Divination cards for modern mystics

From horoscopes to tarot reading - there are various ways to uncover this knowledge using tools and crafts.

Divination cards

by Ellen Kinsey |
Updated on

Divination cards - also known as tarot cards, oracle cards, angel cards and more are a form of energetic communication. They are a wonderful tool to help us connect with our guides and intuition. This ancient practice of seeking knowledge, guidance, messages and inspiration from a spirit or higher consciousness can be achieved using divination tools and crafts such as palm readings, tarot, dowsing and more. In this guide, we will explore 'what is divination' and some helpful tips and tools to get started.

The best tarot cards can be a trusted means to connect with the messages from spirit. Although tarot is one of the most popular divination practices, there is a common misconception that tarot cards are for predicting the future. As with any type of divination card - the true purpose is to tap into your intuition to see what is falling away, what is working for you now and how to manifest your goals. If you are looking to start this divination practice, here is a beginner's guide to tarot cards to help you start.

But why do we call them divination cards, and what does 'divination' really mean? When we can pull a card from a deck led by our intuition, it affirms our decision, and we are comforted to move forward with confidence. The documentary platform Gaia defines divination as “the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means.” Almost every culture has a form of divination– the Chinese use the I Ching, and Norse cultures use runes - these practices help us gain guidance. Divination decks, in the same regard - are also a spiritual tool to help us make decisions just like oracle cards.

Best divination cards at a glance:

• Best tarot deck (Editor's choice): The Original Rider Waite Tarot Deck by A.E. Waite - View on Amazon UK
Best divination card deck for oracle card readings: The Starseed Oracle: A 53-Card Deck - View on Amazon UK
Best divination deck for the modern mystic: Mystic Mondays Tarot - View on Amazon UK
Best cards for connecting with your angels and ancestors: Angels and Ancestors Angel Cards - View on Amazon UK

So without further ado, let's take a look at the best divination decks used for insight, perspective, clarity, personal growth, inspiration, coaching and decision-making.

The best divination cards

Best tarot deck (Editor's choice)

Tarot deck

Rrp: £24.00

Price: £17.38

No divination tool round-up is complete without mentioning the classic original Rider Waite Tarot cards, which many say are still the best. First published in 1909, this traditional set is perfect for long-standing tarot loyalists who like to do things by the book. This deck is also perfect for beginners, as all tarot cards are derived from this deck.

Reviews: "My very first deck! I'm in love with it-although I can see what other users are saying about its re-print being sub-par. Since this is my first deck and I don't know any of the cards, it doesn't bother me because I am not yet reading the detail. If you are a season tarot reader, you may be disappointed!"

Pros

  • Original Tarot deck
  • Good to start out

Cons

  • Tarot is very grounded in their meanings - if you prefer something with more subjectivity oracle cards would be a better choice

Best classic card deck for diversity and representation

Modern witch
Price: £26.95

These tarot cards are based on the Rider-Waite-Smith deck but feature artwork with better representation and diversity. It is important to be inclusive in our spiritual practices. This deck features images of people from all cultures and more women - making it the perfect deck for contemporary mystics. It contains a guidebook and is good for beginners too. If you are looking for a deck that exudes female empowerment, this would be an excellent choice.

Review: "Iconic... This is absolutely a deck made for the age and era we are in today... It gives visibility to those who have historically been marginalized and here are depicted as powerful, confident, and in command.' - Benebell Wenbr

"Absolutely fabulous tarot deck. I'm really new to Tarot myself, and it's taken me a year to find a deck I felt connected to. I like that these are close enough to the Rider Waite deck but up to date and Modern (hence the name)."

Pros

  • Modern Imagery
  • A feminine take on the Rider-Waite-Smith deck

Cons

  • Some may prefer the imagery of the original tarot deck

Best card deck for connecting to spirit animals

Medicine card

Rrp: £32.00

Price: £20.49
Alternative retailers
Target$20.49View offer

Medicine Cards by Jamie Sams illustrates the energy of a different animal. Each animal in the deck symbolises a different energy - such as the snake representing transformation and transmutation. This deck and guidebook describe how to use cards, and in the description, it writes the Native American history of the animal and their beliefs. If you feel drawn to working with animals, this is the deck for you.

Review: "A potent yet refreshingly simple divination tool that can help up reconnect to the sources of life's natural guidance...extraordinarily well crafted. This work is plentiful, overflowing with the richness of the Native American way of life." -Yoga Journal

Pros

  • Jamie Sams is of Iroquois and Cherokee descent. She is a medicine teacher and the author of numerous books
  • Imagery from nature
  • Can help you connect to the earth

Cons

  • Some reviewers found it tricky to shuffle

Best divination card deck for oracle card readings

Starseed

Rrp: £24.99

Price: £18.99
Alternative retailers
Target$18.99View offer
Walmart$18.99View offer

Wake up your cosmic energy with this gorgeous oracle deck. Each card interpretation includes a Starseed call to action to help unlock your soul gift. If you are a lightworker in search of connecting with the divine light or healing the world, this oracle deck will be a welcome addition to your meditation altar. The 53-oracle card set is here to help you draw a parallel with your heart and remind you who you are at a soul level.

Review: "These cards are absolutely breathtaking. I bought them for a friend for her birthday, and we have fallen head over heels in love with them. Every reading is so accurate and brings so much emotion to the space."

Pros

  • Great oracle deck to connect with the Starseed part of yourself
  • Beautiful imagery
  • Clear guidebook but also open to interpretation

Cons

  • Some may prefer a more earth-based deck

Best divination card deck for connecting with the yogic elements

The Wild Unknown Tarot Deck and Guidebook

Rrp: £39.99

Price: £21.99
Alternative retailers
Target$21.99View offer
Walmart$21.99View offer
Macy's$39.99View offer

The Wild Unknown Tarot features 63 gorgeous cards split into five suits structured by the five yogic elements — earth, water, fire, air and ether. The Wild Unknown doesn't use traditional symbology but rather its own nature-based images, so this isn't the best deck for beginners to start off with.

Review: "I totally recommend this deck; it has completely changed my life. It is so special, so pretty. I've never seen such a special Tarot. As soon as I held it in my hands, I knew it was "special". It seems as though it's coming from the depths of another world, a magical world. If I should describe it with one single word, I would actually call it "The magical deck."

Pros

  • Tarot deck that uses nature base imagery
  • Has five suits structured by the five yogic elements — earth, water, fire, air and ether

Cons

  • It isn't the best deck for beginners to start off with

Best divination card deck for design

This deck would be a wonderful gift. There is a large choice of box colours to choose from, and a wooden box and bag will protect your cards and make them easy and safe to carry. The deck includes 78 vintage cards with beautiful stars and sparkles overlay.

Review: "I literally love this deck! I got them so quickly, and I live on an island, so I was very surprised at how quickly I received them. They are beautiful and very sturdy, and cards are a little hard to shuffle but only because they are quality cards. I definitely recommend these cards! I also got the Black and Gold Cards! I used the Diamond Cards for Love readings and the Black and Gold for career readings!"

Pros

  • Comes in a velvet bag
  • Complete Deck of 78 cards
  • They're sturdy and glossy in person

Cons

  • They are not holographic despite photos

Best divination deck for the modern mystic

Mystic Monday

Rrp: £24.95

Price: £20.63
Alternative retailers
Walmart$20.63View offer
Macy's$24.95View offer

Mystic Mondays is an eye-catching tarot deck that is vibrant and will help you connect with your intuition. It comes with 78 beautifully illustrated cards, which provide fresh interpretations of each of the major and minor arcana in a standard tarot deck. 

Review: "This is up there with my favourite decks. The incredible colours within this deck left me no choice; I had to have this deck in my life, and each card is gorgeous. I love the holographic edging too. I've not noticed any issues with mine, the cards came apart easily, and there are no printing errors. I'm very pleased I get to have these beautiful cards in my collection."

Pros

  • Has bright artwork, holographic card edges, and foil exterior
  • Provides fresh interpretations of each of the major and minor arcana

Cons

  • Some may prefer a more traditional deck

Best cards for connecting with your angels and ancestors

Angels and Ancestors

Rrp: £17.99

Price: £15.52
Alternative retailers
Target$15.52View offer
Walmart$15.52View offer

These oracle cards, beautifully illustrated by Lily Moses and created by Kyle Gray, allow you to connect with countless guides who want to share their knowledge and healing with us. In retrospect, to all cultures or religions, angels have always had one mission: to love and guide humans. This pack contains 55 angel cards drawn from Celtic, Native American, Aboriginal and earth-based spiritualities.   

Review: "The Angels and Ancestors Oracle Cards, the latest release by Kyle Gray, comes in the standard Hay House box with an accompanying book, but the moment you remove the cards from their wrapper, you soon realise there is nothing standard about this deck at all, it is exceptional! Lily Moses' artwork is so beautiful and powerful, and there are cards where you could hold and sit with and never tire of looking at."

Pros

  • Kyle Gray experienced spiritual encounters from an early age
  • Good for tapping into ancestry and angels

Cons

  • None we can think of

Best divination deck for natural wisdom

These beautifully designed 40 cards with illustrations for all 38 Bach Flowers contain botanical drawings, photos, folklore, proverbs, inspirational quotes or positive affirmations for your divining practices. The images of each flower, tree or catkin are artist-enhanced in an oil painting style and make lovely learning tools too.

Review: "I love these cards. Such wonderful wisdom on the back with gorgeous flowers and trees on the front. A good buy."

Pros

  • Good for connecting with botanical drawings, photos, folklore and proverbs
  • 40 cards and 76 Different designs 

Cons

  • Some may prefer a more sleek deck

Divination cards FAQs

What are the different types of divination cards? Tarot vs oracle vs angel cards

The main difference between these three divination decks is that tarot cards have a traditional structure and common meanings. Most tarot card decks are based on the original Rider-Waite deck. All tarot share common themes, with 22 Major Arcana cards which relate to major events in your life and 56 Minor Arcana cards. The images might be different, but the messaging behind that card is often very similar. So with tarot cards, there is a common theme, whereas oracle cards have no common theme.

Oracle cards are free-flowing and can follow any type of theme. Oracle cards have no set number of cards. There are decks with 12 cards to 100 cards.

If you are looking for guidance or reassurance, angel cards are a wonderful way to connect with your guardian angels. They also allow you to channel the Ascended Masters, goddesses, and any collective considered spiritually evolved to the same level as angels and receive messages from them.

How to shuffle divination cards

It is always a good idea to clear any divination tool. Clear it as you would crystals with sage, sound, or a full moon bath. Ensure that you reach a higher meditative state and get in touch with your intuition by shuffling your cards.

Can anyone use divination cards?

The short answer is that anyone can use oracle cards. The reason that they are so popular is that the decks are approachable for every skill set. As they have fewer rules than tarot cards, they are often a good starting point for beginners.

Ellen Kinsey is a senior health and wellness product writer for Spirit & Destiny, specialising in natural health and beauty and self-development. She lives and breathes all things spirituality, travel, holistic health and wellness.

Just so you know, we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website - read why you should trust us