Reorganizing Cards?

[Shale]

Is it customary to re-order your cards after using them? I always feel compelled to do it, but it becomes such a hassle that I often skip readings altogether. Re-ordering them isn't even the main problem; it's shuffling for the next reading that really irritates me. I'll spend a nice chunk of time grounding, centering, and shuffling, only to pull four or five sequential Majors or Swords, and I know that the reading can't possibly be accurate because large sections of the suits are hanging out together and rolling their eyes at me. It's like trying to play Solitaire when all of the numbers are already in order.

I know that it's easy enough to say, "Just don't do it, if it bothers you," but like I said, it's almost a compulsion. Should I acknowledge it and deal with the inconvenience, or am I simply hung-up ritual? It's hard to tell from the inside.

I almost feel as though the energy from previous readings will stick around unless I organize the deck again. What do you think?

 

[Forensic]

Doing so makes me feel better but I have skipped it on occasion... but then I end up tweaking out and re-ordering them any. I just prefer them in order when I start... much more soothing to me.

 

[Grizabella]

I never re-order my cards. I don't see any reason to do that. I even forget to re-order them for trades, as people who have traded with me can vouch for, I'm sure.

Some people have fallen for the Tarot myth that you have to re-order them to get rid of negative energy or something. I'm not superstitious like that. Re-ordering cards takes a lot of time and energy, both physical and spiritual, that I'd rather spend on something else.

 

[Shale]

Some people have fallen for the Tarot myth that you have to re-order them to get rid of negative energy or something.

So there is such a superstition? I was wondering if my subconscious might have picked it up somewhere...

 

[rwcarter]

I reorder my cards if it's a used deck that I've bought and want to verify all the cards are there or if I know I'm not going to use the deck for awhile.

I've seen a stat somewhere on this forum that if you shuffle your cards 7 times, that's enough to completely randomize them. Don't know if that's true or not and haven't taken the time to put the theory to the test. But I shuffle my cards 21 times total (*shuffle 7x, cut into 3 stacks, reassemble; rep from * 2x) and haven't had that problem.

If you feel you must (for whatever reason) reorder the cards on a regular basis, then you can try incorporating the following into your method of shuffling the cards. Before you shuffle the first time, randomly deal the cards into 6 piles and then randomly assemble the piles together. Then shuffle as normal. Then if you get clumps of sequential cards, you'll know you were meant to get them.

Rodney

 

[clarity]

Think of all the time it would take!
I have reorganized cards before when i thought I would give them a bit of cleansing but I've found it doesn't really matter. So it's not something I care to do and I don't really think there's a need for it.
However I do shuffle well though and every now and then turn the cards all upright because I use reversals. Most importantly do what feels right for you.

 

[Dragon-Capricorn]

Rodney that's funny that you mention the thing about shuffling 7 times - for some reason I started shuffling 7 times, but wasn't sure why.

I don't reorganize cards - can't imagine taking the time! And it seems to me that I would be pulling the same cards over and over again. But ... who knows?

 

[rwcarter]

Rodney that's funny that you mention the thing about shuffling 7 times - for some reason I started shuffling 7 times, but wasn't sure why.

I'm pretty sure I read it in a book when I first started using tarot cards that one should shuffle 3x7 because it mirrored the numbering of the Major Arcana. (The World is card #21 in many decks.) I think I tried other methods too, but that one felt right, so it's the one I returned to and stuck with.

 

[Dragon-Capricorn]

Very interesting ... (shuffling 3x7) and it would, of course, give me more time to contemplate the question being asked. Very useful info, as usual Rodney.

 

[pippi]

Oh my goodness. I'd probably give up tarot reading if I had to reorganize the cards after each reading! The only time I put them in order is if I'm selling the deck, and want it to be nice and organized for the recipient. Or if I have purchased a used deck, and want to be sure all the cards are there (yes, I can just count them, but there could be one missing, and a duplicate of another.) Plus I like to look at the cards in order the first time I'm looking at a deck.

When I start out with a new deck, I shuffle it 13 times before doing a reading with it. I heard 11 times was enough to get it well integrated, but I like the number 13 better, so that's my personal ritual. 7 times just doesn't seem enough for me.

But I would never reorganize the cards after a reading. Good lord no. I hate the tedious process of sorting them and putting them in order.

You say you feel compelled to do this, but it often leads you to skip readings altogether because you dread the hassle of the extra shuffling. Maybe you can experiment for a week doing readings without reordering them. See how your readings go. By the end of the week, you'll either have a new ritual that you prefer (or rather lack thereof), or you'll know for sure that the reorganizing method is more comfortable to you.