how to cleanse my cards

cynthia padley

cleansing cards

I meant to say red and pink bags, and bought 25 sets of these bags.
 

Psyndi

cleansing cards

After reading through the thread, it occurs to me that the cleansing ritual is an extremely personal event.

Much of ritual is fortified by your intent. Since your intent to to provide cleansing and protection to your cards, all that you do will help achieve this aim.

For instance, my teacher had us use rosemary oil to protect and cleanse our decks. This was as simple as rubbing rosemary oil on our fingers and gently apply the essence of the rosemary oil on the edges of the deck. She also advised us to keep the deck wrapped in silk cloth as a protection. Over the years, I have come across many other rites and tools of protection. When I feel it necessary, I integrate them.

Based on your spiritual path and previous training; build your own cleansing rituals. Ask yourself. “What is the symbolism of the items in my ritual. What am I trying to accomplish?”

Do you believe that moonlight is best? Then either expose your cards to the moonlight or do the ritual you create in the moonlight.

Do you think a specific herb will aid in your cleansing? Use it.

Is silk a psychic protector? Include that in your card maintenance

Do you use crystals as part of your other spiritual rites? Perhaps using a crystal as the closure to your tarot bag is an idea.

Do you meditate using charka imagery? Make it part of your ritual.

Tarot, Magick and the Occult are not science, they are Art, and you are the Artist. Be creative within the bounds of your ability and belief, and act with confidence.
 

Ayram

I feel like I maybe haven't earned the right to post about this since I haven't been doing Tarot as long as many others here have. THAT SAID, ;-) I just use a little of what I've read but mostly instinct, and I only do cleansing when I sense it's needed, and may use a different method each time.

I always keep the decks in silk and in their own cloth bags (actually, now that i think about it, I think these bags have silk linings, too - they're great bags by the way, that on the outside are almost quilt-like, with different colors of part silk, part felt or velour, part something else, with drawstrings with little charmy things hanging on the ends of each string...simply lovely). Anyway, now and again I use incense or sage and use my hands to kind of wash the smoke over the deck. One time when I didn't like the person who'd picked up my deck and started playing with it without asking, I went through each and every card and rubbed it between my hands! Other times I just shuffle a lot, and often I use my hands and kind of make a brief shooing motion over them as if blowing away the previous reading's energy, before wrapping them back up in silk. I have french doors that go out onto a deck and sometimes I'll set them by there for fresh air. I LOVE the idea of putting them by the speakers!

I agree that to each his own!
 

Pippa

Cleansing a Tarot Deck

Sea salt and water on a cotton cloth... wipe the cards in the deck without soaking them.
 

unicursalhex

If you do not hold imprudent superstitions, you will find that you dont have to perform these ornate "cleansing" rituals. You must understand that you make these rituals mandatory by believing them to be necessary. The mind is the great enemy.
 

garfield

for me, i dont know how to clean honestly. except from what i read in the book that said you just sleep with them by placing them at your pillow and ocassionally shuffling it from tiem to time.
 

Bad_Calvin

On the full moon I put the deck back in order. I then put it in my wooden box. I set the box out with the lid open. I put a pink heart crystal my wife bought for me on top of my deck and let it soak in the moon rays. :)

does this do anything? Not sure, but It is a fun little thing that I like to do. I called it recharging the batteries. :)
 

Gazel

Pippa said:
Sea salt and water on a cotton cloth... wipe the cards in the deck without soaking them.

I agree. I did also use water cleansing my old Rider Waite deck the other day. I woke up with this feeling, that the cards simply need to get "washed" to do it for me again. It should be mentioned, that I have had this deck for like fifteen years or so, and somehow I feel I have have grown out of them like old clothes. I feel the need for a new deck, and I have started looking around for it. But I still like this one, and after the cleansing the cards felt new and clean again.

Gazel.
 

NightQueen

once in a while i like to place my deck in order, but before a reading i hold them over incense sticks so the smokes lifts off energies from previous reading, i also like to leave them on a window ledge when it is a full moon for an extra good cleanse:)
 

anonymous_artist

I recently purchased a deck which I had been searching for a very long time and felt it needed a welcome as well as a clense. After some deliberation on how to do this I came up with this ritual...

- Begin under moon light
- Light three candles
- Light charcoal incense
- Light one sage smudge stick
- Combine sea salt with fresh rain water
- Sprinkle the salted rain water over each card and gently wipe it off with a soft cloth
- Pass each card through a smoke bath
- Purify each card with a clear quartz wand or with amethyst crystals

Read the following - "From above to below give me guidence through these hands through these cards. I ........... ............ ask the Godess & God & ancient ones to bless each of these cards so they may be used as tools through which the Lady & Lord & spirits may send me knowledge and wisdom. From above to below give me guidence which I seek through these hands through these cards. Blessed Be".

- Use a pendulum to ask whether the cards are ready to be used
- If "Yes" proceed with a new deck spread
- If "No" consider charging the deck by leaving it next to a window for three days and three nights

*************
******2******
******3***4**
******1******
*************

1. What do you want me to know about you

2. What will you teach me

3. What will our relationship be like

4. What do I need help in aiding my spiritual development

(Tarot Spread by Wisp Wings for your new deck found in the Tarot Spread Index)

May I just add as a final note, unlike myself you do not have to go through this long ritual process. However to me this is not only about cleansing but also welcoming the deck and developing a deep bond with my deck...