Shuffling:

Hi people, this is my first post! first off would like to say hi, and secondly i had a question about how to shuffle tarot cards: is there any specific way to shuffle, because i am not sure if i should be attempting to create reversed cards or whether i should always attempt to not have them.... i typically use the begginers shuffle, but of the thickness of the cards making it difficult to preform a riffle. if you have any questions about what kinds of shuffles there are go to wikipedia and search shuffling (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuffle)... thanks people
-VeSsY

Howdy, lol
I just shuffle any old way I want. It's up to you if how you want to shuffle and if you want to use reversals or not. I don't at the moment because I'm still learning and I don't want to burn myself out! . As for your cards, you say they're thick. May be you could cut the deck down and shiffle differnt sections and then do one big shuffle at the end if possible. Just a suggestion. Anyways. Welcome to AT!
~*Mel*~

Hey Vessy,
Welcome to AT! You'll love it here; everyone is so helpful Here is a huge index of questions about shuffling (just scroll down), should keep you busy for a couple of hours
thread

Personally, a technique I use that works pretty well is to hold my deck in one hand, and use my thumb to push a few cards off of the top into my other hand, and then my pinkie fingers to push a few cards off of the bottom into my other hand, thus building a new deck in my other hand. I go through the deck until I feel it's time to stop. Feel free to experiment! The great thing about Tarot is that there is no "right way"; it's all about what feels comfortable to you.

Thx

hey guys, thanks alot for the welcomming and for the tips.... im browsing through that link now... lots of good info....

Hi Vessy,

Nice to see you here. I shuffle the way I do only because I heard early on that it was the way that damages the cards the least. This is what I do:

Cowie Push/Put Method

In Tarot for Successful Living, Norma Cowie describes her push/put shuffling method. Her technique thoroughly mixes the cards with maximum hand contact and little or no damage. Hold the deck face down in your dominant hand. Push some cards from the top with your thumb into the other hand. Then, push again, but this time to the bottom of the new pile. Continue alternating a push to the top, then one to the bottom until all the cards have been transferred. At this point, put the entire deck back into your dominant hand and start over. This method can be difficult at first. You may push too many or drop some, but your technique will improve with practice.



As for reversals, which I sometimes use and sometimes don't depending on the particular question and if I think reversals will benefit my answer....All I do is, before I start shuffling, take the upright deck and split it into two piles. The two piles do not have to be the same size. Then you put one pile upright and put the other on top of it upside down. Then shuffle a lot.
I always put my decks upright again after each reading, as I don't use reversals every time. And the way I use reversals I just take them to me that there is something blocking the event(s) announced in the card from happening. They announce a delay that has to be dealt with if you want the event to happen.

And I do not read the reversed cards upside down. Some people express diffiuculty with that. Once the cards are chosen, I just take my pen and paper and right down which cards fell in which position and I write down which ones were reversed. And then I upright all the reversed cards before starting. I read them right side up , but I add in the additional meaning at the end of there being a blockage and/or a delay....

Babs

I just shuffle what-ever way is comfortable, and to get reverals, I take the cards in my hands, and twist them. That way, they spin around, and get all mixed up.
I've read about the Cowie Push/Put Method, but I never under-stood it at all. It's confusing

Shuffle any way that 'feels' right to you. For me, this is how I now do it (I have large hands and that does make shuffling easier).


As I'm thinking of my question and what spread I'm going to use, I just do the over hand shuffle. When I have the question and the positional meanings fixed in my head I do the following.

I riffle, then I do 4 complete overhand shuffles of the deck, then riffle again, then shuffle. I end up doing 4 riffles with 4 complete deck shuffles between each riffle. It only takes a few minutes to complete and the deck gets well randomized. I no longer read reversals (I use the various dignities). Works great for me.

Shaymus

Hi--I shuffle by making an arched "bridge" and then letting the cards flip down (is that a riffle? if so, thats what I do). I do this twice and then I cut the cards 2 times. I know that this bends the cards pretty severely but I've had a lot of practice at that method and know how to refrain from going too far in bending the cards. My mom tried to teach me her method once which consisted of holding the deck in the left hand and kind of shaking a few cards at a time to the right hand until the whole deck is used up. Definitely easier on the cards but I never liked it much and don't think it randomized the cards well.