So you have your new tarot deck and want to start using it as soon as possible.
Now what to do next?
Before asking any questions and getting acquainted with a new tarot deck, most (if not all) tarot readers and diviners recommend cleansing and/or charging the new deck prior to use.
Cleansing a tarot deck can include but limited by the following means:
- Smoke (e.g. sage, palo santo, incense, etc.)
- Energy/reiki
- Sound
- Crystals
- Salt
- Sunlight and/or moonlight
If you’re unfamiliar with cleansing a tarot deck or are looking for new ideas, Divination and Fortune Telling has the details on how to cleanse and clear a tarot deck.
Now that you have your new tarot deck ready for readings, what do you ask first?
There’s different ways to diving right into a new tarot deck; some readers start by asking a simple question; others may do a quick and easy reading to calibrate the tarot deck and other tarot readers might want to get a feel of how the cards interact by doing a larger tarot spread such as a tableau-style spread or Celtic Cross spread.
Below are a six questions that you can ask your new tarot deck to help become more acquainted with the energy, style and feel of the tarot deck.
These questions can be asked individually, shuffling the deck each time before asking the question or you can mix and match to create your own tarot spread by using the questions below.
Questions to Ask Your New Tarot Deck
1. The Quick & Dirty Introduction
Ask your tarot deck to introduce itself.
Shuffle in your normal fashion, making sure to really mix up the cards as they are usually in order when they’re first opened so it often requires mixing and shuffling the cards in order to get a better odd of random selection.
Draw one card from the deck in your usual manner or however you feel inclined.
The card that you draw from the deck is your introduction and “Hello” from the deck.
This card can be interpreted in different ways such as:
- How the deck will be read
- The deck’s relationship to you
- The deck’s reflection of you
- The energy or style of the deck
If the card resonates with you, then it can mean that the deck is “synced” with you and has made a connection.
Take this as a sign that even if in the future, the cards don’t make sense immediately, it will mean that the card selection is correct, however you may not be able to interpret them at that time.
2. What kind of readings is this deck best for?
Some tarot decks are best for certain readings than other kinds of readings.
It’s not uncommon for tarot readers to have specific decks that are only used for e.g. relationship readings or spiritual readings.
The most common type of tarot reading subjects are:
- Money
- Business / Career
- Work
- Sex / Fertility
- Relationships
- Love
- Spirituality
How can you determine what kind of reading the deck is best suited for?
This will depend on your intuition and you can draw as many or as few cards as you want, however no more than 3 would be ideally recommended.
The suit of the cards (if minor arcana) would give a clue as to the kind of readings the deck may be suited for.
Drawing three cards may give an idea of the type of readings the tarot deck would like to do, which could be more than one type of reading.
The suits of the minor arcana are often broken down in this way, but by no means is exhaustive or conclusive:
Cups – love / relationships / fertility / spirituality / family
Wands – sexuality / virility / initiatives / start-ups / relocation / travel
Swords – relationships or self in conflict / mental situations / mental health
Pentacles – work / money / career / business / ancestral / physical health
When the major arcana comes up in this type of question, it’s best to use your intuition and meanings of the card(s) to derive your own conclusions.
3. Can this new tarot deck be used for day-to-day problems / issues / situations or for more abstract / spiritual / analytical matters?
Some tarot decks are nitty gritty and down right practical and realistic to everyday kind of life problems and situations, while other tarot decks are more ethereal and want to speak about the intangible aspects of life and our psyches.
Not only is it optimal to know what kind of deck you’re working with, it can also help when reading for other people who may connect with a certain tarot deck better than other tarot decks.
If the person you’re reading for is more logical and practical, then having a deck that connects with that energy will be better than having a deck that wants to speak of and connect with angels, fairies, spirit guides, etc.
This is why it’s so important for every serious student of tarot and tarot reader to have at least two or more tarot decks for this and other reasons.
4. Ask the new tarot deck about your recent past.
This can be a good way to calibrate your new tarot deck and is similar to the method of working with pendulums.
When first working with a pendulum, the diviner asks questions that they themselves know the answer or that the querent knows the answer so that the diviner can calibrate the pendulum to assign what movement means “yes” and what movement means “no.”
By asking the new tarot deck about your recent past, you can attune yourself with the tarot deck and more easily connect with the selected card.
If you want to take it a step further, do a simple past / present / future tarot spread to see the similarities and connection.
This can be worked also to make a tarot spread: Yesterday / Today / Tomorrow and see the similarities and connections more quickly.
5. What does this new tarot deck want to tell me?
This question can help to get a feel of the “voice” of the tarot deck and how it “speaks.”
Some tarot decks can be straightforward and “blunt” while others may be more gentle and kinder.
Asking the new tarot deck to give a quick message with just one card can work as an introduction and get the ball rolling for longer readings.
Since this question is quite open-ended, it leaves for a lot of interpretation and searching for how the card applies to your life at that moment in time.
If you have a situation happening in your life or something that’s been on your mind lately, it will likely happen that the tarot deck will speak to you about that very situation.
6. Can this new tarot deck be used in tarot spells and / or tarot readings about spells?
Tarot is an excellent addition to spells and witchcraft to add energy and focus to spells.
To know more about tarot and spells, have a look at how to use tarot in witchcraft.
Tarot spreads can also be used to determine the success and outcome of spells and magickal workings.
However, not all tarot decks will be co-operative or want to work in this capacity.
Asking your new tarot deck if it’s equipped to work in tarot spells and/or tarot readings about spells and magick can be an ideal way to find out.
When using a tarot deck for magick or spells, it’s ideal to have only certain decks used for that purpose and not for other purposes such as readings for others.
If a tarot deck is intended for spells and magick, it should generally only be used for that purpose or in the very least for that purpose and readings for yourself as a personal tarot deck.
If you would like to still use that deck for doing tarot readings for others, it may be worthwhile buying a second copy of that tarot deck and using one of the decks for spells and the other for tarot readings.
However, if you’re in a financial pinch and can’t afford to get other tarot decks for the sole purpose of using in spell workings, it can be possible to be flexible and thoroughly cleanse, clear and charge the tarot deck after using it for spells and magick.
If using a tarot deck for magick or spells that has been used for readings, be sure to cleanse the deck for at least a day or two before using it for a spell and completely cleansing it after your spell is completed if planning to use it for tarot readings again.
To know more about tarot and witchcraft, get the free e-book and find out the uses of different tarot cards in spells and witchcraft here: Tarot Magick, Witchcraft & Tarot Spreads.
How do you get acquainted with a new tarot deck?
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