Your tarot cards may occasionally become a little sticky, which can make them difficult to shuffle and unpleasant to grip. You can clearly understand what I mean if you contrast your well-used deck with a brand-new one. However, with a little effort and persistence, you can put the “slip” back onto your cards. Yes, cleaning 78 cards might be a pretty difficult task, but it is well worth the work in the end.
In This Article...
For real life spills:
You should exercise caution when using liquids near your deck, much like you would when drinking near a keyboard. It’s also important to remember not to eat when using your deck. I’ve worked on the Psychic Text lines, and while working, it’s far too simple to indulge in some chocolate. Your fingers will be far too sticky to handle tarot cards, which is a problem. I should know; I almost destroyed my Thoth deck by doing just that! The following advice should assist you in maintaining the cleanliness of your cards both routinely and in times of emergency cleanup.
To clean up spills on her deck, Helen Howell uses a J Cloth. They quickly absorb liquid, which is unquestionably advantageous in an emergency. If you don’t instantly have access to J Cloths or similar cloths, swiftly remove the cards from the spill and separate them to prevent sticking. You can dry each one separately, and if they are not harmed, you can use the following technique to bring them back to their former glory.
Sticky fingers and gleaming cards
For routine cleaning upkeep or to clean sticky cards, I personally suggest furniture wipes. Of course, you could use baby wipes, but I prefer the smoother, nicer finish that furniture wipes leave behind. You may get furniture wipes with pleasant springtime scents, especially in the UK, so you won’t have to worry about the waxy smell that is typically associated with furniture polish.
Whichever method you choose, you must let your cards dry before restacking them. Use a fine, high-quality duster to dry and polish your cards after using furniture wipes (clean and unused). You can give them a great gloss and smoothness by doing this one card at a time.
Again, if you choose to use baby wipes, make sure they aren’t too wet before drying them off and buffing them with any soft cloth as long as it is clean before usage. Please make sure that it is soft, since a fabric with a coarser surface will begin to weaken and harm the card’s exterior layers. The importance of not letting your tarot cards get wet during this process cannot be emphasized enough. If your wipes have a high moisture contentas the ones at the bottom typically dodrain them by squeezing them before using them to clean your cards.
Helen and I made the joke that we really shouldn’t be eating while working with our cards because sticky fingers are the main cause of sticky cards! Though maintaining good hand hygiene is important, there are situations when it is simply not possible. Sanitizing Hand Gel is the next best thing to reading at home or near a sink. This thing is awesome! To carry around and use in place of soap and water, you can get a little bottle the size of a handbag. Additionally moisturizing for your hands, they now have new, non-medical scents and also come in fresh scents. Larger bottles with hand pumps are also available, which are ideal for your desk or working space. Now your hands won’t ever need to be sticky when handling your deck again!
Smooth shuffling
Though I haven’t tried it myself, Barbara Moore highly recommends it and explains that it incorporates a little bit of magic.
My cleansing rituals are not highly ritualistic or constant. Fanning powder, on the other hand, is something I regularly use to my decks.
Stage magicians utilize something called fanning powder. When Dan Pelletier was a guest on Leisa Refalo’s show Tarot Connection, I first learned about it through him. It is used to lessen friction and improve the smoothness of the card shuffle; it resembles talcum powder.
However, avoid using talcum powder! Be sure to purchase true fanning powder (you can get it inexpensively from a Magic Shop). Talcum powder will have the opposite impact on your cards because it absorbs moisture. It won’t make them smooth, only sticky.
Shuffling adds to the tactile experience of reading cards. The shuffling is more comfortable with some powder. Deborah Moore
How should I handle my tarot cards?
Your tarot deck should be cleared, or cleansed, of any negative energies it may have absorbed from work, rest, or handling by others. Each of the four natural elements, as well as the fifth element of spirit, has a cleaning procedure associated with it. I have contemplated which element corresponds to which technique and have come to the following findings.
Under the name for each technique, I’ve listed the element I’ve given it, along with a brief justification of my decision. Although it may be too soon to say this, I’ll see you in the comments area if you disagree with my selections and would like to share which elements you would move around.
Visualisations
Spirit is associated with an element. We are attempting to incorporate or assimilate the essences and spirits of the heavens and the earth by drawing down or pulling up white light from them to blend with our own.
After a long day of work, using meditation-based practices is a terrific way to calm yourself while also clearing the energy from your playing cards. It’s also crucial to keep in mind that while pulling white light up via and from the earth is beneficial for grounding, pulling white light down through and into yourself or your cards can serve to purify. Once more, draw the white light up into your cards. If you are doing this for yourself, don’t forget to draw the light up through your feet and up through the rest of your body.
While really holding your tarot cards in your hands, you can extend that practice beautifully by seeing yourself holding them and then either bringing the light down or up through your cards and your body. You are connected to your cards when you are holding them. What better way to clean them than to do it simultaneously, in unison?
Nancy of Tarot Explorer describes how she asks her spirit guides to bless her deck after smudging it in the Smudging and Incense chapter below. It is a fantastic adaption to use that portion of her technique here, during a visualisation.
I always “clean the cards” before or right after a reading as part of my personal ritual. I do this by visualizing a beam of pure white light from above piercing the cards and instantly purging them of all prior energy. Tarot of Angels by Anton Rossi
Smudging and incense
Fire is an elemental connection. Smudge sticks and incense are lit and kept burning by fire. It is the only element capable of transforming one item into another and has long been linked to rites of purging and cleansing.
It is clear why this approach is by far the most common one. This method seems to work because of our recall of frankincense from our time spent attending church. Just the sight and smell of the smoke can conjure up a genuine sense of purification.
Look for white sage when using a smudge stick, though lavender smudge is also beneficial if you can locate it. There are several types, aromas, purities, and intensities of incense. Each has unique traits, connections, and purposes. The range is enormous and may be a little perplexing. Try what you can find or what you already have, is my advise to you. I have successfully smudged with a variety of substances using many different types. Be less anxious about having to discover the ideal smudge or incense; you will, after much trial and error, and I can attest that the process is really enjoyable.
I sage a new deck when I acquire one (light dried native sage and pass the deck several times through the smoke). The sage smoke purifies the cards and establishes a sacred area around them. I then make a request to my spirit guides to bless the deck and assist me in using it solely for the benefit of the person I’m reading for. Tarot Explorer Nancy Hendrickson Bonnie Cehovet, Laura Goodfellow, Rainbow Tarot, Misha, Tarot by Misha, and I ourselves are also fans.
Moon energy
Water is associated with an element. La Lunar has long been linked to water because of her feminine, enigmatic, and fluid spirit. She has the ability to control enormous oceans as well as your body.
Tarot deck clearing using lunar energy is quite efficient. The simplest method is to just set your deck on the window sill or close to one and allow the moon to clear and revitalize your cards. Although it is helpful, a full moon is not necessary, especially if it can be seen from the window next to where you plan to put your deck. I have used this strategy successfully many times before. Using crystals, you can even incorporate a small ritual into this method, as the Tarot Lady proposes below. Smudging or lighting incense before the ritual can also be quite helpful. If you want to give your Full Moon ritual a bit more atmosphere, consider including candles.
Overnight, place the cards in the moonlight, loose. However, keep them inside and place them on a lovely blanket or a basket that you prefer. Toby Cehovet
I’ve only ever had to cleanse a Tarot deck once, and that was when I first began exploring the fascinating world of magic and divination. I had purchased a used deck, and every time I lifted it up to use it, I would get a headache. As a novice, I was a little unclear of what to do and by pure luck, rather than expertise, I discovered a ritual that has served me well ever since. I wrapped my deck (in a box) in a black lay cloth, put salt on top of it, and set it on the window sill for 24 hours. I still don’t get headaches when I use that deck. Witch Blog by Lyn
Shuffling and re-ordering the deck
Air is the associated element. Focused mental effort is very much required while carefully, logically rearranging your cards during shuffling. Imagine the subtle hand motions of shuffleboarding, which are swift to the touch and light as air.
This method is very well-liked and only takes you to sit down with your deck and play with it softly (as we do), shuffle it until you feel it has been cleansed, or put the cards back in their original order before rearranging them. I haven’t actually done this previously, however lately while working on some spread designs, I unintentionally did the latter. The deck had been rearranged for the task I was doing, and when I mixed it back up again for readings, I discovered that the same deck was extraordinarily accurate.
Favored by Bonnie Cehovet, Misha, Tarot by Misha, and Lori Green, who incorporates a little incense into her ceremony (see above).
Using crystals
Earth is associated with an element. With the essence and power of the earth within her. Crystals effortlessly ground and radiate that force to everything in their immediate vicinity, gracing it with the spirit of nature.
I adore crystals and use them constantly throughout the day. I can hold one in my hands to clear my head or to help me concentrate. In addition to the fantastic advise from the Tarot Lady below, I frequently use one to sit on top of an opened deck while readings or simply because I’m using the deck in another capacity and may be leaving it unattended for a while. It still involves a crystal and a tarot card, but the focus is on guarding rather than cleaning.
For many tarot and spiritual pursuits, clear quartz and amethyst are excellent all-arounders.
My personal method when I feel that my deck has been “depleted” is to place it on a shelf with a crystal on top of the deck. I frequently use a quartz crystal, but if I feel the deck has gotten unbalanced, I may also use a smokey quartz or a hematite (this can happen if I read for a client who has really bad or spacey energy). I also make an effort to place the deck squarely in the moonlight during full moons, as this appears to really charge the deck magnificently. The Tarot Lady, Theresa Reed
Do I need to always cleanse my tarot cards before using them?
That’s correct
Magdaleno really suggests cleaning your deck before each reading to achieve the most accurate results. She advises starting with a cleansing to make the cards clear for your reading, whether it’s for yourself or someone else.
How should I prepare tarot cards for use?
While rearranging the cards in the tarot deck is a good approach to purify and clear their energy, there are some circumstances in which you might wish to perform a more specialized ritual. If you’re just getting started with tarot, cleaning your deck can be an excellent place to start.
You might want to clean your tarot deck for a variety of reasons, including:
- beginning with a fresh deck
- readings for other people
- You think you need to recharge.
- Your card readings seem a touch “odd” or “disconnected”
- Your deck hasn’t been used recently.
- Your deck has been handled by others
- You think you’ve been utilizing your deck a lot. A LOT, especially for books with strong emotional content
Why should you cleanse or clear your tarot deck?
Tarot deck cleansing helps keep the energy flowing between you and your deck. Consider it as a little spiritual hygiene to maintain a strong and clear connection. It’s not necessary, but if you have any of the aforementioned symptoms, try a few of the energetic cleansing techniques listed below and note which ones seem to work the best for you.
How often should you cleanse your tarot deck?
This is another way of stating USE YOUR INTUITION: there are no hard and fast laws. Don’t stress if you don’t believe it is necessary for your deck. Alternately, if you like to cleanse them once per week or once per month, that’s great. If it feels appropriate to you, you can even place your favorite crystal on the balcony each night.
If you frequently place crystals on your deck and store it on an altar while not in use, you might not feel the need to cleanse it frequently because this quick ritual will likely be sufficient to keep your deck feeling nice.
There are numerous ways to cleanse your cards, just as there are numerous reasons why you might desire to do so.
Different ways to cleanse your tarot deck
Use holy smoke. Light a dried rosemary, lavender, cedar, sage, or palo santo cleansing wand until it begins to smoke. Hold the smoke a safe distance below the deck while holding the burning herbs in one hand and the deck in the other so that the smoke drifts upward onto the cards. Turn the deck so that the smoke covers it from all angles. Next, safely put your deck to the ground and put out the fire.
On the deck, set a selenite stone (or a black tourmaline or a transparent quartz). It works well to leave it like way for an hour, but I prefer to leave it overnight.
Set them on display during a new moon. The New Moon is energy of a blank slate; you can purify the deck by setting it on a window sill on a new moon night. At this moment, you can also make a brand-new intention for your deck.
Place the cards in a salty dish. A strong and stabilizing cleaner is salt. My preferred choice for a thorough cleansing is this. Allow it to sit anywhere from one to eight hours in a dry area.
Unorderly shuffle. Spread the cards out on the ground, then shuffle them around like a child playing in dirt. This method’s freedom and randomization serve as an excellent reset.
the shuffle and sort. Set up the deck in rows of seven cards across, commencing with the Major Arcana numbers 0 to 22. (see photo above). Next, arrange the cards, Ace through King, one for each suit, as follows: Swords, Pentacles, Cups, and Wands. View the deck in this configuration, then mix everything up (like the chaotic!) and shuffle it thoroughly.
How are Tarot cards activated?
What to Do First:
- Get out your tarot deck.
- The cards are in your hand.
- “Knock or tap the pile of cards numerous times while holding them in your palm to disseminate your energy throughout the deck.
- Shuffle the cards completely.
- The cards are divided into three heaps, which are subsequently reassembled into one pile.
Questions you don’t really want answered
Even though it might seem apparent, it’s advisable to refrain from asking the tarot cards questions that you aren’t prepared to hear the answers to. That’s because answers to these questions can reveal information you’re just not quite ready to hear.
“Tarot can definitely come off as offensive if you’re not willing to hear the truth or consider an opposing opinion. Tarot reading Nicole Fortunaso
According to tarot reader and life coach Nicole Fortunaso, “tarot may truly come out as offensive if you are not willing to hear the truth of the problem or look at an alternate viewpoint.” She advises analyzing why you’re reacting the way you are in order to reflect on how to effectively address the underlying problem if you ask the question and aren’t satisfied with the response.
What transpires if your tarot cards are touched?
If you have been reading Tarot for years without allowing anybody else to touch your cards and this is how you prefer it to be done, maintain reading in this manner. Do it if it works.
However, if you are new to tarot and unsure about whether you should allow others to touch your cards when reading for them, REST! Others are welcome to touch freely. In fact, I believe that doing this makes a reading seem more genuine. You simply need to believe in the strength of your intention to afterwards purge any negative energy from your Tarot deck.
What are your thoughts on this? I’m interested to know! Therefore, please share your thoughts regarding individuals touching your cards in the comments section below. Do you agree with it? Or do you strictly enforce a no-touch policy?
Can I read tarot cards on my own?
It’s normal to be a little clumsy when you first start practicing the tarot. Tarot study is similar to learning a new languageit takes time to become proficient. But what happens if you no longer require the booklet and have intimate familiarity with the deck? Are you able to read yourself? No, except for a few rare instances. Simply put, it’s a horrible idea.
You see, the majority of us turn to astrology or tarot when we’re looking for clarity amid a period of ambiguity. In contrast to astrology, which is quite technical, our consciousness restricts our capacity to read tarot cards. Working with your personal interpretation of the cards, you are not constrained by short- and long-term cycles like the planets’ orbits. It might be tricky to go beyond your current circumstances while utilizing the tarot to better understand a trying scenario. Even if all the cards are spread out in front of you, putting them together requires such a broad perspective that it is all but impossible to fully understand the meaning of each card. Basically, any biases you already have will always be reflected in your tarot reading!
Without sage, how can a tarot card be blessed?
Tips for Purifying and Blessing Your Tarot Cards
- Incense/Smudging. Using Palo Santo incense to purify tarot cards
- During a full moon. Tarot cards are purified using the moon.
- Sun bathing. Tarot Deck Cleaning with the Sun.
- bowl that sings. Use it if you have one.
- I rap on the deck.