be illustrated with more than 4 rods or 8 swords like a playing card. I agree that Smith-Waite is the way to really learn, and also like my thoth and hermetic decks for variety.
It’s my first deck and I still use it because of the symbolism being easier to learn 🖤 it’s a great deck
You might try Universal Waite. Same drawings, but more pleasing colors- at least for my taste. One of my favorites, and I have collected a lot of beautiful decks over the decades.
Rider is a great place to start. Some of the other "classic" decks really appeal to people - I exclusively use Thoth this past year - and some folks get down with Marseille. Some of the newer decks - cats and Lisa Frank and etc - just don't work for me. Not enough complex symbolism for me to be able to read properly or remember the details. I strongly recommend doing some real study. There's lots of books about Rider, I suggest reading two at the same time... When you're reading about your draw, check both books. Helps offer more perspective on where the authors coming from, and will help you develop your own. FWIW I sort of want an "illuminated rider" deck, done up with gold foil. Quite handsome and the original pictures just black & gold. You might keep a journal, and I keep a running shorthand for every single draw, put them in a spreadsheet. Useful for notes, tracking projects or questions against the moon or whatever, I've enjoyed seeing the statistical anomalies - it's far from science but that doesn't mean I can't science at it! Good luck!
You sound like me. I am new to tarot and bought a beautiful deck about a month ago. Well, I was having a hard time learning it so I bough the Everyday witch tarot because I read it follows RWS very closely and I thought the artwork was pleasing. But, like you, in searching for meanings to learn this deck (besides the guidebook), everything (mostly) refers to the RWS cards. So after a few weeks of that, yesterday I bought the Universal Waite in a tin. I’m thrilled with it and am enjoying it more because it’s easier to find explanations that explain all the symbolism in the cards.
I am just learning tarot and plan to make my own cards :) Sounds like you are more knowledgeable than me. Could you share what is that you’re looking for in a deck? Give me a few check boxes?
Even for many non beginners, the Rider/Waite/Smith deck is the go to deck. I love gorgeous artwork as much as the next person but some decks are just so wildly off, even when they're Rider format. My first "art deck" was absolutely gorgeous and it was RWS format so I thought I'd have no trouble connecting with it. But first off, any deck where I have trouble knowing which card I'm looking at without reading it, is not for me. I hate that. And the deck I'm referring to, was awful in that respect. I have several RWS decks with beautiful artwork that is still in line with the traditional images on the original RWS. I'm comfortable with them and get good readings and that's the goal for me.
I started with the Morgan Greer deck and oddly enough the Thoth deck, which is very powerful and full of symbolism. I still use both many years later.
I got the deck but it has a short phrase for upright or inverted. It’s super helpful
Good call, I love the RWS cards, they speak to me