How do you select your cards?

Gaelicgirl

As a novice I wondered if you could offer me your wisdom on how you select your cards? I prefer to shuffle, spread them all out, then select them. This seems to work best for me, but I know others shuffle and place into piles before selecting. Which is your chosen method? And do you find that one way works better for you than another?
 

snowmoon

As a novice I wondered if you could offer me your wisdom on how you select your cards? I prefer to shuffle, spread them all out, then select them. This seems to work best for me, but I know others shuffle and place into piles before selecting. Which is your chosen method? And do you find that one way works better for you than another?

hi,

shuffle, cut into pies , put back as one pies, spread them all out by order when i do a reading by spread.

or shuffle, spread them in a line , select cards by random.
 

EmpyreanKnight

If I'm working on a spread with 7 cards or less, I use the straight-forward shuffle-cut-pile method, then draw the cards from the top for the main reading, along with the optional general reading card at the very bottom. I riffle-shuffle btw, and since I almost always re-arrange the cards after I use them, I shuffle at least 7 times to randomize the deck, although if I feel satisfied by the 5th or 6th I just follow my instincts and stop.

If I work with larger spreads, I prefer to shuffle-cut-pile-fan-select with the top card as the general reading card.
 

Gaelicgirl

Thanks Snowmoon and EmpyreanKnight. It's good to get some tips from more those experienced :)
 

Beanfeasa

I shuffle, and when i feel they are ready I just take cards from the top. No cutting or selecting piles, I don't fan them out either, I tried all those methods but it just didn't fit
 

CharlotteK

I usually overhand shuffle until ready then deal from the top. Sometimes I randomise into piles first. Most of my readings are 1-3 cards. On the rare occasions I do a biggish spread (like a Celtic Cross) and feel drawn to making it an occasion, I will select cards from a fan, perhaps using a pendulum. But I can't remember the last time I did that.
 

G6

I shuffle until the cards for the reading pop out.
 

barefootlife

I just do my shuffle thing and pull off the top, but I also shuffle pretty thoroughly first, with various cuts and riffle combos. Sometimes I'll pull the bottom card too if the mood strikes. Tried the fanning and pulling randomly thing, it didn't click for me.
 

lantana

I usually just overhand shuffle and pull from the top, usually by a multiple of three until it feels right. Six shuffles is the most common amount of times.

I do cut the deck sometimes. I do a laborious cutting session when I first get the deck, since with just overhand shuffling it'll take forever for the deck to get randomized. I also cut the deck before reading for someone else or before large spreads.
 

littlethings

I shuffle until it feels right, cut the deck once and deal from the top