Best Tarot Practice – Taking Care of Your Tarot Cards

From the very start, a deck of Tarot cards represents a significant investment. Even the least expensive decks will cost you in the neighborhood of $20, but their monetary value is the least of it. A Tarot deck is more than just a tool for exploring inner and outer worlds – though it is very much that. Many readers form close bonds with the decks they use every day, and would find it hard to adjust to using a new deck. Even Tarot practitioners who don’t see the cards as having any mystical powers, and view them as simply practical tools to help with focus in counseling or other work get attached to a comfortable deck. It can take days or even weeks to get a new deck – even the same type of deck – worn in and comfortable for working. Much of the advice for taking care of Tarot cards stems from the same practical sense. At the very least, a Tarot deck should be treated with the same care given an important and valuable tool. These tips for taking care of a Tarot deck encompass both the practical and the more ephemeral ways to keep your cards clean and ready to use.

Preparing a New Deck

Some people are perfectly comfortable breaking out a new deck, peeling off the cellophane and starting to read with it. Others, however, prefer to attune themselves to a deck and aren’t entirely comfortable reading with new cards until they’ve spent some time with them. One of the most common pieces of advice for people who are sensitive to energy vibrations is to sleep with the deck under your pillow for three nights and to carry it with you during the day for the same time period.

Protecting the Deck

The most important thing you can do to protect your deck is to keep it in a safe, protected place where it’s not likely to get spilled on or knocked over onto the floor. Sensitives and empaths should also take further steps to protect their cards from absorbing energies around them. The most common prescription for protecting a deck is to wrap it in a silk cloth and store it in a wooden box. In general, a Tarot deck should be kept in a protective box or bag whenever it’s not in use. Containers made of natural materials are better than plastics and synthetics.

Cleansing a Tarot Deck

In rare situations, a deck of Tarot cards may feel “off.” This might happen if, for example, they’ve been handled by someone who wishes harm to the owner or if they’ve been exposed to negative energies. If that happens, wrap the entire deck in a silk cloth and bury it in a container of salt for at least 24 hours. The salt has the effect of drawing out the negative energies and returning the cards to a neutral state.

Practical Tarot Deck Care

Nothing is more important than keeping the deck clean. Hands should always be clean and free of oils or lotions when touching and working with the cards. When reading, a silk cloth or scarf provides an additional layer of protection between the table or floor and the cards. If something does happen to spill on the cards, immediately blot them dry. If necessary, sturdier cards can be wiped with a soft, barely damp cloth and patted dry if they should start to show signs of wear and dirt around the edges.

With proper care, a deck of Tarot cards will give you many years of reading pleasure and excellent insight and advice.