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8 Ways to Cleanse Tarot Cards & When To Do It Download ArticleExplore this Article Sections 1 Different Ways to Cleanse a Tarot Deck 2 How often should you cleanse your tarot cards? 3 Why should you cleanse your tarot cards? What Does a “Bad Tarot Spread” Mean? + Show 1 more... - Show less... Other Sections Tips and Warnings Related Articles References Co-authored by Emily Christensen and Aly Rusciano
Last Updated: October 11, 2024 Fact Checked
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This article was co-authored by Emily Christensen and by wikiHow staff writer, Aly Rusciano. Emily Christensen is an award-winning Holistic Medicine Practitioner, Shamanic Spiritual Advisor, Reiki Master, and Founder of Rainbow Raaja and the internationally acclaimed "Rainbows Rising" Podcast based out of Southern California and Pierce County, Washington. Emily has over ten years of experience as a Massage Therapist and Shaman using life coaching, tarot cards, crystal therapy, light work (reiki, light codes, energy therapy), sound healing and shamanic healing. She received her Reiki Master training from the Hands on Healing Institute. Emily is also a certified Bodywork Therapist by the California Massage Therapy Council and an Ordained Shamanic Minister with the Universal Life Church. She specializes in one on one virtual sessions focused on personal transformation, spiritual ascension and self empowerment. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 75,462 times.
Tarot cards are a spiritually insightful way to catch a glimpse into your future, but did you know that every reading puts negative and positive energy into the cards? Cleansing your tarot cards can help balance their energies and give you a fresh slate to work with. In this article, we’ll teach you about the many ways you can cleanse a tarot deck and why it’s important. So, grab your cards and get ready to clear that energy!
Things You Should Know
Place your tarot deck on top of crystals or inside a singing bowl to cleanse it of negative energy and charge it with positivity. Crystals that have cleaning properties include selenite, black tourmaline and black obsidian.[1]X Expert Source Emily ChristensenSpiritual Advisor & Founder of Rainbow RaajaExpert Interview
Leave your tarot cards in sun or moonlight to draw out unwanted energies.
Meditate with your tarot deck or knock on the cards to quickly release trapped energy in between readings.
Steps
Section 1 of 3:
Different Ways to Cleanse a Tarot Deck
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1 Shuffling Sometimes a quickly sorting your cards can be enough to release trapped energy. Simply arrange the cards in the deck in order, starting with the Major Arcana. Look at the cards while you do this, recalling their special meanings. Then, start shuffling the cards until you feel like a new energy has entered them.
Try shuffling the deck 7 times to symbolize a spiritual awakening or revival.
Love tarot? Take this quiz to discover which tarot card truly matches your personality.
2 Breath Putting your energy onto the cards can help brush past energies away. Fan your deck of cards out in your hands. Take a deep breath, and start blowing over the fanned out cards. This method is great for a quick cleanse when the energy isn’t too heavy, but you want to start your reading with a clean slate.[2]XResearch source Advertisement
3 Knocking Energy can sometimes get stuck inside a tarot deck. Luckily, this is an easy fix! Simply knock or tap on the stacked deck 3 times while visualizing the trapped energy moving away from the deck.
4 Meditation Meditating can help you cleanse your spirit, and it can also help cleanse your tarot deck. Simply press the cards between your hands and close your eyes. Imagine a white or golden glow traveling from your body and into the cards. This visualization helps you and the cards be at peace.[3]XResearch source
Try this visualization meditation with the cards before each reading to set an intention for your practice.
5 Crystals Selenite, clear quartz, and amethyst are commonly used to cleanse tarot cards. Place the crystal on top of the deck or the deck on top of the crystal. The crystal will absorb the energy from the deck, purifying it of past intentions and connections.[4]XResearch source
Try storing your tarot cards with crystals to charge them with specific energies. For instance, you may store your cards with amethyst for a reading about reducing stress or use rose quartz to look into romantic interests.
Other crystal that helps clean negative energy include black tourmaline and black obsidian.
Black tourmaline is great for self-healing. Black obsidian is great for protection because it repels. [5]X Expert Source Emily ChristensenSpiritual Advisor & Founder of Rainbow RaajaExpert Interview
Make sure to cleanse your crystals after cleansing your deck, especially if you want them to channel a specific energy.[6]X Expert Source Emily ChristensenSpiritual Advisor & Founder of Rainbow RaajaExpert Interview
6 Moonlight The moon phases can positively alter the energy of your tarot cards and reading. Each phase of the moon cultivates energy specific to certain moods or aspirations. Leave your deck under the moonlight outside or in a windowsill overnight to charge and cleanse. Cleanse your cards during the moon phase that matches the intentions of your next reading:[7]XResearch source
New moon: Reflection
Waxing moon: Motivation
Full moon: Forgiveness[8]XResearch source
Waning moon: Release
7 Sunlight The warmth of sunlight can recharge your tarot deck and cleanse them of negative energy. Bring your cards outside on a nice sunny day. Lay them out to bake in the light, or fan them around in your hands for a few minutes in the light.[9]XResearch source
Don’t leave your tarot cards in the sun for too long, as the light can cause their beautiful illustrations to fade.
8 Smoke and smudge sticks Sage and rosemary smoke can cleanse tarot cards of their energy. Either light an incense of these scents or burn a smudge stick made of dried plants. Pass the smoke under the cards several times.
9 Salt bath Salt naturally pulls energy away from objects, including tarot cards. If your cards seem to have a rather negative energy, place them in a sealable bag or airtight container and bury them with salt. Let them rest until your next reading to cleanse them from negative energies.[10]XResearch source
Opt for a natural salt like sea salt or Himalayan salt rather than table salt for the best results.
10 Singing bowls Sound frequencies help cleanse unwanted energies while soothing your soul. All you have to do is place your tarot deck inside a singing bowl and start playing. Focus on sounds that make you happy so your cards charge positively.[11]XResearch source
To play a singing bowl, hold the bowl in the palm of your hand and use the other hand to guide the mallet around the rim of the bowl.[12]XResearch source
Advertisement Section 2 of 3:
How often should you cleanse your tarot cards?
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1 Cleanse your tarot deck when you first buy it. Energy can linger on cards whether you buy them new or used. It’s always best to cleanse them before you start any readings or practices, as this will help keep unwanted energies out of your space. [13]X Expert Source Emily ChristensenSpiritual Advisor & Founder of Rainbow RaajaExpert Interview [14]XResearch source
2 Aim to cleanse your tarot deck before each use. Leftover energy from previous readings or practices could affect your current reading, especially if it’s for someone else. Clearing the cards before you use them gives you a clean slate to work with and helps invite new energy.[15]XResearch source
3 Give your tarot cards a cleanse if something feels off. There’s no such thing as cleansing your deck too much! If the energy feels strange when you pick up the cards, trust your intuition. Try cleansing them differently than you did before or multiple times.
Advertisement Section 3 of 3:
Why should you cleanse your tarot cards?
Download Article
Cleanse your cards so trapped energy doesn't affect your reading. Tarot cards capture energy with intention, and this intention is what fuels a spiritual reading. Your intention will be different every time you use the deck, meaning your energy will be different. If you don’t cleanse your tarot deck, past emotions and thoughts may hinder your present reading. [16]X Expert Source Emily ChristensenSpiritual Advisor & Founder of Rainbow RaajaExpert Interview [17]XResearch source
Cleansed decks help you or your client reflect on current circumstances better.
Think of it like cleansing crystals—you cleanse them to release unwanted energy and welcome new energy.
What Does a “Bad Tarot Spread” Mean?
Join the Discussion...
How do you cleanse a tarot deck? Mechila Blake Astrologer and Tarot Reader I cleanse my tarot decks in a lot of different ways. One method is to use crystals—placing selenite, clear quartz, or even obsidian around the deck. This helps clear energy so that past readings don’t interfere with new ones. You can also knock on the cards, shake them, or shuffle them intentionally to disperse energy. Another method is using incense or smoke cleansing. Some people even use sound healing, like filling a room with frequency sounds or using a singing bowl. Personally, I love using selenite and incense. Read More Kelly Ferguson Psychic Medium and Shamanic Healer I love this question. I personally love cleaning all my decks with sound. I typically use either a singing bowl or bells. The reason I personally use sound cleansing over smudging and sun/ moonlight (which are also lovely) is because holy smoke and light may not penetrate deep into the deck and at times only the edges of the cards come into direct contact with smoke or light. However, sound is different. Sound can penetrate deeply into rooms, spaces, personal items and decks of cards. Another beautiful benefit of cleansing with sound is if you set the right intention, you can cleanse all your decks at once, quickly and efficiently. Hope that helps. :) Read More See all 6 Replies and Read Discussion
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Tips
There’s no right or wrong way to cleanse your tarot cards; there’s only your way! Do whatever feels best for you and your spiritual practice. After all, this is all about your energy.[18]XResearch sourceThanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1
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Co-authored by: Emily Christensen Spiritual Advisor & Founder of Rainbow Raaja This article was co-authored by Emily Christensen and by wikiHow staff writer, Aly Rusciano. Emily Christensen is an award-winning Holistic Medicine Practitioner, Shamanic Spiritual Advisor, Reiki Master, and Founder of Rainbow Raaja and the internationally acclaimed "Rainbows Rising" Podcast based out of Southern California and Pierce County, Washington. Emily has over ten years of experience as a Massage Therapist and Shaman using life coaching, tarot cards, crystal therapy, light work (reiki, light codes, energy therapy), sound healing and shamanic healing. She received her Reiki Master training from the Hands on Healing Institute. Emily is also a certified Bodywork Therapist by the California Massage Therapy Council and an Ordained Shamanic Minister with the Universal Life Church. She specializes in one on one virtual sessions focused on personal transformation, spiritual ascension and self empowerment. This article has been viewed 75,462 times. 41 votes - 93% Co-authors: 5Updated: October 11, 2024 Views: 75,462 Categories: Card Reading | Tarot Cards In other languages Portuguese Dutch Spanish Japanese
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Download Article Explore this Article Sections 1 Different Ways to Cleanse a Tarot Deck 2 How often should you cleanse your tarot cards? 3 Why should you cleanse your tarot cards? What Does a “Bad Tarot Spread” Mean? + Show 1 more... - Show less... Other Sections Tips and Warnings Related Articles References Co-authored by Emily Christensen and Aly Rusciano 
Mechila Blake Astrologer and Tarot Reader I cleanse my tarot decks in a lot of different ways. One method is to use crystals—placing selenite, clear quartz, or even obsidian around the deck. This helps clear energy so that past readings don’t interfere with new ones. You can also knock on the cards, shake them, or shuffle them intentionally to disperse energy. Another method is using incense or smoke cleansing. Some people even use sound healing, like filling a room with frequency sounds or using a singing bowl. Personally, I love using selenite and incense. Read More 
Kelly Ferguson Psychic Medium and Shamanic Healer I love this question. I personally love cleaning all my decks with sound. I typically use either a singing bowl or bells. The reason I personally use sound cleansing over smudging and sun/ moonlight (which are also lovely) is because holy smoke and light may not penetrate deep into the deck and at times only the edges of the cards come into direct contact with smoke or light. However, sound is different. Sound can penetrate deeply into rooms, spaces, personal items and decks of cards. Another beautiful benefit of cleansing with sound is if you set the right intention, you can cleanse all your decks at once, quickly and efficiently. Hope that helps. :) Read More 
How to Shuffle Tarot Cards (Shuffling for the Best Energy) 
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Co-authored by: Emily Christensen Spiritual Advisor & Founder of Rainbow Raaja This article was co-authored by Emily Christensen and by wikiHow staff writer, Aly Rusciano. Emily Christensen is an award-winning Holistic Medicine Practitioner, Shamanic Spiritual Advisor, Reiki Master, and Founder of Rainbow Raaja and the internationally acclaimed "Rainbows Rising" Podcast based out of Southern California and Pierce County, Washington. Emily has over ten years of experience as a Massage Therapist and Shaman using life coaching, tarot cards, crystal therapy, light work (reiki, light codes, energy therapy), sound healing and shamanic healing. She received her Reiki Master training from the Hands on Healing Institute. Emily is also a certified Bodywork Therapist by the California Massage Therapy Council and an Ordained Shamanic Minister with the Universal Life Church. She specializes in one on one virtual sessions focused on personal transformation, spiritual ascension and self empowerment. This article has been viewed 75,462 times. 41 votes - 93% Co-authors: 5 Updated: October 11, 2024 Views: 75,462 Categories: Card Reading | Tarot Cards In other languages Portuguese Dutch Spanish Japanese 
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554 
1 Shuffling Sometimes a quickly sorting your cards can be enough to release trapped energy. Simply arrange the cards in the deck in order, starting with the Major Arcana. Look at the cards while you do this, recalling their special meanings. Then, start shuffling the cards until you feel like a new energy has entered them. 
2 Breath Putting your energy onto the cards can help brush past energies away. Fan your deck of cards out in your hands. Take a deep breath, and start blowing over the fanned out cards. This method is great for a quick cleanse when the energy isn’t too heavy, but you want to start your reading with a clean slate.[2] Advertisement 
3 Knocking Energy can sometimes get stuck inside a tarot deck. Luckily, this is an easy fix! Simply knock or tap on the stacked deck 3 times while visualizing the trapped energy moving away from the deck. 
4 Meditation Meditating can help you cleanse your spirit, and it can also help cleanse your tarot deck. Simply press the cards between your hands and close your eyes. Imagine a white or golden glow traveling from your body and into the cards. This visualization helps you and the cards be at peace.[3] 
5 Crystals Selenite, clear quartz, and amethyst are commonly used to cleanse tarot cards. Place the crystal on top of the deck or the deck on top of the crystal. The crystal will absorb the energy from the deck, purifying it of past intentions and connections.[4] 
6 Moonlight The moon phases can positively alter the energy of your tarot cards and reading. Each phase of the moon cultivates energy specific to certain moods or aspirations. Leave your deck under the moonlight outside or in a windowsill overnight to charge and cleanse. Cleanse your cards during the moon phase that matches the intentions of your next reading:[7] 
7 Sunlight The warmth of sunlight can recharge your tarot deck and cleanse them of negative energy. Bring your cards outside on a nice sunny day. Lay them out to bake in the light, or fan them around in your hands for a few minutes in the light.[9] 
8 Smoke and smudge sticks Sage and rosemary smoke can cleanse tarot cards of their energy. Either light an incense of these scents or burn a smudge stick made of dried plants. Pass the smoke under the cards several times. 
9 Salt bath Salt naturally pulls energy away from objects, including tarot cards. If your cards seem to have a rather negative energy, place them in a sealable bag or airtight container and bury them with salt. Let them rest until your next reading to cleanse them from negative energies.[10] 
10 Singing bowls Sound frequencies help cleanse unwanted energies while soothing your soul. All you have to do is place your tarot deck inside a singing bowl and start playing. Focus on sounds that make you happy so your cards charge positively.[11] 
1 Cleanse your tarot deck when you first buy it. Energy can linger on cards whether you buy them new or used. It’s always best to cleanse them before you start any readings or practices, as this will help keep unwanted energies out of your space. [13] [14] 
2 Aim to cleanse your tarot deck before each use. Leftover energy from previous readings or practices could affect your current reading, especially if it’s for someone else. Clearing the cards before you use them gives you a clean slate to work with and helps invite new energy.[15] 
3 Give your tarot cards a cleanse if something feels off. There’s no such thing as cleansing your deck too much! If the energy feels strange when you pick up the cards, trust your intuition. Try cleansing them differently than you did before or multiple times. Advertisement 
Cleanse your cards so trapped energy doesn't affect your reading. Tarot cards capture energy with intention, and this intention is what fuels a spiritual reading. Your intention will be different every time you use the deck, meaning your energy will be different. If you don’t cleanse your tarot deck, past emotions and thoughts may hinder your present reading. [16] [17] 