There are several ways to purify a Tarot deck. Photo by Steve Bonner
By Michelle Crandell
From time to time, Tarot readers purify their decks. Purifying means cleansing the deck of unwanted energy. Purifying a new deck is a common practice, as is purifying a deck right after a reading or before a reading. Here are some purifying strategies.
- SHUFFLING. The most common way to purify your deck is by shuffling. It is a good idea to shuffle the cards at the end of a reading and before you begin a reading. Shuffling neutralizes old energy from former readings. Shuffling has the added advantage of helping the reader become grounded and calm, receptive to the connection between reader, cards, and seeker.
- SMOKING. Smoking cards with cedar, pinion, sweet grass, or sage also clears the cards of past energies. “Smudging” is thought to purify a room and anything in it; including Tarot cards, the reader, and the seeker, if desired. You can incorporate the four elements into a smudging. For example: the plants represent earth, smoke represents air, fire is its own element, and placing the herbs in a shell to light them represents water. Often, a feather is used to circulate the smoke around the cards.
- RUBBING WITH CLOTH. Tarot readers often wrap their cards in silk or cotton cloth between readings. This is thought to protect the cards from unwanted environmental energy when not in use. Black silk is traditional. This same cloth can be used to clear the cards before and after a reading by rubbing the cards with the cloth.
Michelle Crandell provides individual Tarot readings for a fee. Once a year, she teaches LEARN TO READ TAROT. Call if interested in her next class. To learn more, email michelle.crandell@gmail.com, or call 501-655-6142.
