Alright, so the other day, I was about to do a reading for myself, and things just felt… off. You know? Like the signal was fuzzy. My cards usually chat away, but they were being a bit quiet, or maybe just a bit grumpy. It happens. So, I figured it was high time I gave my favorite deck a good ol’ cleanse. It’s something I try to do pretty regularly, especially if I’ve done a reading for someone else, or if they just feel a bit heavy.
Getting Down to It: My Cleansing Routine
I’ve messed around with a few different methods over the years, but I’ve landed on a couple that just feel right for me and my cards. Nothing too complicated, mind you. I like to keep things straightforward.
My main go-to is usually smoke. Works like a charm for me.
- I’ll grab my trusty bundle of sage. Sometimes it’s palo santo wood, really depends on what I’m feeling or what I’ve got lying around.
- I light the end, let it catch fire for a few seconds, and then gently blow it out. You want it smoldering, not flaming, so you get that nice, cleansing smoke. I always make sure to have a little heatproof dish or shell underneath to catch any ash. Don’t want to set the house on fire, right?
- Then I take my deck. If I feel like they need a really deep clean, I’ll go through them one by one. I just pass each card through the smoke, making sure it gets a good waft on both sides.
- If it’s more of a quick refresh, I’ll just hold the whole deck in my hand and let the smoke swirl all around it. I turn it over, get the edges, the top, the bottom – the whole shebang.
- While I’m doing this, I’m usually just focusing my thoughts on clearing out any stuck energy, any old vibes that don’t need to be there anymore. Just setting that intention, really. Simple as that.
Another method I use, especially when I’m feeling a bit lazy or want something super gentle, is moonlight. Can’t get much simpler than this.
- When there’s a good full moon out – that’s my favorite time for this – I find a spot on my windowsill where the moonlight hits.
- I’ll just lay my cards out there. Sometimes I fan them out a bit. If I’m worried about them getting damp or anything, I’ll pop them in a clear plastic bag, or just leave them inside the window if it’s a clean pane.
- Then I just leave them be, usually overnight. Let them soak up all that lovely moon energy. It feels really purifying, in a quiet kind of way.
- I make sure to grab them in the morning before the sun gets too direct on them.
After the Cleanse
Once I’m done, whichever method I used, I like to take a moment with the deck. I’ll hold it, give it a few good shuffles. Sometimes I’ll even knock on the deck a few times, sort of like hitting a reset button. It’s just a little thing I do to reconnect. They usually feel a bit lighter afterwards, more responsive. Like they’ve had a good spa day and are ready to get back to work.
So, How Often Should You Do It?
Honestly, I don’t think there’s a hard and fast rule. I just go by feel. If my readings start feeling muddy, or if the cards just don’t feel quite right in my hands, then it’s time. Definitely after a heavy reading for someone else, or if the deck has been handled by a lot of different people. And for sure, if I get a new deck (even a used one), it gets a cleanse before I do anything else with it. You just kind of know. Trust your intuition on it. If you think they need a cleanse, they probably do. Can’t really overdo it, in my opinion.
