Who doesn’t love getting a new Tarot Deck?

If I have a deck on the way, I’m known to pretty much stalk the post person with creepy eyes until it arrives on my doorstep.

There are many ways to get to know the newest addition to your collection. This week for the Tarot Readers Academy – Tarot Cafe, I’m chatting about my top 8 suggestions on how to connect to your new Tarot deck.

For those who can’t watch the video right now, the transcription is below.

1. Connect to Each Card

I’m one of those people who excitedly tear into the package as soon as it’s in hand. When I do unboxing videos, it forces me to take the time to go through each of the cards and consider them. This is a wonderful practice to get to know the deck as a whole and also each card. There are usually hidden gems or you will find something that you love about the way the artist has interpreted the card and meaning. I love taking the time to go through each card of my new decks – I adore that moment of reveal.2.

2. Look for Strong Reactions

The second way to connect with your Tarot cards is to go through the deck one by one and separate out any cards that you have a strong connection with.  This can be either an ‘I love this!’ reaction or ‘What were you thinking?’ or ‘I don’t like this at all’ reaction. When you have done this for your entire deck, take the cards you have in the strong reaction pile and journal. It’s time to self reflect on why you had those reactions.

This can get you to look at the card in a new way or unlock a part of your intuition that wasn’t connecting to a card before. This is especially great for cards that you struggle with. Ask that card ‘Why do I struggle with you?’ and see what comes up for you.

3. Sleep with a Card

You went there, didn’t you? Get your mind out of the gutter (mine went there too).

For this exercise, pick a card before you go to bed; meditate on it for a few moments and then place it under your pillow. Get ready for some interesting dreams because you may find that you link with them subconsciously. Make sure that you have your dream journal next to your bed so you can take notes. A tip for remembering your dreams is to make sure that you don’t speak to anyone before you write your dreams down. Just wake up and write. Then share.

This may be a little too much for those of us who are super sensitive to dream energies. If you’re very sensitive in your sleep then maybe skip this one or be very careful about what cards you put under your pillow. Maybe skip The Nine of Swords, for example.

4. Perform a Ritual

Many of us Witches and Mystics love a good ritual and there’s something beautiful about welcoming a new addition to your spiritual toolbox in sacred space. You can do this by charging and cleansing them under the full moon with some of your favorite crystals. You can also cast a circle and elementally bless the cards and devote them to spiritual work. Whatever works for you.

Ritual is all about intent. When we set our intent about the work that we’re going to do with our Tarot Cards, we align them with a certain vibration. This can help them focus on the kind of readings you want to do. Whether that is for clients, yourself, shadow work, ancestral work, or healing.

5. Meditate on the Images

This is a great way to connect with Tarot Decks or specific cards that have images that draw you in, inspire you, or hold energy that you want to bring into your life.

You can meditate for as long as you want on the cards that you pick. It’s completely up to you.6

6. Daily Draws

This is a very popular practice and there’s a good reason for it. When we draw a daily Tarot card (morning or evening) we’re spending time connecting with the energy of the card and the day. It’s a great way to get to know the cards and also to get to know the meaning of the cards. Learning 78 meanings can be a big task and this practice breaks it down a little. It’s nice to give yourself the space to learn the cards one at a time, a day at a time.

By drawing a daily Tarot card you can see how an event that happened during the day related to the card. Perhaps the card offered you a forewarning and you were able to avoid unwanted drama. You might have even noticed that the Tarot has given you something to contemplate. It’s all valuable when you’re connecting to the Tarot and learning the craft.

7. Go Steady

When you get a new Tarot deck try working with it exclusively while you get to know the style, how it reads and it’s unique symbolism. This can be just over a few days or a couple of weeks.

Some Tarot readers only have a few decks in their collections and others (like me) have a lot.  You can decide how much time you want to spend with your decks. I know that when I review a Tarot or Oracle deck, I like to spend at least 3 weeks getting to know the deck and reading with it before I write my reviews.

If you have a few decks maybe use your new one for your daily draws and then use your other decks for client readings.

9. Interview the Deck

Check out this post for a specially designed Tarot Spread that you can use to get to know your Tarot decks. It’s a fun exercise.
Some decks are rather sassy. You’ve been warned.  

Are You New to Tarot? Not sure where to begin?

Come and check out the Tarot Readers Academy – Tarot Essentials

An 8-part video training series that goes through all of the information that most Tarot courses completely miss and all for just $11.

Plus you get lifetime access to the course materials and membership to the Tarot Readers Academy Facebook Group.