rubyalison
In several of the books I have looked at, they say to cut a tarot deck with your left hand? Why? What does it matter which hand I use to cut?
Thank you in advance for any insight.
Thank you in advance for any insight.
Why the left hand?
Deacon76
If I recall correctly, this stems from the belief of the left hand being more "feminine" and therefore more receptive. Since you're receiving information, apparently that's the one you use to cut the cards. If that fits in with your belief system, awesome. If not, pretty sure you'll be okay cutting them however you see fit 
As a side note, when I first started reading tarot I too went along with the "cut with the left hand" suggestion. In fact I still do it out of habit, even though I'm right-hand dominant. This has carried over to shuffling and cutting regular playing cards, which raised a few eyebrows at the family gaming table, back before anyone knew I read cards as well as play them.
As a side note, when I first started reading tarot I too went along with the "cut with the left hand" suggestion. In fact I still do it out of habit, even though I'm right-hand dominant. This has carried over to shuffling and cutting regular playing cards, which raised a few eyebrows at the family gaming table, back before anyone knew I read cards as well as play them.
Theta Choir
I've also heard that the left hand is used because it's "closer to your heart".
Personally, I don't believe it matters what hand you use. The right hand is just fine. The left hand is fine. Highly dexterous feet are...kind of icky, but fine. Whatever works. There's really no single "right way" when it comes to tarot. Do what feels right to you.
On a side note, I don't even cut the deck in a traditional manner. I used to cut the deck into three stacks, and then re-stack it so that the middle section was on top. After I realized that's what I was doing, I now just shuffle the cards, and then -- while still holding them -- I just pull the middle section out of the deck and place it on top. It accomplishes the exact same thing.
Personally, I don't believe it matters what hand you use. The right hand is just fine. The left hand is fine. Highly dexterous feet are...kind of icky, but fine. Whatever works. There's really no single "right way" when it comes to tarot. Do what feels right to you.
On a side note, I don't even cut the deck in a traditional manner. I used to cut the deck into three stacks, and then re-stack it so that the middle section was on top. After I realized that's what I was doing, I now just shuffle the cards, and then -- while still holding them -- I just pull the middle section out of the deck and place it on top. It accomplishes the exact same thing.
VioletEye
i've read that the left hand is recommended because the left side of the body is controlled by the right side of the brain; the artistic, intuitive and creative side.
(i'm trying to remember who it was that wrote that, i can't remember!)
(i'm trying to remember who it was that wrote that, i can't remember!)
AJ
Doesn't matter what the books say
That said I shuffle and fan the cards, and then pick at random with my left hand because it is the non-dominate hand. Noreason..
That said I shuffle and fan the cards, and then pick at random with my left hand because it is the non-dominate hand. Noreason..
willowfox
It doesn't how its done.
Padma
A very long time ago, the left hand was associated with the Devil, lol! True story! I think it is just one of those "it makes it specially special and scary" things about the Tarot. Don't forget, when the so-called rules of tarot were actually recorded and written down, it was still a very religious and particularly Christian kind of world, and the cards were frowned upon by the church. And therefore those who practised the tarot, not being religiously inclined themselves, maybe, may have decided it was therefore a black art...this is all just imo, but I have read similar theories.
Could also just be one of those odd traditions that accompany things throughout the ages. Like cutting the pack into three, for some schools of thought, or fanning the cards and picking at random, for other schools of thought. Just habit for habit's sake, cause the first person who wrote about it decided that was how it should be...lol!
Could also just be one of those odd traditions that accompany things throughout the ages. Like cutting the pack into three, for some schools of thought, or fanning the cards and picking at random, for other schools of thought. Just habit for habit's sake, cause the first person who wrote about it decided that was how it should be...lol!
Richard
What I've always heard is that the receptive hand is the non-dominant one, so it may vary from person to person. I tend to think that the left-hand cutting has to do with the right cerebral hemisphere, as VioletEye suggested.
Sinister and dexter are Latin for left and right, respectively. Even in Latin, sinister has a secondary meaning of awkward, wrong, or perverse.
Sinister and dexter are Latin for left and right, respectively. Even in Latin, sinister has a secondary meaning of awkward, wrong, or perverse.
Thirteen
It's the logic vs. intuition element. Most people are right-handed and thus, their right hand is in control, steady, etc. The hand of "logic" and the light. It's why seating a person at "your right hand" is considered a place of honor. It means you trust that person--they are on the side of order, and control. The left hand is viewed as being out of your control, unknown, a chaotic wild card that can't be trusted to do what you want it to do. So it is the hand of intuition and magic, of the unexpected. The moon side as compared to the sun side.
That you can't control it means that magical energy can flow through it more freely and the truth can come out, unchecked, as it were.
Which is all to say: the books are still clinging to the right-handed prejudice of the past. However, as we are more enlightened in the here and now and most of us readers live in places where we no longer force left-handers to use the right hand, the rule really should be to use the non-dominate hand. Which is why I always tell my sitters that if they are right handed to cut with the left, and left handed to cut with the right.
That you can't control it means that magical energy can flow through it more freely and the truth can come out, unchecked, as it were.
Which is all to say: the books are still clinging to the right-handed prejudice of the past. However, as we are more enlightened in the here and now
and most of us readers live in places where we no longer force left-handers to use the right hand, the rule really should be to use the non-dominate hand. Which is why I always tell my sitters that if they are right handed to cut with the left, and left handed to cut with the right.nisaba
Doesn't much matter. I cut with whatever hand the cards happen to be in.
The left hand is associated with the past and with the feminine. The right hand is associated with the future and the masculine.
Do this.
Clasp your hands together loosely, with the fingers interwoven. Look at them.
The hand that has its thumb ON TOP of the other thumb, is your magically projective hand, whilst the hand with its thumb UNDER the other thumb is your magically receptive hand. All hands can project and all hands can receive, but you'll find that the differencves in energy-work have to do with the natural thumb-position, which in only about half of all people relate to whether you're left-handed or right-handed.
Presumably, when we do a Tarot reading, we want to RECEIVE information. So it makes sense to use the hand whose thumb was below the other one.
