But with every reading, your tarot deck accumulates more and more debris (physical and emotional), so you’ll want to be sure to cleanse it occasionally. Here, tarot experts explain how to do it. According to tarot reader and founder of Witchy Wellness Leah Vanderveldt, yes! She explains that doing so can lead to clearer and more accurate readings. “If you think of the tarot as a tool or channel for your intuition and spirit team to communicate to you, it makes sense that sometimes it might need a little refresh,” she notes, adding that a cleanse acts as a reset for both the deck and its reader. And as tarot reader and author of The Big Book of Tarot Readings Sam Magdaleno tells mbg, a good cleanse can also help clear previous energy and intention. If you were using your deck yesterday and were feeling sad, for example, you wouldn’t want that energy to hang around in your cards. “Even if you’re only doing readings for yourself, your energy is constantly changing,” she explains. When you do a reading with a cleansed deck, she says it will better reflect your current circumstances. (This is similar to why you’d want to cleanse your crystals after working with them.) In this case, Magdaleno and Vanderveldt agree, it’s a good idea to cleanse your deck afterward. Magdaleno says if you had friends over, this is also a good time to do a quick cleanse of your house, too. An energetic win-win! “Whether it’s for someone else, or yourself,” she says, “it’s always best to start with a cleanse to clear the cards for your reading.” The cards respond to your energy, as well as the energy around you, and the more you tune into what they might be holding on to, the more you’ll be able to tell when they need a cleanse. Vanderveldt likes using selenite in particular, as she notes it’s a cleansing crystal that’s also great for connecting to spirit guides. “It can help keep the energy of the deck both clear and connected,” she adds. Magdaleno is a fan of selenite and clear quartz as well and adds you can also choose a crystal that corresponds with the type of reading you’re doing. If you’re doing a relationship reading, for example, Magdaleno says you could reach for loving rose quartz. Vanderveldt’s herbal preference is lavender, as it’s ruled by Mercury, making it great for clear communication. Mugwort, Magdaleno adds, would also be a good choice, for it has cleansing and intuitive properties. Magdaleno says that taking your cards outside and fanning them in the fresh air can work wonders, “especially if you’re feeling stuck or stagnant with your readings.” It won’t take long, which is a good thing, as you don’t want to accidentally bleach your cards in the sun. Magdaleno adds you can also correspond your cleansing to the phase or sign that the moon is in to amplify your intention. “For example,” she explains, “if you’re doing a relationship reading, charge them on a Friday night, as Friday is ruled by Venus, or choose a day the moon is in a sign ruled by Venus (Libra or Taurus).” “If you’re getting to know a new deck or simply feeling disconnected from it, you can lay out the cards in order (starting with the Major Arcana and going through the suits) and then just mix the whole thing up in a chaotic way—like a kid playing in the mud,” she suggests. “Or you can simply do an extra thorough regular shuffle for a quick reboot.” Magdaleno recommends holding your deck between your hands, closing your eyes, and visualizing a white light—or whatever color feels cleansing to you—surrounding your deck and pulling old energy out of it. Vanderveldt suggests taking a few minutes to light a candle or create an intentional space, and holding the deck in your hands, stating your intention for it out loud. Magdaleno is also a fan of setting intentions with a verbal declaration. Before each reading, she says the intention of the reading—and what she’ll be pulling cards for—out loud as she shuffles the deck. “For example, as I shuffle my deck I’ll say out loud, ‘I’m doing a career reading for myself and will be pulling three cards that represent my career past, present, and future,” she explains. You can even do a tarot spread to help you expand on your intention, Vanderveldt adds. She recommends asking your deck questions like, How am I meant to work with this deck in this season? How can I best support my intention for this deck? What approach would be helpful? For this reason, Vanderveldt notes that it’s nice to keep your deck in a specific place, be it on an altar or a well-maintained shelf. “You can wrap it in a piece of fabric, place it in a box, or put a crystal over it,” she notes, adding, “I think putting it away intentionally after each use or at the end of the day is a nice way to care for it both energetically and physically.” And if you have a collection of decks, “definitely designate a space to store them,” she says, like a shelf, basket, or decorative box. If you’ve had a particular deck for a while, be sure to take it out from time to time, Magdaleno suggests, noting that keeping your decks in dark corners of bookshelves or drawers can lead to stagnant energy.
