Do you have a tarot deck, but aren't sure how to cleanse it? Or maybe every time you use it, the energy feels chaotic, heavy, or stagnant?
Cleansing your tarot deck is a foundational part of any tarot practice as it keeps your readings clear and attuned to fresh energies. For a tarot reader, understanding how to cleanse, clear, and purify energies is essential, much like any key responsibility in a professional role.
🔮 Why Should I Cleanse My Tarot Deck?
With regular use, your tarot cards (or oracle cards) will absorb the energies of those you read for, along with your own, which can build up over time. This energy accumulation can cloud your deck, impacting the clarity of your readings. Cleansing helps release this residual energy, ensuring each reading begins with a fresh, receptive deck.
🔮 What Happens If I Don't Cleanse My Tarot Deck?
A deck that hasn’t been cleansed for a while may feel "heavy" or give confusing readings. The cards may seem out of sync with your intuition or you may feel disconnected from the current energy. I’ve had moments when un-cleansed cards felt misaligned with the energy I sensed, making readings feel tiring or off-balance.
🔮 How Do I Cleanse My Tarot Deck?
There are several ways to cleanse your tarot deck, and choosing the method that resonates most with you will make the process effective. Below are 12 cleansing methods you can use to help cleanse your tarot deck:
ASK YOUR SPIRITUAL TEAM
If you work with spirit guides or a spiritual team, they can be invaluable allies in cleansing your deck. Set a clear intention and request their assistance to cleanse and reset your deck’s energy. This method works if you don’t have physical tools available. Take a moment to ground yourself and approach this method with a focused mind.
As a diviner, you may have a spirit guide to help you with divination or psychic connections. It may be beneficial to work with this particular guide during your readings.
USE SELENITE 💎
Selenite, a self-cleansing crystal, is widely used to cleanse decks, as well as other tools and spaces. Simply place a selenite stone on your tarot deck overnight, visualising the crystal absorbing any stagnant energy.
I keep a selenite wand in the pouch where I store one of my decks, allowing it to continually cleanse each time the deck is stored.
CANDLE CLEANSING 🕯️
The flame of a candle is a powerful spiritual tool, symbolising transmutation and the clearing of negative energy. To use this method, carefully hold each card near a small candle flame, allowing the energy to be released.
Take caution to keep the cards and your hands at a safe distance from the flame. Though this method can be time-consuming, it provides a potent cleanse when needed.
MOONLIGHT CLEANSING 🌕
Moonlight has served as a potent purification tool since ancient times. To cleanse your tarot deck, simply place it under the light of a full moon or new moon. You can set your deck on a windowsill overnight to soak up the moonlight effectively.
SOUND CLEANSING
Sound healing is a therapeutic practice that uses sound vibrations to promote cleansing and spiritual healing. The idea is that certain sounds, frequencies, and rhythms can help restore balance within the body and mind, relieving stress, reducing pain, and fostering a sense of well-being.
For cleansing your tarot deck you can use sound vibrations from a singing bowl, chime, bell, or tuning fork to cleanse your deck. Hold your deck in one hand and let the sound wash over it, or place it near the sound source. Make sure you put an intention out to cleanse your deck during this.
SALT BURIAL CLEANSING
Salt is known to have purification and cleansing qualities, and has been used historically to ward off spirits and negative energy.
Place your deck in a container with a layer of sea salt or Himalayan salt, then cover it with more salt and let it sit for a few hours or overnight. Be sure to wrap the deck in cloth or place it in a bag to prevent direct contact with the salt, which could damage the cards.
INCENSE OR HERBAL SMOKE CLEANSING
Herbal smoke cleansing is a popular way to clear out negative, old, or stagnant energy. Traditionally, it's been used to purify tarot decks, homes, and other objects, keeping their energy fresh and positive.
Pass your tarot deck through the smoke of cleansing herbs such as sage, palo santo, cedar, or lavender. Gently fan the smoke over the cards, setting the intention to clear out old energy.
VISUAL CLEANSING
Visualisation is a popular method. Hold your deck in both hands, take a few deep breaths, and visualise a bright white or golden light surrounding the deck, clearing away any stagnant or negative energy. You can also gently blow on the cards with intention.
White light symbolises purification, making it helpful to understand colour symbolism when using this method.
SUNLIGHT CLEANSING
Sunlight cleansing revitalises a tarot deck by using the purifying, energising qualities of sunlight to dispel stagnant or heavy energy. The sunlight’s warmth and brightness can refresh the deck, helping it feel “reset” and ready for new readings.
Briefly place your deck in direct sunlight (no more than 30 minutes to prevent fading) or in a spot where it can soak up indirect sunlight.
CRYSTAL GRID CLEANSING
Crystal Grids are a great tool for manifesting and putting intentions into the universe. You can place your deck at the centre of a crystal grid using stones such as clear quartz, amethyst, black tourmaline, or smoky quartz. Let your deck sit for a few hours, setting an intention for energy clearing. 💎
EARTH ENERGY CLEANSING
Place your deck in a bag or cloth and bury it in the earth for a day or night to let it absorb grounding and purifying earth energy. Afterwards, dust off the deck thoroughly. This allows your deck to be more spiritually grounded, however, it can be a messy and uncomfortable option.
REORDERING OR SHUFFLING YOUR DECK
Another simple method is to go through your deck and reorder the cards by suit or from Major to Minor Arcana. This resets and “refreshes” the deck on a symbolic level.
This works well before a tarot reading, as you are reattuning your energy individually with the cards. You can also divide the deck into three separate piles and reorder the cards within each pile individually. This helps shift and refresh the deck’s energy.
To Sum Up
Each of these methods offers a way to maintain a clear, energised tarot deck, ready to provide insight with each reading. Your deck is personal to you, so ensuring you create a process and bond that feels right for you is important.
In my experience, I’ve tried several methods to cleanse my decks. I often call on my spirit guides for assistance and use visualisation to clear the deck’s energy. I also keep crystals nearby for quick cleanses. When I want a deeper cleanse, I’ll reshuffle the cards or use a candle flame to purify the deck more thoroughly.
💫 Which method aligns best with you?
