Does it really matter? : Shuffling

Emma_Leviathan

I was never good at shuffling cards. I have a hard time shuffling my tarot, and it's very hard to focus on the question I want answered when I have to worry about if I'm shuffling 'right' or I would have to worry about the cards falling everywhere because of my horrendous shuffling.
My question is Does it really matter how you shuffle or IF you CAN shuffle? Does it hinder a reading?
And what techniques do you find 'easy' in order to shuffle your cards?
 

Carla

It doesn't matter how you shuffle or mix the cards. Every reader is different. You will develop your own technique that feels right to you. :)
 

Sword King

What Carla said. Some readers simply fan the deck before them and select cards from the deck that way. You may want to try that approach if shuffling really gets in your way.
 

Alta

Hi Emma,

Nothing wrong with dumping the cards on a flat surface, stirring them and then picking at random. If you don't do reversals, then turn them right side up. :)

No harm I say. jmd somewhere posted that he flipped cards in the air and selected them by the first ones that landed face up and right way up. Or something like that. I tried it, didn't work for me but goes to show the range of options.
 

VGimlet

It doesn't matter how well you shuffle.

When I first started I could NOT shuffle - not to mention that my first deck, the Aquarian Tarot, had oversized cards, especially for my 11 year old hands. :p

I shuffled more than badly, and I used the spread out the cards and pick a few method.

But I practiced. I'd shuffle when I was watching TV, when I was doing nothing, when i was talking on the phone.

So, do whatever method you find easiest for now, but with practice if you want to you will be able to shuffle like a pro.
 

Emma_Leviathan

oh, I see! Thanks everyone!
I'll try spreading out the cards next time instead of shuffling! And I'll just keep practicing shuffling! :)
 

Cenozoic

If you can't shuffle, you can just deal the cards into different piles, like three or five (or more if you'd like), then put them back into one pile. It saves space, and also mixes the cards well.

Also fanning and picking cards work well too.

Or you can just do the 'mudpie' method, by using some flat surface to spread the cards around and around with your hands. Then put them back into one pile.

And don't be so concerned with doing it right. Just do it your own way, and it's all up to you whether it feels right or not.

I hope that helps!
 

Emma_Leviathan

Cenozoic said:
If you can't shuffle, you can just deal the cards into different piles, like three or five (or more if you'd like), then put them back into one pile. It saves space, and also mixes the cards well.
Click to expand...

I didn't think it'd mix the cards well because some the cards will be in the same order since it's not really 'shuffling'
if that makes sense.
 

Cenozoic

Emma_Leviathan said:
I didn't think it'd mix the cards well because some the cards will be in the same order since it's not really 'shuffling'
if that makes sense.
Click to expand...

Oh yea, I forgot to mention to deal it in random order lol It's an alternative to shuffling, and you can deal it a couple of times, or use bigger piles, to randomize the deck more.

For myself, I can shuffle and stuff, but noticed that this way works for me too, so I thought you'd might like it, but you can do it any way you feel comfortable with!

:)
 

Sulis

I don't think it matters at all and to get over the problem of not shuffling well enough I draw cards randomly from the stack rather than from the top - that way it really doesn't matter if I've mixed them up well or not.
 
A very 'tense' reading. Has this happened to anyone? Shadowscapes experiment