Is there anything more fun and exciting than getting a new Tarot deck?
Well, okay, I can think of a few things, but exploring a new deck is one of my favorite things to do! And I thought I’d share my process of breaking in a new Tarot or oracle card deck with you.
#1 Make a date with your new deck
I like to set aside an hour or so in the evening or on a lazy Sunday to just go through the deck and look at all the cards. I make it a bit of a ritual by pouring myself a cup of tea or hot cocoa and nesting up in a comfy spot where I won’t be disturbed.
This is usually always my first introduction to a new deck.
I rarely just jump into doing readings right away. Why? Because to me it feels too much like hopping into bed with someone you’ve just met – totally great for some but I need time to warm up.
Honestly, I’m pretty lax about energetically cleansing my cards. If it’s a brand new deck I often forget, but if it’s a used deck, I always remember. Cleansing your cards can be a nice ritual that helps you bond with your deck and make it yours.
Here are some different ways you can cleanse your cards:
Light up a big bundle of sage and waft the smoke all over the cards (my favorite!)
Put your deck in a bag of quartz crystals or simply sit a crystal on top of your deck when you aren’t using it. Those who work with crystals can “program” their crystal to clear the decks energy. ~
Spread your cards on a windowsill or table where the moonlight will shine on them and leave them there overnight. Bonus if it’s a full moon! ~
Hold the deck in your hands and close your eyes and feel your energy radiating out through your palms and into the cards, cleansing them of any unwanted energies and infusing them with your essence.
#3 Interview your new deck
Instead of asking your deck questions about your life, ask it questions about itself like…
What kind of a Tarot deck are you? What card sums up your personality?
What issues/areas of life do you specialize in?
How can you best help me?
What quality is most important in a Tarot reader?
How do you see our relationship?
The cards that come up in response to these questions will give you a nice idea of your decks personality and attitude. This one of my absolute favorite things to do with a new deck!!!
Before I get serious and dive into doing full spreads, I like to play around with trying some fun, basic one card Tarot readings.
Here are some ideas to get you started…
20 Questions to Ask Your Tarot Cards Tonight
How long does it take to “get to know” a Tarot deck”?
I’ve noticed that I take to some decks right away and others take a bit of time to bond with. I recently got the Everyday Witch Tarot and I instantly clicked with it and was able to start doing readings with it right out of the box.
However, most decks take some warming up.
I got the Prisma Visions Tarot as a gift and that deck is deep! It’s not a slam-bam-thank-you-maam deck like the Everyday Witch, that’s for sure. It refuses to just give up the goods at first glance. I’ve been taking my time to slowly get to know this deck for the past few months, as it demands to be read in a slow, thoughtful, soul-excavating manner.
So how long it takes you to “break in” a Tarot or oracle deck will depend on the deck and of course your level of reading experience. When I was new to card reading, it took me much longer to bond with my decks and start doing readings with them. So if you’re a beginner, be patient!
What are YOUR new deck rituals?
What kinds of things do you love to do when you first get a new deck? Please share them in the comments below 🙂 I’d love to hear it!
It all depends on your goal. One-card tarot readings are a great method for learning the tarot, getting to know your cards or a new tarot deck, and developing your intuitive reading. To achieve this, you might adopt a regular, or even daily, morning/afternoon/evening time to pull a card.
Apparently, the exact number of shuffles to achieve a truly random tarot deck is seven, but honestly, there is no need to adhere to that. Some people like to shuffle their tarot deck a few times, while others like to shuffle for at least a full minute as they zone in on their question.
For a regular daily tarot pull, you'll get more accurate answers if you ask a question that can be answered by the meaning of the card. (For example, ask, “What will the exam be like?” Don't ask, “Will I pass the exam?”) Only ask a question once during the daily pull.
Pulling one card each morning, as many do, is absolutely fine (and totally lovely!) because this practice is intended to give you a theme to meditate on throughout your day.
If your entire line of questioning is about another person and their thoughts and behaviors (like what your ex is up to), then a tarot reading is not the answer. Tarot is supposed to give you insight about *yourself*, not other people.
It is an individual choice of the reader whether to read reversals. The proper way to flip a Tarot card from face down to face up is to flip the card from left to right. Flipping the Tarot card in this way preserves the original direction of the card.
You'll pull three cards, placing them on the table from left to right. Assign each position a meaning: For example, the first card you pull can represent the past, the middle card can represent the present, and the last can look at the future.
Lay out seven cards to form an open horseshoe. As you develop your Tarot reading skills, you may find that you prefer one particular spread over the others. One of the most popular spreads in use today is the Seven Card Horseshoe spread. Although it utilizes seven different cards, it's actually a fairly basic spread.
Incense, Sage Stick, or Palo Santo (though be careful not to burn your new deck!) Intention (i.e. you can hold your deck in your hands and make a wish/intention/blessing with your mind) With/On Full Moon or New Moon. Ritual combining multiple aspects (bringing in gemstones, Himalayan salt, candles, incense, etc.)
The idea is to send anything back to earth, where it originated and so, I would suggest burning the cards in a safe manner. They can also be buried if you prefer. Burning however is faster. Please remember to turn your back on the fire to “release without attachment of any kind” and allow the cards to return to source.
Tea suggests beginners start with a three-card reading. Each of the three cards you pull can be given a different role like: past/present/future, the nature of your problem/the cause/the solution, situation/action/outcome, among others.
My personal rule of thumb is that at least a month should pass between readings. This is for even the most eager of clients, because I truly want the cards to change for them upon their next reading, showing the growth and progress they have made since their initial reading.
There are no set-in-stone rules about if or when you should get a tarot reading. Many people like to get one to mark significant events (Think: birthdays, breakups, New Year's Eve, etc.).
A great place for a beginner to start practicing Tarot spreads is with an easy and direct three or five-card spread. Whatever the theme may be (most revolve around the notions of gaining clarity around work, love, or spiritual purpose), the amount of cards pulled determines the depth of insight to be provided.
What are the benefits of daily tarot readings? The biggest benefit of pulling a tarot spread daily is to take a moment that's just for yourself. It's a great time to calm down, pause, and reflect on what happened in the day and what your emotions are telling you.
Introduction: My name is Pres. Lawanda Wiegand, I am a inquisitive, helpful, glamorous, cheerful, open, clever, innocent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
