shuffling tarot cards?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 23 Mar 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

ravynrain	23 Mar 2005
hi i was wondering how most shuffle their cards before using? i did not know if there is a certain way to do so or not. any advice would be great. i have the medieval scapini deck which some of you may know that they are longer then normal and may be harder to shuffle. blessed be

Fulgour	23 Mar 2005
I have a pine board that I lay across my knees, and this seems like the best height and position to shuffle the cards. It's a nice piece of wood, sanded smooth and kept just beside my chair.

Thirteen	23 Mar 2005
Check here: http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=15119 If you go down you'll find several threads on shuffling that offer all kinds of options. There is no one way to shuffle--you find a way you like and which suits both your hands and your deck, and, of course, whatever way gets the cards nicely blended.

rainwolf	24 Mar 2005
I shuffle cards bridge style-works best for me. I also do that thing where you take cards in one hand and drop them in bunches into the other. My shakespeare tarot is a big deck, so i shuffle just a few times, and then spread them out, and pick cards while asking the question. I dont riffle my cards because that wears the edges and i dont like spreading them all out.

Moontears	24 Mar 2005
sometimes i don't really have a pattern with shuffling...well, what i mean is i don't bridge the cards or separate them into nice piles... i let the cards go, i move them around (but don't shove the cards together!! that will damage the cards!) this way might be helpful for larger cards.

Lutenist	24 Mar 2005
I cut the deck in half, flip the other half around and shuffle, and repeat. That way I get different cards reversed each time. Then I fan the deck slightly in my left hand, and pick my cards. After the reading I put the cards back into random points of the deck. That way I don't have to shuffle much.

velvetwhispers	28 Mar 2005
I always shuffle them until I "feel" the question has been integrated into the deck. Then I cut the deck with my left hand and pick the bottom section up first. Funny little ritual but it works for me.

psychic sue	31 Mar 2005
Sometimes I shuffle, sometimes I "shoosh" - lay the cards out before me and shoosh them all around then put them back together - depends on the feeling I get and who I am reading for. I think its a personal thing, whatever feels right for you. I posted this somewhere else, but I remember reading, years ago, that some people put all the suits back in order and majors on top in between clients. Does anyone do that? Sue x

Gwynne	31 Mar 2005
I shuffle like a gambler, fan them together and then bridge. If I'm doing the reading with reversals, I cut into three piles and turn the middle pile around and then shuffle again. I do that three or four times, sometimes more if the question is difficult. If I'm not using reversals, I don't cut, just shuffle.

Dylan	01 Apr 2005
I guess you just do whatever feels comfortable. I just use a overhand type shuffle, but i use my legs/lap cause i only have use of one arm. I just sort of shuffle into my lap. I dont really like mixing them on the floor or table etc. I dont want to purposely reverse them, i find that too messy :) If a reversal comes up, fine i will read it, but i dont want to purposely reverse them.

Starlily	03 Apr 2005
I lay the cards out on a smooth, flat surface and mix them up using both hands and keep my mind clear. Then I close my eyes and use my left hand to choose the cards for my reading, meditating on my question. Your left hand connects you (or so I have read) more with the intuitive right side of your brain. Sometimes I visualize dipping my fingers into a transluscent lake while choosing from the "pool" of cards--calling upon the unconscious and the aid of the God and Goddess in bringing me clarity and insight. Being a Pisces, I find I really attune to water imagery. Starlily

merrikam	03 Apr 2005
I like to shuffle at least three times or until I feel the question has been impressed into the deck, then if reading for someone else, I let them cut the deck, then I do the reading. When reading for myself, I don't always cut the deck, I just shuffle then take the cards as they are. This is the way I was taught by my teacher and it seems to be working fine for me.

moonlight	06 Apr 2005
I'm so bad at shuffling so I just put them down on a flat surface, swish them about and then put them back together before spreading them out longways and chosing cards which i am drawn to. I'm not exactly sure if this is done by others, but it works well for me :). Brightest blessings and warmest thoughts Moonlight

rainwolf	06 Apr 2005
moonlight wrote: I'm so bad at shuffling so I just put them down on a flat surface, swish them about and then put them back together before spreading them out longways and chosing cards which i am drawn to. I'm not exactly sure if this is done by others, but it works well for me :). Brightest blessings and warmest thoughts Moonlight You could cut them a few times and then spread them out and pick the cards randomly-i saw it on the movie "the red violin" and it looked like a good way to pick cards.

Shade	06 Apr 2005
I shuffle the cards pretty much in the same way as I always have. I always shuffle three times. Always shuffling three times may seem very limiting but I figure otherwise I am going to sit tere asking myself "Is it done yet? Should I shuffle one more time?" My way I tell te cards "Ok you lot you have three shuffles to get where you need to be." I always cut the cards into three piles. Normally I stack them bottom-on-middle-on-top but every once in a while I feel instructed to read form the top card of each pile... so that'swhat I do.

moonlight	06 Apr 2005
rainwolf wrote: You could cut them a few times and then spread them out and pick the cards randomly-i saw it on the movie "the red violin" and it looked like a good way to pick cards. Thanks for that tip Rainwolf, I'll give it a go Moonlight

The shuffling tarot cards? thread was originally posted on 23 Mar 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.