The Best Tarot Cards: Ariana Grande Doesn’t Leave Home Without This Magical Deck
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When you hear tarot, your first thought may be of TikToks featuring a table with a deck of cards surrounded by crystals and someone flipping cards over while saying, “Someone from your past is going to come back.” But the social media fad has quickly gained popularity for helping you do some quiet introspection.
Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Rihanna and more stars have delved into the hobby seeking out readings or doing readings of their own. On Sunday (May 28), Grande posted a TikTok giving fans a peek inside her bag, which included what she believes to be the best tarot cards.
“I do these every day,” Grande proclaims while holding up the tarot cards. “Everyone comes in and out of my tent [on the set of Wicked], I do everyone’s cards for them.”
The video shows Grande with her go-to purse taking out her everyday essentials while she’s been in London shooting Wicked — including a bottle of MOD Vanilla Perfume, R.E.M Beauty’s On Your Collar Lipstick (in the shade Tongue Tied), On Your Collar Lip Gloss (in the shade Chuckie), Midnight Shadows Lustrous Liquid Eyeshadow (in Lab Coat), rose quartz, sage, The Queer Tarot and more.
Buy: ‘The Queer Tarot: An Inclusive Deck and Guidebook’ by Ashley Molesso and Chess Needham $19.60
The “Thank, U Next” singer’s favorite cards come decked out with illustrations depicting queer history, LGBTQ+ representation and a range of gender expressions and sexual orientations included. Created by queer and trans authors, the set comes with 78 colorful cards to do readings with, a 168-page reference book and a travel case featuring a magnetic closure — and it’s a perfect purchase for Pride Month.
Below see Grande’s TikTok along with an astrologer’s guide to tarot and some other decks to get your started.
For those thinking of getting into tarot or who want to learn more, Billboard spoke with Stephanie Campos an astrologer, witch and author of Seasons of the Zodiac: Love, Magick and Manifestation Throughout the Astrological Year who gave insight on what to know before snagging a deck of your own.
If you’ve ever been told that your first deck has to be gifted to you, Campos is here to dispel that. “It is absolutely OK to buy your own tarot deck,” she said. “There is no need to wait for someone else to gift one to you. If you feel drawn to the tarot, listen to your intuition and explore your relationship with the cards.”
Campos also says you’re also allowed to own more than one deck — just take note of which ones you’re drawn to as those are the cards you’ll want to invest in.
“There are so many types of decks out there with varied symbolism,” Campos explained. “Go toward the decks you feel drawn to. Once you own more than one deck, you may start to notice that you use your different decks for different purposes. For example, you may have a personal deck you use only for yourself, a deck you use with clients or a deck you use solely to ask about business-related matters. Trust your intuition, there is no wrong answer here!”
Practicing tarot is a personal ritual and for some that may include cleansing their decks. It’s an optional task, but as Campos describes, it helps charge and reset the cards and eliminate any negative energy.
“I highly recommend using clear quartz or tourmaline to charge or clear a deck’s energy,” she said. “You can place the crystal on top of your deck as you sleep. Clear quartz is great for clarity and tourmaline soaks up negative energy and dispels it. You can also use the moonlight to clear or cleanse your deck’s energy. Place your deck outside under the moonlight or on a windowsill a few days after a new moon or under a full moon to reset the energy.”
Campos also says it’s up to you on how often you cleanse your deck. She likes using a crystal daily to reset her own deck, but “some cleanse the deck once a month alongside the moon cycle” while “some readers will clear their deck anytime someone else touches it — it’s really up to you.”
To get you started on your tarot journey, we rounded up some of the best tarot cards including Campos’ pick for beginners.
Buy: ‘Pamela Colman Smith’s RWS Tarot Deck’ by Pamela Colman $13.30
If you’re a beginner, Campos suggests starting with a deck you feel the most attracted to as there is “no right or wrong way to get started.” If you’re still not sure where to begin, Campos recommends Pamela Colman’s RWS Tarot Deck as a simple way to familiarize yourself with the practice.
“Each card represents a new part of the Fool’s journey throughout the deck, and this is a great way to build up your comfortability with the archetypes, symbols and meanings behind each card through the detailed imagery,” Campos said.
Another beginner-friendly deck is Ok Tarot by Adam J. Kurtz as it uses minimalist, hand-drawn illustrations that are open to interpretation. There is even a 48-page introduction booklet with broken down interpretations for each symbol to help guide you.
Buy: ‘Ethereal Visions Illuminated Tarot’ by Matt Hughes $19.49
We’ve personally tried this ethereal tarot deck and love how whimsical and elegant the illustrations are. Each card features detailed illustrations and for those still learning, you can refer to the mini booklet that’ll break down the meaning of the symbols and describes the difference between major and minor arcanum.
Buy: ‘The Modern Witch Tarot Deck’ by Lisa Sterle $21.99
Bringing a contemporary twist to the traditional tarot cards is The Modern Witch Tarot Deck. As another Billboard favorite, these cards feature a mix of diverse characters and modern fashion, resulting in a relatable deck you can’t help but want to shuffle through.
To really break down tarot is this ultimate guide and deck that won’t leave you pulling up Google. Included is the full set of cards and an informational booklet with reimagined meanings behind the major and minor arcana to make it easier to relate to your modern life.
Buy: ‘Tattoo Tarot: Ink & Intuition’ by Diana McMahon Collis $15.29
This tarot card set brings an inked out twist to the traditional version with 78 cards created under the guidance of a professional tarot consultant and writer. Add it to your collection of decks or, if you’re a newbie, you can look to the 28-page booklet with all the FAQs and meanings inside.
For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best astrology gifts, travel tote bags and venue-approved bags.
Rylee Johnston
Billboard
