BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Tarot How do you welcome your new deck?

I'm getting The Quest Tarot for Father's Day, and am very excited about it. <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> I've wanted this deck for a loooong time.

I'm curious, how do you all welcome your new deck? Do you have a ritual/tradition you like to follow? Is there a favorite 'first spread' you like to use? How do you like to familiarize yourself with a new deck?

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I really want to have fun with this deck and bond with it, and REALLY use it regularly this time. And I want the general intention for the deck to be for healing (for myself and my clients). I'll probably carry it around with me (I think it will be small enough to fit in my pocket?), keep it under my pillow, and look at each card droolingly at first. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

But I'm not sure what my first spread will be... maybe a question to the deck itself(?). What question would you ask of your new deck?

Michael,

There is actually a new deck spread that I have seen and used. I will see if I can find it and post it here for you.

Thanks for the idea... I just did a google on "new deck spread" and found a discussion link on TarotForLife:

http://groups.msn.com/TarotForLife/tarotspreads.msnw
?action=get_message&mview=0&ID_Message=756&LastModified=
4675457316963262434

This has a couple of versions of a new deck spread that look interesting.

Which is exactly where I was going to send you! (I used to help as an assistant manager of that group)

They are a good group and they have a tarot chat most Fridays which is often a lot of fun.

Jimilyn's 3 card spread is the one I was thinking of.

Haha! Beat-cha to it! <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> That looks like a good discussion group.

BTW, Fiona, do you do anything special when you get a new deck?

I think it depends on the deck.
If I plan to read with it I usually cleanse it and charge it and then spend some time looking through it and studying it over a period of a few days until I feel comfortable with it.

I have done the New Deck Spread before and I like it. But usually I am lazy lol

Good Question, Michael!

My "method" is a little strange, I guess. I get to know my new decks in the same way that I would get to know a new baby or kitten,...or new crystal, etc. for that matter.

I usually wait for a quiet serene time,...and sit near my altar to get acquainted. At first, I sit quietly with the entire deck in my hands and just feel the energy. Then I begin a thorough visual inspection - drinking in the symbology, images, colors, etc. of each card. I often trace the various curves with my fingertip too, to get a multisensory impression of the cards.

Then, I will maybe a do a mini reading with the cards to get used to their unique interpretations. If the author uses unique names for the suits, I review their themes etc.

Interesting, I think I'm going to incorporate a little of all that we've discussed. By "charging" I think that means stating your intention for the deck, right?

Here's what I think I might do (I'm kind of winging it here):
A little quiet-time to get aquainted with the energy and the images, the personality of the deck (the equivelent of counting the fingers and toes, and gazing into it's eyes ;-). Gazing at each card, as I cleanse it with incense.

Then a clear or rose quartz on top and a visualization of a shower of white light. Maybe hold the deck for awhile to try and feel the energy of it.

Then state my intention for the deck (keeping in mind anything I may have picked up from the deck itself-- how IT would like to be used).

And then a 4 card New Deck reading. (A version of the 3 card reading from that link I found, adding "How can I best use this deck?".

And of course it will go under my pillow and in my pocket for awhile.


It's sort of like starting a new relationship with another person, isn't it-- only done much more consciously. I'm very excited. I just got word that the deck arrived at home, and i can't wait to open it. Every time I see more images from the deck I just drool. Yum! <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

That sounds like a wonderful plan, Michael.

And your approach is exactly what I suggest to people - sure, investigate how others work with them but then tailor this to your own consciousness and instincts.

What you've outlined sounds like the perfect way to get acquainted with your cards. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Okay, I did my New Deck spread and thought I'd share it here.

I think I did most of what I set out to do as far as the whole clearing/intention/first spread plan. I did it over two nights (1/2 hour each), since I don't have a whole lot of spare time for myself. The first night was mostly trying to feel the energy of the deck, clearing the deck with white light/rose quartz, stating my intentions for the deck, and getting familiar with each card.

The second night was clearing each card with incense/white light, feeling the energy of the deck, and the first reading. I'm not usually very good at picking up on energy, but as I was holding the deck I thought more about how the deck might have a personality of it's own, and may confront me a little bit at times. Before getting the deck I had been imagining all the 'positive' possibilities-- having fun with it, learning, growing, healing, mostly all the 'feel good' things we want from a deck-- this 'new' thought wasn't completely unfamiliar to me, but it wasn't what I had been focusing on lately. (After doing the reading, it occured to me that I might have actually been picking up on the deck's energy afterall.)

I did a 4 card 'New Deck' spread:
1) What do you have to teach me? A: The Sun ("Life")
2) What do you need from me? A: 8 Swords ("Interference")
3) What will our relationship be like? A: 10 Stones ("Richness") REVERSED
4) How can I best use this deck? A: 9 Stones ("Material Gain") REVERSED

At first I thought (other than the Sun) this is a pretty negative reading for a first spread-- 2 out of four cards are reversed and 1 card is a sword with a negative keyword.

19 The Sun, of course, is about as optimistic as you can get-- the deck will teach me optimism, all things are connected to the source, take things easy and allow the world to florish around me.

But 8 Swords "Interference"? You need interference from me? Remember, I'm still pretty new at readings so sometimes I need it to hit me over the head to get it at first. Okay, maybe I need to look at any interference I may be bringing to my relationship with the deck.

10 Stones, "Richness" reversed. Our relationship will be a the opposite of "Richness"? I'm still getting the hang of reversed cards... it's about blocked or delayed energy. Okay, so there is a lot of richness to this deck (obviously the images, correspondences, etc.) and our relationship has the potential for abundance and substance, but that may be blocked at first. I'll need to be careful not to miss out on the richness of the deck and the richness of our relationship.

9 Stones, "Material Gain" reversed. This one I got right away. I can best use this deck by addressing a perception of 'lack'-- in finances, in wellness, in time, etc. Maybe the deck is telling me that is an issue that we can work on together.

Overall, it seemed like a sort of 'tough love' reading. This deck has a lot to teach me. But I need to clear a lot of blocks before I can truly appreciate the richness of this deck, and in so doing appreciate the richness of life. My current approach to the deck will not yeild the best results. Maybe I can use the deck to address the internal 'interference' and any sense of 'lack' I may have. I'll need to clear the channels, so that my 'reception' is clear.

My initial intent for getting this deck (and for coming back to the tarot in general) is to connect with my internal/divine guidance in a way that is approachable for me. And maybe this reading is pointing me to where to get started with that. This reading is giving me some direction on where to go with future questions. Hmmm...