I would say my favourite/most used decks are the ones that have acquired a crystal companion.
I choose simply by what feels right/"fits" at the time. I might be looking at some crystals and I see one and think "that reminds me of my X deck - I think I'll get that crystal for it"
Or the other way around - I'll think "Hmm - I'm in the mood to have a crystal for this deck"... what could that be??? <go looking>.
The majority are heart shaped - and some are mini carved statuettes.
One of my favourites is a tiny bear carved out of jasper - I keep that with my Night Sun Tarot deck (will photograph and add here later).
I have several crystal reference text books - and many years ago, I did a psychic awareness course that included crystal identification and metaphysical properties - so I have an underlying basic knowledge of some crystals.
I occasionally clear the energy in my reading room (but not every time/ before and after each reading etc.). And when I do this it's usually with sound (gong, tingsha, bells, tunning forks, tibetan bowls, wrattles, singing and clapping with my hands - I do them all in variation).
My set ritual for every reading is as follows:
- I tidy the room (I read in my bedroom, on the bed).
- I set out my chosen reading cloth, and place on it - my statuette of Hotei, (patron of fortune tellers - the Laughing/Happy Buddha), and a clear quartz (cut so that it has a Merkabah shape in it) to represent the Seeker/clear and amplified channels for the receipt of appropriate information from the Universe. I may also place the decks companion crystal there.
- I get comfortable and recite my Tarot Invokation in my head (A short prayer - or spell, which is a 'grounding, aligning, empowering, clearing, protecting and invoking' all rolled into one. I am Wiccan.)
- Then I do the reading.
Herbs and oils - I generally use at other times. Mostly for personal meditation or ritual.
Or just to make the house smell nice.
My cards don't have "special" places where they reside. They just have places that are "for cards" so that I don't end up misplacing them somewhere else.
I hardly ever burn candles because I've no space, I don't like the smell of melted wax, and my partner is paranoid that I might burn the house down - so the only place there's a well used candle is inside the oil burner in the bathroom (for relaxing or ritual baths).