Introducing Yourself to a New Tarot Deck
Getting to know your tarot deck is like getting to know a person for the first time. Whether you're new to tarot and just received a deck as a gift or are a seasoned practitioner, a new tarot deck can be exciting, challenging, and mysterious. Today, thousands of different decks are available, and each deck comes with its own cards, pictures, meanings, and energy. In order to have a successful and meaningful reading, it's important to form a connection with your deck.
In this article, we'll learn how to form a connection with your cards, communicate with its energy, and how to interview the deck. You'll want to pay attention to how the deck makes you feel and your first impressions, and make sure to ask it questions about itself.
Forming a Connection
Metaphysically speaking, every person, place, and thing holds a specific energetic frequency. When you spend time near someone, you may notice your behaviors sync and start developing similarities. This happens because your energies are becoming balanced between each other. If you've ever spent time away from a loved one, when you reunite they may feel like "home," and this is because you've become accustomed to their energy. Tarot decks also hold their own energy, much like a fresh canvas with art hiding beneath the surface.
The energy of a tarot deck will depend on the creator, the artwork, card meanings, and the intention of the deck. Some decks are more geared towards love readings, while others are geared more towards abundance, and so on. When you first hold your deck, you may be able to pick up on this energy. Oftentimes, you may not feel a connection to your deck at all, and this can be resolved by keeping it within your energy field. Bring your tarot with you throughout the day and shuffle through the cards in your spare time. Sleep with it in your bed or next to you on the nightstand. For a week or so, keep it near you whenever possible. You and the deck's energies will become balanced, and your connection to it will grow stronger. Just as you learn more about your deck, it will also tap into your own energy, allowing the cards to provide you with better clarity and insight.
Read The Cards
One of the best ways to introduce yourself to a new deck is to shift through the cards one by one. You'll want to do this before reading the guidebook or any other information that it came with. Reading the card descriptions can block you from allowing your intuition to guide you through the cards initially, which is necessary for you to fully introduce yourself to them.
Shuffle through the deck one card at a time and dive deep into the imagery. For each card, you'll want to hold back any predetermined judgment of what you think the meaning may be. Just allow your senses to flow naturally. What thoughts surrounding the images do you have? What emotion does each card evoke? What images do you see in your mind when you look through the cards? Often, your senses will paint a picture of the energy the deck contains, which can give you insight into what type of readings it should be used for. You can use a tarot deck for any reading you desire, but some decks may shine brightest for specific reading types.
Once you've shuffled through the entire deck, you may feel as if you've watched a movie. The feeling you have after looking through the entire deck is the whole picture, the complete personality of the tarot cards. This is the overall energy they can bring to a reading. The images of a deck create a first impression, and first impressions are often very honest and truthful.
Interview the Deck
An interview is great for getting to know your tarot deck spread. Instead of asking the tarot questions about your life, you can ask it questions about itself and its abilities. Every deck will have its own purpose, abilities, secrets, truths, and voice. Learning about the consciousness of the deck can help you understand what answers it can provide for you, how to use them in reading, and what not to expect from them.
First, ask the deck what answers it can provide for you. How you go about doing this depends on personal preference. You can shuffle the deck while asking this question, then draw a few cards and interpret them. The tarot will provide you with the cards that best fit what questions you should ask and what type of answers it can provide.
Second, ask the deck what it can't provide for you. This is important because not all decks are created equally. If you want a tarot deck for shadow work, a deck that surrounds itself with love and light may not be beneficial. Ask the deck what it can't do for you, and it will show you using the cards.
Lastly, ask the deck what its purpose is. Each deck will have its own lesson and meaning to bring into a reader's life. Asking this question can help you understand how you are a match to this deck and where you're currently in life. If you draw the devil card, the deck may be there to help you overcome what's challenged you most. Drawing the sun card may indicate that the deck is meant to provide you with peace, understanding, joy, and happiness through the truth.
Think of other questions for getting to know your tarot deck as you spend more time with it. Pay attention to how it makes you feel, what thoughts you have when you're around it. As you shuffle through the cards, use your intuition to listen to their message, you may be surprised at what they have to say.