By Greyhound

I hear the following questions asked often... "How should I care for my deck?" "Do I need to put it in a special box with a crystal?" "How can I rid it of negative energy?" "Should I buy only new decks or is used OK?" "What if I don't have someone to give me my first deck?" "Is it OK if someone else touches my deck?" Many students new to Tarot ask these questions and they are all valid. Some of the myths surrounding Tarot cards keep people from starting to study Tarot in the first place, and that is so unfortunate.

Care and feeding of your Tarot Deck

The first thing to remember is that, while my cards are exceedingly precious to me, they are just pictures on paper. I mean no disrespect when I say that. Much of what people fear regarding Tarot is when they are attributed power they do not possess. I strongly believe that the magic of Tarot is within the reader, not the cards. So, to answer the question "How should I care for my cards?", I say... Any way it pleases you to do so. Don't leave them in harm's way, where maybe a toddler can get a hold of them and chew on the corners, but is it necessary to wrap them in white silk? Nawwww... Now, I do some of the following to care for my cards. After all I've said about them being pictures on paper, it may surprise you. I do sometimes have special bags, scarves or boxes for my cards. I do sometimes put a crystal in with my decks. I also have been known to put a little sandalwood oil on my hands before handling them. I do sometimes "smudge" with incense or white sage. Why do ya' suppose I would do these things given what I believe to be true about Tarot? I do these things because whatever ritual or habits I follow before, during and after a reading help me to center myself and focus on the reading, and afterward, to let it go and not stress about it. My rituals get me "in the mood" and tell my inner self that it's time to pay attention. The way I shuffle, or light candles or incense is simply my routine. There is nothing special about it and it wouldn't be wrong if I did nothing before or afterward. I love searching out neat boxes in antique stores... or finding a new silk scarf at the second hand shop. I enjoy putting sandalwood on my hands because I love the way the deck will smell next time I take it out of the box (please don't do this with un-laminated cards). You will develop your own personal routine and what works for you is absolutely the right thing to do.

New or used?

I have never been concerned about buying used cards. I have several decks in my collection that I purchased used. Buying used can be a great way to save money, especially if you're like me (tarotholic) and love to collect. If all things being equal, you have choice between used and new? I would buy new. Just the fact that cards get worn over time or some get lost... you have a better chance of getting a deck in good shape with no cards missing by buying new. But if there were a deck that is out of print or difficult to find, I wouldn't hesitate at all to buy used.

I have heard people say that they've bought decks that had negative energy attached to them and they've had to burn them. PLEASE don't burn an old Tarot deck! I do believe that our cards soak up some of our energy. I also believe that energy would dissipate after being away from us for awhile. Some people like to put the cards back in their original order (this can also be useful for making sure none are missing), or smudge with incense, but honestly... simply letting a used deck sit around your house for awhile would probably be sufficient to clear any negativity.

A related topic is the old wives tale "your first deck must be given to you". If I had waited for someone to give a deck to me, I'd still be waiting. It's perfectly acceptable to buy your own. I haven't experienced my "gift" decks working any better than the decks I bought for myself. (Although, I would be the first to say that getting a deck as a gift is really fun!) How sad, if someone is waiting for a deck to be gifted to them before they study Tarot!

Should I let someone else touch my cards?

This is very much a personal choice. I don't think either method is superior. I do most of my readings via chat or email, so it's a non-issue most of the time. When I have read for others in person, I usually have them shuffle the deck. Because of my experience with chat readings, I know that's not necessary to do that for the reading to be a good one. If someone is very sensitive to the energy of others, and has a hard time shaking hands, or greeting others with a hug, they might want to keep their tarot decks to themselves as well.

My whole immediate family knows of my love for Tarot, so when a new deck comes into our house, it's not uncommon for us to sit around passing cards from the new deck between us so we can all see them. Of course, I'm very comfortable with my family and if I had difficulty with them touching my cards, then what am I doing kissing and hugging them? My daughter loves Tarot as well, and has a few decks of her own. She dislikes others touching her cards and she does what is comfortable for her. Whatever choice you make about who touches your cards is the right one. A final note: It is good ettiquette to always ask for permission before touching someone else's cards.