Changing a covenant with your deck?

I know that a fair few of us have "deck understandings" - that is, our own particular ways of doing things. But, what do you do when you want to change your particular methodology? How do you communicate it to your decks?
I assume that some people cleanse them, but I'm not big on that. So what... talk to it and tell it what's what?

I think if I was to that with a deck, I would go through my personal cleansing ritual then meditate while holding the deck, and repeat affirming my new methodology to the deck until I feel that I have connected my new understanding to the deck.

I don't want to change mine with my decks though, but if I where to that is how I would do it, hopefully is some help to you.

I think just meditating with the deck would probably be a good idea, and maybe even asking the deck itself how it feels about it. Ask some questions, then pull a card or two and see what comes up. Fluidity is the nature of the universe and things are always changing, and switching things up in tarot isn't different. Maybe your deck will enjoy changing things a bit. :^) I also find that going out in nature and meditating for a bit helps loosen up stuck energy, but that could just be me.

A short meditation is my usual start for a reading. Then I'll have a short time shuffling the deck with focusing on my question, the soar and everything.

I mostly draw my cards from a horseshoe but sometimes from the top. I guess that would be a change of methodology as you put it? Therefore, I always focus on how I'd like to get the cards. And it always has done the job so far. For me it's not that different from using a different spread. Sit down with your deck, focus on your intention and then let go and just do it.

Farzon said:

I mostly draw my cards from a horseshoe but sometimes from the top. I guess that would be a change of methodology as you put it? Therefore, I always focus on how I'd like to get the cards. And it always has done the job so far. For me it's not that different from using a different spread. Sit down with your deck, focus on your intention and then let go and just do it.

Click to expand...

That's what I do, too. I shuffle in different ways and just stop shuffling when it feels right but I'm always clear in my mind as to whether I'll be cutting the deck or taking cards from the top, and if I'm doing a spread what the positions are. I have the intention from the outset or formulate while shuffling but making sure my intention is clear well before I finish shuffling.

Whenever I change up how I'm going to do the reading, I just tell the deck I need to change things up for that reading and then we're good to go. It's not been a problem.

AnemoneRosie said:

I know that a fair few of us have "deck understandings" - that is, our own particular ways of doing things. But, what do you do when you want to change your particular methodology? How do you communicate it to your decks?
I assume that some people cleanse them, but I'm not big on that. So what... talk to it and tell it what's what?

Click to expand...

By "methodology" - d'you mean the particular type of personal ritual or habits that one engages in whilst using a deck?

I think I change my methodology slightly from day to day or week to week. Plus, every so often someone will give a new idea here on AT and I''ll think - "I like that" and add it in or swap it for something I was doing before.
My decks - being a tool or extension of my expression - just change as I do.

The exception may be - changing the use of the decks that I have set aside specifically for ritual and magical practice. i.e. the decks that I use to meditate with specifically within the context of my pagan (Spiritual) practice - or use for spells (prayers or focussed attention on specific goals).
In this case - I wouldn't seriously begin using these decks for something else (say to read for a client) because I know that I'm way too attached to their use as my magical/ritual tools, and will have some difficulty separating this association from them - therefore other usage would not be cleanly uncoloured by this.

I don't cleanse my cards and I don't tell them anything. They're tools, like a knife and fork at dinner. The need for a change of attitude is within you, that's all. If you want to use your cards differently, then just use them differently. The struggle, if any, will be in your mindset and your habitual way of reading with them.

I think too many people give their personal power away to the cards. The only real power is within the reader. The cards are not able to see, think, feel or do anything apart from the person putting them to use.

All matter is energy, as that old rule goes that we're taught in school. And of course, that's true. A rock is energy but the atoms of a rock move so slowly that we think of it as a solid object. The atoms in water move around more easily so their energy is more fluid. And fire's atoms are moving so fast that the energy they transmit is hot. So in one respect, you could say that your cards do have some energy because all matter is energy, but they don't have personality, powers of their own, spirits attached to them, or anything more than your roll of paper towels has. All the supposed benefits of putting crystals on them, putting them in the moonlight, attempting to cleanse them in various ways are mostly in the user's mind. That's a powerful thing, though. Your mind and your beliefs can actually make miracles happen, but always be aware that the power is yours, it isn't in the cards. The power is what you believe and manifest by means of using this deck of cardboard and ink. You may not think that's important, but it's extremely important in how effective you'll be as a reader.

I don't mean to sound preachy, but once in awhile I do just feel like I have something to contribute that bears consideration about this and I can't help myself. If you love using crystals, moonlight, cleansing rituals or whatever else, don't stop doing them but also give some thought to where the power of those things really comes from. You and your spiritual power are strong and miraculous and in your hands, your cards become the avenue for that spiritual energy to manifest itself.

I hate cleansing and crystals and moonlight and all that jazz. Mostly because I'm a busy person on the go and I don't have time, nor do I own any crystals so what's the point (and they're sort of rocks? I like prisms, but that's because I think it's nifty that they can break light into rainbows).

But every so often I get knocked down from that. Peer influence is a very strong force.