Bonding

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 15 May 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Maalin	15 May 2002
Dear all, I discovered this site last week by pure accident and have been reading all these posts ever since (except when forced to go to work *sigh*) Now, I just got a new deck (only my second, I'm obviously way behind some of you guys) which I am very excited about and I really love hearing stories, so... What do you all do when you get a new deck? How do you 'bond' with it? Do you do any special things? Is there anything you are 'supposed' to do? I feel like I already know some of you because I have been reading so many of your posts so I am looking forward to hearing your views Love, Maalin

fairyhedgehog	15 May 2002
Hi Maalin :) When I get a new deck (I'm up to about 8 now - I never meant to get more than one :D ) I look through and check all the cards are there. Even if it is brand new, I don't know why. Then, I might do a 'new deck' reading - three cards: 'What do you want from me, what will you teach me, and what will our relationship be' (reading invented by bec.) Then I shuffle, look at cards, generally play around. If you've been reading a lot of posts then you'll know that there are no 'right answers' - we all do what works for us. So what about you - what do you do? And I'm dying to ask - which decks have you got? Regards, FH

faunabay	15 May 2002
I don't have anything in particular I do every time, but usually end up flipping through them while I watch TV - looking though the deck a couple of thousand times LOL, shuffling, maybe laying a few out (not reading) to get the feel of them - generally just playing to get to know them. OH, one thing I've started doing just recently is pulling one card to represent our relationship together. I like to do this before I buy the deck when I can, but obviously there are many times when I can't. I've found that when I can relate to that one inital card, we get along great. When I can't understand what it's trying to tell me, I usually end up trading it. (shrug)

Emily	15 May 2002
When I get a new deck, I usually keep it close during the day so I can shuffle or just to look through it. I've slept with the Spiral next to the bed, usually because I've looked through the cards before I've gone to sleep but when I've done that I get some really strange dreams, so I haven't done it with my others. When I come onto the pc, the deck is with me and I shuffle and look through it while I'm on here. I decided to get close to my main reading deck which is the Spiral so this deck goes with me everywhere, it seems to be working - I feel so bonded to this deck that its becoming like a trusted friend and the readings I get are honest and clear but sometimes brutal lol :)

DeLani	15 May 2002
I love bonding with new decks! I usually spend a lot of time flipping through them, shuffling them, and just holding them in my hands or on my lap. I also sleep with them under my pillow (but I have a lot of pillows). When I take a nap I hold them cuddled against my heart. I believe all this contact helps bring their vibrations closer to mine. I just got the World Spirit deck (yeah!!!), and it's on my lap now as I'm typing. It's in a Guatemalan woven bag (bought from a shop called World Treasures) that's decorated with little silver dancing bells from India. Soon it will have a crystal companion from Hot Springs, Ark. (USA) - the most magical kind! :) Talk about a real "world spirit!" I don't do readings with new decks right away - I wait till they've been consecrated properly (on the full moon, of course). Although sometimes I get impatient and do a 3-card daily spread before that... DeLani

Zhritza	16 May 2002
I put the major arcana at the back of the deck and go through it, studying the cards one by one, beginning with the minor arcana, preferably with the court cards at the beginning of each suit. I used to get a deck shuffled and ready for readings within a week or so of getting it, but I've been acquiring them too quickly for that now. I don't shuffle a deck until I've been through it in order a few times, trying to absorb the way that the symbolism works in that particular deck, etc.

MystiqueMoonlight	16 May 2002
I usually try to get a new deck during the New Moon. Then I spend some time with it just looking through the cards and getting to know them. I love Emily's idea of sleeping with them next to her bed.. I'll try that...I'm a bit nervous about having them under my pillow. I usually don't read up on the cards themselves, however if there is something significant in the cards (glyphs, symbols etc) I may do a bit of research on that. I don't do any readings until I have consecrated them on a Full Moon and then I start to draw a daily card and begin with 3 card layouts so that we start to understand each other. I like to spend as much time as possible with my cards though. However I don't like to have them too close to anything electrical..like having them on my lap when I am on the PC... because I just don't feel comfortable with that, can't explain it really. Blessed be.....

wavebreaker	16 May 2002
I got my second deck last weekend and created my own "ritual" as I went along. I first put the cards in order and then I went through them several times, looking at each individual card, letting the images speak to me. After that, I applied reiki to the deck, to make it "my" deck. Then I shuffled the cards thoroughly and did a new deck spread, to ask the deck what our relationship would be like. And that's about it, basically. To me, this feels good, but, like others have already said, it's a very personal thing.

Kiama	16 May 2002
I'm like Faunabay... I slump down on the sofa, rip open the packaging, and look through the deck over and over and over.... And I usually carry that deck around with me for a while, cuz I always get the urge to get it out again and have another peek.... I don't have any rituals for a non-reading deck though. I just do the above. For reading decks I just 'get to know them'. Spend lots of time with them, meditate with them... The usual stuff really. Kiama

catlin	16 May 2002
Merry Meet and Welcome, If the new deck is designed for readings, I look it trough several times, put it in a tarot baggy and carry it around with me for a few weeks. I also compare it to my other reading decks. I get through the cards, make notes about what comes to my mind when I see this or that card. Sometimes I just shove the cards around on the table and see if they inspire me to new spreads.

Umbrae	16 May 2002
I open the box, take the deck out, and burn the box and LWB. Then I shuffle the deck…a lot. Then I look through the deck. Then I carry it with me, and sleep with it for three days. During the first three days I shuffle it a lot (usually while watching Baseball). I do not use a deck for any sort of reading for three days. Why three? Because for me it ‘feels’ right.

Diana	16 May 2002
edited

Jewel	16 May 2002
Hmmmmmm .... if it can be considered a ritual then I would subscribe to the same as Faunabay and Kiama *LOL*. I do sleep with the Cosmic Tribe under my pillow, but I developed my relationship with it before I allowed it to come into my pillowcase *ROFLAMO*.

Maalin	16 May 2002
Thank you all for your replies. Like I said I'm still very excited about this new deck, and it's lovely to share that with someone else -especially with people who obviously get just as excited about it! Reading some of your posts made me laugh: i've got no idea what the the 'usual stuff' is with a new deck, but over the last week I think I've done more or less everything you guys describe: lots of shuffling, sorting, more shuffling, looking at cards in order, looking at individual cards, looking at groups -and sleeping with them (I've also got lots of pillows + a double bed!) The one thing I haven't felt like doing yet is an actual spread. It somehow feels like the cards are 'too fresh', like the deck is still 'calibrating' -hence also my initial post. I've drawn a few daily cards 'for a feel' but I really like FH's and Faunabay's idea of doing a 'relationship' spread for the deck -I'll try that this weekend. FH - the new deck is a Universal Waite. I got it last week when I was on a business trip and anything spiritual/esoteric, never mind tarot, was miles away from my mind (there's been a bit of gap since deck 1). I had a couple of hours to spare and wandered into Barnes & Noble... Now, I always thought the deck that would 'call me' would be a little unusual, you know, different, not such a 'standard' thing (in fact, deck 1 is nice, but a bit poncy) but this one DID call me and I think I'm a little bit in love with it *blush*! Love, Maalin

Jewel	16 May 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Maalin Reading some of your posts made me laugh: i've got no idea what the the 'usual stuff' is with a new deck, but over the last week I think I've done more or less everything you guys describe: lots of shuffling, sorting, more shuffling, looking at cards in order, looking at individual cards, looking at groups -and sleeping with them. Now, I always thought the deck that would 'call me' would be a little unusual, you know, different, not such a 'standard' thing (in fact, deck 1 is nice, but a bit poncy) but this one DID call me and I think I'm a little bit in love with it *blush*! You have been doing he 'usual stuff'. One of the other things I HAVE to do is if is not done originally is put the deck in order. It absolutly drives me crazy when it is not organized by suit, and I like my court cards at the end not the beginning *LOL*. Congratulations on your deck. The Universal is a very nice deck. No need to blush ;)

Maalin	16 May 2002
You know what just happened? Before I came to the PC tonight, I'd been shuffeling a bit, and then put the cards away. When I came back to the sofa just, I found one card lying there that must have fallen out when I put them back in their bag - the page of cups. I think we're off to a good start... Maalin

The Bonding thread was originally posted on 15 May 2002 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.