Shuffling too hard with extra small hands

Do you do this in front of clients?

Yelell said:

For my giant deck, which I also want to avoid reversals with, this is what I do: I cut the cards and take maybe 6 cards off the top, placing them on the table to start piles. I cut the cards again, place several cards randomly on the piles, cut somewhere again, and keep going until I run out of cards. Then I just stack the piles up however.

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I only just did that tonight and it did work great. My concern for the future, is when and if, I ever do a reading for someone else, with them in front of you, will shuffling like this or even the monge method be uncomfortable to do because it takes longer and isn't as pleasant and controlled looking as riffling or push. Do you do that in front of your clients? and if so, what is it like? Thank you.

Freyja of V said:

What do any of you think about what I said about shuffling with one deck and then after I pull the cards for a reading, I then switch them out with the equivalent cards from other decks. So I can practice with other decks. Would this be considered a no, no?

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So ... you take some of the cards out of a deck and replace them with the same cards from another deck? Isn't there a risk that you end up with several decks all in a tangle and it will take you ages to sort it out? And what benefit do you expect to see from using a deck with another deck's cards mixed in?

And it will make shuffling even more difficult.

nisaba said:

So ... you take some of the cards out of a deck and replace them with the same cards from another deck? Isn't there a risk that you end up with several decks all in a tangle and it will take you ages to sort it out? And what benefit do you expect to see from using a deck with another deck's cards mixed in?

And it will make shuffling even more difficult.

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No, not at all. Because I have such a hard time shuffling mid to large size cards, while I am doing practice and personal readings, just for myself, I shuffle and pull from the Hanson-Roberts deck and then replace the same exact cards I pulled with the equivalent card (same card) from say the Druidcraft deck. So I can read with the Druidcraft but shuffled and pulled the cards with the HR. It's just easier.

Is that less confusing??

Ah. So using a smaller deck for shuffling only, then pulling from a preferred deck?

I don't like the idea, personally. Different decks have different feels to the cards - that's why so many of us have more than one deck in the first place. If I drew five cards from the Granny Jones Tarot, then the same cards from the Soprafino, then the same cards from the Wildwood, I'd probably get three quite different readings. Whatever deck you shuffle, will be looking to give you ITS cards, not another deck's.

Now, I have no problem with shuffling two decks, laying out a spread from one deck, then overlaying it with cards from the second deck, also drawn at random so that you get different cards on each position, and reading the two cards as a related pair.

Have you seen how Kate at Daily Tarot Girl shuffles? http://www.daily-tarot-girl.com/2015/09/06/oracle-card-reading-for-sept-7-13/ This is an option for small hands. I have small hands too (I'm only 5' tall). I did exercises to stretch out my hands and I've increased my handspan by about an inch or more! I shuffle overhand as a result, and can even with most oversized decks. If you think about it, when our hands are relaxed they tend to curl inward a bit. They actually stretch further than we think that they do... but it's best to work up to it.

Scramble shuffle (Smooshing I call it - when you place them on the table and just swirl them around) and then just upright all the reversed cards when you lay them out? - why not?

Or lay out random piles on the table, cut the the remainder of the pack and deal randomly into the random piles, then put all the piles together and repeat.

I have medium sized hands but my shuffling is dreadful - I discovered trimming the borders off a number of my decks has made them more comfortable to shuffle and I'm really pleased with that. Ofcourse - also pleased with how they look borderless.

Like nisaba - I wouldn't pull from a different deck - unless I'm deliberately doing a reading deck comparison exercise for myself. Because - yes - the readings could be different depending on the imagery of the cards.

Freyja of V said:

I only just did that tonight and it did work great. My concern for the future, is when and if, I ever do a reading for someone else, with them in front of you, will shuffling like this or even the monge method be uncomfortable to do because it takes longer and isn't as pleasant and controlled looking as riffling or push. Do you do that in front of your clients? and if so, what is it like? Thank you.

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I don't read for others so I can't answer that question. One thought I had was, instead of shuffling and pulling from a smaller, different deck, what about trying to get another copy of the Druidcraft and trim it significantly? Then it wouldn't be a completely different deck. Could trimming get it to a size that's more comfortable?

nisaba said:

Ah. So using a smaller deck for shuffling only, then pulling from a preferred deck?

I don't like the idea, personally. Different decks have different feels to the cards - that's why so many of us have more than one deck in the first place. If I drew five cards from the Granny Jones Tarot, then the same cards from the Soprafino, then the same cards from the Wildwood, I'd probably get three quite different readings. Whatever deck you shuffle, will be looking to give you ITS cards, not another deck's.

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Thank you for your thoughts on this. I too feel like it's wrong. That is why I asked. I was wondering what others thought about it. I feel like it's wrong because of the energy I am putting into the cards while I am shuffling. As far as getting a different reading, you are right. But, I do want that sometimes because it is is mostly for practice. And I do want to get familiar with different decks and like I said, it has just been easier.

Originally, my main concern was when I initially shuffle a deck that is in order (major to minor) and getting a good mix. Someone couldn't understand why I was so concerned about the "mix" being good enough. That's why. But, I admit, I do tend to like a good mix, either way. Just my preference. But...

...the shuffling that YELELL and TANGA, suggested does work great. I actually did that after I wrote the post and it was easy. I practiced the pile method with 3 different decks, in order, and the mix was great. Therefore, the point is moot, because I will be using this method from now on. So I don't have to shuffle with one and read from another.

So, Thank you all for your thoughts, ideas and suggestions!!! With love, Freyja

Yelell said:

I don't read for others so I can't answer that question. One thought I had was, instead of shuffling and pulling from a smaller, different deck, what about trying to get another copy of the Druidcraft and trim it significantly? Then it wouldn't be a completely different deck. Could trimming get it to a size that's more comfortable?

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First, thank you for the "pile" idea, it works great!!!

As far as whether it will look pleasing in front of clients, I have decided I will cross that bridge, if, I ever come to it.

Regarding cutting the edges. I think it's great that other people do that, but I just couldn't. It might be the artist or perfectionist in me. I don't know why, but I would feel like I'm ruining them. I am a perfectionist, maybe that is why I worried about a good mix, worried about how the shuffle would look it front of a client, etc.. I have always been like this and probably will continue to be until I am very old and don't care anymore. I am looking forward to that aspect of being old. (smiles).
Thanks again.

Do you ever restore the order of your decks after a reading? If so, try not doing that for a while. You might find that your understanding of "mixed enough" changes on its own.

Alternatively, try shuffling while you're doing other things, such as watching a movie. Don't do it for a reading, or with anything in mind (other than concentrating on the movie). Just... hold your cards in your hands. Move them around. Take one out at a time and put it at the front or the back while you watch the movie (don't look at the card). You'll end up with a nicely mixed deck by the end of it.
And then leave it that way. See my first paragraph.