The deck arrived by mail, still in plastic. Or it came back from the bag after a week of difficult readings. In both cases, the question is the same: how to cleanse the tarot deck before drawing cards again? The short answer is that there are several methods, all simple, and none of them require high spending.
The long answer is what this guide delivers. You will see the six most used methods by tarot readers and the real difference between cleansing, energizing, and consecrating. You will also know how often to do it and, especially, what never to do with your cards.
Cleansing, energizing, and consecrating: three different gestures
Many people use the three words as synonyms. They are not.
- Cleansing: removing the accumulated charge. It is what is done with a new deck, with a second-hand deck, and after heavy readings.
- Energizing: replenishing. Moonlight, crystal, breathing, and intention go here.
- Consecrating: dedicating the deck and setting the bond with the reader. Done once, at the beginning, and redone only at the turn of a cycle.
It is worth an honesty that almost no site says: consecrating does not make the deck more accurate. The gesture works on the preparation of the interpreter, not on the oracle. Whoever promises a certain reading after a ritual is selling, not teaching.
Another point of order, since this is a blog of Afro-Brazilian tradition. Tarot is a cartomancy of European origin, with its own history. The first decks appear in northern Italy between 1410 and 1430, as a card game of the nobility, according to the entry on the history of tarot. The divinatory use only becomes popular from 1781.
That is to say: tarot is not cowrie-shell divination. Búzios and Opele Ifá are liturgical oracles, operated by an initiated person and within fundamento. Tarot is open and can be learned in a book. What the two practices share in Brazil is the material repertoire: smoke cleansing (defumação), herbs, coarse salt, quartz. To understand the bridge between these two worlds, it is worth reading about the Tarô dos Orixás.
Signs that the deck needs cleansing
There is no alarm ringing. What exists are situations in which tarot readers usually stop and cleanse before continuing:
- The deck arrived new, came second hand, or was a gift
- Another person handled it or pulled cards with it
- You performed several dense readings, of mourning, separation, or illness
- The spreads are confusing, repetitive, or seem not to respond
- The deck returned from a trip, inside the suitcase
- You feel weight when picking up the deck, even without knowing how to explain it
Treat the list as an observation, never as a diagnosis. If none of these points appear and the reading flows, the deck is well.
The 6 most used cleansing methods
Each method below appears in at least two independent sources from tarot readers. Choose one. You do not need to do all of them.
1. Smoke cleansing
The most used method in Brazil, and the one most aligned with what you already have at home. Light the censer (defumador), the incense, or the dried herbs and pass the deck slowly through the smoke. It can be with the bundle closed or opened in a fan.
Use rosemary for clarity, rue and guinea hen weed for a firmer cleansing, breu or benzoin to close. It follows the same logic as the smoke cleansing incense blend for house cleansing, just on a smaller scale.
Only one warning: do not touch the ember to the card. Excess smoke, year after year, yellows the paper.
2. Moonlight
Leave the deck on the window during the night, preferably during the full moon. In the morning, collect it. It is the most beautiful and the riskiest of the six.
The risk is not spiritual, it is physical: the dawn dew warps the card. Leave the deck on the inside of the glass, or inside a closed jar, and collect it before the sun rises.
3. Crystals
Place a clear quartz, a selenite, or an amethyst over the deck, or over the box, for a few hours. Selenite is the most cited because it does not need its own cleansing.
Zero risk for the paper. It is the lazy and efficient method: set it up and forget it.
4. Coarse salt without direct contact
Here lies the most common mistake in Brazilian tarot. Coarse salt works, but it must never touch the cards.
The safe way: place coarse salt in a cup, cover the mouth of the cup and support the deck on top, without contact. Or wrap the deck and leave the package surrounded by salt in a closed container. A few hours are enough.
The reason is physical. Salt pulls moisture from the air and transfers it to the paper. Biddy Tarot explicitly warns about this damage and recommends protecting the cards well.
5. Reorder in the original sequence
The cheapest method of all, and the one that teaches the most. Separate the cards by suit, from Ace to Ten, then the court cards, then the 22 Major Arcana in order.
You look at card by card, reorganize the deck and, in the process, review the entire deck. If you are still firming up the meanings, the guides of the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana help in this passage.
6. Taps and rest
Two quick variations for everyday use.
Taps: tap three times with your knuckles on the deck, between one consultation and another. This is what the practicing tarot reader does, without interrupting the service.
Rest: keep the deck closed, in the cloth, unused, for a few days. An underestimated method, and sometimes the only one necessary.
None of these gestures are mandatory for the tarot to work. They organize the reader and preserve the object. The deck is a reading tool, and taking care of it is taking care of your own focus.
What never to do with the deck
This section is worth more than all the previous ones, because here the damage is permanent. A tarot card is laminated cardstock.
- Do not wet, do not spray, do not wash. Water stains, warps, and peels the lamination.
- Do not let salt come into direct contact with the card. We repeat this because it is the most frequent error of all.
- Do not leave in strong sunlight. The art fades and the card dries out. Author Benebell Wen reports cards permanently wrinkled after days in direct sun.
- Do not forget the deck on the porch all night. Dew is the silent enemy of the moon method.
- Do not store in a basement, attic, or humid closet. The reference is about 50% relative humidity. Above that it molds, below that the paper dries out.
- Do not use alcohol, damp cloth, or cleaning products. None of these remove energy, but they remove the lamination.
How often to clean
There is no mandatory calendar. What exists is a habit adjusted to use:
- Those who work professionally: wipes between consultations and a complete cleaning per week
- Those who use it every day for themselves: a complete cleaning per week
- Those who use it occasionally: every 15 days, once a month, or before an important reading
- Anyone: whenever the deck is new, used, or borrowed
Experienced tarot readers disagree on this point. A good portion argues that the perception of the reader is worth more than any fixed timeframe. If you pick up the deck and it feels light, it is well.
Three myths that circulate as if they were law
- "A tarot deck is only valid if it is a gift." Old myth. Buying your own deck is the norm today, and choosing the art consciously counts in favor of the reading.
- "No one can touch your deck." It is not a spiritual rule, it is a personal preference. Many people prefer that no one handles it, and asking permission before picking up someone else's deck is basic manners. Those who do not mind are not wrong either.
- "A deck used by another person becomes unusable." False. This is precisely the classic case where a good cleansing is recommended before the first use.
Storing it well also avoids half of the problems. Natural fabric cloth, a proper box, and a dry place solve more than any emergency ritual. If you work with reversed cards, check the guide on reversed cards in tarot before reordering the deck.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to cleanse a new tarot deck?
Yes, it is the most consensual recommendation among tarot readers. The deck went through a factory, warehouse, transport, and store before reaching your hands. A quick smoke cleansing (defumação) or a few hours with a quartz will already solve it. If the deck is second-hand, cleansing is even more indicated before the first draw.
Can I cleanse the tarot deck with coarse salt?
You can, as long as the salt never touches the cards. Place the salt in a cup, cover the opening, and support the deck on top, or wrap the deck beforehand. Salt attracts moisture from the air and transfers it to the paper, which warps and stains the card. A few hours are sufficient.
Can I leave the tarot deck in the sun?
No strong and prolonged sun. It fades the art, dries out the paper, and permanently warps the card. If you want to use sunlight, choose the morning sun and only for a few minutes. Moonlight is the traditional alternative and much safer for the material.
What is the difference between cleaning and consecrating the deck?
Cleaning removes the accumulated charge and can be done as many times as you want. Consecrating is the gesture of dedication, done only once, when you assume that deck as your reading instrument. Consecrating does not improve the accuracy of the cards, it only sets the commitment of the reader.
Is tarot the same thing as cowrie-shell divination?
No. Tarot is a cartomancy of European origin, open and learnable in a book. Cowrie-shell divination is a liturgical oracle of Afro-Brazilian religions, operated by an initiated person and within the foundation of the house. They are distinct practices, even if they share items like candle, smoke cleansing and herbs.
Where to buy what you need to clean the deck
At Joia Mística Laroyê, you find everything to care for your deck:
- Smudges and charcoal: in powder, stick, or tablet, for smoke cleansing
- Dried herbs: rosemary, rue, guinea hen weed, breu and benzoin, separate or in a cleaning combo
- Crystals: clear quartz, amethyst and selenite, from pocket size to altar size
- Coarse salt and incense: for the cup method and for energizing the environment
- Candles and protection cloths: to set the reading and protect the deck from humidity
Visit our physical store in Extrema, Minas Gerais and we ship to all of Brazil. If you are in doubt about which herb or crystal matches your deck, talk to us via WhatsApp.
References
- Wikipedia: entry on the history of tarot
- Biddy Tarot: article on cleaning and caring for the tarot deck
- Benebell Wen: article on the effect of humidity and sun on caring for the tarot deck
