Worn. Warped. Dog-eared. Sticky. A deck that has seen a lot of use gradually deteriorates and becomes unusable. However, sometimes it feels unfair to replace an older deck with a younger, more fit ingenue because they have more wisdom and experience. When is a deck actually ready to be retired? What more choices do we have?
Since I acquired my Legacy of the Divine deck roughly three years ago, I have been using it as my main client deck. The edges are worn, and some of the cards’ corners are twisted as a result of the shuffle. I’ve probably been thinking about retiring it for a year or more, but since it’s a decent deck, I figured I could keep using it for a little while longer as long as the wear wasn’t negatively effecting my readings or how the deck operated. The cards seem thick and are challenging to separate or fan out, but it’s also sticky. After years of faithful service, the main issue that finally led me to abandon this deck is that it was taking too long to go through the cards to discover the significator for the Opening of the Key Spread because they didn’t slide freely. It was also taking a while to fan the cards out into the horseshoe. So on Tuesday this week, I finally purchased a new copy.
How will I dispose of the outdated copy? It will be kept for my own deck. The issues will no longer exist since I utilize personal decks differently than I do client decks. I’ve been reading for twenty-four years, and during that time I haven’t yet thrown away a deck, though I have given a few to friends who I felt might like them.
My transition from one deck to another used to be simpler and more natural. I stopped using my Morgan Greer deck as my main working deck after using it for many years because of wear, which was beginning to be a problem. I tried to replace the Morgan Greer with a more recent version, but the new ones are too plasticky, so it wound up in the extra deck pack for the Denver Tarot Meetup. I stopped using it because I noticed that too many of my clients reacted negatively to the odd Devil card, which stands out too much artistically from the other cards. The strong color blocks, lack of a backdrop scene, and the unsettling housefly in the heart of the pentagram were all too much for me. It depicts a goat with an inverted pentagram on its forehead. Instead of just reading the card, I felt myself needing to explain its meaning.
The Tarot of the Old Path was another popular client deck that one day spiritually revolted. No amount of energetic clearing seemed to make a difference; it simply didn’t seem to want to be read with anymore. It’s no longer my main deck, but I still occasionally use it.
Since I was the only one handling the decks, like the Robin Wood, which were used for phone readings, they didn’t sustain nearly as much damage. When I ceased operating the phone line, that deck was put into retirement. It was placed in the extra deck pack for the Denver Tarot Meetup.
Decks that you no longer want or need can be given to someone else, sold online or to a metaphysical shop, given or sold to a local tarot teacher, used for collage or decoupage projects (great also for decks with missing cards! ), donated to a school or recreation center for arts and crafts projects (donate somewhere that specializes in adult classes or consider pulling any cards that might make p But when there are so many alternative options, throwing them away seems like such a waste! Another choice is to participate in or arrange a tarot deck swap where you can exchange your old decks for some brand-new decks.
Here are some ideas for deck end-of-life preparation if you’re just not ready to let your deck go.
1. One reader I am familiar with advised me to keep a backup deck prepared and ready to use. I’m not sure what that really means for her, but in general, she always has a back-up plan. She claimed that she uses up a deck every year or so. Every time she replaces the previous deck with a new one, she gets the following deck ready to sit on the bench.
2. Due to a really smart secret, a coworker has been using the same deck for several years. She switches out a single card from the worn deck when it becomes bent or excessively worn. Therefore, if I were only concerned with the worn cards in my Legacy of the Divine deck, I would only replace the three cards with crooked corners. I find this concept to be quite brilliant. It doesn’t solve my sticky-card problem, and that’s the only concern.
3. Another reader rotates between numerous working decks (all the same deck, but in various copies and sizes). Each deck will last longer because there are more of them. He claims to only change them when wear impairs the functionality of the deck. For instance, if a card has a tear along the edge, your finger will automatically catch it and cut to that card every time. I believe it’s easier (psychologically and emotionally) to change one of the decks when there are several in use than when you’ve been relying on a single deck.
4. Another suggestion from the same reader was “fanning powder, a substance used by stage magicians to extend the life of a deck. You put the cards and a little bit of the powder in a bag and shake it around to distribute it equally. When I searched it up online, I came across this interesting movie and this informative blog. Since my main issue is that the cards clump when fanning, playing cards typically have a different finish than tarot cards, but it’s an intriguing product and might be worth a try. (Incidentally, the video gives the powder the impression that it is quite hazardous, but the blog notes that zinc stearate, the powder’s primary constituent, is both widely used in cosmetics and even FDA-approved as a food additive, not that that says much. What the remaining ingredients are is a mystery to me.)
I hope these suggestions assist you in making well-informed decisions on whether to retire an outdated deck or perhaps keep it in play for longer. Please leave a comment with your strategies if you’ve done anything to extend the life of your decks; I’d love to hear it!
In This Article...
How can energy be taken out of a fresh Tarot deck?
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?
Maintaining the energy flow between you and your tarot deck can be done by cleaning it. Consider it as a little of spiritual hygiene to maintain the relationship strong and in tune. If you experience any of the aforementioned symptoms, you don’t necessarily need to do anything about it, but you might want to experiment with a few different methods of energetic cleansing (see below) and note which ones seem to work the best for you.
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 can I make my tarot cards’ energies clear?
Here are four simple steps to purifying tarot cards.
- Meditate. Simply unwind for a moment and get rid of all your thoughts.
- Pass each card through the smoke after burning sage.
- Place bay leaves within the deck of cards.
- And for protection, place a crystal on top.
What should you do if your Tarot deck is damaged?
Depending on what feels right to you, you may choose to burn the cards, bury the cards in a specific location, or donate them to the neighborhood secondhand store.
Do you mind if I leave my tarot cards out?
Being outside and breathing in some fresh air has a calming effect, and tarot cards can sense it.
Take your cards outside and fan them in the fresh air, advises Magdaleno, “especially if you’re feeling stuck or static with your readings,” to help them move more freely.
Since you don’t want to unintentionally bleach your cards in the sun, it won’t take long.
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.
How are fresh tarot cards blessed?
Your playing cards will inevitably take up on any unfavorable energy that gather around you as you employ them. On the other hand, the leftover energy of the people you’ve given readings to can also accumulate.
It’s a good idea to routinely cleanse your cards because of this. The goal is to realign the cards towards their receptive neutral default condition by clearing the opposing and adversarial energies surrounding them.
The full moon charge is a common practice for blessing playing cards. You can achieve this by setting your playing cards beside your window or somewhere else where they can get a lot of moonlight on a full moon night.
Filling your cards with the sun’s radiant energy is an alternative. The procedure is the same as a full moon charge, but you should exercise caution because heat and humidity might warp and harm your cards.
You can choose to bless and purify your cards with a crystal as well. When your cards are not in use, you can continuously purge them of any lingering outside energy and concentrate the cards’ inherent power by placing a piece of clear quartz on them.
Other well-liked gems include black tourmaline, which acts as a grounding agent and can absorb bad energy, and amethyst, which can enhance psychic insight.
Do I need to allow people to handle my tarot cards?
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?
What kind of incense works well to purify tarot cards?
For purifying rituals, incense is burned in many religious traditions. The most widely used purifying incenses in the West are white sage, sweet grass, or palo santo. My favorite aroma is that of palo santo, which is both bright and woodsy.
Stick, cone, or loose incense are more options. Pick an incense that is connected with blessing or purification.
Some readers clean their deck of cards one by one. However, if you want to use the entire deck in one attack, go ahead and do that.
Additionally, it’s a good idea to cleanse yourself or your reading area to remove any unwanted energy. Tarot readers frequently smudge themselves before and after readings (particularly when reading for someone else).
Use cleansing sprays produced from essential oils if you enjoy incense but suffer from severe allergies or are sensitive to smoke. Sprays for cleaning are excellent.
Sprays come in a range of base oils, including sage, palo santo, etc. Simply spray yourself and your surroundings for the aura-cleansing sweetness to take effect. Avoid directly spraying your cards or you run the risk of harming them.
As a side note, using incense to purify is known as smudging. You should read Asali Earthworks’ piece, “Language Has Power,” which discusses the problems with this term’s adoption.
You *Just* Had a Tarot Reading
Unless the reading is about a completely new and specific subject, I suggest waiting at least three months between professional tarot readings. Before returning to the cards, let things to develop and alter.
You Want a Redo
I frequently observe people attempting to “chase the right answer.” People will visit several tarot readers or ask the same question repeatedly to the same tarot reading until they receive the response they desire (which, by the law of averages, does happen eventually). This is basically useless!
Your Question Is About Someone Else
Tarot readings are not the solution if your entire line of inquiry is about another person’s thoughts and actions (such as what your ex is up to). Tarot is meant to help you gain understanding of *yourself,* not other people. (A better option would be to reconsider and rephrase your query as if you were looking for help on how to move past your split.)
You’re Looking for Medical Advice
Simply said, neither physical nor mental health concerns can be diagnosed or treated using the cards. Some things are better left in the hands of medical specialists rather than tarot readers!