Touch Not the Deck

Barleywine

Hmm, maybe I better not let sitters handle my cards because then I'd have to shoot them before they abscond with all that precious mystical, magical energy! }) Seriously, though, I seem to be the only one who's responded so far who thinks that it's a normal part of the process. I see it as a means of "querent engagement." If they don't want to shuffle, that's OK too; I'll still ask them to cut. If they refuse to do even that much, I'll ask them to move along and find another reader. I see it as evidence of bad faith and shallow intentions if someone doesn't even want to touch the cards. As I said elsewhere, I'm not a "wisdom dispensing machine" that you put a quarter in and pull the lever to get your fortune.
 

AnemoneRosie

My querents can engage in other ways - I mean, I still talk to them!
Because my cards don't have mystical, magical, energy I don't need querents to be touching them. It isn't a part of my belief system.
 

Madame Squee

Hmm, maybe I better not let sitters handle my cards because then I'd have to shoot them before they abscond with all that precious mystical, magical energy! }) Seriously, though, I seem to be the only one who's responded so far who thinks that it's a normal part of the process. I see it as a means of "querent engagement." If they don't want to shuffle, that's OK too; I'll still ask them to cut. If they refuse to do even that much, I'll ask them to move along and find another reader. I see it as evidence of bad faith and shallow intentions if someone doesn't even want to touch the cards. As I said elsewhere, I'm not a "wisdom dispensing machine" that you put a quarter in and pull the lever to get your fortune.

So, how do long-distance readings work then? Querents never touch the cards. Yet, they receive good and accurate readings. Maybe I'm not understanding how cards work. Mostly, I'm a collector, which explains my abhorrence of greasy hands, but I always thought the magic happens within the reader, which is facilitated by the cards.
 

Grizabella

You're welcome, Brandywine. :D

I let people touch my cards. I think getting the sitter's energy into the cards is a good thing. If I wanted a pristine, untouched deck, I'd just buy them and sit them on a shelf to be looked at from afar but never touched.

My Lenormand that I use most is the Gilded Reverie and I'm the one who shuffles, randomizes, and otherwise touches that particular deck, but that's mostly because I've only done online readings with them most of the time. I only shuffle them with an overhand shuffle and then between readings, I randomize the deck by dealing the cards all out into four separate piles to make sure they're mixed up thoroughly for the next reading.

No matter whether the client touches the cards or not, the cards are still speaking through me to the sitter but I still like in-person readings to include the client touching the cards.
 

Village Witch

I don't let other people handle my cards, because I would have to ask them to wash their hands first. I am very careful to wash thoroughly to cleanse any lotion or oil from my hands before I read. I've discovered over the years that some skin emollients can be very detrimental to cards. They can erode the finish and cause peeling, which I suppose is okay if a person is going for that ancient, destroyed look. :bugeyed::D

I never thought of lotion or oils marring the cards. I'm always applying hand lotion. Thanks for the heads up!

I am way too OCD to let anyone handle my decks. I hosted a meetup for my psychic group recently and expressed my displeasure when a member of the group picked up one of my decks. Excuse me!!!