"Seasoning" a new deck?

I have heard a lot about different ways to get a new deck in tune with your energies, but like a lot of other metaphysical stuff, there are a lot of different opinions out there and not a lot of agreement. Some sources say to sleep with the cards under your pillow for a few days; some say to do some kind of blessing ritual; some say to put it in a bowl of salt; the list goes on and on.

I have a new deck and I can just FEEL that it's not really in tune with my energy. It just feels like a pack of cards (whereas my favorite deck feels like a trusted friend). Its energy is blank and lifeless. I look at the cards and it's like I'm looking THROUGH them - I don't see anything.

I am open to any suggestions for rituals or traditions, ancient or modern, unusual or conventional - anything. I am new to Tarot so I don't know anything.

-FadeToWhite

Just - use it. That's all I do.

It's a bit like getting your body back in trim after being sick in bed for a while - it is stiff at first but with practice, it moves !

If incense and smudging and things help, go for them by all means - I just never found they made any difference.

I'm with the use it, hold it, shuffle it, look at the cards and let your imagination go while you are doing all that.

otherwise for seasoning, I'd use a sprinkle of salt and a dash of pepper, otherwise taro is fairly flavorless.

Unless you like sleeping with lumps under your head, smudging and smoking and all that and believe it helps you read better. Of course saying that, I must admit I do sleep with my cards or next, since the only place I have for them is on the shelves that are the headboard of our bed and a basket of decks beside it.

WalesWoman said:

otherwise for seasoning, I'd use a sprinkle of salt and a dash of pepper, otherwise taro is fairly flavorless.

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Haha, I only used the term "seasoning" because one of my books used that term for this process. I do realize it sounds kind of silly

"Seasoning" a new deck?

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Try some lemon, garlic and mint.

I agree, hold and study each card, and use it, your energy comes from you. If blessing rituals give you more engery than use them.

I handle them, shuffle them, look at them, carry them around with me. I carry them to work in my handbag as soon as they have a bag (I always use purpose-made tarot bags), carry them to bed with me where I either look at them before going to sleep or keep them in their bag next to me while I read a book. I keep them on the bedside at night while I sleep. I do this for a few days until I feel like we're good with each other, then they go in the box with the other decks, but I will usually choose the newest deck first whenever I open the box for a deck, for a week or two.

Thanks everybody! I think I can get my cards in tune with me over the next few days, with your suggestions

spend time looking at them every day. pull them out and shuffle them often.
for me I like to just start reading with them. often I do exchanges here for feedback or post in the fun and games threads when I get a new deck. I have lots of decks and some I feel more connected to the imagery than others.

I play solitaire with any new deck I'm seriously getting to know. Take note of any card that plays a block or break in the game.

I just discard trumps into an extra pile as they come up and alternate long skinny suits (swords, wands) with short round ones (cups, pentacles) or whatever seems logical to break the suits up into 2 categories.