How to cleanse a tarot deck
How to cleanse a tarot deck
There are many reasons you may want to cleanse a tarot or oracle deck. The energetic relationship between the cards and the reader is sacred, and starting with fresh cleanse can set the foundation for a deeper connection with your deck. Whether your deck is brand new, acquired from another practitioner, or the energy has just been feeling off lately, here are a few of our favourite ways to purify and renew the mystical energy of your decks.
Crystal energy cleanse
Purification crystals are formidable tools for cleansing the energies of all sorts of divination tools. Try placing a crystal on top of your tarot or oracle deck overnight to purify energy channels and encourage a balanced flow of giving and receiving between you and your deck.
Our top crystal recommendations for a deep cleanse
Smoke for purification
Light a stick or cone of your favourite calming incense and let it burn for 10 seconds before gently picking up you deck and moving it slowly back and forth through the incense smoke. Focus on encouraging your deck to absorb the purifying essence of the smoke, and set it down near the incense until it has burned to completion.
Moonlight bath
The moon is a powerful influence on our minds, bodies and intuitions. It holds incredible detoxifying power and its cyclical rhythms encourage letting go of energy that no longer serves us and starting again.
To bathe your tarot or oracle deck in the cleansing shimmer of moon beams, we recommend waiting for a clear night when the moon is full or near to it for maximum cleansing power. Simply set your deck on a window sill or nearby in a spot where is can absorb the precious moon rays for as long as possible overnight. We do not recommend leaving your deck outside due to the risk of damage from unexpected weather or wildlife.
Visualizing renewal
You might have more intuitive power than you think! To cleanse your deck's energy using visualization, find a safe and quiet space to sit down with your deck. Close your eyes while holding the deck between your hands, and focus your mind on visualizing a purifying light surrounding the cards and renewing their energy. Many practitioners visualize a pure white light for a cleanse, but whatever colour resonates with you as the most cleansing is the one you should go with.
Sea salt for revitalization
An age old strategy for cleansing divination tools is to set them overnight in a bowl of dry sea salt. Salt is highly conductive, and can draw lingering energies out of your deck and leave space for a new connection between you and the cards.
Sound vibrations refresh
Sound clearing uses the energy waves that convey noise to cleanse the objects they encounter. To clear your tarot deck's energy using sound, set your deck down in an open space while focusing on a setting a cleansing intention. Then, create your sound waves using a bell, chimes, or music that you find purifying. There are some excellent sound cleansing and energy shifting videos on YouTube that are in specific hertz frequencies for specific energetic desires.