How to Purify Your Tarot or Oracle Deck

When you purchase a new tarot or oracle deck, it’s recommended to perform a cleansing ritual to infuse it with your energy. This spiritual journey is deeply personal, but sometimes we need a bit of inspiration to know where to start. The world of divination and cartomancy is rich, with a variety of practices. So, to help guide you, here’s a method to purify a new tarot (or oracle) deck.

I’d like to note that everything here is a matter of personal belief. The most important part of this purification ritual is the intention you set, regardless of its form—the key is to feel comfortable with your new deck.

First Contact with the Tarot Cards

I start by placing my tarot deck on a table, surrounded by the four elements:

• a bowl of water
• incense
• a candle
• a bowl of coarse salt

The deck is placed in the center.

Personally, I bought my purifying incense from an esoteric shop. I think it’s good to choose an incense with a scent you enjoy. Incense can come in stick or stone form, or you could even substitute sage if you prefer. It all depends on your practice, usage, and preferences.

For the candle, white is ideal if possible, but any candle will work.

Here, we’re focusing on the candle flame and incense smoke. This duo will be used to purify and cleanse your cards.

Card Purification Ritual

Now, onto the practice itself. To purify a new tarot or oracle deck, go through it card by card.

Begin by passing each card through the incense (or sage) smoke to cleanse it and infuse it with your energy.

Then (always one at a time), pass each card briefly over the candle flame. Be careful not to burn yourself or the card!—illuminating the deck to bring light to yourself and to those you’ll read for.

Do this on both sides of each card, repeating the ritual for each one.

Letting the Deck Rest

Once the purification ritual is complete, place the entire deck back in the center of the table, between the salt and water bowls.

Allow the candle and incense to burn out naturally (take precautions to avoid any fire hazards).

Leave the deck there for 24 hours.

Afterward, you can hold the deck in your hands and begin your first divination and card-pulling sessions. It will now be fully imbued with your energy.

Bonus Tip: Storing Your Cards

A personal tip I enjoy: for storing my cards, I don’t keep the original packaging.

Instead, I like to use small fabric bags (silk or satin, something soft) where I store my deck, and perhaps the guidebook if there is one.

Why Cleanse a Tarot Deck Energetically?

For me, it’s important to know and bond with your tarot or oracle deck. It’s essential to infuse it with positive energy and charge it with our personal vibrations.

Similarly, it’s usually not recommended to acquire a second-hand deck, as it may carry other energies (sometimes negative).

Cartomancy and divination are highly personal forms of spirituality. Regardless of how much faith we place in them, the idea is that our cards should guide and support us in the best way possible—by being fully attuned to us.

Moreover, you can also cleanse your deck mentally without necessarily using a ritual with tools.

Personally, I enjoy this type of ritual as I find it exciting and meaningful. But again, there are many ways to do it; it all comes down to the original intention, as always.

What’s the Difference Between Tarot and Oracle Cards?

Throughout this article, I’ve mentioned both tarot and oracle cards, but what’s the difference between the two? This could actually be the topic of an entire article.

To answer briefly, I make a distinction based on my usual use:

I tend to use oracle cards more for a daily draw, a short message for a specific time.

While I use tarot for a more in-depth, specific reading (often without a small guidebook explaining the meanings).

Tarot involves a somewhat deeper level of study. Readings are often intended for others rather than oneself. I find it challenging to read tarot for myself, whereas oracle cards feel more suitable for personal use.