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Proper Care of Your Deck 
Written by Astarte
The Case
After you've brought your tarot deck home, you should decide what kind of container you want to keep it in -- the box itself is an option, but not one that myself and other tarot readers seem to like. 

Since I sew a lot, I make bags from nice fabric to keep my tarot card decks in. However, you don't need any sewing skills to make a simple bag; just two rectangles sew on three sides with some kind of closure will do. Be creative; after all, this is your personal deck. 

Other readers prefer a nice wooden box for their decks. I use a bag because I carry my reading deck with me all the time (I have four decks, but I only read with one), and a box would be too cumbersome. But if you would like a nice wooden box, they're very easy to find. Check import stores, thrift shops, and antique stores. The box you keep it in should be as personal as your deck. 

okay, you've put your deck into something nice. Now what? 

Treating Your deck with Respect
Many people have different ideas about how your deck should be handled. 

Some say that once you get your deck, you should perform a sort of act that "bonds" the deck to you. For example, if you were Wiccan, you would perform a ritual consecration according to your tradition. For those who aren't Wiccan or religious at all, a good idea is to carry the deck around with you at all times, maybe even put it under your pillow at night (yes, I can hear some of you laughing out there!). The whole idea is to solidify a connection somehow in your mind that this deck is an extension of yourself. 

Another common belief among tarot readers is that no one but you should ever touch your deck, except when the querent is shuffling it. Many readers believe that if others handle your deck, they put some of themselves psychically into the deck, thereby weakening the connection between you and your deck. I believe that this can be true if you let others read with your deck; however, in my opinion it is alright to allow others to simply look at your deck to see the pictures. This is a matter of personal preference. 

That's it! Your tarot deck will become an extension of yourself. I really enjoy reading the tarot and have been doing it for six years. I carry my deck with me all the time because inevitably, someone will ask for a reading!
 

 
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