So you’ve got a shiny new tarot deck and you’re just sitting there staring at it like it’s going to tell you something on its own. It won’t. Not yet.
Here’s the thing about a fresh deck — there’s nothing magical about it straight out of the box. That sounds harsh, but it’s actually kind of freeing. The magic part? That’s on you. The cards need your energy before they can do anything useful with it.
And no, you don’t have to wait for someone to gift you your first deck. That myth has been going around forever and it’s just not true. If you feel called to a deck, buy it. Choose your own destiny and all that.
Why does a new tarot deck need to be cleansed at all?
A new tarot deck has passed through a lot of hands before it got to yours — factory workers, shipping staff, everyone who picked it up and put it back down at the store. You don’t know what kind of energy came along for the ride.
Cleansing clears all of that out. It’s not woo for the sake of woo — it’s about making the deck yours. You’re wiping the slate so the cards can start picking up your energy instead of everyone else’s residue.
Most serious readers also clear their space and any objects they use before a reading, not just the deck itself. Think of it like breathing fresh air into the cards before you ask them anything important.
How many cards are actually in a tarot deck?
A standard tarot deck has 78 cards. The Rider-Waite — probably the most widely used deck and the easiest one to learn on — breaks down into 22 Major Arcana cards and 56 Minor Arcana cards.
The Minor Arcana is split into four suits: Cups, Wands, Swords, and Pentacles. Each one has its own energy and themes, and every single card has a meaning worth learning.
If you’ve been eyeing an oracle deck instead, those aren’t the same thing as tarot — though you can use similar spreads with both. Oracle decks usually come with their own little guide booklet explaining each card, which makes them a solid starting point if you don’t know where to begin. But what do I know — the best deck is the one you actually feel drawn to. That’s not a cop-out, that’s just how this works.
The 15 ways to prepare your new tarot deck
None of these are required. All of them work. Pick what resonates and don’t stress about doing every single one — this isn’t a checklist you’re graded on.
1. Invocations, vigils, and prayers. Call in whatever positive energy you believe in. Ask for clarity, ask for protection, ask for truth. Make it yours.
2. Singing, chanting, or music. Sound carries energy. Play something meaningful, hum over the cards, put on a playlist that feels right. Weirder things have worked.
3. Ritual silence. Sometimes the move is just to sit quietly with the deck. Hold it, breathe, let it absorb your stillness.
4. Create an altar space. Flowers, statues, a glass of water, meaningful objects — arrange them around the deck and let it sit there and soak in the intention you’ve set.
5. Use a power name or word. A word or phrase that holds spiritual weight for you. Speak it over the cards, write it down, make it part of the ritual.
6. Incense or smoke. Pass the deck carefully through smoke — sage, palo santo, incense, whatever you use. Don’t burn your cards. That’s not cleansing, that’s a disaster.
7. Special gestures and offerings. Moving within a circle, exchanging symbolic gifts, setting an intention out loud. Ritual gesture matters more than you’d think.
8. Light a candle. Set the mood. Again — fire near cards means candle on a holder, not a torch situation. Common sense applies here.
9. Fast or feast on something intentional. Drinking a specific herbal tea, eating something that feels ceremonial to you. The idea is that you’re in a heightened state of intention when you first handle the deck.
10. Use crystals or ritual objects. My go-to crystal picks for tarot work are a whole other conversation, but placing a clear quartz or black tourmaline on top of your deck overnight is one of the most popular ways to cleanse it. The cards just sit there charging.
11. Bury and unbury the deck. Yes, literally. Wrap the deck, bury it in the earth for a day or a few days, dig it back up. Grounding energy is real and this is one of the most old-school ways to access it.
12. Tying or untying. Wrapping the deck with a cord or ribbon and then untying it as part of a ritual — releasing what doesn’t belong to you, welcoming what does.
13. Wash your hands first. Honestly this one sounds so basic but it matters. Clean hands, clear mind, fresh start. Do this every single time you read, not just the first time.
14. Breathwork. Hold the deck, take slow intentional breaths, exhale over the cards. Your breath carries your energy. This one’s fast, free, and completely underrated.
15. Shuffle. Just shuffle. A lot. Through all the other preparation, don’t forget that the act of shuffling — really mixing those cards up with your hands — is one of the most direct ways to imprint your energy on a deck. Some readers do this for ten minutes straight on a new deck. I respect it.
Can you buy your own first tarot deck, or does it have to be a gift?
You can absolutely buy your own first tarot deck — the idea that someone has to gift it to you is one of the most persistent myths in tarot and it’s just not accurate.
If you feel called to a specific deck, that pull IS the signal. You don’t have to wait around for someone else to notice what you already know. The history of tarot as a divination tool goes back centuries and nowhere in that long tradition is there a rule that says you’re not allowed to choose your own cards.
Pick the deck that won’t let you stop looking at it. That’s the one.
Does it matter which tarot deck you start with?
The Rider-Waite-Smith deck is the most recommended starting point for beginners because so much tarot education is built around its imagery — when you’re learning your first three-card spread, the visual symbolism in Rider-Waite actually teaches you as you go.
That said, if you feel zero connection to Rider-Waite and you’re obsessed with something else, use what you’re drawn to. Intuition is the whole point here.
Most complete decks come with a guidebook, so you’re not going in blind no matter what you choose.
What should you do after you cleanse a new tarot deck?
Once your deck is cleansed and charged with your energy, the best thing you can do is start using it. Don’t let it sit in a box waiting for the perfect moment.
Do a simple daily pull — one card every morning. Get familiar with how your deck talks to you. Starting a tarot journal to track your pulls and your interpretations is genuinely one of the best things you can do in those early weeks. Patterns show up fast when you’re writing things down.
The deck gets better the more you work with it. That’s not superstition — that’s just how any skill deepens.
Preparing a new tarot deck isn’t complicated, but it does take a little intention. The whole point is to make those cards yours — clear out anyone else’s energy and put yours in.
Do a few of the 15 methods, do all of them, do just the one that feels right. There’s no wrong way to start. The only actual mistake is buying a deck you love and then leaving it in a drawer because you’re waiting until you feel ready.
You’re already ready. Shuffle the thing.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to cleanse a brand new tarot deck?
Can you buy your own first tarot deck or does it have to be gifted?
How many cards are in a standard tarot deck?
What is the easiest tarot deck for beginners?
What’s the difference between tarot and oracle cards?
How do you cleanse a tarot deck without sage?
What should you do after cleansing a new tarot deck?
