Can You Touch Someone Else’S Tarot Cards? Best 177 Answer

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Tips on why and how to clean tarot cards.

While shuffling the tarot deck is a way to cleanse and clear the energy of the cards, there are times when you might want to do something more specific and ritualized. Maybe you’re just starting out in learning tarot, and cleaning up your deck seems like a good place to start.

There are many reasons you might want to clean up your tarot deck, including:

Start with a new deck

do readings for others

You feel like you need a refresher

Your card readings feel “off” or a little disconnected

You haven’t used your deck for a while

Others have handled your deck

You feel like you’ve used your deck A LOT – especially for emotionally heavy readings

Why should you clean or tidy up your tarot deck?

Clearing your tarot deck can allow the energy to flow between you and your deck. Think of it as a little spiritual hygiene to keep the connection clear and well-tuned. It’s nothing you have to do, but if you’re feeling any of the above feelings, explore a few different ways to energetically clear your deck (see below) and note which ones work best for you.

How often should you clean your tarot deck?

There are no hard and fast rules here, which is another way of saying USE YOUR INTUITION. If you feel like your deck doesn’t need it, don’t worry. Or if you want to clean them once a week or once a month, great. You can even put your favorite crystal on the terrace every evening if you see fit.

If you regularly add crystals to your deck and place your deck on an altar when you’re not using it, you might not feel the need to clean it often, as this little ritual can be enough to keep your deck feeling good.

Just as there are many reasons you might want to clean up your cards, there are many ways to do it.

Different ways to cleanse your tarot deck

Use holy smoke. Light a smoke purification stick made from dried rosemary, lavender, cedar, sage, or palo santo until it smokes. With the burning herbs in one hand and the deck in the other, hold the smoke a safe distance below the deck so the smoke billows up toward the cards. Turn the deck so all sides are enveloped in smoke. Then lay down your deck and safely stop the smoke.

Place a selenite stone (or black tourmaline or clear quartz) on the deck. I like to leave it overnight, but an hour is fine.

Put them on at new moon. The new moon is bare slate energy, you can clean the deck under the new moon by placing it on a windowsill on a new moon night. You can also set a new intent for your deck at this point.

Glue the cards in a bowl of salt. Salt is a powerful and grounding cleanser. This is my go-to option for a serious clean. Leave it in a dry place for 1-8 hours (watch out for moisture!)

Chaotic mixing. Put the cards on the ground and shuffle them like a kid playing in the mud. The randomness and freedom of this method is a great reset.

The sorting and shuffling. Lay the deck out in rows of 7 cards wide, starting with the Major Arcana numbers 0-22 (see photo above). Then lay out the cards from ace to king for each suit in this order: Wands, Cups, Swords, Coins. View the deck in this form, then shuffle everything (like the chaos!) and shuffle well.

Read More: How to Shuffle Tarot Cards (Plus Jumper Cards).

How to clean tarot cards

There is no right or wrong way to clean your deck. Experiment and find what works for you. Some cleaning methods may work better for different situations. If you are interested in learning more about reading tarot intuitively, sign up to be on the waitlist for my Tarot Foundations course.

You can also book a tarot reading or tarot tutoring with me.

Yesterday I went to my friend Tarra’s place for butternut squash curry tacos and talk about cephalopods – you know how to do that – and the conversation quickly turned to yesterday when I went to my friend Tarra’s place for butternut squash curry- Tacos and talk of cephalopods went – you know how to do it – and the conversation quickly turned to tarot cards. If you know Tarra, you know that the talk usually revolves around tarot cards. Since the days of slumber parties in seventh grade, she’s flipping cards and running to the quick check at 2 a.m. Seventeen years later, their deck is as strong as ever. And yet I was confused when I brought out a new deck of ancient Italian tarot (Happy Mother’s Day Mom!) and she told me she could teach me how to clean tarot cards.

what to do now

So it seems you want to learn how to clean tarot cards before you get a new deck, or if you have an old one, or if you give someone else a new or old one. In fact, cleaning, blessing, or activating your cards is especially good practice when gifted to someone else. “Traditionally, tarot cards are given away,” says Tarra. “Cleaning the cards and performing a protection ritual on them before giving them to a new owner will neutralize any strange energies they’ve gathered along the way.”

There is this myth – I repeat, myth – that buying your own deck of tarot cards is bad luck. And I guess it would be really rude of me to give my mother a damn. So after dinner Tarra provided me with a royal blue mesh bag full of goodies, wisely shared her method of cleaning, and then I immediately forgot every word of it until we touched the base again this morning.

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Well, there are many ways one can cleanse a deck, and I’m not here to question the method of other hardcore tarot card readers. This is something that has just given us a lot of strong readings. For example, all of Tarra’s premonitions that I would dance with the Knight of Coins were true.

So today I’m sharing with you the purification ritual passed down by the great psychics of our home country aka Red Bank, New Jersey where they filmed Clerks.

How to clean tarot cards in four easy steps

1. Meditate

Just take a minute to relax and clear your mind of all thoughts. I’m notoriously bad at not letting fear race through my head at breakneck speed, and if you suck at that too, we have a simple meditation guide that should help you. Just try not to neglect this step if you can.

“When you give the cards to a loved one, by meditating with them, put your good intentions and energies into the cards to ensure helpful and accurate future readings,” says Tarra.

2. Burn sage and pass each card through the smoke

It’s not uncommon to burn sage when we want to give our home a cleansing cleanse, for example when washing the linens isn’t enough to ward off the energy of your recent breakup. So, same offer here! As you burn or smudge the sage, guide each card through the Palo Santo smoke and turn them over, allowing ample time to enjoy the art. You probably paid more than $20 for these things, you might as well.

3. Wrap the cards with bay leaves

What? It’s not like you’re using them for cooking. Bay leaves are useful herbs when it comes to divination, essentially they are said to ward off evil. Bookend your cards with the laurel leaves and they should be safe from the ex (and other monsters!) who made you make your whole damn house the sage.

4. And finally put a crystal on it for protection

Tarra gave me a piece of black tourmaline, which is a really interesting choice. Black tourmaline absorbs negative energy and transforms it into something harmless. It also allows you to see situations clearly and objectively away from bad influences and helps you respond more compassionately. All of this sounds useful when it comes to divination, but there are other crystals for protection to look at if your local occult shop is out of black tourmaline. Oh, again?

Once your ritual is over, the tarot cards should be in top form for foreshadowing. Happy flipping!

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There are no hard and fast rules as to whether or when you should receive a tarot reading. Many people like to get one to mark important events (think birthdays, breakups, New Year’s Eve, etc.). However, I have been a tarot reader for over 25 years and I have found the points below to be perfect for letting you know when it is a good time to consult the cards… and when I don’t think the tarot that is answer (because yes, tarot is not always the answer!).

Try a Tarot Reading If…

You make a decision

Tarot works wonders when you have multiple options and no clear winner. For example, you can draw a card to represent each option and then think about how this new information about the possible options makes you feel. Another option: draw a tarot card to represent the principle you should use to navigate this crossroads. Just be clear about what your decision is about and what your options are before you start reading – and if you get a reading from a professional you can tell your tarot reader all about it for some clarity and to reach direction.

You feel stuck

Tarot can be a guiding light in the fog of confusion when you can’t see your next move clearly. Get a tarot reading to clarify specific steps that will get you out of this mess and get you back on track. Ask your tarot reader to draw a card to focus on the root cause of ~why you are stuck~ and ask what you should do next.

You are making a big change in life

It’s always a good idea to get as much information as possible about what might lie ahead (opportunities, obstacles, and surprises). Informed = prepared. When receiving a tarot reading, always ask for guidance on your own mindset and approach. Let the tarot inform you not only of what is to come, but also how to deal with what lies ahead.

You feel ~thoughtful~

Tarot can provide a glowing mirror to reveal who you were, are and will be. It can place your story in a larger context and extract life lessons, wisdom and self-awareness. One of my favorite readings is my “Life Stories Tarot Reading” – people love, love, love when their life is told like a story.

The story goes on

You need inspiration

We all need a little help sometimes when we are brainstorming ideas. Whatever you are considering, Tarot will bring an external lens to your situation. Ask your reader to use the cards to give you new ideas wherever you stagnate. Tarot always has ideas!

DO NOT get a tarot reading if…

You *just* had a tarot reading

I recommend taking a break of at least three months between professional tarot readings UNLESS the reading is about a completely different and specific question. Let things change and move forward before returning to the maps.

They want a re-do

I see a lot of people trying to ~chase the right answer~. People go to multiple tarot readers or ask the same tarot reader the same question multiple times until they get the answer they want to hear (which, by the law of averages, they eventually do). It’s kind of pointless!

Your question relates to someone else

If your entire questioning relates to another person and their thoughts and behaviors (like what your ex is up to), then a tarot reading is not the answer. Tarot is meant to give you insights about *yourself*, not other people. (A better idea: Reflect and revise your question — for example, seek advice on how to move forward with your breakup.)

You are seeking medical advice

Simply put, the cards are not suitable as a diagnostic or treatment tool for physical or mental health problems. Some things are best left to medical professionals, not tarot professionals!

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Alone at the table, you shuffle your cards and focus your intention. You’ve sat down to lay a blanket for yourself but can’t take your mind off the person you’re romantically interested in, or that annoying neighbor you want to move, or that rival co-worker who is ready for the same job. They think how easy it would be to just draw a card or two to get a little glimpse of that person, and they could never be the wiser.

Each reader must define their own ethical boundaries, and there are many nuances and layers to this question.

So, is it wrong to take a reading (aka a third-party reading) on ​​someone without that person’s knowledge or permission? Well, each reader must define their own ethical boundaries, and there are many nuances and layers to this question.

What is a Third Party Tarot Reading?

First, let’s clarify the difference between a third-party read and a third-party read that is indirectly part of another person’s read (let’s call this an indirect read).

A third-party reading is a reading that occurs without the subject’s knowledge or permission.

An indirect reading is when someone is indirectly involved in another’s reading because of their relationship to the querent (the person being read for). For example, if someone asks, “What do I need to know about my relationship with my partner?” The “partner” in question inevitably becomes part of this reading—it cannot be avoided. However, the reading should focus solely on the questioner and their response to the relationship – not the partner’s perspectives or actions.

Are third-party metrics unethical?

It depends on who you ask, but for me and my personal code of ethics, the answer is yes – it’s wrong to intentionally publish a spread about a specific person without their knowledge or permission. And, most likely, reading someone’s cards without their knowledge (and therefore without their input) will lead to completely inaccurate conclusions.

Ask yourself why you want to secretly read another person

I believe that in many cases, behind the temptation to give someone a spread without their knowledge, there is a desire for control or an edge over that other person. Not cool in my opinion.

Tarot is not an exact science, nor does it predict the future. It is a tool to show possible paths based on the querent’s actions. Spreading a spread without their knowledge is all about you and your desires, not providing insight or guidance to the person you’re reading for.

Spreading a spread without their knowledge is all about you and your desires, not providing insight or guidance to the person you’re reading for.

Are you wondering how accurate it could possibly be to read to someone who isn’t attending the reading—or isn’t even aware of it? In this case, you would be reading in a vacuum – relying 100% on your own perception (right or wrong) of that person, with no input from them. Any bias you have for or against that person will feed into your interpretation of the cards.

The fortune teller, engraving around 1718

Let’s take a look at some reasons one reader might have to poke around in another’s private lives.

Read new people in your life

I once read on a tarot forum that a reader wanted to lay out a card for a person they had just met in order to “get to know” them. In my opinion, this falls short in one-to-one communication – trying to get a glimpse of another’s inner self without doing the work of building trust and friendship.

Human relationships are delicate and fragile things. We reveal ourselves and our experiences to others when we gain trust in them. If we wanted everyone to know everything about us when they first met, we would all carry copies of our life stories around with us, like a résumé for a possible friendship. Even those of us who claim to be open books still have some secrets about ourselves.

Reading about celebrities or other famous people

Before the internet and the 24-hour news cycle, celebrities were called “stars.” Stars are beautiful, shiny and unattainable things. We can admire their splendor from afar. If we were to encounter an astronomical star up close, we’d likely be disappointed to learn that it’s just a glowing ball of gas with not much real substance.

Celebrities (including actors and musicians) are just people whose job it is to sell tickets or products by entertaining us. Just because they post pictures of their lunch on Instagram doesn’t mean we have an open invitation into their whole lives. They are human beings who have the same right to their own private inner world as the rest of us. While it may be tempting to know what triggers your fan infatuation, ask yourself: Even if you could accurately read someone you’ve never met, would you really want to know? And why do you think you have a right to this information?

Reading your love interest

When you read about love and relationships, there will inevitably be a third part of this equation. However, your exploration should be limited to the part that relates directly to you. It’s okay to ask, “What do I need to know about my relationship with…?” But you probably shouldn’t ask, “What is this other person’s deepest secret?”

Reading the Crystal, 1910 from the NYPL Digital Collection

It’s okay to ask, “What do I need to know about my relationship with…?” But you probably shouldn’t ask, “What is this other person’s deepest secret?”

Good relationship reading should help you decide what actions you need to take to achieve your relationship goals. The “getting to know her” part is both the hard work and the joy of relationships. Don’t try to compromise for the benefit or control of your love interest. And if that’s your goal, then that should tell you a lot about why your relationships aren’t going the way you want them to.

read family members

I once did readings for an animal rescue organization. It’s been a very long night, and reading for several people at once is very tiring. As the night wore on I sometimes forgot the part of my introduction where I told people (especially those who have never had a reading) that I don’t answer legal or medical questions. See my code of ethics.

That evening I got so many questions about health. Most concerned the questioner’s own health, but one person asked about a loved one. It was clear they were worried about their loved one and they were very disappointed when I declined. In this case, I believe the questioner had only love, concern, and the best of intentions behind their question, but I just couldn’t (and wouldn’t) do it. I was simply setting out my policy on answering medical questions and answering another question. But it’s really a bigger, philosophical problem: another person’s secrets may or may not be revealed to them if and when they are ready. And yes, that includes your children, parents, and siblings.

… revealing another person’s secrets—or not—when and if they’re ready.

When my father was diagnosed with cancer, he knew his diagnosis long before he told the family. He was still physically fit when he organized a family reunion. There were no outward signs of what was going on inside his body. We ate and laughed and drank cocktails – and yet I knew something was wrong. It was a full year before he revealed his illness. In the meantime, I stayed out of his head and the cards when it came to what I felt was a problem in my gut. It was his story to tell – and he told it when he was ready.

But what about the bad guys?

Debates on this topic often come to people claiming that they want to do third-party covert tarot readings because, “I want to know if my partner is cheating on me!” or “I think this person is hurting someone else!” or “I’m pretty sure they talk shit about me behind my back.” etc.

My response to these arguments is, “Check with yourself first.”

The spread you set for each of the example dilemmas above should relate to you and the actions you take. Ask yourself how would the outcome of the reading affect whether you take action or not? Should it? Do you use reading to get the courage to do something you already know you should or as an excuse not to do it? Chances are you already have an inkling that something is wrong and action is needed. Read our post How to Get the Best Tarot Reading Ever! to learn more about the motivation behind the questions we ask during a tarot reading.

Intuition vs. Psychic Espionage

Most intuitive or empathic people have a knack for reading people. We pick up on subtle cues like body language, voice inflection, and word choice. But there are times when an intuitive’s skills extend far beyond mere observation. I can’t count the number of times someone close to me has said, “Get out of my head!” A common scenario is that I’m sitting quietly with a loved one and a random thought pops into my head — seemingly out of the blue. And when I speak that thought, the person says, “That’s what I was just thinking!” That’s intuition.

Psychic espionage, on the other hand, is when you intentionally focus your energies on poking around in another person’s mind. And that’s not okay with me. I consider it a Golden Rule situation – I don’t want anyone intruding on my thoughts, so I don’t go around doing it to others.

I consider it a Golden Rule situation – I don’t want anyone intruding on my thoughts, so I don’t go around doing it to others.

Is it ever okay?

Yes. Roughly. I think it’s okay to include an absent third party in a reading only if it relates to the person being read for (whether that’s a client, a friend sitting across from you, or yourself). In fact, most spreads contain references to other people in the querent’s life. For example, if you’re doing a love or relationship reading, you can’t help but have a third party involved – absent or present. But to be clear, this third party is not the focus of the reading. You’re just a supporting character.

Third-Party Ethical Readings

In the example above, a person (the questioner) specifically and with their knowledge asked you to do a love or relationship reading for them. In the course of the reading there will be references to the other party. But the reading should focus on the relationship with the questioner.

As a tarot card reader, you must always focus on the person being read to – whether they are sitting across from you, meeting with you via video chat, being read via email or otherwise.

So what if the cards indicate that the absent third party (i.e. the querent’s love interest) has some issues? You need to focus on how these issues might affect the querent rather than using them as a window into the other person. For example, instead of saying, “The cards indicate that the person you are interested in has experienced great loss and trauma and has trust issues,” you could say, “The cards indicate that you are likely to care a little more make an effort to earn that person’s trust.”

What do you want to learn?

Do you have questions about witchcraft, divination or other metaphysical topics? Let us know in the comments, tag us on social media or email us.

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For centuries, reading tarot cards has been a way for people to connect with their intentions and deepen their intuition. Many people are drawn to the Tarot for the insights it can offer, but how do you get started? Katelan Foisy, a Chicago-based writer, artist, and occultist, has read tarot professionally and privately for years. She knows better than anyone that reading tarot can be intimidating at first, and she has some advice for the best experience.

Get to know your tarot cards

Because the process of tarot reading is very individual, it is important to have a deck that you feel connected to. “Look for the deck that’s talking to you. Don’t look at the decks that are really popular.” Katelan says even when you’re shopping online, try to look at each deck more closely to see what feels right to you. “Look at how they’re drawn, how they’re built” to find a deck that resonates. She says that more than once she’s bought or received a deck that was nice but didn’t quite work for her. Katelan says that if you want accurate tarot readings, you can’t force it. “It pays to find the deck that’s right for you.”

When receiving a tarot deck for the first time, it is important to make sure you are prepared for it. Energy is a big part of the Tarot and you want to make sure that you are clearing the cards of other people’s energy while you adjust to it yourself. Katelan says that when you get a new deck, you should take some time to look through the cards and take the pictures. “Make sure you mix them really well; You can take some incense to get rid of any energy [from other people]. I wrap all my cards in towels and then sleep with them under my pillow for three days. You’re going to get some really weird dreams during this time, but it aligns your energy with the cards.”

Courtesy of Katelan Foisy, photo by Seth Kushner

When it comes to deciding where to read your tarot cards, Katelan says it should be where you’re most comfortable. When she reads maps professionally, she does so at a table, and the Bronx Botanica, where she used to practice, had a table in a sanctuary, but her personal setting is less formal. “I always sit on the floor. I have these antique trays and I like to draw cards onto the trays when I’m doing a three card run. If I do a full stretch, I do it on the couch or on the floor.”

Katelan also recommends learning more about the history of tarot reading to feel more connected and grounded in the practice. She points to his roots in Roma culture and in the Jewish tenements of New York in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. “With the history of divination and card reading and tea reading and all that, you will always find that when wars were going on, when things were happening, there was often a strong interest. Now, in the pandemic, people are looking for answers and meaning in their own lives.”

How do I start reading tarot?

There is no one right way to read tarot cards. Everything from the questions you ask, your approach, your interpretation and even the number of cards you draw is up to you. Katelan says it’s more helpful if you don’t ask a yes or no question. “You’re going to want to ask a question that goes deeper. “Where are my blocks? What can I do to release these blockages? What is the best course of action to live my best life and align with my higher self?’”

The number of cards you draw depends on what you want to achieve. You could start by simply drawing one card per day to receive a message for that day’s energy and intentions. You could draw three cards for a past, present, future spread. For a more complete read, you could draw a Celtic Cross, a ten-point card that captures your current moment and the factors surrounding it. Katelan says this spread “gives you the core issue, which is the basis of the matter, the people you are surrounded by, and gives you insight into your dreams and fears about it.”

When it comes to reading the cards yourself, Katelan says you should have a website or book reference handy to look for individual meanings. The cards are divided into two categories: the major arcana and the minor arcana. The major arcana cards mostly show archetypal themes like the jester, the devil, the lover or the priestess, while the minor arcana cards are the ones that appear in suits of “pips”: the swords, coins (or pentagrams), cups and wands. Katelan says, “The Great Mysteries are mostly about the psyche, so it’s about whatever you think, the changes that are taking place around you.” The minor arcana are mundane and denote the outer problems that surround you . The coins or pentacles signify issues of family, money, or stability. Cups are associated with emotions and relationships (“or anything else you feel emotional about”). Wands are about taking action. And swords? “People get really scared when they see a lot of swords spreading, but swords are communication. It can be action-oriented, but it’s usually a mental conflict. If anyone thinks too much, you can guarantee the spread will be full of swords.

Katelan says everyone reads their spreads differently, but a common way is to start with the majors first. “Let me first focus on what I’m going through internally, and then look to the minors to see the day-to-day actions I need to take or watch out for.”

Courtesy of Katelan Foisy

She says that Tarot can be thought of as a small town in and of itself. “The majors are the places you would go to get more knowledge. Suppose you get the High Priestess; it indicates that you need to focus on your own intuition, focus on the greater mysteries. If you really feel something, maybe take a few days to see if the feeling is still there. Say you’re coming to The Lovers. It’s a decision you must make.” The Lovers card signifies that you are confronted with leaving behind an aspect of your life to make room for something new. The minor arcana can help inform these greater insights. “Suppose you get a minor as a result [in this three-card spread]. Let’s say it’s the ten of coins. So you have the High Priestess asking you to look at all the facts, to take a few days to think about it, to follow your intuition. You have The Lovers, so when you make that choice, you leave behind one aspect of your life, and then the ten of coins leads into stability.”

You can also look at your spread as a whole, like a landscape, and derive meaning from the interactions between cards. Katelan says that the way the cards “interact” with each other in the spread can also give you information when reading tarot. “When there are figures on the cards, are they facing each other or away from each other? This indicates whether you are getting closer or farther away from yourself or your goals. For example, when you are thinking about changing jobs and going to an interview. When two cards face each other in their spread, they think of you or you would be well received. If they are turned away from each other, that might not suit you.”

Katelan describes how she used the combined meanings of the cards to find direction. She said at one point in her life she found that the Three of Cups were guiding her to spend more time with her friends. “I’d been through a lot of really turbulent relationships at that time in my life. When I saw the three of cups along with two female cards I thought they were two queens, that was a sign that I needed to focus on my relationships with women.”

Trust your instincts and your interpretation

Tarot is deeply subjective; Reading the cards requires you to bring your own perspective and interpretation to the meaning of each card. Tarot reading is only as useful as the knowledge and intuition you bring with you, which is why Katelan suggests you spend a lot of time with your cards. “One of the things people want to do, especially if they’ve never worked with a deck before, is just spend some time with them. They have so much symbolism.” She says one way to get to know your deck is to look at just one or two cards a day, take note of the symbology of each one, and write down what you think their meaning is. “Then look them up online or in a book and see if they match. Often you will pick things up.”

Looking up the meaning of each card is vital to reading, but also the ability to think about how the meanings apply to your own life. As a beginner, it can be confusing when you ask your deck about the blocks you’re experiencing and you get a card like The Star. “You might say, ‘How’s the Star card, a really good card, my pad?’ And that might mean that the person is always just looking at the future hope of things but never taking any action to make them a reality .” Ditto if you see a more troubling card like The Devil in your future. Katelan says there’s no need to worry about the evil lurking. “The Devil card would be associated with Capricorn energy, so right now you are entering the need to get out of your head and take action as a Capricorn would work on something. Concentrate on your goals. The main thing is to look at many of these interpretations and see how they fit into your life.”

Courtesy of Katelan Foisy, photo by Seth Kushner

No panic!

Like The Devil, there are a few other cards that might startle someone on their first tarot reading. You might be concerned about the possibility of picking a “scary” card, but Katelan says these cards mean less danger and are more likely to show you areas of your life that need nurturing or places where change is about to happen.

“The Death card, the Devil card, the Three of Swords, the Ten of Swords, the Eight of Swords, the Nine of Swords, the Five of Coins… People really get worried when they see these. The Five of Coins, for example, is two people shivering outside in the snow in front of a lit church.” She says this is the wounded healer card, meaning you’re spending too much energy trying to heal others when you should heal yourself. “Obviously, the devil card freaks people out, but it’s not necessarily bad.” She says the devil can point to a vice or an unhealthy area in your life, like a relationship or thought process. “Someone who thinks so much that he hesitates for hours because he is worried about something and doesn’t do it: the devil card would show up for that. It’s not necessarily something terrible.”

There’s one card that can be a little more disturbing, says Katelan. “The Tower map is rough I would say. it’s rough It’s always for the good of the person, but it usually indicates that something they either believed in or something they built is going to collapse. It says you’ll have that moment of truth, but it won’t feel good. But,” she says, “it won’t be forever either, and you will move forward. Sometimes it could just mean a big breakthrough. It’s not always super rough, but it can be.” Every year on her birthday, Katelan draws a card to read the energy of the year to come, and one year she knew she was going to draw The Tower before she even got the card turned. “It was the most turbulent year of my life,” she says. “After that, I understood why everything had to happen, but I didn’t expect to cry for a year.”

She says that when she draws one of the more difficult cards, her response is to draw more cards for more context and clarity. She tells a story about a client who got The Tower and knew it meant his marriage was falling apart. “We drew more cards and saw that this person’s career was about to take off, so it was good that everything was showing up now because it would have held them back. When The Tower appears, it often means that something is holding you back that you need to let go. You may not want it, but you have to for something better to emerge. That person eventually found a partner who was great for them.” She says that drawing more cards can also give you guidance on how to deal with it. Drawing other cards to inform The Tower is how she drew the Three of Cups, which pointed them to her friends. These supportive maps can help provide direction or guidance. For example, “When you get the Ace of Swords, it might tell you to keep a journal so it doesn’t get stuck in you.”

If you’re not ready for Tarot…

Not everyone is ready to commit to buying a tarot deck, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use the tarot lessons to set intention and clarity. “If someone doesn’t want to go full tarot, they can opt for oracle cards,” says Katelan. “They’re easy starters, and a lot of people like them because they give insight into what to focus on for the day.” She recommends the Rumi Oracle deck, which includes cards with poems and meditations for a daily message. To get to the point, Katelan illustrated an oracle card game called Sibyllen-Oraculum. “It gives you a core theme and can be very factual. It’s like your grandmother saying to you, “Yeah, you know what your problem is? That.’” If the images on some tarot cards are too intense for you, she recommends The Wayhome Tarot for its beautiful, soothing illustrations.

The principle of tarot reading is to look for symbols and apply them to life, which means you can tap into the same energy by seeing symbols show up to you throughout your day to day life. You can start looking up images that appear in your dreams and see if they give you any clue as to your circumstances. As your routine progresses, be aware of anything out of the ordinary. “A sign can be anything,” says Katelan. “It may be a rose that blooms in winter. You can look out for specific animals and look up their symbolism. I know if I need to be gentle with myself, I’ll see deer everywhere. When someone needs to occupies their time and restores their energy, they may see squirrels gathering nuts. If you’re worried about wealth, look out for local money. If you pick it up, thank the universe for your prosperity and suddenly you will start seeing more money. Things will change. It really focuses on your surroundings and changes the energy of that reality around you a bit.”

Regardless of your approach to tarot reading, Katelan’s parting message is simply don’t get frustrated when you’re first starting out. Like any discipline, tarot reading takes time and intention. Over time, you can start learning the cards and learning your likes, maybe even picking up a favorite card or two.

“The wheel of fortune has always been my favorite card,” she says. “I feel like it keeps me grounded because there will be times when everything is amazing and there will be times when everything is awful, so remember the wheel is turning.”

You can read about Katelan Foisy’s work on her website or view her art on Instagram. The decks Katelan illustrated with author Tayannah Lee McQuillar, The Sybils Oraculum and the Hoodoo Tarot Deck are both available now.

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Tips for connecting to your tarot cards for the first time or if you’ve had your deck for years.

Whether you haven’t picked up your deck in a while, have been hesitant to read anything yourself, feel “off” with the readings you’ve done, or just bought a new deck, feel comfortable with your connect or reconnect deck can be an effective exercise.

For tips on choosing your deck, see: Tarot Reading For Beginners: How To Start Tarot Reading Yourself.

Connecting to your tarot deck is an important part of being a good reader. But like any good relationship, you need to invest your attention, care and time.

How do I tell if I shouldn’t be working with a deck or if I just need to reconnect?

Short answer: you will probably have a gut feeling.

If you’re feeling bad about a deck or don’t know exactly how to use it to generate a good read, it’s either a.) your connection with the deck needs strengthening, or b.) it may not be right for you right now .

If you feel like you’re not relating to your tarot deck or don’t speak the same language, it’s possible that you and your deck aren’t destined for a serious LTR. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be a reader (there’s a deck out there for you if you want to learn, trust!).

BUT, there’s also a chance that you just need to invest a little time and effort to make the connection. Especially if you were initially attracted to your deck.

Some decks let you use some things and not others. You’ll most likely find a core deck to do the majority of your magic with, but you can ask others for assistance, clarification, or fun. I love collecting decks, they are beautiful pieces of art! And I like to look to them when I want to shake things up or do a certain type of reading, but I do all my professional readings and teach on my original ride-or-die deck.

All of this is to say that it’s great to experiment with decks and try a bunch. When choosing your first deck, do your research, look at the pictures, and decide on the one that gives you a spark.

Here are a few different steps to reconnect to your deck. I lay them out in the order I would do them, but please feel free to follow your intuition and make this exercise your own.

How to connect to your tarot cards

Step 1: Clean your deck.

You can do this in a variety of ways – using sacred smoke, crystals, the moon, salt, or by mixing. Read more about cleaning your deck here.

Step 2: Set an Intent.

Hold your cards in your hands and take a moment to breathe. Then think about what intention you want to set for your practice with them. It can be a word, a sentence or a feeling. This may be a time when you call on any guides or spirits you are comfortable working with to assist you or open your channel to divine guidance that is in your highest and best interest.

Step 3: Mix well.

Shuffling is a form of cleansing the energy within the deck. It also generates the random system that channels the guidance we seek from the deck. The randomness that shuffling creates is exactly why we can access a whole new perspective from the cards – we break with pure rationality and lean into the unknown. Read: How to Shuffle Tarot Cards.

Step 4: Perform a connection distribution.

Spend some time doing a tarot reading that speaks specifically to your deck – to feel each other, gain new insights, and yes, connect.

KNOW YOUR TAROT DECK SPREAD

what should i know about you your strengths? your limitations? What kind of relationship can we have with each other? What work should we do together? What card can just be my teacher? How can I go deeper with this map?

Step 5: Decide how you want to store your deck.

Create a ritual to put away your deck. You may have a box to keep it in, a special scarf to wrap it in, a crystal to place on top, or an altar to place it on when not in use. Deciding on this little routine is a way to take care of, acknowledge, and thank your deck at the end of each session or day.

Bonus Tarot Binding Practices:

The big picture. Lay the deck out in rows of 7 cards wide, starting with the Major Arcana numbers 0-22. Then lay out the cards from ace to king for each suit in this order: Wands, Cups, Swords, Coins. Check out the deck in this form and really take it in. Then mix everything and mix well.

Choose a leader. Select a card based on appearance and/or known meaning to be your guide and anchor to connect with your deck and intuition. Journal with this card and all the ideas, feelings and questions it raises for you. Meditate with it. Notice how it shows up both in your tarot practice and in daily life (also journal these results!). Put this card on your altar when not working with your deck. You can do this for a week or a lunar cycle and then choose another.

Sleep with your deck under your pillow. If you can get comfortable, you can connect to the cards in your unconscious time.

And remember that building a relationship and connection with your deck takes time. And like any relationship, it changes over time as you grow and learn.

Read more about tarot:

Get a reading with Leah.

The best thing about the Tarot is that you can honestly ask these cards A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G. There is no question too remote for the tarot – and better yet, there is no judgement. There is literally no limit to the problems Tarot can help you solve and understand. As a tarot reader, I personally avoid questions about health (I believe these are better answered by a medical professional) but embrace any other topic. The answers are all already out there, waiting – you just have to access them. If you’re using Tarot to help you make important moves in your life — or just helping you figure out which TV series to binge watch next — here’s how.

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But first, why would you want to see a professional reader?

When you’re first learning the meaning of the cards and practicing making spreads, it’s a good idea to get some professional reading. A professional tarot reader gives you an outside perspective—plus you can watch how it’s done and maybe get a few tips.

Over the years of conducting professional readings for clients around the world, I’ve found common questions: Everyone wants to know if they’re on the right track and if they’re doing what they’re supposed to be doing. Everyone doubts that their life is going as it should. By the way, this Saturn return is REAL! Around the age of 30, those doubts and self-inquiries really start to surface, and I read a lot of readings for people about their careers and purpose at that age.

Everyone is also obsessed with their relationships — overthinking things, projecting their private and past fears onto other people, and idealizing people they shouldn’t. Even when all other components in your life are in overdrive, when your relationship landscape is challenging or empty, it’s hard to feel secure and valued.

Since Tarot is the product of 500 years of humans shaping these universal card meanings, it is a collective repository of human wisdom.

What if I do my own tarot reading?

The hardest part about reading tarot is learning how to create a full, well-rounded reading from a scatter of individual cards. The cards are greater than the sum of their parts, and learning how to interpret them takes time and practice. There is also a unique magic that YOU bring to the process, as no one’s interpretation will be the same as anyone else’s. You can stare at the cards, take notes, and look them up for as long as you like – but at some point you’ll need to combine their meanings into a coherent answer or story for your questioner. This is why tarot reading requires so much practice and perseverance.

Questions for a Tarot Reader

Many people go to tarot readers and just say NOTHING, as if testing the tarot reader’s ability to see if they can guess the question you want to know the answer to. But would you go to a doctor or other professional and pay them money to try and guess what your problem is without giving them any information about your symptoms or concerns? It’s a waste of time, and it’s possible to completely miss what you’re trying to find out.

Not all tarot readers (like me) are psychic or clairvoyant, so they can’t read you ~cold~. Give your reader a brief synopsis of where you are and what you want to know so they can tailor their reading to you. Treat your tarot reader like any professional – tell them what you need and what your expectations are. This way you’ll get a more specific answer – and it’s worth your money!

How to formulate questions for the tarot cards

Whether you’re seeing an expert or reading your own maps, take a few minutes to think about what exactly it is you want to know. Then follow these steps:

Break your questions up into smaller pieces

Generally, an in-depth tarot reading involves at least three cards. If you’re reading your own maps, break your main question into three or more smaller parts that add up to a rounded answer. Arrange your spread in chronological or logical order. In this way, the cards form a path that you can “walk”. When you see a tarot reader, this thought process can also help you know exactly what you want to know.

Think about the past and the future

A common tarot deck is the past/present/future deck, in which three cards are drawn to represent the past, present, and future. Many other spreads are variations on this basic format, with additional cards giving further insight into your situation. With spreads like this, consider what actions got you where you are now, what your past might be the root cause fueling your current situation, and what steps you need to take next. Finally, think about what follow-up actions or further thoughts you might have once you know the answer to your main question.

Make your questions specific

The narrower your individual questions, the easier it will be to answer them – whether reading your own maps or consulting a professional reader. Tarot cards often have multiple, sometimes abstract, meanings, making them difficult enough to relate to your question. If your question is already multi-layered, it just adds another layer of confusion. For example, don’t ask, “What are her true feelings and will this make her want to get back in touch with me?” Instead, break that into two separate questions and draw a card for each: “What are her true feelings for me?” and then “Will you contact me again?”

You can ask WHEN something will happen

Don’t be afraid of when questions! The cards all have time periods or limits associated with them, so it’s okay to ask questions like, “When will you get in touch with me again?” Your tarot reader or tarot book will have more details, but each of the four colors tied to a period. Wands indicate days or spring, swords indicate weeks or autumn, goblets indicate months or summer, and pentagrams indicate years or winter.

Think carefully before asking a yes or no question

Tarot can be used for yes or no questions BUT it is not as simple as it might first seem. Sure, the question structure is simple, but none of the cards specifically mean “yes” or “no,” so the cards can be difficult to interpret. And TBH, you’re probably already struggling to interpret this situation, which is why you ended up asking the tarot! You could overcome this by pre-selecting two cards and deciding which represent “Yes” (perhaps the Ace of Wands) and which represent “No” (perhaps the Ten of Swords), then shuffle those two cards and draw one or the other .

It’s also okay to NOT ask any questions

If you want to know something specific, please ask! But sometimes you don’t know what you’re looking for and you just want to see what the cards reveal. If so, tell your reader a little bit about your own background (like your relationship status, job, home, and any burning issues) and say that you would like to be inspired or updated on your current life.

Questions for your tarot pad

After a breakup

If you recently broke up with someone and want to learn more about why — or find out if you’re getting back together — draw a card for each of these questions:

What is the current energy of the relationship?

What is the root cause of the breakup?

What are your true feelings for me right now?

What are you going to do with me now?

What is the future nature of this relationship?

What is the best move for me now?

When looking for a job

If you are feeling uncertain about your career path or considering a new job, you can lay out this page and see what kind of career advice the Tarot can offer. Again, draw one card for each question.

What is my current career energy?

What obstacle do I have to overcome?

What is my professional calling?

How do I get closer to this calling?

Who can help me?

What is the best step for me in the coming month?

When deciding between two options

When you use the tarot to choose between two options (two job offers, two apartments, maybe a love triangle???) this card can reveal the pros and cons of each choice and help you make the right choice. You get the deal: ask one question per card.

What is the underlying cause of this crossing?

What is the most likely outcome for Option A?

What is the most likely outcome for Option B?

What else should I pay attention to that was overlooked?

What is my next best step today?

When something is wrong with a friend

If you’re concerned about the state of a friendship—perhaps you feel things aren’t right but can’t figure out why—you can see the insights and corrections this spread reveals. Yes, again: ask one question per card.

Why is this friendship important?

What is the root cause of this recent shift in tone?

What do I think has changed?

What can I do to fix this problem?

How will this friendship develop from here?

What should I do now?

Kerry Ward TarotBella Kerry Ward aka Tarotbella is a tarot columnist and creator of The Good Karma Tarot (a worldwide sold-out book perfect for beginners) and The Crystal Magic Tarot (out October 2022, a deck about using Manifestation vs Predict Tarot).

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Reading tarot cards can be fun and enlightening, and if you’re looking for answers about your love life, maybe the cards can tell you. Finding love can be a tricky and unpredictable process. So if you want a little guidance, maybe it’s time to turn to the cards.

It is important to know how to ask the tarot cards questions about love. Asking questions openly is the best way to start. Start with “Why”, “Where”, “Which”, “What” or “How” and you will probably automatically have an open-ended question.

If you leave questions unanswered, you can read the cards in a more meaningful and useful way. Most people also advise against asking “yes” or “no” questions – obtaining such specific answers is not the goal of tarot. Rather, you want useful insights and spiritual guidance that will actually help you take charge of your own life.

Many people ask the cards about their love life when the opportunity presents itself. It’s regular reading, and alongside some answers on where your love life is going, you might also get advice on how to proceed. Here are some questions to get you started.

What parts of myself do I need to work on to have a balanced relationship?

It’s the age old love advice – to love someone, you must first love yourself. Sometimes we’re not ready for love until we’ve worked on a little self-improvement, but that in itself can be a tricky process. It can be difficult to know where to start. The cards can help you identify the parts of yourself that need a little nurturing to be ready for a balanced, healthy relationship.

What is the reason I am preventing myself from new love coming into my life?

Sometimes you feel like you’ve met the perfect person – but there’s just something missing. This could be a product of your inner self not allowing you to let new love in. So why are we doing this? Well, there’s no easy answer, and it’s different for everyone. But if you ask the cards, they might be able to give you some insight as to why you’re so reluctant to let anyone in.

Perhaps the cards can help you understand why you are struggling to let in new love.

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What is the most important lesson I need to learn from my breakup?

Most of us have been through a breakup. And we know how messy they can be. At the time of the breakup, it can seem like you just learned how much you loved the person and how sad you are that they left. But every relationship can teach us something, good or bad, and if you’re having trouble identifying that lesson, the cards can help.

What would be a good type of date with my crush?

Deciding what to do on the first date can be one of the worst parts of dating. There are so many options – miniature golf, a walk in the park or the classic dinner and a movie. But there could be a specific type of date that will benefit you and your potential partner in ways only the cards can know.

What are my strengths when it comes to relationships?

As humans, it can be easy to jump to self-criticism and focus on our negative traits. But an important part of being a good partner is knowing what you bring to the table — maybe you’re a great communicator, or you’re an empath attuned to your partner’s emotions. Realizing what that strength is so you can remind yourself in times of doubt that you’re good at it can be a huge benefit in your love life.

If you feel stuck in your love life, a tarot reading may be the way to go!

What does the universe want me to know about my love life?

Sometimes it can help to ask more general questions – you may get answers you weren’t expecting. If the universe is trying to tell you something specific about your love life, the cards can help you find that out.

How is my love life going?

This is probably the question we all want to ask ourselves when the opportunity presents itself. Whether you’ve just got out of a relationship or have been single for years and ready for love, it can be tempting to know what’s next and how much longer you have to wait. If the maps can help you answer that question, then they certainly will.

What new activities/hobbies could lead me to my next love interest?

Taking up new hobbies can be good for many reasons, but one of those reasons could be that you might meet someone new. If you feel like trying something new, like a cooking or art class, maybe the cards can give you a little guidance on what to try that could lead you to love.

Why am I holding on to this relationship/crush?

Letting go of our love interests can be extremely hard, whether it’s someone you’re actually in a relationship with or someone you have a crush on. If you’re having a hard time letting go, no matter how much you want to, maybe it’s time to ask the cards for some insight. Hopefully the answer will help you understand why you are holding on so tightly and what you can do to let go.

What type of personality should I avoid in love and relationships?

You won’t be compatible with everyone – if you were, finding love would be a lot easier. But if you find that incompatibility is a recurring problem in your love life, maybe there’s a certain personality type that you don’t realize you need to avoid. Ask the cards for guidance on what type of personality to avoid to save time in the future.

Where is this relationship going?

It’s a question people usually shy away from asking their partners, but putting the cards could be a little easier. Whether you’re struggling to decide if you want the relationship to last or you’re desperate for it to last, some helpful pointers for the future are always welcome.

An important part of the Tarot is to gain insight into your future.

What blocks are there in my relationship?

Relationships aren’t meant to be 100% easy, and every couple goes through periods of tension and questioning. But if you believe the relationship is meant to last and you don’t want to throw in the towel, maybe it’s time to do some work and figure out what could be preventing your relationship from thriving.

How can I become more confident when it comes to finding love?

The world of dating and looking for love can be a scary place. You may cancel before a first date because you’re too nervous, or ghost someone because you’re afraid they don’t really like you. Instilling a little confidence may give you the nudge you need to take the next step, and the cards can help with that.

How can I better support my partner?

Relationships are not a one-way street, and many of us know how it feels when your partner doesn’t support you the way they should. It’s important to be aware of this, and if you feel like you haven’t supported your partner enough or in the right way, ask for the cards.

How can I dress my target?

You can’t force love out of thin air, but you can actively try to attract the person you want to be with. There are different ways for different people to attract love, and if you should do something specific to attract your persona, let the cards tell you.

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Love is one of the driving forces in the world, which is why so many tarot card readings focus on it. Tarot can be overwhelming at first, with so many questions to ask and so much information to gather. These 15 questions are a good place to start, and you’ll likely come up with them over time.

To truly benefit from a tarot card reading, it is best to focus on yourself. Be open and always keep the intent of your questions in mind. Tarot cards are all about predicting the future. And if the cards are telling you something you don’t want to hear, that’s okay too – you can take or leave what feels right.

Depending on how familiar you are with the cards in a tarot deck, you can approach a yes-or-no reading in a number of ways. We’ll go through a step-by-step process a little later, but generally, this type of reading involves asking your question and drawing cards until a “yes,” “no,” or even “maybe” comes out clear from it.

Alexander tells mbg that she uses the deck’s aces (the ace of cups, wands, pentacles, and swords) to signal a yes, but if you have personal connections or intuitive feelings toward certain cards, your yes cards might become different be. As with any tarot reading, so much of it depends on your intuition, so you can be relatively flexible.

And while these spreads aren’t meant to give you the finer details, more like a simple yes or no, they’re still a great option when you’re looking for clarity on a specific topic.

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Tips for connecting to your tarot cards for the first time or if you’ve had your deck for years.

Whether you haven’t picked up your deck in a while, have been hesitant to read anything yourself, feel “off” with the readings you’ve done, or just bought a new deck, feel comfortable with your connect or reconnect deck can be an effective exercise.

For tips on choosing your deck, see: Tarot Reading For Beginners: How To Start Tarot Reading Yourself.

Connecting to your tarot deck is an important part of being a good reader. But like any good relationship, you need to invest your attention, care and time.

How do I tell if I shouldn’t be working with a deck or if I just need to reconnect?

Short answer: you will probably have a gut feeling.

If you’re feeling bad about a deck or don’t know exactly how to use it to generate a good read, it’s either a.) your connection with the deck needs strengthening, or b.) it may not be right for you right now .

If you feel like you’re not relating to your tarot deck or don’t speak the same language, it’s possible that you and your deck aren’t destined for a serious LTR. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be a reader (there’s a deck out there for you if you want to learn, trust!).

BUT, there’s also a chance that you just need to invest a little time and effort to make the connection. Especially if you were initially attracted to your deck.

Some decks let you use some things and not others. You’ll most likely find a core deck to do the majority of your magic with, but you can ask others for assistance, clarification, or fun. I love collecting decks, they are beautiful pieces of art! And I like to look to them when I want to shake things up or do a certain type of reading, but I do all my professional readings and teach on my original ride-or-die deck.

All of this is to say that it’s great to experiment with decks and try a bunch. When choosing your first deck, do your research, look at the pictures, and decide on the one that gives you a spark.

Here are a few different steps to reconnect to your deck. I lay them out in the order I would do them, but please feel free to follow your intuition and make this exercise your own.

How to connect to your tarot cards

Step 1: Clean your deck.

You can do this in a variety of ways – using sacred smoke, crystals, the moon, salt, or by mixing. Read more about cleaning your deck here.

Step 2: Set an Intent.

Hold your cards in your hands and take a moment to breathe. Then think about what intention you want to set for your practice with them. It can be a word, a sentence or a feeling. This may be a time when you call on any guides or spirits you are comfortable working with to assist you or open your channel to divine guidance that is in your highest and best interest.

Step 3: Mix well.

Shuffling is a form of cleansing the energy within the deck. It also generates the random system that channels the guidance we seek from the deck. The randomness that shuffling creates is exactly why we can access a whole new perspective from the cards – we break with pure rationality and lean into the unknown. Read: How to Shuffle Tarot Cards.

Step 4: Perform a connection distribution.

Spend some time doing a tarot reading that speaks specifically to your deck – to feel each other, gain new insights, and yes, connect.

KNOW YOUR TAROT DECK SPREAD

what should i know about you your strengths? your limitations? What kind of relationship can we have with each other? What work should we do together? What card can just be my teacher? How can I go deeper with this map?

Step 5: Decide how you want to store your deck.

Create a ritual to put away your deck. You may have a box to keep it in, a special scarf to wrap it in, a crystal to place on top, or an altar to place it on when not in use. Deciding on this little routine is a way to take care of, acknowledge, and thank your deck at the end of each session or day.

Bonus Tarot Binding Practices:

The big picture. Lay the deck out in rows of 7 cards wide, starting with the Major Arcana numbers 0-22. Then lay out the cards from ace to king for each suit in this order: Wands, Cups, Swords, Coins. Check out the deck in this form and really take it in. Then mix everything and mix well.

Choose a leader. Select a card based on appearance and/or known meaning to be your guide and anchor to connect with your deck and intuition. Journal with this card and all the ideas, feelings and questions it raises for you. Meditate with it. Notice how it shows up both in your tarot practice and in daily life (also journal these results!). Put this card on your altar when not working with your deck. You can do this for a week or a lunar cycle and then choose another.

Sleep with your deck under your pillow. If you can get comfortable, you can connect to the cards in your unconscious time.

And remember that building a relationship and connection with your deck takes time. And like any relationship, it changes over time as you grow and learn.

Read more about tarot:

Get a reading with Leah.

Is there a correct way to shuffle tarot cards?

Short answer: “There is literally no right or wrong way,” explains astrologer and tarot reader Bess Matassa. She explains that as the tarot has evolved over the years, more intuitive approaches to reading that emphasize guiding with feeling have become popular. So nowadays there are many ways to mix – and all are valid. “My advice on mixing,” says Matassa, “is to forget the preciousness in favor of pulsations. Just feel the weight of the cards in your hands and navigate by touch and/or sight if you want to keep your eyes peeled while shuffling.” That being said, if you’re someone craving a more regimented shuffling approach, here’s one few to try.

3 ways to shuffle and “cut” your deck.

Before you shuffle, it’s a good idea to energetically cleanse your deck. (You can do this by either knocking on your deck like a door while stating your intent, or smearing your deck with dried sage.) Once your deck is clear and your intent is set, you can begin shuffling.

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1. Overhand shuffle

Often seen before your standard deck, this shuffling technique consists of simply placing the deck in one hand and moving a section of the cards to the other hand at a time until the entire deck has been redistributed and shuffled.

2. Shuffle batch

This is a favorite of Matassa’s for its intuitive approach; You can try shuffling your cards in a deck. “Drop them on the floor and spread them like finger paint,” she explains. Shuffle them and match them back together for a freshly shuffled deck.

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3. Riffle shuffle

Another common deck shuffle, gun shuffling, involves “cutting” the deck in half and fanning the ends together until they intertwine. You can get fancy and also try to build a bridge if you feel like it.

How Long Should You Shuffle Tarot Cards?

While poker players will tell you that the correct number of shuffles to get a truly random deck is seven, there really is no right or wrong with tarot: one good shuffle may seem like enough. It’s really about using the time before you draw a card to reflect on why you reached for the deck that day. Once you’ve done that, you’re ready to delve into the wonderful world of 78 cards, each with its own important lesson.