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What To Do With Tarot Cards After A Reading

    Well, you bought your new tarot cards and started to learn how to read them. As you progress in your learning, it suddenly strikes you; what am I supposed to do with the cards in between readings? Do you throw them back in the box, let them lie on the table, or what?

    As a general rule, store your tarot cards in a box, bag, or cloth in between readings.  Treat your deck with dignity and place them near your reading area. Keep your deck clear from interfering energies by placing selenite and/or clear quartz on top of your deck.

    In this article, I share my rituals and recommendations. I also asked fellow peers for their take on this. Taking care of your cards between readings is as important as the readings themselves. Soon you know why, and best of all, know exactly what to do.

    WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR TAROT CARDS IN BETWEEN READINGS

    When you get in the habit of reading the cards, you start to create a ritual surrounding it. The ritual itself will get you in the mood for a reading, and warm up your intuition for the reading to come. This is an essential step in reading the tarot, and it’s something you perfect as you go. As you create your ritual, you recognize the importance of your reading area and where you store your cards. How you treat your cards in between readings will impact how accurate your readings will turn out. Yes, it’s true!

    WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR TAROT CARDS IN BETWEEN READINGS
    I always treat my decks with dignity and store them with care. I often let them clear and cleanse between readings by placing a crystal on top of the deck or box. This is my reading area near the window.

    HOW TO STORE YOUR TAROT CARDS

    It’s essential to treat your cards with dignity between readings. Even if you’re not into divination, it’s an integral part of the tarot reading ritual. If you treat your cards with respect and dignity, the readings will be more impactful. Imagine you pick the cards from a pile of stuff from the counter and randomly pull a card without a thought. The reading will not give you that much insight. 

    On the other hand, if you have a special place dedicated to tarot and store your deck in a beautiful wooden box, you will have a better chance of opening your heart and mind to receive messages. Everything is about getting into the mood before a reading.

    This is why the storage of your cards is so important. I use a wooden tarot box. Inside I put my favorite deck and some crystals. 

    I also use tarot bags or the box the cards came with when I purchased them for storage.

    Store the cards where you read or in very close vicinity. I keep my cards in my desk drawer (as I do readings online), on my reading table where I do my private readings, and one in my purse as I sometimes do readings on a whim out and about. 

    • In my desk drawer, I store my decks in bags with crystals
    • On my reading table in my wooden box with crystals
    • In my purse, in the box, the cards came alongside a bag of crystals.

    A DESIGNATED READING AREA

    It’s important to have a designated and “sacred” area for readings. It might be an altar, a table, or alike. This will help you get into the mood, and the ritual will help you gain better insights. If you treat your decks and the area with dignity, the readings will become more memorable. It’s like when I studied Art History and learned the importance of the museum as a ritual. The museum itself gets people in the mood for experiencing art; this is just the same.

    CLEARING CRYSTALS

    To keep your tarot deck clear from residual energies from readings and the surroundings, it’s beneficial to store your deck with crystals like selenite or clear quartz. If you had a heavy reading, you might even place a bowl of salt near your deck and reading area.

    CLEARING CRYSTALS
    I store my tarot deck in a wooden box along with crystals.
    CLEARING CRYSTALS
    Sometimes I store my deck in a tarot bag. I try to use bags with natural fibers as they don’t interfere with the vibrations of the crystals and cleared deck.
    CLEARING CRYSTALS
    You can store your tarot cards in the box they came with. I often place crystals on top for protection and charging.

    WANT TO LEARN MORE?

    What a tarot box is and how to use it.

    Go to Article

    WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR TAROT CARDS AFTER A READING

    After a reading it’s important to reset the cards for readings to come. During the readings, energies are at flow, and it’s beneficial to clear the deck. The easiest way is to know on the deck three times. Imagine how residual energies fall off like dust.

    There are other techniques as well. Placing a clearing crystal on top of the deck is a great way to clear it between readings. I often do a simple reset prayer. I hold my hand over the deck and imagine bright white light cleansing the deck from residual energies. 

    You don’t need to say any specific prayer, but I say (or think) something along these lines: “Bright light, reset the deck and remove residual energies. The deck is cleared and at peace.”

    PUTTING THE CARDS BACK IN THE DECK

    There are several ways you can do this. I often pick up the cards and place them on top of the deck. I shuffle it once and place it in the box, bag, or alike. I hold my hand over the deck and make a reset and clear prayer as above.

    INDIVIDUAL RITUALS

    As we all create individual rituals for readings, I asked fellow peers in a subReddit what they did to get a more nuanced insight.

    Many stated that they cut the deck in as many parts as the cards in the spread. If you, for example, did a three-card spread, you split the deck into three parts. They placed each card on top of each pile and then stacked them together.

    INDIVIDUAL RITUALS
    When you are finished with your reading, make as many piles as the spread. In this case, three stacks. Place each card in different stacks, turned face down. When done, pile everything and place the deck in a box, bag, or cloth.

    Most did what I do, reshuffle and place in a designated area. I noticed that just a few did what I did, a reset and clear prayer. This is the way I was taught to do, and it stuck with me. It makes sense to me as well. I find it unnecessary to let the energies from the reading linger until the next reading. Just get rid of it right away. 

    It's straightforward to do.
    This is how I hold my hand while performing the reset and clear prayer. It’s straightforward to do.

    IN SUMMARY

    We all create individual rituals when it comes to how we practice the tarot. Nothing is right, and nothing is wrong. To gain the best results, though, it’s a great idea to care for your cards and treat them with dignity. Even if you are not into divination, this practice helps you make your readings special, and you open your heart and mind to receive the messages. And that is what we use the tarot for, right?

    Store your tarot cards in a box, bag, or cloth in between readings. You can clear the deck with a simple reset and clear prayer or use crystals if you want to. 

    Keep your reading area neat. Decorate it in a way you love. This is your haven of calm in a world most often in chaos. Tarot is a gift of peace and guidance.

    Sandra Törnroth

    Intuitive multi-modal tarot reader with a love for crystals and everything esoteric

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    THE DEFINITIONS IN THIS ARTICLE ARE BASED ON THE RIDER WAITE DECK AND SYSTEM.

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