Retiring A Deck

[EmpyreanKnight]

You may have worked with a deck so many times that the actual cards have become decrepit, and the images may have become scratched and marked that it has become quite unusable. Or for various reasons, you may have decided that you shan't be working with a deck anymore in the future.

 

Anyway, what do you do with a deck after you chose to retire it? Do you put in a special place somewhere in your attic, burn it in a special ceremony, try to sell it if it still seems marketable, etc?

[Audelia]

Great topic EK! I'm so curious to read what other people do :)

 

For me, I only have one 'retired' deck, so to speak, and that is a very battered old copy of the Sharman-Caselli deck, which although was not my first tarot deck, was the first deck I used when I really started to take tarot seriously.

 

It's in bits now, but I can't bring myself to throw it out. Instead I have it stored carefully in a blue velvet pouch, wrapped in black silk with a little crystal to keep it company. Occasionally I take it out for memory's sake and it's never given me a vibe that it's unhappy. In fact I think it likes being treated like royalty :D

[EmpyreanKnight]

I like how respectful this sounds, Audelia. I haven't retired any of my decks since all of them are still very much active, but I guess this is how I'd do it too. :D

[Jewel]

I am not sure I have actually ever retired a deck, but for quite a few years the primary decks I used were the Robin Wood and Tarot of the Old Path and then I moved onto some other decks.  I placed these two decks in some very pretty wooden Tarot boxes I have sentimental attachments to the decks.  But I could see myself using these decks again if the urge strikes me but they are both still in very good and usable condition.

 

The only deck that could be considered showing wear from usage is my Faeries Oracle, and I did have a back for it at one time, but honestly I still use it just the way it is.  My connection to it is really strong and I cannot imagine ever retiring it not matter how beat up it may end up looking.

[tarottreat]

I've never had to get rid of a deck from wear, but I have grown apart from two decks before. Both times there was a person around me (in my classes) that wanted to learn tarot but didn't have a deck yet, so both times I gifted it to that person. I wasn't close to either of them so I'm not sure if they ever did pick up tarot, but it seemed like the easiest/best option. If they weren't around I probably would gifted them to one of my friends who reads already, though.

 

I don't think I could ever get rid of any of the decks I'm still close to either, even if they got very worn out.

[Saturn Celeste]

I don't retire my decks.  I have them to use on clients.  The only deck that I have put away in another room is the Giger Baphomet deck.  After I really embraced tarot, that deck is just too distracting and doesn't make sense to me.  I also feel uneasy with it around my 'working' cards.

[Magickjack]

I dont really get rid of anything so that would include my decks.  I have a certain box for decks I simply don't use but have never retired one.  Everynow and then I will get them out and try to use them and surprisingly brought a few back to life after a long time.  I have a few that look like they should be thrown away but I think it adds charm to them.  I think I would probably give them away to someone that may enjoy them.  But like I said, it's very difficult for me to get rid of anything. 

[PathWalker]

This is an interesting thread, and I was thinking about it just the other day, following on from reading the 'duplicate decks' thread.

I have multiple copies of one deck, and use it every day. The primary deck is showing it's age, and I had a sudden idea of what I would do with them if they became too decrepit to use.

In my garden I have a circle of grass, edged with old bricks, which is part of my active pagan worship space. I thought "You know, I could lay the cards in a huge circle, under the bricks, and they'd add their energy to my circle as they gradually dissolved back in the ground"

 

Not sure if I WOULD you understand - only that I could  :)

 

If I have a deck I just am not going to use but is in good condition I sell it or pass it on (ebay or charity shop)

 

PW 

[Chiska]

 

In my garden I have a circle of grass, edged with old bricks, which is part of my active pagan worship space. I thought "You know, I could lay the cards in a huge circle, under the bricks, and they'd add their energy to my circle as they gradually dissolved back in the ground"

 

PW

 

 

That would work for ones that weren't laminated to within an inch of their lives!

 

 

I just retired my 1959 Rider Waite deck.  It is in a lovely cigar box with its 1959 Pictorial Key book AND my tiny "World's Smallest Tarot."  I want to be able to take it out and look at it and enjoy it, but by retire I mean that it won't  be used for readings. 

[Saturn Celeste]

 

In my garden I have a circle of grass, edged with old bricks, which is part of my active pagan worship space. I thought "You know, I could lay the cards in a huge circle, under the bricks, and they'd add their energy to my circle as they gradually dissolved back in the ground"

 

That is a lovely thought, PathWalker!  Paper cards would work great for something like that but some of these newer heavily laminated cards would be like drink coasters on your path! lol

[AJ-ish/Sharyn]

I've never used a deck enough that it would become unusable, but I did buy a deck last years that ticked  me off enough to fling it in the burn barrel with unseemly vigor.

[EmpyreanKnight]

I've never used a deck enough that it would become unusable, but I did buy a deck last years that ticked  me off enough to fling it in the burn barrel with unseemly vigor.

 

And now you've got me curious as to what deck this is, and why it provoked such a violent reaction from ye.