The question below is the most popular of all questions; we encounter in the field of Tarot
How to shuffle Tarot Cards?
Well! Well! To unveil the mystery of Tarot Cards, we must shuffle them well. The biggest question is to know the various existing ways used in shuffling cards. Today we will talk about the various ways of shuffling cards, and you can follow any one of the ways to practice your Tarot cards regularly.
The ways you can use are
- Overhand shuffle
- Riffle Shuffle
- Hindu Shuffle
- Pile Shuffle
- Corgi Shuffle
- Mongean Shuffle
- Mexican spiral shuffle
- The Half Cut
- The Fan Shuffle
Method# 1: Overhand Shuffle
To use this way of shuffling cards, we have to follow the following procedure.
Place the deck by sides so that the deck can be on its edge. Thumb has to be on top; the fingers must be against the back of the cards in the deck. The thumb of the left hand must be able to hold a few cards back as the hand grips the rest of the deck. The left hand comes back downwards as the thumb slowly moves out of the way. Catch some more cards with the thumb. The left hand must again move up. Repeat the action several times. Now the deck is squared up, and you can now use it.
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In the words of Johan Johnson,“The overhand shuffle is the shuffling technique where you gradually transfer the deck from, say, your right hand to your left hand by sliding off small packets from the top of the deck.”
Method# 2: Dovetail Shuffle or Weave & Faro Shuffle or Riffle Shuffle
Shuffling cards this way is not easy; however, we would learn it as a way of shuffling cards.
Hold half of the cards in one hand and the other half on the other side. Now, bring the cards and your hands closer and bend the Tarot cards toward each other. Slowly, place all your fingers except the thumb in the middle of the cards and press the front portion of each half within your thumbs. Release the cards from your thumb slowly, allowing the cards to fall in between each other. Let the cards interlace with each other in the process. This is also known as the Casino style or Riffling style of card shuffle. Slowly release the cards and squeeze them inside each other.
This kind of shuffling can damage the cards severely. Touch the cards lightly, and they would interlace more easily. Rather than weaving the cards by a whole side, it is easier to weave them in the corners. It would take some time to adapt to it, but then this would seem to be the easiest way of shuffle.
Method# 3: Hindu shuffle
Hindu way of shuffling cards began from Asia, where the cards were already shuffled for Bridge and other forms of card games. This Hindu kind of shuffling is also called the “scissors form of shuffling cards.” Hold the deck face down, Place your middle finger in one long edge and the thumb on the other bottom half of the deck parallelly. Now remove packets of cards from the top portion of the deck and place it on the palm of the other hand. Keep pulling out packets, unless all the cards are in your other hand. You can do it again by repeating this process on the other hand till all the cards come back to your original hand.
Method 4# Pile Shuffle
You can split the card deck into small piles and then mix the piles. This is the easiest way of card shuffle. It can be the beginning point to practice shuffling cards even if you are an amateur.
Shuffling cards is a significant practice, and it should be done with great caution. You must not break the cards or damage the cards in any way while shuffling them.
Method 5# Corgi Shuffle
You can move the cards face down and slide them over each other. This form of shuffling cards is also known as “beginner shuffle,” “smooshing,” “schwirsheling,” or “washing the cards.”
Shuffling cards this way is a a straightforward process and suits the beginner best.
Method 6# Mongean Shuffle
Monge’s shuffle is done in the following way-
For a right-handed person, the unshuffled deck is placed in the left hand. Pick the top card in your right hand. Place the second card on top of the new deck. Place the third card at the bottom of the deck, fourth at the top, and fifth again at the bottom of the deck.
Twelve shuffles would be required to restore a card to its original position using a Mongean shuffle. Shuffling cards can be fun when done this way.
Method 7# Mexican spiral shuffle
This method of Tarot Card shuffling involves moving the top card onto the table, next top card under the table, the other card onto the table, and so on until the last card is sorted out. This form of shuffling takes a long time, and eight perfect Faro shuffles can bring the deck back to the original order.
This shuffling card method has come basically from Mexico and involves a style they devised in the process of playing Card games.
Method 8# The Half Cut
Cut the deck into half and make sure you repeat it several times before you come to a draw while shuffling cards. Just split the deck into two and then place them back and split them again. Repeat the process 7-8 times.
Method 9# The Fan Shuffle
The Fan shuffle is a simple way, in which you have to
Hold the cards with your thumb supporting the edges of the cards Placing the last three fingers on the Tarot cards Placing the index finger on top of the cards Spread it slowly by creating pressure on top of the cards in one sweep.
How to Shuffle Tarot Cards Reversed
Many people do not prefer reversed Tarot cards. Yet, they can perform wonderful Tarot Card Reading sessions. However, reversed Tarot cards can also be a valuable addition to your Tarot readings. We shall try to see how to shuffle Tarot cards reversed, as they can take you through 78 different experiences and realizations.
Now the question is that there are no reversed Tarot cards available in the market. The only way to get reversed Tarot cards is by shuffling the upright Tarot cards in a manner that the reversed order of some Tarot cards sandwich between the upright Tarot cards while you are performing a reading.
If you want to obtain reversed Tarot card in your deck, then you must be shuffling cards by cutting the deck into three piles.
Turn one pile by 180 degrees and sandwich it between the two upright Tarot piles of the Tarot deck.
Put the piles back and place all the cards together again. Now shuffle the cards using the ways mentioned above.
So, now you know how to shuffle Tarot cards reversed. You can also try the unscrambling way, in which you can unscramble all the cards and recollect them back in a pack. Now reshuffle the cards again normally, and the cards can be found in reverse order.
Card Shuffling Tricks
Tarot Cards are shuffled mostly for our own sake and many a time for others. To get the Sunlight all day long, you have to know how to place your window. Similarly, to obtain the optimum energy of the shuffling Tarot cards, we have to know how to shuffle them correctly.
Here are a few tricks and tips for optimizing your Tarot draws.
- Cleanse your Tarot cards if it is a new deck.
- Keep the Tarot Cards wrapped in a black colored cloth.
- You can also use incense of several leaves and other variety of incense to cleanse your cards before shuffling cards.
- If you get plenty of Moonlight, try to keep them in Moonlight for some time.
- Focus on your inner aura and make sure you know what you want to read.
- You can also focus on the cards you would want to see in your draw, this visualization technique is indeed a compelling way to change your fate. Slowly you can try to pray and direct your visual thoughts into the cards before you begin the process of shuffling cards.
- This takes you into a deep contemplative state before you draw the cards.
- The trick also lies in the Tarot Spread that you use. There are various Layouts and spreads for a Tarot draw mentioned below.
Various Layouts and Spreads
The different Layouts and Spreads that you can use to tackle your cards in a better way also comes under the card shuffling tricks you can use while you practice.
- The Basic Three Card Layout
- The Seven Card Horseshoe spread
- The Pentagram Spread
- The Romany Spread
- The Celtic Cross Layout
1.The Basic Three Card Layout- This is the simplest form of a spread. The three cards are your past, present, and future timelines. Shuffling cards this way is easiest and in card shuffling tricks, this is the simplest way. You can use this form of Layout for a simple reading for your friends and family. It does not take more than 15 minutes. The Basic Three Card Layout can be used for a daily Tarot reading.
2.The Seven Card Horseshoe Layout- It does not take more than 30 minutes. As you proceed in your Tarot draw, shuffling cards in this way, you can do a seven-card Horseshoe layout for yourself.
- Card 1 is the last card on the left-hand side.
- Above this is Card 2, 3 4, and others arranged in a horseshoe-shaped.
- Card 7 is the last card on the right side of the Card.
This kind of layout would make you pull seven cards out of the pack. Each of these cards connects in a way that allows intertwining the meaning of every card with the other.
The cards represent the past, present hidden factors influencing your life, the Querent, attitude of others towards you, what should be the Querent’s course of action, and the outcome of this problem.
The Seven Card Horseshoe-shaped layout can help you focus on your reading on Tarot for Career and jobs.
3. Pentagram Spread- In this form of shuffling cards, practiced by Wiccans and magicians, we find that the arrangement of these cards is in the form of a star. Each of the cards in a Star is representing an element of Nature. The fifth card also serves as the Ether or Space as an element. This Pentagram spread can take almost 50 minutes.
- The Card on your East is an ode to Fire
- The Card on your West would be an homage to the Waters
- The Card on your South would be adulation to Air
- The Card on your North would be an admiration to Earth.
- The Tarot Card in the center pays regards to Space.
The Pentagram Spread can be used for drawing a reading of the Tarot for finance, money and Prosperity.
1.The Romany Spread- The Romany Spread consists of 21 cards of the total 78 cards. Each row is seven cards, and there are three rows for shuffling cards. The Romany Spread consists of a simple form of interpretation with the past, present, and future timelines. You can use it to function all of it in a different aspect. The Romany Spread takes almost an hour.
2.The Celtic Cross Layout- The Celtic Cross Layout is arranged with the four cards (7, 8, 9, and 10) placed one below the other in a single column in four rows. Shuffling cards is a very tenuous process in this way.
- On the left-hand side of this arrangement, Card 6 is placed.
- Cards number 1 is below Card number 2.
- Card 3 is above Card 1 and 2.
- Card 4 is below the Card 1 and 2.
- Card 5 is aside Card 1 and 2 on the left-hand side of this arrangement.
3.The Cards represent the following course.
- Situation
- Challenge
- Beliefs
- The root of the Issue/ Distant Past
- Near Past
- Near Future
- Self Perception
- Outside influences that also include how others perceive you
- Action Advice
- Outcome
This form of Tarot Reading is used in the most in-depth Tarot Reading session. The Tarot session for this reading is of 90 minutes. You can try Love compatibility Tarot and decide future timelines and paths.
To conclude, we can say that the magic in the Tarot reading comes not only from our knowledge but also the processes you follow to acquire that style and pattern of thought process. Learning how to shuffle cards and how to shuffle Tarot cards reversed is required for shuffling cards to get the best Tarot readings, Tarot Reading is just not an art, it also involves a ritualistic migration of the spirit to the unknown from the known. It can be done well when your soul’s energy merges into that one single source of life that joins different fibers of life together.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What is the proper way to shuffle Tarot cards?
In the above articles, several ways of shuffling Tarot cards is described. You can follow any one of them or all to learn how to shuffle Tarot cards & how to shuffle Tarot cards reversed. No one way is the best. When you feel that your Tarot cards require a good shuffle, you can use the complicated ones like Overhand Shuffle, Dovetail Shuffle, or Riffle Shuffle, Hindu Shuffle. When you feel that you need to toss a few cards upside down, you can use some of the other ways- Pile Shuffle, Corgi Shuffle, Mexican spiral shuffle, The Half Cut, The Fan Shuffle.
2. How do you layout Tarot cards?
You can use several different Tarot Card layouts present in the above articles. You can begin with a simple 3-card draw for shuffling cards and proceed to the Celtic Tarot Draw gradually.
3. Can you read your Tarot cards?
Yes. You must and should learn shuffling cards. Learn to interpret the Tarot cards and their interpretations for yourself first. Only then should you proceed to other people. Beginning your Tarot sessions will give you ample time for the three most important things-
- Introspection
- A place to learn more about other people, the tryst always begins with you.
- Self-confidence in your learning.
Unless you are your own Master and you know yourself inside out, it is tough to know and understand other people’s troubles and problems.
4. How many times should you shuffle a Tarot card?
Three or five times is the standard time for shuffling cards.
5. How do you shuffle cards without bending them?
You can use the simple methods of shuffling cards and shuffle them five or seven times so that you do not damage your Tarot cards.
