I've recently started attempting to do a few readings and I have a few curious questions so I can get a general view on how people read. Do you do tarot readings only in a circle? or do you preform readings just about anywhere? Also, when do you bless your deck? Any input will be great! thanks!!

Tarot cards are an extention of you....they are a tool.

You can use them in any way you wish. Any lay-out you wish. I usually draw only 1 -3 cards at a time for myself. One card for a quick outlook onthe day ahead....3 cards for a quick idea of a situation.....

Blessing your deck is done whenever you "feel" the need...I do mine once a month...but there is no "law" that states you have to bless that often.

You do what your Soul says is right...and it will be.

Have you been to the Divination Suite here??? It has some layouts and many decks....it could give you some ideas....


I am sure other members have their own personal ways of blessing a deck as well...I look forward to seeing what other people think too...the beauty of Pagan Living is that we have so many folks willing to share their thoughts and ideas....

Great Questions Lunos!!

Be well,

I do readings with the following three things in mind:

1. I sage my deck to rid it of all negative energies and all energies from previous readings, sending them to a place where they can do no harm.
2. I sage my deck and myself to be an open and unbiased medium through which messages may be transmitted from other realms to this one, sans my personal perspectives as much as possible
3. I cannot tell the recipient of the reading anything they do not already know, I can only bring certain things to the forefront of the mind for further consideration

I do readings on my own, usually just for myself, anywhere that time and space will allow. For a busy mama, these areas are few and far between, so when I find enough space and time to flip a deck it truly becomes a special moment within itself. Intricate ceremony not necessary.

Personally, if I have the time, I like to greet and welcome the elements for a balanced perspective and an all-encompasing reading (for the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual parts of the self), and I light a candle to draw my dragons to me, thanking my guides that I'm both aware and unaware of for delivering these messages to me, and putting them in proper perspectives to the question at hand.

I got the spreads I use through books that accompany the decks I use. My readings are probably about as "unmystical" as they could get, following the stardard model for interpersonal communication (from sender, through medium, to receiver) you'll find in mundane, everyday communication.

I couldn't have it any other way without it creating more questions (well, at least on the immediate subject at hand) than answers  

I dedicate my decks to the Elements.

I smudge them periodically and anytime anyone else handles them.

I do simple three card spreads; past, present and future or mind, body and spirit.

I draw one card to answer a question or help me solve a problem.

I usually carry a deck with me and use it anytime and anywhere.  I don't work within sacred space but I do take a moment to ground and check that the Elements are onboard.

As far as storage, I keep mine "well protected" in a cloth bag.  I know some people like to use velvet, silk, or those fancy expensive things that you can make yourself for pennies, but I have a regular "gauze" bag (like the wedding gift bags--I buy these in 10 packs at the craft store, and I use them for stones and runes as well).  I also place them in their bag into a box that was given to me by one of last year's students.  (It looks very goth--black and silver with a bunch of mirrors on it, but that's okay because its the energy that matters.)  I also place a crystal into the box to "keep them clean" between times.

I rarely do large spreads because I'm still in a learning process (probably always will be) and all the correspondences take so much time to figure out (for me).  Usually I use the three card, like Celestite, in various forms according to my questions, but sometimes I'll venture out into more "interesting" waters and create my own spread according to the need.  I rarely read for others, because most people do not know that I read, and most would probably not want to know...  Also, depending on the deck, if you have a book that goes with it, try using some of the spreads that are in the "manual".  You may find one you like in there.  I have several decks with several spreads that I have adopted/adapted for other decks as well.

I too carry my deck with me always; I feel that it helps align the deck to my life and what occurs within it.

The one claim that I make about tarot, that only other readers seem to understand, is that the type of deck is important.  I have owned four different decks now.  The last deck is the one that speaks to me or rather it is the deck that I understand the meaning of each card without having to look up the definitions.  It is the Thoth Tarot design by A. Crowley and uses symbolism that makes sense to me.

As for layouts, I do not use tarot for 'quick advice'; I rely on Runes (also with me always) for that.  In tarot, I use a 5 part, 3 card layout.