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I have just purchased my first deck of Tarot cards after much consideration, The Mystic Dreamer Tarot. I have yet to open the deck as I have some questions that the accompanying journal does not seem to address and they are as follows, mind you some of these are out of curiosity and some because I want to do things in such a way that is the most beneficial.

1. Is there some sort of ritual that one follows before opening them? Or have you heard of any?

2. Do you use a specific cloth to lay them upon when giving a reading?

3. Do you use your deck for just yourself or to give readings to others or both?

4. Do you allow others to touch them? Why or why not?

5. How often do you feel your readings are accurate?

6. How long did you study your deck before you felt comfortable giving a reading?

7. Do you have a ritual before and after giving a reading? Why?

Well I always Bless My deck first, with sage , I normally do a reading a few times a week, but being its a new deck your going to wanna get familarized with it so i would use it every day for a few weeks.

I'll answer your questions as I understand the answers to me. I may be mistaken.

1. Is there some sort of ritual that one follows before opening them? Or have you heard of any?
You could do an initiation sort of ceremony, almost to get them warmed up to you before use. But that's not necessary if nobody has ever used them before.

2. Do you use a specific cloth to lay them upon when giving a reading?
You might prefer one cloth over the others, but I don't believe it's necessary. Not necessary, but you might find it helpful. Personally, I don't.

3. Do you use your deck for just yourself or to give readings to others or both?
I'm sure you could do either, but I know that a lot of people like to have a deck for other people and a deck for themselves.

4. Do you allow others to touch them? Why or why not?
I've actually heard that you shouldn't. The cards become almost like a part of you, they retain your energy(or something similar). They may become less effective for you if another person touches them.

5. How often do you feel your readings are accurate?
I've never had an inaccurate reading.

6. How long did you study your deck before you felt comfortable giving a reading?
The first time I ever picked up a deck, I gave it a day or so figuring out what everything meant.

7. Do you have a ritual before and after giving a reading? Why?
Before, yes. I feel like it warms both me and the cards up so that the reading will be more accurate. Afterwards, I normally don't.

I never thought about having two different sets, I did have a feeling about another deck that I almost purchased instead of this one but having two almost seems like it may take away from the first.....I dunno...

For me there are two decks own. One for others and one for myself. Am going to answer your questions based on how it is that my readings or handling take place.

1. Is there some sort of ritual that one follows before opening them? Or have you heard of any?

Like others a blessed of the cards are done with sage for purifing. Also will sleep with the deck under my pillow for approximately a week in order to embed my energies into the cards, a connection with them always makes for better readings.


2. Do you use a specific cloth to lay them upon when giving a reading?

For my readings the cards must lay on something of purity. Such as a silk cloth. Plus when reading no impurities are allowed next to them. Such as soda or drinks aside from water. No smoking during a reading or while my cards are out either.


3. Do you use your deck for just yourself or to give readings to others or both?

Generally use two decks as stated above. One for others, one for myself.

4. Do you allow others to touch them? Why or why not?

When giving a reading for others yes the cards can be touched as their energy is needed within the cards to provide an accurate reading. They will shuffle the cards 3 times then cut them 3 times to the left. The whole time focused on what their question is.

5. How often do you feel your readings are accurate?

My readings are 95% of the time very accurate. When an inaccurate reading is given then the cards need to be repurified and rested.

6. How long did you study your deck before you felt comfortable giving a reading?

When started out with tarot two weeks was spent reading and educating myself. Many test readings and learning of the way to energize the cards was done.


7. Do you have a ritual before and after giving a reading? Why?

Before giving a reading will light a white candle to purify the surroundings. Then will hold the cards while a silent prayer to the goddess is given to help me provide an accurate reading in order to help guide the person the reading is for. When the session has ended if the person is in agreement with the reading will ask them to blow out the candle to close the circle.

Also have come acrossed many skeptics so my first words to a person that a reading is being done for will be: You never need to give me any information as I will be giving you what is seen in my minds eye. If at anytime you disagree or believe the reading is not applying to you then please say something and we will reshuffle and try again. Have not had a disappointed person yet in my 16 years of reading. In fact have made a few believers. One must be in tune with themselves in my opinion to help provide a good reading. Time is a neccessity as well as respect given for the cards. Good luck in your venture and may your readings always be accurate. Blessed be~

well for me

i keep any new deck in a wooden box full of salt , 2 hand fulls of rose pettles and a few pices of my hair, it will be wrapped in a slik scraff, and stay in the box for 1 moon cycle

then after the month i take the cards and carry them around with me for a week letting my essiance go into the cards,

then i work with them alone giving my self reading to learn the cards

Its always appreciated if you kiss a deck before using it. I use my deck once a day on average, and it gets considerably more use whenever I'm in a relationship.

Remember...keep it fun.

There is an old thread on Tarot cards which might be of use to you as well.

Shuffle...look at the cards...putting your energy into them. Some suggest sleeping with them for a week, others meditate with their cards. It is what feels right for you.

also cover my cards in a silk black material and put them in a box...this is to keep the vibrations away from the cards. Before I do a reading I meditate and then say a prayer to a higher power. The cloth my cards is wrapped in is the one that I read upon. I also have decks I read for myself, and decks I read for others. I always sage each card through the smoke or incense to clear those who I have read to rid the energy of the person I read for. I also set my card to where the rays of the full moon can energize them.

Great information everyone, I'm taking notes :).

Another question: For those of you that have two decks how did you decide which one to use for yourself and one for others?

And also thank you Stabb for that link, I knew I had seen something at one point on here.



Are there any other ways to purify ones deck besides sage?

There are many ways to puify the decks one is to put the in a ziploc bag and leave them in the moonlight for a night, the other is put them in a ziploc bag and bury them for about a week. remember if you do alot of readigs for people you need to puify them once in a while because the cards hold on to the energy of the other people.

The tears of a virgin, the oddest one I heard of. tears of a virgin on a scarf.

I sleep with mine in a velvet bag and I do not let anyone touch my cards as their energy vibrations wether negative or positive can effect the cards.

as far as purifying the cards i put mine in the window sill on the new moon and again on the full moon.

as far as two decks i just chose the deck i recieved first as my personal reading deck it seemed more connected with me as for purifying there are many ways just be sure to choose one that seems best for you and your deck to keep your energies up

I sage my deck so to cleanse them and do a lil ritual. I also cover them w/ a velvet cloth and keep them under my alter. No one ever touches my alter .

1. Is there some sort of ritual that one follows before opening them? Or have you heard of any?

I always bless them befoe i use them

2. Do you use a specific cloth to lay them upon when giving a reading? yes always i have a purple velevet cloth that I use

3. Do you use your deck for just yourself or to give readings to others or both? I have two decks I have my own personal deck and I habe one that I use just to do readigs for others

4. Do you allow others to touch them ?
My own deck, no not at all. The deck i do readings for others yes, because well im reading them and want their personal aspect

5. How often do you feel your readings are accurate? 85% of the time

6. How long did you study your deck before you felt comfortable giving a reading? about 6 months

7. Do you have a ritual before and after giving a reading? I alsways ceneter and ground myself first

All i would suggest is never buy your own tarot cards have to be given to you as a gift and empower them by keeping them on you for 24 hours before using them.

Yes I would agree I have never bought a deck they have always been given to me as gifts

They are more powerful when given as a gift because they are given with positive energy which in turn will give you more accurate readings

The first deck i was given was given to me from my girl friend whom she had fro over 15 years, the cards are so warn, but its still my favrite deck, my own personal deck

My first desk was a mystic desk oh and i loved them.... they were taken from me so my mother had purchased me my Egyptian deck.

I had a deck stole from me a few years back, i will never understand that, why some one would want to do that of all things to steal from someone.... My first deck was the Waite Deck, but my Fa eck s The Cat People, But I was given The Sacred Path Deck for my Birthday this year, I am still learning on them

Adding to what mysticwinds said, I forgot to add, if anyone else uses them, or even as initiation- put them in a soft bag or wrapped in nice cloth, and then sleep with them under your pillow. Kind of gets them acquainted with you =]

My friends neighbors mom told her that when the storms here caused their house to burn to the ground (while they where out of town, the whole house burned down.. yet the box, and the tarot cards on her alter where not even moist from exposer, or touched by fire..

I, myself, have 3 decks. I love Tarot cards. The first deck, I received as a gift and the others, I bought. I use the Rider-Waite for everyone else and the Russian deck I have, I use on myself, and the last deck I have it just sits on the shelf.

For me, I wrap the decks in cloths. I have silk wraps from my Oma(German for grandma) It's just something I like to do. When the deck is new, I sleep with it under my pillow, it's weird but I like to do that also.

What I suggest is that you do things that you feel is right for you and your Tarot cards. We can give you all sorts of suggestions but you can weed out what you like or dislike and incorporate them into your rituals:)

Good Luck!!!

Thank you everyone.

I have an organza bag that came with my deck which is a sheer lightweight silk. I notice many wrap theirs in silk and have to wonder if there is some significance to this? Why silk?

1. Is there some sort of ritual that one follows before opening them? Or have you heard of any?
Yes


2. Do you use a specific cloth to lay them upon when giving a reading?
Yes

3. Do you use your deck for just yourself or to give readings to others or both?
Usually yourself.. nvr do a reading for any1 else without asking permission

4. Do you allow others to touch them? Why or why not?
No. it should only b ur energy

5. How often do you feel your readings are accurate?
all the time

6. How long did you study your deck before you felt comfortable giving a reading?
do it on urself for a while

7. Do you have a ritual before and after giving a reading? Why?
every1 is diff

Yes, I bless my cards before I use them. And I have a special cloth I use them on.

I didn't do anything with mine. Some say you use a silk cloth to keep them, and I did for awhile after hearing that, but really, I don't know why and stopped. The decks come in cardboard and stay in that generally. Why bless it, I don't know why that would make a difference. Others touching it? Why not? Most reads require another to touch it to cut it and pick cards.

I got my first deck when I was in high school. I didn't really understand what I was doing until the next year (after I graduated) I had some friends who were into the same thing and they gave me a lot of help! So to answer your questions....

1) Personally I don't have a ritual before opening. I think this is a personal preference. Whether or not to cleanse the cards. I was always told and I believe this too that the cards pick their owner. So in my eyes the deck is prepared for you already!

2) I don't have a special surface that I read off of. A hard surface is all I require. Now when it comes to storing them I have a pouch that an old friend made for my cards. It is made of a soft material but silk is preferred. I don't have anything else I put them in and they go right under my pillow so my energy is always with them!

3) I do readings for both. I like to see where I'm at in my life and I like to help others see things in their lives clearly. This one I will bundle together with Do You Let Any One Touch Them.... When I do readings on other people I seem to get the best results after having the person shuffle them a couple of times. While they shuffle I have them meditate on what their question is or what they want to know about a situation. It helps the cards to give a better reading on the subject. But this is yet another personal preference!

4) I have had readings that were misconstrude but most are spot on!

5) Before using my deck I did spend a couple of days getting the cards ready! I studied things online, in books and spoke to the people I knew about the art of tarot. I also, from day 1, did the placement of the cards under my pillow. Lastly, I shuffled the heck out of them and held them. All to give them more of me to work with!

6) The only thing I do is shuffle them again. Regardless if I did a reading on someone else or myself. I feel it gives the cards time to relax before I put them to bed!

I hope this opinion helps you in some way!!
Blessed Be!!

keep handling them as much as possible so energy transferance happens quickly

I have a question about shuffling:


Now about 4 years ago I had a stroke, long story, and I never regained the use of my right hand. I can hold the deck in my hand but traditional shuffling is out of the question due to semi-paralysis. Any suggestions?

Ok here is a site for you to go to help you with your questions its more in deft then anything I could tell you.

http://www.bewitchingways.com/tarot/caring.htm I have read it and it seems pretty much got everything you ask about I really hope this helps you.

I let other people touch my cards but not many I can kindof choose and pick people. Might sound wierd. I personally am using a new deck as well and I blessed it. I have been using it on myself and others almost as soon as I got it because I wanted to see how well it worked. I am pleased to say that it has never let me down so far so I can't complain.

I've basically done what others have suggested here.
I have three decks - but only one - my first - was given to me as a gift. I don't discern any difference in whether one works better over another.

Iv had a couple of decks, the first one I used to read out of the guide book when doing friends readings.
Picking the right deck is up most important, you have to remember what the cards mean and to do that you have to like the art work.
As time progressed I realized most decks are not in tune with the practice.
Get the Thoth deck, it’s very powerful, well thought out art work and in simple terms a master piece of occult work by a master talking to Thoth for divine guidance.

It is common not to let anyone use them, however they must be shuffled by the person who wants the reading… I don’t read peoples any more, just mine.

do what you feel is instinctive for the cards, after all they do talk to you in a way. Yes a cloth is nice so as not to place them on dirty table or spilt sticky juice or something. Get to know your deck card by card, read what it means and spend a day looking into the art work and associate with it.
Only read once every day if you like.. I feel it takes a full 24 hours for the reading to process into the tapestry of life. And I do keep them in a black silk pouch with pull stings, the Thoth pack came with it.
Rituals I perform is to invoke Thoth by using musk incense and brining him into myself or at least watch lol

1. Is there some sort of ritual that one follows before opening them? Or have you heard of any?

None that I know of

2. Do you use a specific cloth to lay them upon when giving a reading?

Natural cloth. Preferably silk; however, I put it on a bandana so it doesn't touch anything directly

3. Do you use your deck for just yourself or to give readings to others or both?

Some people say both, others say just for other people. I do both

4. Do you allow others to touch them? Why or why not?

Some do to empower the reading; however, some don't due to the worry of messing up the psychic energies within the cards and as a result not being able to read them right. I soemtimes let people touch my cards but ONLY if I know them and trust them dearly

5. How often do you feel your readings are accurate?

90 to 90%

6. How long did you study your deck before you felt comfortable giving a reading?

Mom gave me a book while I read as I practiced, not the best way to do that. YOu should actually study them for a couple of months or until you are satisfied.

7. Do you have a ritual before and after giving a reading? Why?

I have not heard of anyone doing that, so I don't do that. Well, except kiss my deck for luck like a gambler would do to dice, because in a sense you are gambling with fate, are you not?

My mum told me that you shouldn't buy your own deck, but rather be given one. No one else has ever told me the same thing though.