Resetting the deck

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 10 Mar 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

ducky0913	10 Mar 2004
Just a quick question, with me being new to reading and what not, when and how often do you reset the deck? Currently I reset the deck after every reading (no matter how little). By resetting, I mean that I place all the cards in order, right way up (no cards reversed). Is this correct or should I let the cards go for a while?

miss_apples	10 Mar 2004
Wow...you put them in order like the way that they came? I personally dont think thats necessary. I never "reset" them. I just give them a good shuffle :)

miss_apples	10 Mar 2004
One more thing, it doesnt matter what you do with the cards. The power is within you and not the cards. The cards are just a tool.

Ilithiya	10 Mar 2004
1) I always order my decks when they're new to me, before I read them, then I shuffle, shuffle, shuffle some more... usually along the lines of a 4 upright - 1 reversed alignment and do that three times, and then try to read with it. 2) I always order them before they go into storage, but don't do anything else. I just find that it helps my current "issues" and vibes therefrom escape from the cards. 3) I always order them if they've been touched by someone I don't like, and then leave the deck in the windowsill in either sunlight or moonlight as I feel might be right for the deck. Maybe it's not so much the light as it is the fresh air - I have a deck that I swear wants to go outside for walks. Illy

yve	10 Mar 2004
The first time I get a deck I do a messy spread shuffle, then I shuffle, shuffle, cut and shuffle some more...I only reshuffle everytime I do a reading, i've never re-ordered them after that first initial shuffle...but, whatever works for each of us, right?

Astraea	10 Mar 2004
I only reorder the deck if I wish to study it; otherwise, I just shuffle three times after a reading and put the cards away.

Strange2	10 Mar 2004
Like some of the other responses, I only reset/reorder the deck when I want to study the deck, or when I put the deck "on the bench" and out of my current usage. I enjoy leaving the deck I am using in a random state, as that makes it more fun and exciting not knowing which card will be drawn next.

ros	10 Mar 2004
I only reorder my deck when I feel like it. Once a month or twice a year, whenever the mood strikes.

HudsonGray	10 Mar 2004
Maybe once a year, if that. They get shuffled regularly, and randomized quite a bit.

mysticalowl	10 Mar 2004
Unless you are feeling that bad energy entered the deck..you don't need to reset it. However, sometimes it is just fun and good therapy to sit and reorder the deck. You can also put it in the moon light or sunlight for a few hours. Use a stone with good energy to absorb any negative energies while you are reading.

Kath	10 Mar 2004
I don’t think I’ve ever reset my decks. It just means that I have to shuffle for ages till I feel that all the cards are thoroughly mixed. I give them a good shuffle before and after each reading, that’s it.

Imagemaker	10 Mar 2004
I never reorder mine unless I'm going to compare it with another deck, one by one, or study the progression of images.

Star Spirit	10 Mar 2004
Wow, um. I don't usually do anything to them when I'm done. Occasionally I'll give them a shuffle but usually I just put the cards from the reading back on top of the pile and put them away. I don't really see how it matters, they're just cards. If my readings don't seem to be working, or nothing's making sense to me, I might put the cards in their original order and let the deck 'rest' for awhile. But it's been a long time since I've done that and I've established in my mind that the cards themselves really have no power so I don't know if I'd end up doing that again, because really it would be ME that was having the problem, not them.

miss_apples	11 Mar 2004
I couldnt even reset them if I wanted to. I couldnt remember in what order they came in. Im lazy and thats just too much work for me :)

laura_borealis	11 Mar 2004
I re-order mine just as an obsessive compulsive thing sometimes. I never thought of it as "resetting." I never thought about it being good for the energies or anything. I think I shall call it "rebooting" or should it be "defragging"? :D

ducky0913	11 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by laura_borealis I re-order mine just as an obsessive compulsive thing sometimes. I never thought of it as "resetting." I never thought about it being good for the energies or anything. I think I shall call it "rebooting" or should it be "defragging"? :D To be honest, I thought that by resetting the deck you were essentially cleaning out the energy from the last reading. But, I can see as where just by reshuffling the deck could work as well.

laura_borealis	11 Mar 2004
It's just that I never even thought about it. :) I can see that it could be a good idea, though. Rebooting and defragging are just my geek metaphors. :D

Majecot	11 Mar 2004
Defragging...lol that is cute! I defrag my decks if I am trading or putting them away for a long time. Or if I am studying, but that is usually by suits or majors, unless it is a comparison.

jmd	11 Mar 2004
Like most people who have posted here, I tend to re-order some decks mainly for study purposes - it certainly makes the cards easier to find, and it helps to spread them (the 78, or the Courts, or a suit, etc) in order to see relationships. From a learning perspective, on the other hand, it also makes much sense in quickly familiarising oneself with the deck: to re-order them regularly, one gets to quickly recognise not only individual cards rather quickly, but also to mentally follow the sequence as the re-ordering occurs. So, in one sense, though there is possibly no real need to re-order them, it is a great pedagogical tool...

mj07	11 Mar 2004
Can't remember which of my decks it was, but I freaked out reading the book b/c it said that you MUST reset the deck after every usage! ACK! WTH? Glad to see the point addressed here b/c like I said, there's at least one book out there saying you have to do it! Now I only reset the deck if I'm afraid I lost a card somehow! :P

cjtarot	11 Mar 2004
Hi, I love to shuffle the cards. So after I read for someone, or if I just want to pull cards, I shuffle and shuffle. I reorder my deck I read with from time to time (about every other month). I "clense" the deck by reordering it and passing each card thru incense smoke..I love the smell it adds and it just makes me feel better. As usually, everyone does what feels right. I would try a few of the suggestions and see how they feel to you.. Blessings, CJ

Chronata	11 Mar 2004
I love that term, laura_borealis! Rebooting a deck sounds right to me! I often reorder the cards (my specific way is always...Majors starting with Fool, Cups, Wands, Swords, Pents...) When I pick up a deck that I have not read with for a while... I also reorder when I want to refocus, or when I am tired and the cards don't seem to be shuffling well. Putting things back in order, makes me feel more content, and at peace with the deck. It makes my energy more focused, makes the reading less vague(at least I perceive it that way!) and makes me feel more in tune with my higher self. I don't have to do it all the time...just when I am feeling scattered. I hope that makes sense!

casia	27 Mar 2004
I use to reorder them every time I was going to do a reading but it became very unpractical. Now I just shuffle before and shuffle after a couple of times and that´s it. I do clean the bad vibes with some incense once in a while.

Nevada	27 Mar 2004
1. When I want to study with them. 2. When I put them away for more than a few days or weeks in storage. (Sometimes I don't do this until I take them out again.) 3. If they've been sitting in an odd place and I'm concerned they may have been disturbed, just to make sure none are missing. Nevada

Umbrae	27 Mar 2004
As I've said before - I never reset any of my decks. All of my decks contain all of my shuffles (kinda like life), and all the shuffles of all my sitters.

TemperanceAngel	27 Mar 2004
I must say I have never heard of resetting a deck....so I suppose I never do it.... When I am teaching the Tarot my students and myself alike, never reset, hence why we spend about 10 mins. trying to find the suit or courts or majors for whatever we are studying that day. It's always a bit of a laugh actually as everyone is trying to figure out what is exactly what :laugh: XTAX

Dexter	28 Mar 2004
I don't reset on a reqular basis but have when studying the cards. If you are concerned with cleansing after a reading I shuffle them well and then lay themout and run my crystal pendulum along them to remove any negative energy. Dexter.

jema	28 Mar 2004
I usually reorder the decks when I trade them. So when I ship off a deck it is in order. I used to reorder a lot back when I only had maybe 5 decks. I found it to be rather soothing, like a meditation of sorts.

The Resetting the deck thread was originally posted on 10 Mar 2004 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.