regular readers, how often do you cleanse your deck?

[toby]

i've been entertaining the idea of doing some free readings in public (yes, i know we're in the middle of a pandemic, i've thought about safety precautions-- a topic for another time!) which brought me to this question. 

 

i was curious how often, exactly, do most readers cleanse their deck. if, for example, you are booked for a party and do, say, maybe nine or ten readings, would you wait until after the party was over to cleanse your deck? would you do a mini cleanse in-between sitters? after five people? alternatively, when do you know that you need to cleanse your deck? are some people's energy more "sticky" than others?

[katrinka]

I may be the exception here, but I don't think reading for people gets astral gunk all over the cards. As far as physical gunk goes, while I might let people cut or give the deck a tap with their finger, I don't let them shuffle. Most people are terrible shufflers and will damage your cards. And it isn't necessary - after all, readings by phone, email and Skype work without the client even being physically present to shuffle. 

I'm not totally without superstition, lol, and if a deck is acting weird, giving outrageous or absurd answers, I'll put the cards in order and reshuffle. That usually fixes it, and on the rare occasions that it doesn't, I've found that the outrageous and absurd IS the answer.  It's pretty rare that I find this necessary - I think the last time I did it was a couple of years ago.

In the end, it's an individual thing and some people may find it necessary to cleanse. In that case, putting the cards on a windowsill to catch sunlight or moonlight is an accepted method. So is wafting the cards through incense smoke. I know a lot of people are going to suggest smudging with sage or cedar, but please consider this before going that route: https://www.beautyindependent.com/native-americans-troubled-appropriation-commoditization-smudging/

 

Edited November 10, 2020 by katrinka

[Rodney]

In almost 30 years with tarot, I have never cleansed a deck. If I'm not going to be using it and/or regularly referring to it for some reason, I will put the cards back in order to make finding cards easier, but that's as close as I've come. I did have to wipe the film off the acetate cards of the Transparent Tarot, but that's not what you meant. And I have a vague memory about having to wipe off cards from a deck once, but that was 25+ years ago, so it's probably going to stay a vague memory.

[katrinka]

I never heard of "cleansing" until the 90's. None of the older books seem to mention it. I think it was cooked up to sell stuff. 🤣

[vague-whisperings]

I don't think I've ever cleansed a deck :0 what's it supposed to be like and also do? After I'm done with a deck, I usually reorder it by suits or match up the cards, but then my Normal deck will Not let me reorder it. Is that similar?

[stephanelli]

I haven't cleansed a deck either, not of the metaphysical energies anyway.  I have wiped physical dirt off cards with a clean slightly damp cloth.

 

But the important thing that I wanted to say, is that I believe that written people talk about cleansing their deck, or their deck feeling tired - I've realised it's not about the deck, it's about the readers mind.  The cards are just cardboard with pictures on it, it's our minds that turn it into something reasonable.  So to me, if the energy doesn't feel right, the first thing I will is to take a break and refresh my own mind - meditation, yoga, grounding exercises, a walk, just doing something that isn't reading the cards.

[ilweran]

I cleansed the first deck I bought second hand, never bothered since! Never really felt a need.

[katrinka]

4 hours ago, stephanelli said:

But the important thing that I wanted to say, is that I believe that written people talk about cleansing their deck, or their deck feeling tired - I've realised it's not about the deck, it's about the readers mind.  The cards are just cardboard with pictures on it, it's our minds that turn it into something reasonable.  

 

I agree, it's got to be totally psychological. 

But if someone creeped me out to the point that my cards felt contaminated somehow, I just wouldn't read for that person anymore!

[vulprix]

I reorder a deck if it’s not getting a lot of love or jiving with me. Then, it feels like a fresh start...and if it sits with me for a while, then I know it might need a new home! And it will be already ordered and ready for its new reader.

 

Sometimes I will place a quartz crystal or somesuch on top of a loose deck just as kind of an “anchor”—but I’d be lying if I said crystal associations meant nothing to me. 🙂 

 

Despite my superstitions, I have rarely felt an overwhelming need to cleanse a deck. I like cards with a bit of history clinging onto them. 🙂 

[Wyrdkiss]

When I read for multiple people in one sitting, I just take time for several things between querents:

 

- I thoroughly shuffle

 

- I take some deep breaths and let go of the previous experience, if that makes sense.

 

- Then I re-envision the circle / light around me and around the deck.

 

If busy I can do this and feel "ready" very quickly due to practice. but I don't rush if I feel off. Take breaks. Have a way to take your cash

compensation and deck to the restroom with you. Clear your head if need be.

 

Othewise, I don't really energetically cleanse them except put them over sage / smoke one at a time when I want to totally relax and feel witchy lol.

I have put them near an open window, air - out at the beach, etc as well. But again, all for me really, not for "them."

 

 Hope this helps.

 

 

[Luna]

17 hours ago, katrinka said:

I may be the exception here, but I don't think reading for people gets astral gunk all over the cards. As far as physical gunk goes, while I might let people cut or give the deck a tap with their finger, I don't let them shuffle. Most people are terrible shufflers and will damage your cards. And it isn't necessary - after all, readings by phone, email and Skype work without the client even being physically present to shuffle. 

I'm not totally without superstition, lol, and if a deck is acting weird, giving outrageous or absurd answers, I'll put the cards in order and reshuffle. That usually fixes it, and on the rare occasions that it doesn't, I've found that the outrageous and absurd IS the answer.  It's pretty rare that I find this necessary - I think the last time I did it was a couple of years ago.

In the end, it's an individual thing and some people may find it necessary to cleanse. In that case, putting the cards on a windowsill to catch sunlight or moonlight is an accepted method. So is wafting the cards through incense smoke. I know a lot of people are going to suggest smudging with sage or cedar, but please consider this before going that route: https://www.beautyindependent.com/native-americans-troubled-appropriation-commoditization-smudging/

 

 

 

I have to say that I agree with what Katrinka has posted above.  And, given that we are in the middle of a pandemic, maybe its better to not allow them to touch your deck at all, let alone shuffle it.  Generally, I do have my customers hold and shuffle the deck, but not until after they have used the hand sanitizer that I provide for them and use myself in between my customers.  However, in the midst of this epidemic, I think I'm going to take Katrinka's system and not even allow the customer to touch my cards at all anymore.

 

I also, like Katrinka, do not think a persons energy is absorbed into the cards--and I cannot stand the sageing and other scented ways people "cleanse"  their cards, (my allergies go crazy with that)--but I imagine if you feel it does require a 'cleansing', perhaps using cleansing crystals by putting them on top of the deck after each reading, or in the case of a party--when you are packing it all up to go home?  Clear Quartz, selenite, and pretty much any black crystal, (specifically hematite, jet, black tourmaline).  I generally carry some of these crystals with me when I am reading at the store--and set them out on top of my deck.  I am also another one, like Katrinka, that has the habit of shuffling my deck in between customers, numerous times and then putting them back into order, numerical order--and by suit, before putting it back into its box or bag.  When its  a bag, generally I also slip in one or more crystals as well--mentioned above.  

 

I do also like to take my deck that I've been reading with that week and sitting it on a table in front a window to absorb the moon light or sun light, which I feel is also cleansing.  There are lots of cleansing routines you can do-- getting a dish of salt, any salt will do, or you can invest in something like Himalayan Salt.  Just don't put your deck directly on top of the salt--perhaps have the salt in a dish next to the deck?  You can use ordinary salt, too.

Edited November 11, 2020 by Luna

[Guest]

Like others, here, I see the cards as tools. I’ve been criticised in the past for saying they are pasteboard, but that is what they are. It’s what we do with them that marks them as special. But that is no special to an artist’s brushes — which can sometimes be its own form of divination. 
 

Card cleansing is not something that worries me too much. My clients have never been allowed to touch my cards.  However, I do hold a belief that the cards can carry a shade from the ocular act of reading.  That, however, can be dealt with rather effectively and without much fuss on the job.  After reading, I always arrange my cards (coins, batons, cups, swords, trumps, fool). In between readings, I deal into stacks and shuffle again.

 

The only real issue comes if you use the cards in some form of Arte. After that, cleansing is a matter of course. 

 

To be honest, I am more concerned with cleanliness. The palm itself does not contain sebaceous glands; however, throughout the day, these oils are transferred to our hands. Each time you, or your clients, handle your cards, traces of both sweat, oil and skin and dirt debris will be transferred to the cards. Cornflower and salt sifted over the cards and left and a brush down works.