How to "Calibrate" a New Tarot Deck (or Recalibrate a Used One)
It took me a long time to get the hang of Tarot. I tried for years to learn to read Tarot cards—and faced a lot of frustration and disappointment. It wasn’t part of my familial practice and it didn’t come naturally to me. I had already been a practitioner of magic for more than 10 years when I finally had my aha! moment with Tarot. Suddenly, it seemed so obvious and so simple. I could read Tarot because I hadn’t applied my own rituals and beliefs to reading Tarot. I had tried, instead, to condition myself to read with the rote memorization of books, rather than seeking to connect to the spirit of the Tarot deck like I would any other tool I used in my magical workings. I had never tried to bond with a Tarot deck, or with each card. I had never worked to create a link between myself and my Tarot the way I had with my runes.
Once I realized this, Tarot clicked for me. It became much, much easier to read the cards and to understand their messages. I was able to develop a relationship with each deck I bought, with each suit in the deck, and with each card. My readings were clearer—and I took more fulfillment from the practice. Eventually, through the regular work I did with the Tarot and its spirit, I was able to incorporate Tarot more fluidly into my practice (despite the separation between their roots) as utilize it as an extension of and a supplement to my more tradition-specific divinatory practices.
Over the course of my growing relationship with divination and Tarot, I found it necessary to build a number of rites and rituals that aided my practice with the cards. One of the most important of these rituals was one that I use to get started with a new Tarot deck. I have described it to some of my friends as calibrating the deck. It is a ritual I use to awaken the intrinsic spirit of the deck and to infuse the deck with my own energy, creating a link between the two spirits that allows me (as a worker of spirit-based magic) to more effectively read and use the deck. (Not what you’re looking for? Try our guide to Breaking in a New Tarot Deck instead!)
Below is a basic outline of the steps I have developed for bonding with and “calibrating” a Tarot deck that is new to me. This process is built with the framework of spirit-based magical practices in mind—but is also suitable for use within other types of magic. If you find this helpful, I welcome you to use it. If you do not, feel free to modify or change it to your needs.
Check for transient energy: After you’ve taken time to look through your cards and enjoy the artwork, lay the deck face down and fan them out over a flat surface. Using a pendulum, dowsing rod or other method you use to detect energies and spirits, check for transient energies that may be attached to the deck. These are typically loosely connected, temporary energies that might be picked up throughout the process of storage, handling, and travel. You may find that these types of energies have a different effect on your divination tool than other energies have. Working with my own pendulum, I’ve noticed that the pendulum doesn’t really sway or circle like it might with a larger energy source. Instead, the pendulum has a tendency to almost vibrate over the cards.
Cleanse of transient energy: Most of the time, the transient energy attached to any new object is not enough to interfere with establishing a bond with it. But, if you want to start with a clean slate (or are working with a used deck), you may want to cleanse the cards before you proceed. Censing—or cleansing with smoke—is a good option for cards because it is unlikely to damage them when done carefully. I’ve mentioned in other blog posts that I use evergreen elements when censing. For censing that is intended for divinatory purposes, I use a blend of cedar (for protection, offering and divination), rosemary (for protection and purification), mugwort (for aiding psychic work), and cinnamon (for personal strength and clarity). If you prefer, you can use other methods for cleansing. Other options may include asperging with blessed water, sprinkling with salt or magical powders or solar/lunar cleansing. (After cleansing the cards, I find it helpful to break out the pendulum again to check the cleansing.)
Anoint the cards & bond with the deck: I use oils to anoint my magical tools, supplies, and physical crafts. Because Tarot cards are made of paper, I do no anoint them directly—because I do not want to stain the cards or take the risk of making any distinctive markings on them. So, instead of putting the oil directly on the cards, I anoint the cards by rubbing a very small amount of working oils or ointments into the palms of my hands and then shuffling the cards (while focusing on marking the cards with my spirit). With new cards, I begin shuffling them in small parts until each part of the deck is physically broken in and then begin to slowly incorporate all the parts together.
Do a final energy check: Bring out the dowsing/energy-sensing tools one more time to check for a spirit/energy imprint on the deck. If you’re using a pendulum, the pendulum’s movement should be one that reads and an alert—often circling the object or swaying.
Pull an initial reading: After you have taken the time to bond with your new deck, set aside some time (either immediately after your bonding ritual or soon after) to pull an initial reading. For me, an initial is an important step in getting to know a new deck of cards. These first readings can be very helpful in terms of knowing if a particular deck of cards is best suited for specific kinds of questions, if it delivers its messages in a specific “tone”, if it was brought into your life for a specific reason or (as I have found to be the case dozens of times) if they have been laid claim to by a specific deity, spirit or entity you have a connection to.
Diviner’s fanning powder: Once you have bonded with your new deck, you are ready to read with it. As a final step, I like to apply what I call Diviner’s Fanning Powder to my cards to help make them easier to hand (particularly if you enjoy fancy shuffling, like I do). To create a fanning powder specifically for divination, I begin with a base of standard fanning powder (zinc stearate, which can be purchased at most trick or costume shops) and add very small amounts of finely powdered herbs. You many want to select your herbs based on your own preferences and practices. The herbs I normally use include eyebright (for clarity), wormwood (to aid in divination) and mugwort (for spirit work and communication).
Disclaimer: Each of the Crowsbone writers and guest bloggers has their own magical background, beliefs, traditions and practices. These post represent the opinions, research and beliefs of the individual writers. We do not believe that they represent beliefs and rules associated with all magical practice or witchcraft; nor do they represent the beliefs and opinions of all of the Crowsbone community.