How To Pick Tarot Cards?

Tarot cloths are essential tools for Tarot readers to keep their cards safe and free from negative energy. They are used to wrap the cards in when not in use and to spread them out in front of the reader during a reading. A tarot cloth provides a clean space for performing the reading, allowing the cards to be unfolded and placed on a flat surface. Popular fabric options include velvet, silk, cotton, shiny satin, or intricate tapestry.

Choosing the right cloth for your personal style or the type of tarot deck is crucial as it can enhance your reading experience. Silk is the traditional fabric for tarot cloths, but other materials can also be used. Tarot cloths have been used for many years by Cartomancy practitioners for fortune-telling or divination using a deck of cards.

When choosing a tarot cloth, consider factors such as size, material, and design. Larger cloths provide more space for the spread, while softer ones offer a more comfortable experience. Tarot cloths can create a sacred space for readings, separating the cards from the surface and giving them their own unique effect.

In The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth, a passive item added to the cloth drops a random card or rune on pickup, adding an extra effect to the card or rune. Common tarot cloth shades, such as deep blue, purple, silver, or gold, are associated with spirituality and peace in a sacred environment.

In summary, choosing a tarot cloth is essential for Tarot readers to protect their cards, create a sacred space, and enhance their reading experience.

How do you pick tarot cards?

The use of tarot cards is a matter of personal preference and there are no fixed rules governing their use. Techniques employed in the practice of tarot card reading include fanning out the cards, selecting the number of cards to be read, or dividing the deck into piles and selecting the top card. It is at the reader’s discretion to draw cards in a manner that is comfortable for them.

What size is tarot format?

Tarot cards are typically 2. 75in x 4. 75in, similar to our tall playing cards. This size allows for more space to display designs and makes shuffle easier. Our foiled tall playing card box can be customized to fit your deck and protect your cards. The Raider-Waite deck is the most popular variation, featuring 78 cards with major and minor arcana cards. Major arcana cards are not directly numbered but have names like The Hanged Man, Wheel of Fortune, and Strength. The Fool card is the only card without a specified position, providing insight into larger life events.

Why do you need a tarot cloth?

The tarot cloth is designed to serve a variety of purposes, including wrapping cards, reading them, or boldly displaying one’s radical vision. Its versatility and suitability for diverse applications make it a highly adaptable and functional item.

Is it OK to pull tarot cards for yourself?

Tarot readings can be done by beginners, providing insight into current situations, honoring intuition, and forecasting potential outcomes. To begin, clean the energy of your space by burning herbs, ringing bells or chimes, taking a bath, or using crystals. A Selenite wand is a popular energy refresher that aids clarity.

Sit comfortably and close your eyes, focusing on the protective energy surrounding you. Take deep breaths, think about your question or needing guidance, and keep your mind and heart open to the answers that may come through the cards. Shuffle the deck, focusing on your desired query, and shuffle the cards in front of you. The pattern laid out is called a “spread”, and the meaning of each card in combinations builds up to the overall answer to your query.

Before beginning to shuffle, know which spread you will be working with. As answers come through, it’s important to draw additional cards for further clarity or start with a new question from a different perspective. Tarot readings can be a powerful tool for personal growth and understanding.

How to choose a tarot pack?

To select a Tarot deck that’s right for you, consider your personal and intuitive connection with the cards, explore the imagery of each card, consider your experience level, decide on a traditional or modern deck, check out the Little White Book, and find a size that fits. With hundreds of different decks to choose from, each with its own symbolism, energy, stories, mythology, and artwork, it can be overwhelming to sift through the vast array of choices.

What tarot deck should I get first?

The objective of this course is to provide students with the knowledge and skills required to read traditional-style tarot cards effectively, regardless of the type of deck in use.

How do I know which tarot deck to buy?

The representation of people in tarot cards is a topic of debate, with traditional decks like Rider Waite Smith often leaving little room for people of color (POC), queer people, and those with rebellious bodies. This lack of diversity can be beneficial for personal development and for those planning to read for others. While there are growing numbers of diverse decks, it is still not the norm to see a wide diversity of people in cards. Some readers prefer “people-free” tarot decks, such as those with animals or other beings as characters.

Asali’s Tarot, on the QTPOC list, is a good resource for those seeking decent POC and/or queer/genderqueer representation. The Little Red Tarot Shop offers collections of diverse tarot decks to explore. It is important to be aware of who is visually represented in your tarot deck to make an informed choice.

What GSM for tarot cards?

The most common weights for cards are 330 and 350gsm, which balance paper weight, flexibility, and ease of handling. Lighter decks (300-320gsm) are more flexible but may feel less durable or cheaper, while heavier decks (395/400) are lovely to hold but stiffer or harder to shuffle. The finish is crucial for the cards’ movement and protection. There are three styles of finish: coating, which is typically applied as a liquid and cured, and varnish, which is typically water-based, UV-cured, or varnished. Coatings can be smooth, semi-gloss, matte, glossy, or soft touch, protecting the cardstock but adding less weight/thickness to the card.

What does tarot cloth do?

A Tarot Cloth is a sacred space for reading Tarot Cards, providing a separate environment from the table surface. It prevents damage and helps maintain a higher spiritual vibration. Some Tarot Cloths even have a printed Tarot spread, aiding both the reader and client in visualizing the reading. However, with the increasing use of storage solutions and less travel with Tarot Cards, a Tarot Cloth may not be necessary anymore.

It still maintains the same benefits of keeping cards clean on the desired surface, and many people still wrap their cards in a cloth before storing them. In summary, a Tarot Cloth is a valuable tool for maintaining a sacred space for reading Tarot Cards, enhancing the reading experience and promoting spiritual growth.

Which is the strongest tarot card?

The Fool is a card in tarot games, not part of the Major Arcana. In most games, the Fool is independent of both plain suit cards and trump cards, and does not belong to either category. Tarot decks originally made for game playing do not assign a number to the Fool indicating its rank in the suit of trumps. The Fool is one of the most valuable cards in almost all tarot games.

In tarot games originating from Italy and France, the Fool has a unique role, sometimes called “the Excuse”. In these games, the player excuses the player from following suit or playing a trump. At the end of the trick, the player takes back the Fool and adds it to their trick pile, giving the trick’s winner the least valuable card from that same pile. If there are no cards to give in exchange, the Fool is worth one point less and an extra point is given to the trick-taker.

In a minor variant option of French tarot, a player dealt trump 1 but with no other trumps or the Fool can make trump 1 behave the same as the Fool. In official tournament rules, a player in this situation must declare their hand and force a redeal.

What size should a tarot cloth be?

The cloths for tarot cards are of sufficient dimensions to accommodate the configuration of a Celtic Cross spread, with hems that have been meticulously finished. The dimensions of the cloths are approximately 21″ x 21″ square, unless otherwise specified. Casting cloths for Futhark runes, Ogham, or witch’s runes are 12 inches by 12 inches square.