Question About Retiring Decks

Hey Everybody,

I have another question, (and hopefully someone may have the answer.) I recently got a new Tarot deck which I hope will replace my current deck as the one I use to do all my readings. (I'm changine from a Rider Waite to a Radiant Rider Waite) I know there are customs for new decks such as acustomizing a new deck to one's vibes, perhaps by sleeping with the deck under one's pillow, but I was wondering if there are customs for retiring decks that will no longer be used for readings?

Thanks for fielding my questions everybody, I really appreciate the help.

- Jamie

I know that Tibetan prayer flags are burned once they're no longer useful/are worn out of respect. I have no clue about tarot decks though. I guess it all depends on wether you want to hold onto them for sentimental reasons...?

I'm curious to hear others' opinions, too

I like the burning idea, very much. That could be an experience in and of itself. There's also burying, in the vein of broken crystals.

I guess if it's still usable, the best thing (IMO only) to do would be to pass it on as a random act of kindness. You could put it here, or give it to a charity/thrift store to find its next random owner, or give it to a friend who's curious.

If it's not usable, I personally would be tempted to create artworks out of it. Give the individual cards to ppl you meet as talismans. Something like that?

\m/ Kat

If the cards are still good then don't destroy them, pass them on to someone else.

Well...I think you can do what you like with your deck, customs are not necessary unless you feel like a custom is proper. You can make up your own custom too!
Hmmm...were it me I might wrap the deck and store it in a ziploc, wrap that up and store it in a box with other things that are personal, hide the box and years later open it up! It can be lots of fun, sorta like a time capsule I guess. For me, I think that if I'd be considering retiring a deck, I probably have a bond with the deck and too many memories would prevent me from leaving it or destroying it....it would be a really deep gift though to someone else though. You could give the deck to a newbie or you could do something totally random like leave a card at a time in a library book.
Or every time you murder someone you could leave a card as like...an M.O. or something...heheh I kid. I kid. That would be rather scary, considering how much I like Tarot.
- You could even cut off the borders if you like.
- They make handy bookmarks!
- You can pick different cards to represent your friends and tell them to each pick a card and buy a gift (like Secret Santa) for that person according to card
- Give out one card at a time in gifts...
- Keep your favourite(s) in your wallet as inspiration...like "Strength" or "The Sun" etc.
- Grab loose sheets of paper, use the cards as book covers or attach them to notebook covers

I'm too resourceful for my own good...oh yeah.

Wow Nevermore, you have a lot of good ideas.

My very first deck was a RWS that got loved practically to death. I never read with it anymore, it wasn't in great shape at all so I didn't want to pass it on either... I wound up (and practically choked at the audacity of it when I took the first plunge) using gel pens to 'gild' it - one card at a time, getting some nice, close study time, while I recolored the whole thing with shiny ink.

I'm about half done, and not sure if I'll start reading with it again once I'm done, but it's been a lovely way to really visit these old familiar cards in a close up way and I'm liking the result.

I love the idea of gilding the cards!!!

My first deck was a TdeM which I won;t be letting go of, even if I don't read with it any more.

I have a couple of different decks I read with - some suit certain times, people, questions etc. For some people oracle decks work better, for others tarot. I keep all of mine in satin or velvet bags, each a different colour and decorated - my hand know which deck to grab for the querant!

If you really want to let them go - pass them on or swap them..don't destroy them because once they are gone - you can't get them back!

Why not let it become part of your Tarot collection?
Most of us have many decks and also old, well worn ones!

Personaly I would suggest to give your deck away to someone you know who shows interest in tarot. You could give it here to newbies, I'm sure a few here would be happy to have it.

three.sword.fool said:

I know that Tibetan prayer flags are burned once they're no longer useful/are worn out of respect.

Click to expand...

thorhammer said:

I like the burning idea, very much. That could be an experience in and of itself.t

Click to expand...

I can assure you that burning a deck is not an experience but a very exhausting and long hassle. Burning a deck is overrated. I speak by experience, I burned a tarot deck and it does not work like in movies where the deck burns in two minutes, it took me hours, I had to cut the deck in tiny pieces, and I had the feeling had run ten marathons in the time it took me to burn it. If you do not have something to burn stuff outside then forget it.

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=31632