Ordering and purifying your tarot cards

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 02 Apr 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Talisman	02 Apr 2002
'Lo all, Bunch'a random thoughts, I guess. I know they're bits of paper, but I anthropomorphize about my cards. I have never ordered a tarot deck. My very first tarot deck still contains my very first shuffle. And every spread. On purifying your cards, Mary K. Greer mentions many methods, starting with repeated, rhthmical shuffling. I do this all the time. I like the tacticle feel of the cards. Listening to a ballgame on the radio, reading a book, I endlessly, mindlessly shuffle the cards over and over. (Obviously, I don't use a riffle shuffle.) Just card on top, card on the bottom. I don't have to think about it. Greer also suggests smoking the cards with cedar, sage, pinon or sweet grass. Have never done this, but it sounds wonderful. Mostly carry a stove in the backcountry. You know, be kind to the environment. But have built tiny little fires in tiny little firepits (not those great big bonfires you see in pictures) and sprinkled sage or sweet grass on them to enjoy the smell. Greer writes, "An especially strong unpleasant energy may require burying the deck in earth for seven days or for the period from full moon to the first sliver of the new moon. Visualize Mother Earth abssorbing all negative energies." Good grief! Then you take a shovel and dig up the lumpy, sodden mass . . . I reckon all those negative energies are absorbed, all right. Just plunk this soggy pile on your alter and go to work. (Please, don't misunderstand me. I love Greer's "Tarot for Yourself.") Is there a point to this mess? I guess. Maybe. How many of you "order" your cards, and how many, like me, never do? Talisman :TSUN :TWHEE :TMAGE

Mairead	02 Apr 2002
Hi Talisman I ordered and received my Faery Wicca Tarot last week. I'm still getting to know them, so I understand where you're at. I like the tactical feel of shuffling them as well. It makes them feel like their, "mine." I also I put them under my pillow for 3 nights. During the day, I leave them out so they can "breathe." I realize that might sound odd, but I didn't want to leave them in the box! It seemed too stifling to me. I also like to hold a blessing session over them, as I did with my Rider-Waite cards. I light candles, turn off the lights, put on some rhythmic music. I go between holding and shuffling the cards and I pray over them. This works for me. It seems to unleash their power.

blumoon	03 Apr 2002
the decks i have so far i bought/ordered but i have one coming in the mail in a couple of days which i bought off ebay *blumoon does a little dance*...i am thinking whether i will just use it or go ahead and do some sort of cleansing ritual b4 i use it...i'm not too sure yet... :)

Lion-O	03 Apr 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Talisman How many of you "order" your cards, and how many, like me, never do? I order them, simply because I would not know any place to get them in a shop. And as for the purifying and cleaning; I think you only need to get a bit more comfortable with your deck, and once you reached that point I think the cards are pure enough. When I ordered (and got) my Rider deck I first unpacked it and started looking at all the cards, one by one. After finishing I simply put them back in their box and waited for the next evening (I kept the deck on my night stand during the evening). Then I basicly did the same, only I also seperated the Arcana's and while keeping the major arcana apart I shuffled the minor suits. Well, that was basicly the beginning of the end (if you would call this purifying :)) because after half an hour or so I shuffled the major arcana into the deck and finally got the feeling to be at the same level with my deck. I guess it worked out ok since the Rider deck works perfectly for me.

aeonx	03 Apr 2002
Greetings. I've ordered almost all of my decks from amazon.co.uk. I have to since no shops here sell 'good' tarot decks. It's a great feeling when I get a note in my mail saying that I have to come and pick up a packet from the mail office. And when I receive the box! Carefully I open it, pick out the items one by one, study them before I remove the plastic. Then I just hold them in my hands, feeling the butterflies torment my stomach! Opening a new tarot deck or book is a great feeling. And the sight of the unopened package from amazon is unbeatable! I do not have a big or fancy ritual with my new tarot cards (no offense to you who do :) ). I 'glow' them in a white and good energyfield; clear them of all they might have encountered since their making. I always clear them before and after readings, also if I've just played around with them.

arizonagirl	03 Apr 2002
I put my decks in order from time to time, but only for special reasons. Once, I wanted to lay out all the majors in the way Greer suggested in 78 Degrees, and compare them deck to deck. Then, I did that for the minors too. But as a rule, they usually stay shuffled.

New2Tarot	03 Apr 2002
Uhhhh... when he talks about "ordering" the deck, I'm pretty sure he's referring to sorting the deck into its seperate suits and ordering the cards numerically... to return the deck to it's original, upright state for cleansing purposes... Not "ordering" as in purchasing... New2Tarot

Jenny-Li	03 Apr 2002
...which IS the 1 to 78-order anyway? Is there a "right" order for each suit, or is ordering just piling up the cards in five piles and putting the piles together as it feels right? In the books I read when I was REALLY new to the Tarot (I'm still new, but back a year ago, when I really had no clue...!), the order the minor arcana suits were presented always differed from one author to the other... Is there a "right" order? In regards to your questions, Talisman, I haven't read Mary K Greer (Tarot for yourself is one of the two top names on my list though, along with Rachel Pollack's 78 degrees of wisdom...!), and I've never been much of a ritualist. I keep my decks wrapped in linen (I just don't like silk... Odd, huh?!), in a wooden box, I take them out every once in a while and shuffle them, do a short reading with them and either keep them working for a while or put them back to rest if I feel the time is not right for that one...! I've never ordered the deck, but I often go through the whole deck taking out each card and study it for a while. I wouldn't bury my deck in the earth either - I can just imagine all the kids that I share yard with digging it right up and having loads of fun with my darling deck - uhh, no we can't have that...! But whenever I'm on my way home and am striked by the beauty of the full moon (it just does that to me, EVERY time!), I rush home to take out my decks and place them in a window each to bathe in the moonlight. I try to stay away from the "musts" and "shoulds" and rituals formed by others, and go with my own ideas of how to treat my decks really well. I love moonlight, therefore I share it with my deck. I prefer linen to silk - so that's what I give them. I loved the wooden box I store them in at first sight, so obviously I wanted to keep my treasured decks in it - at least the ones I don't carry around with me all the time...! Light! Jenny :-)

Umbrae	03 Apr 2002
I have bought my decks in stores (2 of them) and online (3 of them). I have only owned 5 decks in my life, I currently only have 4. Each deck contains all of my shuffles. I love to shuffle and watch baseball. I agree with Jenny-Li, I do not follow Musts and Shoulds. My deck/s tell me how to treat them. I store MY deck in a silk in a wooden box, my reading decks in lined cloth bags. I always have used the order Swords, Wands, Cups, and Pentacles (East, South, West, and North [the path of the sun rising in the east etc…]).

New2Tarot	03 Apr 2002
To be totally honest, the whole "do what you think you should" or "do what feels right" or "let the cards tell you their meanings" approach is such B/S. I mean, there IS a right way to do things, people.. there is an actual structure.. as well as standard card meanings. Anyway, as far as ordering the deck goes, first you order the Major Arcana 0 thru 22, or 1 thru 0 (1-22, and 0 at the end). But, the logical approach here is 0 thru 22. Then, you seperate the suits, and order each suit 1 thru 10, and then Page, Knight, Queen, King. You assemble the entire deck Major Arcana, followed by the Minor Arcana (Wands, Pentacles, Swords, Cups). I'm not sure if the minor arcana have a set order, but it's basically just restoring the deck to an un-shuffled, all upright state. Later, New2Tarot

Emily	03 Apr 2002
I keep the new decks in order to look through and compare them easily but once they've been used then I don't put them back into order. I have, on occasion, sorted the majors and minors into two decks but only to do a reading with the majors on their own and then I don't order them :)

Lion-O	03 Apr 2002
Quote: Originally posted by New2Tarot To be totally honest, the whole "do what you think you should" or "do what feels right" or "let the cards tell you their meanings" approach is such B/S. I mean, there IS a right way to do things, people.. there is an actual structure.. as well as standard card meanings. If it was indeed so much bullshit then why is it that so many people get good results from doing it another way ? Sure there are guidelines to use the cards but that does not turn them into rules from which you should / can never deviate. I recall another post which I wrote about a subject like this, too bad you didn't jump in back then, but to recall some issues; There are dozens of very good spreads out there which can be used, but this does not make those The True Spreads. Thats simply impossible; in the beginning even those spreads had to be created by someone. You may refer to these people as the experts but why should that automaticly mean that such expertise is a thing of the past ? That doesn't make sense at all; like everything around us we also evolve. We grow, get better, gain knowledge and insight, and become more and more aware as we progress. If this is true for animals, humans and the things they practice, why would Tarot be left out of this proces ? The way I see Tarot is the cards being a tool which you can use to unlock certain knowledge. If this is because of the cards and their power or the reader itself is something I'm not getting into right now but although it is common practice to use a tool according to predefined guidelines it does not mean any attempt to seek out new ways and methods in order to get results are futile or 'bullshit' per definition. That simply would go against the rules of nature itself.

MichaelS	03 Apr 2002
Quote: Originally posted by New2Tarot To be totally honest, the whole "do what you think you should" or "do what feels right" or "let the cards tell you their meanings" approach is such B/S. I mean, there IS a right way to do things, people.. there is an actual structure.. as well as standard card meanings. While I'm certainly not an expert, there seems to be a problem with this statement on the surface. In studying the Tarot, I acquired several books on the cards meaning. If there were, indeed, standard meanings that everyone agreed on, then the meanings in the books would be identical. As anyone can tell by browsing through Barnes and Noble, that is not the case. The book explanation of the cards are (usually) in a similar vein, but there is enough deviation between them that it's clear the authors let the cards tell them their meanings. That being the case, then whose meaning do you take as the standard one? More to the point, WHY do you take that author's as the standard meaning? Why not give yourself the same right of interpretation as the various authors? It's interesting to note that most of the books recommend using their interpretation of the cards as a STARTING point. Through periods of daily readings, you learn what the cards mean to you. Tarot isn't a science, it's an intuitive art. If we remove intuition from the picture, what's left? ---Michael

Umbrae	03 Apr 2002
Hear Here!!! MichaelS and Lion-O! Well said both of you!

Talisman	03 Apr 2002
"Tarot isn't a science, it's an intuitive art. If we remove intuition from the picture, what's left? ---Michael" Well now, this is fun. (New2Tarot was right, of course. In my clumbsy way, I was talking about putting cards in a specific order, rather than ordering them from someplace. Sorry.) So, some of you consider tarot a system of objective knowledge, a doctrine which can be learned, a right way and a wrong way which is just total BS. The rational-logical way of thinking. On the other side is the intuitive approach. Here we look for meaningful connections in the universe, a way to tap into the thread of existence, and way to transcend the limitations of verbal thinking, a time before the invention of random numbers and chaos (fairly recent). (In truth, I know most of you are probably in the middle of this question, and on all sides, depending on the phase of the moon, the way the wind is blowing, and your mood. But fun to think about, and, I think, a true division in tarot thinking over the years.) Talisman :TSUN :TWHEE :TMAGE

Umbrae	03 Apr 2002
Talisman (and others), perhaps you can help me out. I have been intimate with Tarot for a few years. I was taught in an oral tradition. I have never heard of “Ordering” (or re-ordering) the cards. I was taught that you “bond” or “imprint” your deck. It is then your deck. Shuffling strengthens the bond (after readings). Negative energy (?), purifying after reading is a matter re-bonding (reaffirming what is already there). Resetting (ordering) a deck? I have never heard of that.

New2Tarot	03 Apr 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Talisman So, some of you consider tarot a system of objective knowledge, a doctrine which can be learned, a right way and a wrong way which is just total BS. The rational-logical way of thinking. On the other side is the intuitive approach. Here we look for meaningful connections in the universe, a way to tap into the thread of existence, and way to transcend the limitations of verbal thinking, a time before the invention of random numbers and chaos (fairly recent). Just to make sure I'm clear here, I believe that when you start learning tarot you have to build your knowledge on structural foundation. Accepted meanings, symbols and their meanings, number sequences, numerology aspects... etc. This is where I am. I feel once you've built a solid base knowledge, then you can develop your intuitive abilities with readings. Meaning that those agreed-upon meanings you studied earlier aren't the ONLY way to interpret a card EVERY time. However, to start learning by picking up a card and saying "Hmm, I think this picture means this" and running with it is just foolish, or "BS". :) But yeah. New2Tarot

aeonx	04 Apr 2002
New2Tarot: as a repeated red thread in this forum: all have their way of learning, and there are no 'wrongs' or 'rights'. People approach tarot in different ways, and you should respect that instead of calling it BS. You should respect others for what they're doing in their way. Many people, when they have bought a new tarot set, write down their intuitive perception of the cards before they consult the book. I think this is a great way to do things. What others have written before you, is not that important. It's the power we receive from the tarot and the anima mundi, that's important. That's at least my opinion. I may disagree with your views, but I don't go around calling it bullsh**.

Major Tom	04 Apr 2002
To go back to the original question... Talisman - I smiled when you asked if anybody 'orders' a deck - thinking smugly to myself that that would be a silly thing to do. Then I remembered - there's a couple of decks that I keep in order. :eek: DOH! The Universal Tarots published by Lo Scarabeo is a deck that I keep in a kinda order. The majors 1 - 10 together. The majors 11-20 together and the majors 0 and 21 together. All the kings and queens together - knights and knaves together and the Ace through 10 separate by suit. I keep it this way for my work with Tarot in Ten Minutes which often calls for using specific cards from the deck. The other deck that I keep in a standard order is Major Tom's Tarot. I keep it that way because it is a work in progress... Oh - and I agree with New2Tarot that it's probably a good idea to start learning with a structure before branching into intuition but I wouldn't disparage anyone - or even expect any better or worse results - from those who start with intuition. })

Diana	04 Apr 2002
edited

Jewel	04 Apr 2002
Hmmmmmmm interesting discussion about "order." Is that sort of like being "normal"? what ever that means exactly? ... I am sure what I consider "order" is not order to others and vice versa. Diana I agree with you here completly. Now I am about as annal as they come when it comes to putting my deck in order after use. And it just drives me insane when the decks arrive out of the kind of order I prefer (majors, minors separated by suits). Personally I like to order my cards Majors (0-21) followed by suits organized from Ace to King (Wands, Swords, Cups, Pentacles). Where I got the suit "order" from I have no clue I just like it and it is right for me. For me they symbolize creative force/spiritual energy (Wands), followed by thought (Swords), integrated with emotion (Cups), then manifested on earth (Pentacles) .... that is why I like that order. As for the "order" in which to learn Tarot ... if I had it to do all over again I would not have picked up a book until I had became very well acquainted with the 78 cards in my deck through meditation and journaling. For me having a book created sort of crutch that made me doubt myself until one day I put my foot down. Now I love the books to get into the deeper stuff, and learn about some intricacies, but those meanings in the books are pretty much just someone elese's perspective based on what they see and perceive. I can do that ;) It boils down to what you want to get out of it. I am pretty academic about my approach now, but I definely see the value of relying on intuition as well. What is right depends on how you learn.

Kiama	04 Apr 2002
When I get my decks, I do put them in order, although they usually come this way anyway. It is only when I have looked through them all in order throroughly that I shuffle, rhythmically, like Talisman described. I find that there may be stories within each suit, as there is in the Medicine Woman Tarot, which are easily missed if the cards are not looked at in order. The Faery Wicca Tarot also applies here. With reference to New2Tarot's rather absolutist claim, all I can say is 'How do any of us know what the other does?' New2Tarot may be there thinking that his way is 'normal'. I may be sitting here preferring a diferent way, thinking mine is what everyone else does too! We can never know for sure though! The Universe is a funny thing. The Moon I see when I look outside at night, does not look like the same Moon that Talisman may see. It is the same with Tarot. Yes, there is an initial, and very ambiguous structure by which we mostly all go... Yet anything beyond that is up to the individual! Nobody has laid down any rules here. There are no 10 Commandments of Tarot... (Thou shalt not buy your own deck. Thou shalt not read for yourself. Thou shalt not read if you are not psychic. Thou shalt not own more than one deck. Thou shalt not get the Heironymous Bosch deck unless thou has weird taste in art.... etc etc..) Crowley, De Gebbelin, Waite, Wirth.... Just a few more voices. Nothing special. They all tried to set down rules. It didn't work, and of course, others came along later and changed ther rules! Rules are there to be broken guys, lets revel in it! Kiama

Jenny-Li	04 Apr 2002
*standing ovation* Well spoken - and I'm glad there aren't any commandments, I've broken everyone of the ones you suggested. Except the last one...! *laugh* Light! Jenny :)

sarahenglish	04 Apr 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Umbrae Each deck contains all of my shuffles. What does that mean? That once you have shuffled, you never reorder your deck?

Umbrae	04 Apr 2002
Until I read this thread I had never heard of “re-ordering” the deck. I do not understand the concept of “why” it is/should be done. It was not how I was taught.

MichaelS	04 Apr 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Umbrae Until I read this thread I had never heard of “re-ordering” the deck. I do not understand the concept of “why” it is/should be done. It was not how I was taught. I think this one falls under the concept of "do what feels right." The deck started out ordered, so there are those who like to start from that position. I like the randomness of not reordering. After a reading, I place the cards back in the deck and perform 2 or three overhand shuffles to mix them through. If it works for you, it's right ... right? ---Michael

Umbrae	04 Apr 2002
Exactly the way I do it. Except I disagree with the term “randomness”…but you know what I mean.

Pedeka	04 Apr 2002
I am a candle girl for purifying. I have no idea where I got it from, probably half remembered from a book that I've forgotten I even read, but it works for me. I circle the deck quickly through a candle flame 3x counter clockwise, 3x clockwise, 3x counter again, before each reading. The 3 sets of 3 feels very stable to me. If a deck feels too "cluttered or dirty" I keep it out of its container and keep it close to me, on a table, in my pocket etc... until it "feels like me" again. I usually keep the cards ordered during this time. Plus I cant keep my hands off of an open deck. I am always playing with them, shuffling them, ordering them, or sorting out them by all kinds of goofy things, like if they have stars on them or not.( I have stumbled across some fascinating correlations between cards doing this) Keep in Mind, I started with a Marsailles deck and a 3 page pamphlet, took 4 years to break down and get a book to "learn" what I was doing. Im not good for traditional "rules"LOL

Dragonfly	04 Apr 2002
I never put my cards back in any order. I will smuge them when I feel they have been handled to much and I can tell when the engery on them has changed. I have a friend who blows on his before and afther his readings. I think of it as a ritual everyone has their own style as long as you respect that then the field wide is open. When it comes to learning at least for me I need to take a class so that I could have a good starting point. I have so many books that it only confused me, and I almost gave up on the whole thing. I was very luck my teacher was very open once we got the basic down to have fun and explore what felt right for us and also to share with each other, much like what we do here.

Kiama	05 Apr 2002
The only time I order my decks is if they are new. If I read with them, they stay randomly shuffled: I don't re-order them or anything. Kiama

Pollux	06 Apr 2002
I love re-order my deck after readings! As if I said goodbye to the cards. Also because I am obsessed with the idea of leaving a card behind, or losing it!!! :) So re-ordering them is good for three purposes, to me: - I annoint the deck, since I discard/dismiss all energies and vibes left; - I check I haven't lost any! I'd go crazy if I didn't! - I greet them, and wish them Good Night! :)

Pollux	06 Apr 2002
I forgot!!! To purify them, I sometimes spread them all on a surface (when I'm alone, i.e. NEVER! :)) mostly at Esbats or Sabbats. The usual witchy thing: incense, candlelight, crystals... ;) I haven't slept with my deck already... but now that it's got a bag, I think I will soon! :) Forgetting anything?

Maan	06 Apr 2002
I reorder them every once in a while just to check i still have a complete deck ( nice to know that i'm not the only one being obsessed with loosing a card :) ) And sometimes i smudge them with sadge

Alta	06 Apr 2002
I also re-order my cards once in a while. Honestly, I just like doing it. I do it slowly, looking at each card, and spread them out, just looking at the sequence again, 're-minding' myself about them... that they are not randomly independant... that where they fit into their 'ordered' sequence has an influence on their meaning as well as where they fall in a reading. Hey, works for me.

Lion-O	06 Apr 2002
And with all the excitement I totally lost focus on the original topic. When re-reading this thread again I also noticed I slightly misunderstood the original posting and therefor focused on one single issue... About ordering and re-ordering, I usually shuffle my deck, do a reading and when I'm done I sometimes put the cards back on top (or in) the deck. But when I have some more time to spend I also tend to shuffle them into the deck. You could say that the deck is then ready for yet another reading but I tend to shuffle the deck everytime before I do a reading. As for ordering; I like taking out the Major Arcana every now and then and study them a bit. Last time I did that (yesterday) I came up with an injustice detail in the justice card :).

Talisman	06 Apr 2002
'Lo all, From an incoherent ramble start, you all have offered up such great stuff! As I said, I never "put-in-order" my cards. I just like the idea that every shuffle, every spread, all the bad times and the good times, are still there, somehow, even in my very first deck. But, like Pollux, I sometimes worry that a card is missing. (I can think of a thousand ways I might lose a whole deck, but can't imagine how I could lose a single card.) I dreamed once that one of my cards was missing. What a gut punch! Imagine, if you'd been using a 77-card deck for months and did not know it? So, sometimes, I simply count the cards. One, two . . . 78. Sounds anal and compulsive -- but it was a most vivid dream. Talisman :TSUN :TWHEE :TMAGE

Jenny-Li	06 Apr 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Lion-O Last time I did that (yesterday) I came up with an injustice detail in the justice card :). Injustice? In Justice? Tell, tell, tell...! (Or did you post it someplace else...? I haven't seen anything like that...) Jenny :D

Lion-O	07 Apr 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Jenny-Li Injustice? In Justice? Tell, tell, tell...! (Or did you post it someplace else...? I haven't seen anything like that...) A small article about a blindfold on another thread, could not resist the temptation to mention it. :)

Niove	08 Apr 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Marion I also re-order my cards once in a while. Honestly, I just like doing it. I do it slowly, looking at each card, and spread them out, just looking at the sequence again, 're-minding' myself about them... that they are not randomly independant... that where they fit into their 'ordered' sequence has an influence on their meaning as well as where they fall in a reading. Hey, works for me. I was re-ordering my new Thoth deck last night. Taking time out to re-order and 're-mind' myself has been a good way for me to get acqainted with these cards, esp. when I've never really seen them up close because they're small and/or distorted on someone else's website; In essence, they become flash cards. I can relate to what you explained about re-ordering a deck because of influence. I feel the need to re-order my deck because of something like that. It makes readings feel more natural. Hm, maybe a Virgo moon has something to do with it? Hehe.

MystiqueMoonlight	09 Apr 2002
Reading through the replies to this thread one thing seems evident to me. No matter what you do whether you have your own (or a suggested) ritual (cleansing) for your decks or whether you just sit and shuffle them whilst watching TV you are all basically "connecting" yourselves to your deck. This is always the way for any tool. It may be the brush of an artist, the keyboard of a novelist or the deck of a tarotist. I think what ever you are doing to help YOU attune to YOUR deck is terrific and certainly Divine in some sense. Personally I never order my cards, they always remain shuffled. I never allow anyone else to touch them not even during a reading. Quite often I don't even ask the other person a question I just do the reading for them. The way I see it for me they are my cards and they trigure my intuition that's why a bought them. I do often sit and shuffle them occassionally stopping and analysing a card. I keep them in a wooden box with a silver panel on the lid (because my partner bought it for me for my birthday so it holds significant meaning to me) and that box is in the top drawer of my altar. However I enjoyed reading everybody's posts and found all of your techniques beautiful. How wonderful you all are. Blessed be......

Jewel	09 Apr 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Jenny-Li *standing ovation* Well spoken - and I'm glad there aren't any commandments, I've broken everyone of the ones you suggested. Except the last one...! *laugh* Light! Jenny :) Well Jenny if you ever want to break it and get the Bosch deck let me know, I have one to trade *LOL* (honest and seriously!) :p

Talisman	18 Apr 2002
'Lo all, MystiqueMoonlight (and others) in her wonderful post mentions her altar. I have no desire to create an altar. It would be as out of place in my lifestyle as ballet slippers on a racehorse. But, I do love the photographs you see, on calendars and the covers of books in the craft stores, of those beautiful altars. With cut flowers, candles, silver bowls and pottery bowls, knives and crystals, incense burners and wands. You know, all that stuff. Wish I could see the altars you all talk about. Well, I've got a small desk made out of -- what? -- compressed sawdust maybe. On top is a blue bathroom rug. When it gets messy, I just throw it in the laundry. I clear off a pile of books to lay out my cards. Sigh. Real class, huh? Talisman

MystiqueMoonlight	18 Apr 2002
Hi Talisman, I'm actually a he not she *laughing* Blessed be.....

Talisman	19 Apr 2002
MystiqueMoonlight, Really sorry. I'm gonna take my pronouns out and smack 'em around. Or, the reverse. Or something. I should just hunker down and wait for that dam' adam bomb to blow us all plumb to hail. Iffin I ken get my foot outta my mouth to say it, Talisman

Alta	19 Apr 2002
Talisman, I lay my cards on my dining room table. Classy, too, eh? I have a tiny house... in fact I was in the new board room at work and mentally placed my entire house in the room. Don't worry, works anyway. I too love to read descriptions of beautiful alters. They sound lovely, just wouldn't work for me.

Jenny-Li	19 Apr 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Jewel Well Jenny if you ever want to break it and get the Bosch deck let me know, I have one to trade *LOL* (honest and seriously!) :p Well... It would be kind of fun to own it - if not to use or read with it. It's not that high on my list though, and I really don't have anything to trade...! :( I own three decks, one I don't use, the Buckland Romani - but I love the pictures, and don't think I can part with it until I've given it at least one more shot...! But thanks anyway - I'll keep your offer in mind should I ever get an irresistable urge to own the Bosch! *laugh* Light and love, Jenny :D

MystiqueMoonlight	19 Apr 2002
Hello again Talisman, I don't read the cards on my altar. I read the cards where ever I may be at the time. It might be on a coffee table, dinning table or like the other week at the table when I was at a bar. My altar is for meditating and spellworking. When it comes to reading cards, as you know, it doesn't matter where or how it's done. Love your reply though...it made me chuckle. Blessed be....

Melvis	19 Apr 2002
I'm with Talisman... shuffle, shuffle, shuffle. I love to shuffle my decks while I'm watching TV or reading email & news on the computer. Sometimes I flip the cards over and shuffle, so I see the fronts of the cards go by as I'm shuffling. It's rather hypnotic...perhaps it's a form of personal meditation. My favorite decks for this activity are the Osho Zen, Aquarian, and Goddess. But I also do what Major Tom does, because I enjoy working with some of the spreads in Tarot in Ten Minutes, too. I use my Rider-Waite deck this way, and my first deck, the Tarot Classic by U.S. Games. I never read with them, but I use them to make up new spreads. Peace, Melvis

Alta	11 Aug 2002
bump

David River	16 Aug 2002
Someone mentioned way earlier in the thread about the suits and which order they should fall. As I do respect all opinions, I come to understand the traditional way of lining up the suits is Air/East/Swords, Fire/South/Wands, Water/West/Cups, and Earth/North/Pentacles I believe the reasoning for this is because traditionally things begin in the east (the sun rise), and end in the west (the sun set). Many people will start with Earth when doing a ritual or working and although I cannot say it is not completely incorrect because it is a matter of opinion, but I can say that starting in the east is the usual tradition. It also helps to think of moving in a clockwise direction. right, down, left, up. Of course some will do reversals, and move in a counterclockwise direction but this is usually done for dismissing or releasing energy. So just my suggestion, meditate with your cards or purify them in the clockwise direction. You will be charging them and thus using traditional symbolism in your ritual. One more quick thought... If you hold the cards, use the hand in which you write with to charge, and the opposite hand to meditate with. The hand you write with is projective, and the opposite is receptive. A lot of times when I do readings, my left (receptive) hand tends to find its way onto the card Im reading at the time. I guess my subconsious wants to absorb all that it can at the time. Well I dont mean to be opionionated, just wanted to express my thoughts. Blessings. David

MeeWah	16 Aug 2002
David: Welcome! Good points about the hands. If someone is left-handed, would the receptive still be the left hand? A good thing I am right-handed, as I am momentarily blank; cannot figure out if a left-handed person would reverse the polarities.

David River	16 Aug 2002
Yup! You would reverse the polarities so to speak. The easiest way to remember this is that the hand you write with is the projective hand. Think about it... You write your thoughts down on paper. Therefore your projecting your thoughts onto paper. Get it. Ya know reading about those who shuffle the cards, this seems to me to be a form of releasing. Releasing negative energy the cards may have absorbed from the store or where they were obtained from. It sounds like a good idea in practice, but be aware of where you purchased them, if you got them from a really good source or new age shop, you may just want to go ahead and annoint them without any releasing ritual. Just a thought. Everyone is different. Hope this helps. David

Diana	17 Aug 2002
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osami2717	31 Aug 2002
I have never 'ordered' my decks -although it sounds like a good idea, and I should give it a try, see how it 'feels'. I like to shuffle them cut them into 4 piles pick random piles and shuffle them again and again etc. I also like to go through occasionally and just look at them...Really look at them. Sometimes when you've used your cards for awhile you don't really 'see' them. y'know. It's a good idea to stop sometimes and just absorb a card. Look at it like you're seeing it for the very first time. [why is a madonna song going through my mind now? lol :) ] I only have 2 decks now and want to get more--when budget permits--but I also like to compare cards. How is the Moon card in the Mythic Tarot deck and the Robin Wood deck similar, how are they different, how does each 'speak' to me... I carry my cards with me everywhere in a blue velvet drawstring bag...I left them home one day and felt anxious and on edge until I got back from work. I don't know about burying them in the earth to purify them but I'm interested in how you'd go about doing it. [purifying not burying] I figure it's like Spring Cleaning...sometimes you just need to 'clean' house and release fresh new energies. If it works for my tiny apartment I'm sure it'd do wonders for my cards. Any suggestions or advice on this?

Vadella	23 Apr 2005
I don't like putting my deck into order. Everytime I do that and no matter how much I tend to shuffle them I always get cards right next to eachother. Such as 7 of cups, 8 of cups... It makes me feel like I got those two just because I had put it into order prior to a reading. So I will no longer put them in order. It makes me paranoid. :P

QDaniTeasieL	23 Apr 2005
I like putting my deck into order because I feel that I need to get rid of the influence of the last spread. However, I end up making people shuffle again when I realize all the cards come up in order when I lay out the spread. Sometimes it feels as if I'm waking them up when I do that.

The Ordering and purifying your tarot cards thread was originally posted on 02 Apr 2002 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.