How To Cleanse Tarot Cards
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How To Cleanse Tarot Cards
Like with any divination method, it can be important to regularly cleanse your Tarot cards to clear them of lingering energy. How often should you cleanse your tarot deck? That depends on how often you use them and under what circumstances- if you frequently read for other people it could be wise to cleanse them every day. Otherwise, you could do a Tarot cleansing every week or with the Moon cycles.
You can also do a deep cleanse of your deck with multiple methods if you’ve had them for a while and want to give them a refresh, or if your readings are feeling a little “stale”. As well as making sure to cleanse any new deck you get of course!
Syncing with the energy of the Moon phase is a beautiful way to infuse some lunar magic into your deck. I love doing a moon bath with my deck every New Moon and Full Moon to align with my intentions and cosmic Zodiac cycles.
Nine Easy Ways To Cleanse Tarot cards:
1. Sun or Moonlight Bath
This is one of the most popular ways, and for good reason! It’s simple yet effective. All you need to do is place your cards somewhere safe under the moon or sunlight for 24 hours. This can be in your garden or window sill. I like to take my cards out of the box so the luminary energy can touch them, but you can leave them in their box for safety.
Make sure they won’t get wet by rain or dew, be disturbed by animals, or fly away in the wind! When you are done cleansing them, you can bring them back inside and sit with them a moment to infuse your intention back into the deck.
2. Burying in a bowl of salt
This is a great method for when you first buy a Tarot deck for a deeper cleanse or have been doing lots of readings for other people. Place your cards in a bowl and pour enough salt over the top to completely cover them, for protection you can wrap them in a cloth or bag beforehand. Leave for 24 hours and throw the salt away when you are done.
3. Smoke cleansing
Another popular method that is accessible and with the added bonus of clearing the space where you will be reading too! Choose culturally significant herbs that have been ethically and sustainably sourced (a smudge stick or palo santo may be appropriative) and waft smoke from the bundle or incense through each of the cards.
This also calls in the element of Air if you are looking to create a sacred circle including the elements. To add in the element of water you can use an energy cleansing mist or aura spray (usually made with Moon water, essential oils, crystals, and intention), and for the element of fire you can hold your cards above a candle flame- but be careful! Many people choose to read with a candle to set the scene (myself included), you can combine this with colour magick if you like (such as a black for protection, white for clarity, green for abundance etc).
4. Using crystals
An effective method that brings good vibes to you and your space too, as well as calling in the Earth element. Select crystals based on your intention, that call to you, or ones that are generally recommended for cleansing and grounding such as Clear Quartz, Selenite, Smokey Quartz, Amethyst, or Black Tourmaline (read our post on The Best Crystals for Beginners for more)!
Many people like to store their deck with crystals to keep it charged when not in use, as well as surround themselves with crystals when reading for added protection or clarity (I like to carry crystals with me at all times even when I’m not reading).
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5. Knocking on the deck
A super simple yet effective method, this is a good way to quickly clear out stagnant or negative energies while also infusing yours into the Tarot card deck. If you let other people touch your deck during a reading, this is a good way to add the energy of the seeker into the cards as well. Simply knock on your deck with your first three times before beginning a reading, you can also finish with another couple of knocks after the reading.
6. Blowing on the deck
Another fast and easy trick to release negative energy, blowing on your deck (with intention) will clear out old energy and infuse it with your own. I like to knock and blow on my deck before any reading I do! Both ways are also very accessible if you don’t have access to other more elaborate cleansing methods (if you’re on the road or doing many readings back-to-back, for example).
7. Burying in the earth
This is a deeper cleansing method that can be used when you first buy a deck or if you feel your cards need a deep revival. Wrap them in a cloth or place them in a safe box that can be buried, and dig hole big enough for it to be submerged. Cover it back up and leave for 24 hours or longer. Make sure you have marked where you buried them! If you like, you can also combine crystals with this method to charge them too and double up on the Earth energy.
8. Visualisation
Another easy option: visualising a bright, white light cleansing and clearing your deck and programming it with your intention is a great way to attune its energy to you. Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and hold your deck in your hands. Take a few big breaths and visualise a cleansing light coming from your hands, clearing the deck and filling up your whole body, expanding to fill the space around you. If you like, you can also ask for the assistance of your guides/higher self from this place of peace.
This is beneficial to do before every reading so that you can centre yourself too! I like to picture a grounding cord rooting me to the centre of the Earth as well so that I can read from a place of presence.
9. Sound healing
My final favourite method, sound vibrations are an effective way to clear the energy of both the cards and your space. If you have singing bowls or meditation bells, you can use them near your deck, or you can simply play healing music.
I use bells when I’m travelling and a bowl at home (bonus points if it’s a crystal bowl!), you might like to play healing music while you’re reading to help you remain present throughout, such as Chakra frequencies, Solfeggio, the Schumann Resonance, binaural beats, or any other music that is soothing to you (even though I personally prefer silence while reading). If you choose to use bells or a bowl, you can play them at the end of the reading as well to clear the energy.
It is important to note that there are different levels of cleansing a Tarot deck, and clearing the energy before every reading is essential! This is so you can go into your reading with a clean slate. The easiest ways to clear the energy is by knocking on the deck three times, blowing on it, wafting it through a smoke wand or incense, using crystals, sound healing, or visualisation (I personally like to do a combination of all of them)! Then, when you feel it needs a deeper cleanse, you can sync them with the magic of the Moon cycles and bury them in salt or the Earth. This is also the first step when getting a new deck.
I hope this list is of how to cleanse Tarot cards useful for you! I’d love to hear about any other different ways you cleanse your deck in the comments section below, or if you have any questions- let me know :)
For personalised insight, book in a 1:! Tarot Reading with me and let’s go on journey together to see what message the cards and collective unconscious have for you.
For other Tarot information, check out our posts on How To Read Tarot Reversals, and Tarot Spreads For Beginners.
Or, if you’d like to self-study the mystical world of the Minor and Major Arcana, each Tarot card meaning, and more, get our Tarot Guidebook For Heightened Intuition!
