Cleanse Your Tarot Cards, Ya Filthy Animal!

It's happened to all of us. We get a little bored sometimes. Same route to work. Same daily routine. Laundry on Sundays. Dishes... well, those are flipping non-stop. Sure, taco night really spiced up the ol' schedule...a year ago. Now not even mango salsa can brighten your mood.

So you do what every Pagan has done, you peruse Amazon or Etsy until you find that special something-something deck that makes your heart flutter. Yes, this is the tarot deck of serious witches. This is the deck that will reveal those secret numbers that will win me the jackpot and get me the hell out of suburbia.

Okay, that might be a little embellished for theatrical effect.

A few weeks ago I was feeling the ho-hum of relentless desert sun (allow me to duck while you northerns throw rotten fruit at the screen.) The summer had yet to break from those 90* late October... and I was going a bit stir crazy. So I did what any self-respecting witch would do: I decided to treat myself to a new tarot deck. 

I actually got the idea from a blog reader (Hello, Angel!) who said she rotates decks depending on the season. This never occurred to me, but makes perfect sense! After all, I feel introspective in the fall, enlivened in spring, and homicidal restless in the blistering summer. If my vibrations are changing, does my connection to a specific deck also adapt?

Evidently the answer is yes, because I treated myself to the Everyday Witch Tarot deck by Deborah Blake, and boy did my readings perk right up! But as I tore the cellophane off my new treasure, I got to thinking about something I hadn't pondered in a while: how to cleanse a new deck.

It's something that should be done periodically, especially if you perform readings for others. But as someone who royally sucks at reading tarot for other people (I finally discovered why this is the case after reading the book included with the deck. Not a pamphlet, a downright book!), I'd gotten lazy with keeping my previous deck clean and tidy.

Yes, I get lazy. I'm human, okay? Half the time I just ball up my kitchen towels and shove them in a drawer. No one sees in there anyway. And if they do, they should probably stay the hell out of my kitchen drawers. What kind of person does that?!


Below you will find three easy ways to cleanse your tarot with items you probably already have on hand. And you can trust they're easy-peasey because, well, I'm lazy. 

Break out the sage
When you open a new deck of tarot cards, each minor and major arcana crisp and untouched, the smell of fresh ink permeating the air, the last thing you want to do is wait to use them. Smudging your cards is a great way to get an immediate and thorough cleaning while familiarizing yourself with a new deck.

I like to keep a bowl beside me when smudging tarot so I can tap off the ash without damaging the cards or my carpet.

...Yes, I'm 32 and still sit on the floor like a toddler. I'm sort of an overgrown child with bills and an acerbic sense of humor. Not sure what to tell you.

Anyway, grab yourself a bowl and a smudge stick. Then simply waft the smoldering sage bundle over each individual card—front and back— allowing the smoke to cleanse the deck. This will take anywhere from fifteen minutes to a half hour, during which time you can visually explore your new deck and note any impressions or intuitive feelings you experience upon first look. It's a great way to bond with your deck while cleansing. 

Crystal cleansing
This method is similar to the smudging except you'll use a crystal as your medium. I recommend clear quartz, which is excellent for cleansing and purifying. Amethyst or rose quartz are also useful. These will not only cleanse your tarot but help you connect with your new deck through your crown and heart chakra, respectively.

Using a stone that has been purified from previous use, touch the crystal to your card and drag the stone across the front and back of each card. When you're done, place the stone in the sunlight to cleanse and recharge for your next use. Many tarot readers choose to keep a gemstone or two with their decks when not in use to help amplify their psychic connection.  Any of the above suggestions as well as moonstone, labradorite, and azurite are all wonderful options.

Random tip: keep your gemstones in a bowl of dirt or sand on a windowsill so they are always ready for use!

Sun and Moon
If you're looking for the easiest way to charge your cards, cleansing in the sun and moonlight is the way to go! The sun will purify with it's strong, masculine energy while the soft luminescence of the moon will balance your deck with feminine energy as well as heighten intuition. 

Lay your cards on a windowsill, taking care to ensure a portion of each card is exposed to the light. Allow the cards to sit for a full 24 hours, and you're ready to read! I would recommend doing this on a full moon night, but any night is fine, though I would advise against doing so on a new moon. There's nothing disastrous about doing so, I just personally feel you'll get a deeper cleansing when at least part of the moon is visible. 

There you have it, my friends! Three simple ways to get your decks cleansed, charged, and ready for some insightful readings. If you're looking for a little indulgence, I highly recommend the Everyday Witch Tarot deck. I find the deck to be very intuitive, due in large part to the talented Elisabeth Alba's breathtaking illustrations. See?

Alba did such a remarkable job of painting the cards that it's quite easy to decipher their meanings without even opening the book. But I suggest you do, because Blake has a lot of helpful information in the 250 page book included with the deck. 

Now if only I could divine those darn Powerball numbers!

Do you keep crystals with your tarot cards? What's your favorite deck?

I was NOT asked to review this deck. I am recommending this product simply because I enjoy it and hope you do too!



  1. I so enjoy your blog, and love the ideas here (I'm 47 and still sit on the floor-takes me a minute or so to get up, but it's so much more comfortable).

    Hope the desert has cooled down (I won't throw rotten fruit-I love the cold-just not the snow).


    1. Ek! I'm so glad you enjoy the blog. That always makes my day to hear that!

      The desert has cooled down. Today is even cloudy, which is a major treat! Hope you're enjoying some snow-less cold wherever you are! =D

  2. I did it. I bought a new tarot deck. SQUEEE. I couldn't resist; they are so pretty. I will treat it as a belated Samhain gift to myself :)
    This blog made me think about how long it's been since I've cleansed my rune stones... a while. So I'll be smudging those bad boys tonight.

    1. Yay! It's always nice to have a little indulgence now and then. Enjoying the smudging! I always find it so calming. =D

  3. Hi Michaela!! I always pass my cards thru incense before a reading. I say, "I release these cards of all negative energy. I release these cards of all negative vibration. I release these cards of anything that does not serve my highest purpose." Works like a charm. I also almost always keep clear quartz w them to keep them "sharp" and energized. Love the post, thank you :)

    1. Hi, Lisa! Ohhh, incense is a good idea! Especially since a lot of readers already have it out when they're about to read. Thanks for sharing! =D

