5 Decks I Can't Live Without

This hashtag has been trending on YouTube, begun by the esteemed YouTube Tarot star, Kelly Bear. Though I'm not a YouTuber, I think this is a fun topic to tackle here on my blog.

This is a tough one for me, because it isn't about "favorite decks", but rather which decks serve me well, and which five are most likely to cover my range of Tarot needs, if I were only allowed so few. I might actually cheat a bit, we'll see.

1. First up is the Spirit Keeper's Tarot, by Benebell Wen, both the original version and the Vitruvian version. See, told you I would be cheating. I think if I were given the choice of only one deck to keep, it would be this one, because this deck is not just lovely, it just does so damned much. It is a divinatory system, an occult system, and a system of evocation all rolled into one. It combines both the RWS system and the Thoth system into an entirely workable tableau of imagery. It is surprisingly easy to use out of the box, but subsequent use and study opens up whole new layers of

I feel kind of bad for even naming this deck, because both versions are now out of print and I don't want to taunt anyone with it, but selling decks is not the purpose of this post. The purpose is to honestly examine which decks I truly need.

2. Tabula Mundi Tarot by M.M. Meleen.  Oh, Tabula Mundi, how do I love thee. This deck is probably the closest thing to a "soul deck" for me, if I believed in such things. The first time I saw it, I knew I had to have it, and the first time I held it, I knew this deck and I were meant to be together.

It has everything I love in a deck - beautiful detail without being muddled, gorgeous color, plenty of occult symbolism, and highly intuitive. The Tabula Mundi is based on the Thoth system, which is the system I am most familiar with, so reading with it is a breeze for me.

3. The Alchemical Tarot by Robert M Place. This deck is my workhorse. It gives me, hands down, the most accurate readings in all situations. I always reach for it when I'm in need of certainty.  It is beautiful, as is all of Mr Place's artwork, it fits my hands perfectly, and is easy to shuffle and work with.  I have the Second Edition, but  I don't think that one is available any longer. The currently available edition is the 4th, and the muted coloring is gorgeous and inviting. I may need one. You know... as back-up.

4. The Modern Spellcaster's Tarot: This is a surprise addition to this list. You'd
think I might choose one of my rarer or more expensive decks for a place on this list but this deck is both beautiful, and reads like a dream. The images are so expressive, and the symbolism is spot-on. The cards are flexible and easy to work with, and I love how this deck feels in my hands. If I'm choosing decks to rescue from a fire, I might choose one of my rarer, harder to replace decks. But if I'm choosing decks to take to a desert island, where I can't access Amazon, then yeah, taking this bad-boy with me.

5. Last slot on the list. This is a really hard one. Part of me wants to choose a Marseille style deck, because sometimes that's just what you need, so an honorable mention goes to my favorite Marseille-esque deck, the Trionfi della Luna. But ultimately, I think my 5th deck won't be a Tarot Deck at all, but my trusty little Pixie's Astounding Lenormand. Sometimes you need the kind of reading that only a Lenormand can provide, quick, concise and no-nonsense. The familiar artwork of the Pixie's Lenormand gives me a strong connection to the deck, and the traditional format really brings out the fortune-teller in me.

So that's my list. What's on your list?