How to Cleanse Your Tarot Deck

After a long tough day, there's nothing better than stepping into a scolding hot bath to sizzle away the last 10 hours of aches and pain, anxieties and stresses the working life can provide.

Or perhaps you prefer a cold shower at the start of the day to wake you up out of your previous 8 hours of slumber?

Whatever your method of removing negative energy and awakening new energy, we recognise the importance of cleansing ourselves... So we need to make sure we have the same care towards the energy that has been used in our tarot or oracle card decks!

Why do we need to cleanse our decks?

In my cosmetic brain, I like to imagine that each time you use our deck (for ourselves or others) you're clogging up the pores of your deck with this new energy. You need to give the deck a good spiritual exfoliation and cleanse in order for those pores to be free of the "make up" (previous readings energy) and not block your intuition from flowing through. 

Think about that I mentioned previously, after a long day our so many different feelings and emotions whizzing through your head, in order for you to loosen those emotions from your mind and body, you need to cleanse yourself- this can be done through ritual bathing (there will soon be a fresh ritual bathing blog post). The same is said for your decks- when you do a card reading, you are asking for a specific question to be clarified and understood. The cards are filled with the specific previous energy may be left stagnant and old and this can get in the way of your future readings. 

If we are using our cards often, there are so many kinds of energies being infused within the cards that can block your intuitive connection. Similarly, if you use your cards to help with the readings of others (like I do on a regular basis) then you need to ensure you are cleansing the deck each time to rid your deck of others energies. 

Disclaimer: You do not need to cleanse the deck every time you do a new reading for yourself, just whenever it feels right. However, when you had done a reading for someone else who has handled your cards, I would give it a good ol' spiritual clean. Not because your friend/client is gross, just because you want your intuition to flow through easy! Similarly, if it is a brand new deck which you haven't used yet- get it cleansed!

Methods of cleansing

1. Saining your deck

You may not have heard of this term before however you may recognise it under the Native American term of 'smudging'. Us at Witches on Wheels are careful not to culturally appropriate this term that is so sacred to the Native Americans and therefore adopt 'saining'. 'Saining' is the Scots word for blessing, protecting or consecrating- it comes from the Irish and Scottish Gaelic 'sun' which means 'protective charm'. With my partner being Scottish, it fits the Witches on Wheels life style more than the Native American 'smudging' but it is up to you what word you wish to adopt- perhaps you would just like the English term of 'cleansing'! 

Just like you may sain your home after an emotional vampire* has come for a draining visit, you can do the same with your deck. Ignite your herbal wand (more popular herbs for this are sage or palo Santo) and waft the smoke around the room and around the deck, letting this cleansing herbs smoke settle on your deck.

*Emotional vampire- one who comes to visit ones home, who may be a friend or perhaps just a turd you are struggling to cut ties with. They come and dump their emotional baggage on you, consistently dragging down your vibration and making you feel meh after their visit. Cleanse their energy away once they have vanished!!!

2. Under a full moon

Ow-ow-owwwwwww (my werewolf noise)! On the night of a full moon (look at our 2021 moon calendar) spread your deck out on a window sill so each card has access to the moon rays. The full moon is a potent time to release old energy within ourselves and any items in our possession! Be careful not to leave your cards outside though because if it is anything like Sheffield, England where you are, you may wake up to sad soppy, rained splashed cards that you can no longer use...

3. Crystal cleansing

Have your tarot cards in a cute little tarot bag paired up with some powerful crystals to cleanse the stagnant energy. Alternatively, you can have your deck placed on the side with one powerful crystal seated on top.

Great cleansing crystals:

Clear quartz

Clear quartz clusters

Carnelian

Citrine

4. Knocking on the deck

Now this may seem like a silly one- I always feel for my clients who look at me like "are you serious?" when I asked them to knock on the deck three times before the shuffling commences. It has become a little symbolic ritual for myself each time I do a reading. It echoes the idea of "waking up" the deck and making the cards aware that you are ready for your intuition to flow through!

5. Meditation and visualisation

Our minds are incredibly powerful. Sit cross legged with your cards spread in a horse shoe formation in front of you. Put some meditative music on and imagine a purging of the old energy of the deck! Not only will this add to the connection between you and your deck but it allows for you to feel the old energy wafting away and for your cards to feel crisp and brand new, ready for your next use.

I hope this blog post has been useful for you and please let me know which is your preferred method of cleansing your deck or if you have another way comment below!

Have a magical day, 

Lilibet Burrow x