New Decks

So because I am a very curious person...!!!

I was wondering what people do to connect with new decks????

First, I hold the deck in in between my palms and then I scan each card, one by one. When I'm done doing that, I then part the majors, minors, and courts. Again, I scan them one by one. After I do that, I place them back in order and I put them next to my night stand and I repeate the process again. I usually repeate the process for 3 days. Then I put my deck back in my shelf and wait about a weeek to start using it. You're wondering, "WTH is this nut doing?" LOL. I feel that by doing this, the deck and I get acquainted. The deck can slowly gets use to my vibes and aura as well as the atmosphere that surrounds it.

Try it for yourself and see how it works for you.


P.S. I feel it's best to wscan scan each card under candle light.

The very first thing I do is smell it. I love the smell of a new deck although occasionally the ink scent is putrid.

Then I check to be sure all the cards are there (you'd be surprised how often there are one or two missing) and double check to see there aren't any misprinted ones.

I always use the deck on my blog for a week, and that tells me if it's a keeper or not.

Many of our members use the New Deck Spread for the first reading
here is a sample of one of them.
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=44573

I shuffle quite a few times too to loose up the deck and think about if the borders need removed or not.

Thumb through the companion book if there is one.

I open it up and go through the cards one by one, for the first brief study. Then I'll have a look at the LWB, or the companion book if there is one. Sometimes this takes a few days. I don't shuffle them until I'm ready to do an actual reading with them.

I agree with the above!

If you feel called to one of your decks, doing the intensive deck study can also be a very good way to bond with the deck. For instance, I am working with the Maat right now, and have really been able to bond and hear the story in the cards.

If you are curious as to what this looks like- you can go to the deck study groups under the Maat tarot, and click on the king of swords link- I posted there today.

Hope this helps

I open a deck, check that all the cards are there, have a look at each card... then do a really thorough shuffle & see how the deck "feels" in my hands. Following that I'll usually randomly draw a card or two & see what feeling I get.... Depending on how that bit goes I'll either read or scan thru the companion book if there is one or lwb. That's about it really, then I'll just start "using" the deck. 'Tis the best way to connect IMO

Cut the borders off, and play solitaire with it, and find a bandanna that I think fits it. Sometimes I take the cards out and hold each one in the light of the full moon.

I feel so mundane.

I rip off the cellophane, check to make sure all the cards are there (look at each card) and then toss it in a box.

Later, I will go give it a shuffle or two. And maybe a couple of quick 1 card draws. I will read through the booklet or LWB. And then toss it back in a box.

It will eventually get its turn. It will be shuffled and touched and looked at. When it comes up for the deck of the week, I will do a deck interview reading, then use it for 3 card spreads for the week. Finally, I do a final words reading and then rate the deck. My rating system is pretty simple. Favorite, Keeper+, Keeper, Keeper-, Collectible, and Trade Bound.

MysticalMoose said:

I open a deck, check that all the cards are there, have a look at each card... then do a really thorough shuffle & see how the deck "feels" in my hands. Following that I'll usually randomly draw a card or two & see what feeling I get.... Depending on how that bit goes I'll either read or scan thru the companion book if there is one or lwb. That's about it really, then I'll just start "using" the deck. 'Tis the best way to connect IMO

Click to expand...

That's pretty much what I do, too (not always in the same order):
- check quickly for completeness and any obvious faults (I had a misprinted card once or twice in a new deck)
- lay out the entire deck on the floor to air out any smell (chemical from printing and occasionally hints of incense/perfume from previous owners) for 2-3 days, sometimes turning them over after a day
- gather the cards together again, then shuffle a couple of times (making sure they are really mixed-up well)
- pull a card for a first impression
- check LWB/companion book for a first impression (sometimes get stuck reading all of the non-card-specific parts)
- read (or put the deck away for later, if I'm yet again committed to using just one deck exclusively)
- optional step: cut off the borders and/or titles (if I really hate them, that comes even before the first reading)
- optional step 2: find or make a bag for it (especially if it came without a snug box - I always separate books and decks, so big set boxes are of no use to me once I have the deck).

I check to make sure all cards are there, look at the images, and use it a lot.