Best Tarot Decks for Brainstorming

Small bookstores stock may stock four or five different Tarot decks. A large chain store may stock several dozen. A metaphysical shop may have more than a hundred different decks on their shelves!

When buying your first Tarot deck, you may feel a little overwhelmed by all the variety. No worries! With your visual brainstorming needs in mind, I've prepared this list of recommended decks to make your shopping easier.

(Full disclosure: since the good folks at Llewellyn Worldwide were kind enough to publish my brainstorming books, I recommend their decks first in the lists below.)

Suggested "First Decks"

The following decks are bright and colorful, with detailed illustrations on each card. They're great "first decks" for beginning brainstormers ... and perfect decks for personal use, too.

Universal Tarot (Lo Scarabeo/Llewellyn). Based on the most popular Tarot images of all time, the Universal Tarot features evocative art on every single card. Become familiar with this deck, and you'll be able to use dozens of others based on the Rider-Waite imagery. Highly recommended.

Nigel Jackson Tarot (Llewellyn). Whimsical art incorporating bright colors make this unconventional deck especially appealing when brainstorming in public. Larger-than-usual cards make the illustrations especially engaging. Recommended.

Robin Wood Tarot (Llewellyn). While some consider the art a bit dated, this deck is by far Llewellyn's best-seller.

Connolly Tarot (U.S. Games). Simplified images, bright colors, and zero spookiness are the hallmarks of this deck, whose creator sought to produce cards free of "negative energy." If you find the darker images of other decks distracting, this may be the perfect deck for you.

Universal Waite (U.S. Games). A gently re-colored version of the popular Rider-Waite cards. This was my own first Tarot deck, and remains a sentimental favorite. Highly recommended.

Illuminated Tarot (Carol Herzer). The quality, craftsmanship, and artistry of this handmade deck make using these cards a rare treat for the senses. Hand-painted iridescent colors make each deck unique. Indulge yourself! Order the large deck, revel in the swirling colors and hypnotic patterns, and watch the ideas flow! Warning: if you make this your first deck, most others will pale by comparison. Highly Recommended. (Available only from www.soul-guidance.com.)

Suggested Decks for Corporate Use

In addition to the "first decks" mentioned above -- most of which would work fine in a corporate setting -- the following decks all have special features that make them especially well-suited for use in business settings.

Please note: Those of us brainstorming in the corporate world must take its sensibilities and sensitivities into account when selecting a deck.

If artistic nudity could cause an issue in your workplace, some cards may need to be removed from some of these decks. While removing these cards may keep you from making certain associations or achieving certain insights, your HR department's lawyers will thank you for erring on the side of caution.

International Icon Tarot. Artist Robin Ator's cards present vivid images rendered in the style of international signage. Since we're already conditioned to "read" such signs, each card very naturally invites participants to ask, "What is this card trying to tell me?" Better yet, due to the nature of the artwork, this deck poses no issues related to artistic nudity or ethnic bias. Very highly recommended. (Available exclusively from the artist.)

World Spirit Tarot (Llewellyn). Vibrant colors and engaging art make this deck an attractive first choice. Because the illustrations feature people of virtually every imaginable ethnicity, this deck has a special multicultural flair that can be especially appealing to inclusive corporations.

Robert Place's Alchemical Tarot (Thorsons). Iconic and intriguing artwork makes this deck a work of haunting beauty ... and a powerful set of cards for producing ideas and associations. It's out of print, now, and hard to find, so if you spot one, snap it up. Highly recommended.

Osho Zen Tarot (St. Martin's Press). Though definitely influenced by a 1980's point of view (one card features the spitting image of Ronald Reagan), this deck is one of my personal favorites. The approachable art works sparks strong emotional responses, and the keywords at the bottom of every card are appreciated by beginners. Highly recommended.

Navigator's Tarot of the Mystic SEA (U.S. Games). This under-appreciated deck is sometimes called "The Cirque du Soliel" deck by those who love its costumed figures and surreal landscapes. This is a Tarot unlike any other, featuring innovative artwork and evocative keywords on every card. Highly recommended.

Jane Lyle's The Secret Tarot (Fireside). Originally released as The Renaissance Tarot, this is a great deck for use in a corporate setting. No worries about nudity here: the figures in this deck appear to be sculpted from gold, silver, and brass. Excellent use of color and clever symbolism make the deck a remarkable creative tool, despite (or perhaps because of) the minimalism art.

Giant Rider-Waite (U.S. Games). You can't beat this super-size deck when brainstorming with a group. Large cards are hard to shuffle, but the abundance of detail is worth the effort.

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Copyright notice: All sample images used on this page remain copyrighted by their respective publishers. These images are used strictly for illustrative and promotional purposes.