well, i just bought my first deck

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 11 Jan 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

lana12	11 Jan 2005
i bought the rider tarot deck, in the store told me that the good to start with. OK, then they told me to buy a bag for cards and something to burn and clean cards with the smoke... whatever, something like cleansing they said. So, what do you think about that? how often i have to clean them and how. every card? sorry, if my questions are silly.

lana12	11 Jan 2005
i got a Lotus tarot web site with a free lessons, how is it? usefull?

Grizabella	11 Jan 2005
I've heard that the free online lessons are very helpful. You don't absolutely have to have a tarot bag and to cleanse the cards with smoke, although some people do like to do both those things. You can make your own tarot bag if you want to. I saw a post here a few days ago where someone cut the sleeve off a sweater, sewed up the end, and made a place for a string to go through to close the top and voila!-----a tarot bag!

inanna_tarot	11 Jan 2005
Cleansing every card is a little silly and time consuming. What I do when cleansing my deck is to hold the deck in my hands move the deck over the incense a few times and then its cleanse. Other people like to sit their decks in the moonlight, on a window ledge or table, to cleanse them. I know some people that go so far as to bury tarot decks in a tupperware box, but personally I find that natural energies don't find their way through plastic to reach the deck. Course, to others its all mumbo jumbo and only acts as a placebo. Sezo x

September Pixie	11 Jan 2005
First of all, I dont want to step on anyone's toes so my suggestions are just that - suggestions... not that I agree or disagree with anyone here :) I personally feel that the more you work with your cards the more accurate you become.. some call it energy, some call it connection.. whatever it might be.. but you begin to understand what they are saying to you and you can then in turn read better.. I have had a lot of tarot expierence and I can say.. I can read most decks just as well without cleansing them.. BUT if you believe that it helps you bond with your cards, by all means, cleanse them.. I however am against actually passing cards through some incense because over time some of your cards may eventually pick up a sticky residue.. I briefly took an online tarot course.. I realize not all are the same, but 90% of what they had there (which cost $$) could easily be found in this forum just by browsing.. as a former tarot teacher -- you need to decide/realize which kind of reader you want to be.. intuitive or studied.. I chose to read intuitively.. and the only place you CAN start there is by looking at the cards.. what do they say to you? what does the picture look like? how would that represent a real life situation? how does the over all card make you feel? and then keep notes about your answers... Later on, pratice a few spreads and try reading them and keep those in your notes as well.. later on when you feel comfortible read for yourself and some honest friends and ask for feedback.. thats pretty much where most of us started I think.. no matter how we got here :) If you choose to be studied and I mean incooperate traditional meanings of the cards, then begin to look at keys on your cards to trigger a word associated with it.. IE key words, I'd suggest reading 'How To: Read Tarot by Sylvia Abraham'. Good luck no matter what you choose! :) & Welcome to Tarot!

Thirteen	11 Jan 2005
lana12 wrote: i bought the rider tarot deck, in the store told me that the good to start with. OK, then they told me to buy a bag for cards and something to burn and clean cards with the smoke... whatever, something like cleansing they said. So, what do you think about that? how often i have to clean them and how. every card? sorry, if my questions are silly. 1) Rider are good to start with only because they are the most copied deck. In other words, 80% of the decks out there are "Rider clones"--meaning they look enough like Rider that if you learn Rider, you can get just about any other deck and not have trouble using them. The other 20-30%, by the by, are Marseille (the oldest and arguably original deck--but if you're going that way, best to just get the Marseille; it's a good one for future study), and Crowley's "Thoth" deck, which is more mystical. 2) You can buy or make your own bag, but I would say, for now, to keep the deck in the box. This is a learning deck. Once you get to know it, then you can decide if it's YOUR deck, the one you want to use, the one that speaks to you, the one, in short, that you want to keep in a pretty bag that will make it feel special and not like a deck of cards for playing poker ;) 3) You don't need to do anything so elaborate as passing the cards through incense to clean them. There are many things you can do if you feel the deck needs extra cleansing, but leave that for when you feel it really needs it. For now, shuffling the card really well will do the job. 4) There are so many good websites that can teach you tarot (this one included) that I would say don't bother with paying for an online class. If you're going to pay for a tarot class, better to pay for one where you're face to face with a real person who can answer your questions then and there, show you what's what and see, up front, what you're doing so they can guide you. 5) How to start: the best way to start is just get to know the cards. Start with the majors (those are the ones numbered from 0-21), get to know them, memorize them even. Think about how you feel and what they say to you. Then go onto each suit of the minors (Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles), and get to know them. Don't expect to learn everything right away, don't be afraid to ask questions, and please, make full use of this forum, especially the "stickies" up above--"How to read" and "What do the cards mean?"--these offer links to some wonderful discussions on each and every card as well as laying out spreads and reading tarot. Happy learning!

Sinner	11 Jan 2005
Sound advice Thirteen, very useful.

SunChariot	12 Jan 2005
lana12 wrote: i bought the rider tarot deck, in the store told me that the good to start with. OK, then they told me to buy a bag for cards and something to burn and clean cards with the smoke... whatever, something like cleansing they said. So, what do you think about that? how often i have to clean them and how. every card? sorry, if my questions are silly. Don't worry, there are no silly questions. We all started somewhere and we all knew nothing about it before we started. That's what this bb is for so we can help you. As for your question, I never clean my decks. I read this somewhere in a book and I believe it. The author said that the idea that you need to clean your deck presupposes that there is some kind of negative energy that can attach itself to them. She went on to say that she saw no reason for it as her deck have always been nothing but light-filled joyous friends to her. And mine also, There has never been any negative anything attached to my decks. They have always been full of beauty and joy for me. As for insense, scented candles....the decks don't need them, but it might help you. Creating a relaxing atmosphe may make it easier for you to relax more, and the more relaxed you feel the better a reading will likely work I do do the scented candles, and I house my decks in beauty. Always in beautiful silk or satin pouches, It makes them feel more special to me and I think that affects the way I feel about them when I go to do a reading. One more thing I invented, maybe you will thing this is silly. LOL I keep a compass on my table where I do my readings. Symbolically, it represents my moral compass that I always want to keep track of when reading, and as the needle points north (north as upwards, as heaven) it represents what I hope to connect to in my readings, a power beyond myself. Those are my opinions,:-) Bar

Azezel	12 Jan 2005
I have to second Sunchariot. As I was told by my instrucor, Don't fix what isn't broken, don't ask what is known and don't clean what isn't dirty. As for bags, well, I have four decks, but I only keep one in a bag. My favourite. the others I keep in the boxes, although I do tie them with gold ribbon too. It helps I find to treat the cards with a certain reverance just to re-inforce the feeling of 'specialnes' which one should have toward tarot.

rachelcat	12 Jan 2005
I recommend Joan Bunning's free on-line tarot course (also available in book form). Very well done and user-friendly. I wrap my decks in scarves instead of bags. That way they always fit (wrap the scarf tightly around the cards and they're more protected than if they are flopping around in a too-big bag) and you always have a reading cloth ready to go! I can't afford silk. I just buy pretty scarves from the street vendors (in Washington, D.C.), trying to match the colors and/or designs in the deck). Good luck to you and enjoy the ride!

Fudugazi	12 Jan 2005
SunChariot wrote: One more thing I invented, maybe you will thing this is silly. LOL I keep a compass on my table where I do my readings. Symbolically, it represents my moral compass that I always want to keep track of when reading, and as the needle points north (north as upwards, as heaven) it represents what I hope to connect to in my readings, a power beyond myself. I don't think that silly at all, personally. It's a highly symbolic instrument, and very appropriate to be placed next to the "book of symbols" that is tarot. The combination reminds me of Lyra's aletheometer - a compass with symbols on it - in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials. It's your north star...

bigcaat	12 Jan 2005
lana12 wrote: i bought the rider tarot deck, in the store told me that the good to start with. OK, then they told me to buy a bag for cards and something to burn and clean cards with the smoke... whatever, something like cleansing they said. So, what do you think about that? how often i have to clean them and how. every card? sorry, if my questions are silly. Hi Lana. Whatever rituals you start with now are the ones you will probably always feel compelled to have. I have been reading for 30 years and I keep some decks in bags -- the ones I use -- others in their original boxes. I don't keep them in bags for any other reason than convenience. I don't cleanse the cards, I don't put them in moonlight or any of that other stuff. Remember that the cards are just cards -- *you* are the instrument of sight. Whatever rituals make you feel comfortable are the ones you should adopt. Probably the only thing I have is that I don't let other people touch my cards (unless I'm doing a reading for them). I don't want their energies put into them. I know readers, though, who couldn't care less about this. I feel that I "charge" the cards by sitting and shuffling them. I feel this is how I put my energies into them. If I feel that they need to be 'cleansed,' then I might run the deck through some sage, but this is rare. This is if I've done a reading with a particularly negative person or if someone I don't like has touched them. Just remember that if it doesn't feel right for you, don't do it. If it does feel right, do it. Happy reading. :-) Caat

April	12 Jan 2005
rachelcat wrote: I recommend Joan Bunning's free on-line tarot course (also available in book form). Very well done and user-friendly. I second this! Barnes & Noble also offers a free class online (I'm pretty sure they still offer it) based on Joan Bunning's book. With this one you actually get "talk" with a teacher and other beginners. I also agree with Thirteen. Don't pay for an online course. You can get the same info online in many places for free. You already found one of the most useful resources for tarot on the web. I mean this forum, of course. Here's my take on cleaning your deck. I don't do it, not because I don't believe the cards can retain energy, but because I want them to. I like my cards coming in contact with all kinds of different people and experiences. I would like to explain that better, but I can't. Some people don't let others touch thier cards anyway so I suppose they wouldn't have to worry about cleaning their decks at all. Anyway, don't let anyone tell you that you have to do it a certain way. If you don't find your own groove you risk becoming bored. Peace, April

SunChariot	12 Jan 2005
Helvetica wrote: I don't think that silly at all, personally. It's a highly symbolic instrument, and very appropriate to be placed next to the "book of symbols" that is tarot. The combination reminds me of Lyra's aletheometer - a compass with symbols on it - in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials. It's your north star... That's so funny,:-) You're the second person to tell me that today, although I heave never heard of that book. The other person mentioned it was a triology. I have GOT to get a hold of those books. :-) Bar

Fudugazi	12 Jan 2005
SunChariot wrote: That's so funny,:-) You're the second person to tell me that today, although I heave never heard of that book. The other person mentioned it was a triology. I have GOT to get a hold of those books. :-) One of my all-time favourites! Many people who like tarot (not to mention i-ching, which plays a starring role), as well as particle physics, anthropology, the environment, love that book. And anyone who likes a good story - it is a fantastic piece of storytelling. Written originally for older children, it's not in the least childish or reductive. Great characters too, and - I won't spoil the fun by telling you what - one of the most original inventions in the depiction of character and spirit in modern fiction. A very deep look at our humanity. It's in three parts: The Golden Compass - Northern Lights if you're in Britain, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass. Pick yourself a long rainy week-end, you'll not put it down! BTW, Lyra develops an interesting technique to access her intuition when she reads her aletheometer - and unlike grown-ups she doesn't need books.

Lillie	12 Jan 2005
Oooo! His Dark Materials! Wonderful book. Everyone should read it. And I want an alethiometer! As for how I keep my cards, well, if it's a deck I just like to look at I sometimes just keep it in its cardboard box. But if they are being used a lot this can often get torn or at least very scruffy. But if it is my reading deck or one I will use or look at often, I take it out the cardboard box and put that and any extraneous cards away somewhere. Then I get the cards, wrap them in a big square of silk (usually a silk scarf from a charity shop) and put the silk wrapped cards in a wooden box. I use the silk to read on. ie. I spread it out and lay the cards out on it. Apart from anything else it helps keep them clean. Also I really love boxes. I have a thing for boxes of all shapes and sizes, so keeping my cards in one gives me a good excuse to go round the shops/net looking at boxes and finding one that is just right for that deck. I have never cleansed a deck. A secondhand one I got recently smelt funny, sort of damp and musty, so I lit some insence and wafted the cards through the smoke. But this was entirely practical and had no occult or mystical significance. Really it is a matter of whatever works for you, whatever feels right.

lana12	13 Jan 2005
so much information i got from you guys, I never knew i gonna be so ivolved. whatever i find a free minutes, i run to the forum. LOL. You are so friendly... Thanks, its really help. Well, but i have more and more questions. I heard from someone, that tarot card loves red color. I mean, to put a red velur table-cloth and do reading on it. Is it true? what is yours opinion.

April	13 Jan 2005
lana12 wrote: I heard from someone, that tarot card loves red color. I mean, to put a red velur table-cloth and do reading on it. Is it true? what is yours opinion. Funny you should mention that because my dad recently painted the table I usually read on red (well, it's really more of a dark burgandy, very pretty). But this was more of an interior design choice than anything. It was an ugly, ugly table and desperately needed help. Again, this is personal preference. If I were going to use a cloth, which I don't, I would use a green or blue because they have a more calming effect. Or maybe yellow for inspiration. Maybe I would use red or pink for relationship readings. You've given me something to think about, thanks. Peace, April

Lillie	13 Jan 2005
I've never heard about the colour red. Though once I read that Tarot cards should be wapped in a blue silk cloth. I have always prefered black, though I usually use a silk scarf from a charity shop, so the cards get whatever colour/design I have, or which I feel is best suited to them from the ones I have. And if I havn't got silk then something else has to make do. Once again, personal preference is the name of the game in my opinion. There are no rules, and if someone tells you some, break them. On principal.

lana12	13 Jan 2005
Lillie, you got confused. red color, we were talking about a table-cloth ...

Vincent	14 Jan 2005
lana12 wrote: i bought the rider tarot deck, in the store told me that the good to start with. Good advice, the RWS is an excellent deck. lana12 wrote: OK, then they told me to buy a bag for cards and something to burn and clean cards with the smoke... whatever, something like cleansing they said. The best advice I ever received was to be skeptical about Tarot. If someone says something definite about Tarot, (which is in itself quite rare), be skeptical. Ask for proof. Weigh the evidence. Sort the reasonable from the unreasonable. Does it sound reasonable to you that a deck of cards will behave differently if you "burn and clean cards with the smoke"? If it does, then act accordingly. If it doesn't then discard the notion. Always bear in mind that people who are active in the Tarot industry, might well have agendas that are not concerned with telling you the truth about Tarot. lana12 wrote: So, what do you think about that? how often i have to clean them and how. every card? sorry, if my questions are silly. You should clean them on the night of a full moon, wearing garlic close to your spleen, dancing to the rhythm of a moderate rhumba, ensuring you chant "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" every time an Ace turns up, and making certain that your face is turned towards Sirius, unless there is a vernal equinox, in which case you should point to the heavens and roar like a lion. This should be done at least twice before a reading, and four times thereafter, but obviously not during any Perseid meteor showers. Vincent

Fudugazi	14 Jan 2005
Vincent wrote: You should clean them on the night of a full moon, wearing garlic close to your spleen, dancing to the rhythm of a moderate rhumba, ensuring you chant "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" every time an Ace turns up, and making certain that your face is turned towards Sirius, unless there is a vernal equinox, in which case you should point to the heavens and roar like a lion. This should be done at least twice before a reading, and four times thereafter, but obviously not during any Perseid meteor showers. What a splendid piece of advice! I'll print it out! What mistakes I have been making all these years, never cleaning my cards, only shuffling them and keeping them from becoming dog-eared. Of course I might understand the advice better I had a map of the skies, but not to worry, I'll use my intuition to find out where Sirius is and to recognise a Perseid meteor shower. I wouldn't dream of rhumba-ing with my Tarot cards during one of those! Do you think Congolese Rhumba or Cuban rhumba is more in harmony with Tarot? Do you think cornflower juice, brewed on the first crescent moon, and drank just before a reading in an acorn cup is nice addition?

wandking	14 Jan 2005
I remember a time in my life when I attempted to follow occult rules for deck care and I still ascribe to those which have a practical application that physically protects the cards. At another time in my development I deliberatly broke every rule I could find on deck. Both decks still provide similar results. The occult rules for deck care appear to have little or no impact on my humble ability to interpret card meanings. One person's poison is medicine for another. To each his/her own.

Lillie	14 Jan 2005
Ok, I know you were talking about a red table cloth, but what is the difference between that and a silk scarf that I use as a table cloth when I lay out the cards? I was just trying to make the point that different people/books/traditions have different colour/material/container rules for tarot cards. Sorry if I wasn't clear. I'm often not.

lana12	14 Jan 2005
sorry, i didnt know your scarf (which you wrap up your cards) is that big, that you can use as a table cloth.

Clau	19 Jan 2005
What I do is: - When I use the cards on me or whoever, whenever i'm finished i put the cards in order (from 0 to 21 if using the major arcana). I don't have a reason for this, is just what I do, I feel if I order the cards they will be "new" and "fresh" for the next reading. If I read for two people in a row, I order the cards each time before starting. I agree with the others, for me there is no need for cleansing the cards in any special way 'cos I feel they can't get "dirty"....I guess ordering them each time is my way of getting the deck neat and clean... did I make myself clear? guess not...LOL :P - The decks I like best I keep in very pretty cotton handkerchiefs...yup, handkerchiefs.. I have a very thin blue one a japanese friend gave me once and I never dared to blow my nose with it is so pretty, so, I keep my sacred rose deck there. And my Marseille deck is wrapped in a piece (yes, a piece, i don't know how it got shredded in two parts..) of a cotton multicolor scarf which has kinda silver treads on it... and both go on a beautiful wood box my dad brought me back from Poland... the other decks I'm not so friends with I keep in their box. As you can see, for me it's just a matter of keeping loved memories close to my decks. - About cleansing the decks under the full moon: once I thought: ok, so i'm going mystical and I'm gonna put my old Rider White deck under the full moon so it will get REALLY powerful...so I did...unfortunately, it rained very hard that night so my beloved RW got soaking wet, and despite all the efforts I made for them not to get all curly and stuff, they did....so now I have a curly RW that reminds me of not getting "creative" everytime I look at it... Know what Lana? just do what it feels right for you, use the colors you like, the fabric you like, use bags, scarves, handkerchiefs...whatever suits you. There are millions of superstitions around about how to handle, look at, cleanse, save, and a long etc your tarot deck, and as others have said, just break every rule and find what is best for you. I know when one is starting is insecure about everything, but find confidence and just do what suits you. Hope I have helped, Blessings and welcome, Clau WOW! talk about rambling on! :D

Sophie-David	19 Jan 2005
Hi Lana12 I really enjoyed the free online Tarot Class by Michele Jackson, located here: http://www.confederatelinux.com/ebook/pdf/occult_Tarot_Cards.pdf Michele interweaved the card descriptions with supplemental information, stories and exercises which I found appealing. The file is in the free Adobe Reader format so it prints out nicely. Cheers David

The well, i just bought my first deck thread was originally posted on 11 Jan 2005 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.