Cleansing and consecrating a tarot deck?

Question

I bought it used. Should I just use it like it is, or do something to get rid of any energies the last owner may have left in it?

My Christian husband is completely creeped out that I own a used tarot deck ("you don't know where that's been, or what it's done" like a deck of cards can kill somebody)

Thanks, Ian, but that's not the kind of cleansing I meant.

Answer 1

Yes, you should purify them. First, put them in their proper order, major arcana on top, then wands, cups, swords, pentacles. Then wrap them in a natural fiber cloth -- generally white cotton is the easiest to find, but if you have white silk, all the better. Now place them on your altar, light some incense, and meditate on purity, cleansing, all the various ways to say that. Now pick up the cards in the cloth and pass them through the smoke three times from right to left. Now take them out of the cloth, hold them with both your hands cupped around them and pass them through the smoke three times again from right to left.

When you do your first reading, turn off all artificial lights and use only candles. Shuffle them a total of 13 times, one for each sephiroth and the last three for the maiden, the mother and the crone. Use the Fool for the significator the first time, and read for the deck itself. That is, as if you were reading for a person, but the "client" is the deck itself. If the reading is inauspicious, repeat the purification (washing the cloth in between) the next night and try again.

If you get three inauspicious readings in a row, burn them and buy a new deck.

Answer 2

Hello Revolutionary

There is no set routine for cleansing a deck, often what is done is done out of superstition.

As long as you feel drawn to the deck, that is the most important thing.

Shuffling the deck will get your energies imprinted upon it. Before using the deck or after another has shuffled them separate the deck into 2 - 3 piles, more if you wish card by card. Doing this places what i teach & call 'Putting Chaos' back into the deck. It seperates the old energy or question, creating a new, clean, random deck.

Tell hubby that the tarot are simply 78 peices of laminated paper - their ability to give guidance & insight comes from the intent & clarity of mind of the user.

Join my group if you want to practice or get stuck with them.

Pam

Answer 3

After disinfecting each card using your method of choice (but not one that would chemically alter the images or integrity of the deck), I suggest a purification & dedication ritual. Certainly an energetic cleansing in sun/moonlight and with crystals won't hurt either. After using crystals, they can be cleansed by running cool water over them.

Purify the deck with each of the 4 elements using consecrated salt, water, incense and a candle flame. Sprinkle salt, then a bit of the water, pass the deck through the incense and then the flame. When this has been done, tell the deck what you wish it to do for you. For example: "Help me to see clearly and tell me only the truth." Keep your deck wrapped in a natural fiber cloth and only use it for readings as it is now one of your magical tools.
Hope this helps.

Answer 4

You can use crystals to cleans the deck or lay the deck in the sun. That will charge and purify it. I keep certain crystals in the bag that I keep my Tarot in and I also lay them in the sunlight. It works great for me. There are also rituals that you can do to charge and cleanse an object. I am definatly not a Christian, but I happen to agree with your husband. You shouldn't use the deck until it has been properly cleansed. t the very least you won't get a proper reading.

Answer 5

I'd say to smudge some sage around them, as it has cleansing properties, then to say a prayer over them and leave them in bright sunlight for an hour or two. That should help get rid of any negative energies that may have accumulated.

Answer 6

Well, if the previous owner had some sort of disease or something, perhaps it could kill somebody.

If the cards are plastic-laminated, I'd suggest a dilute bleach solution.

Answer 7

You could try grounding them, that's what electricians do.