Shuffling and Drawing Tarot Cards

Shuffling a tarot deck as you would shuffle a regular pack of cards is considered disrespectful by many tarot readers, as a tarot deck is a sacred tool meant for connection with the divine and is deserving of being handled with respect. A preferred way to shuffle a tarot deck is overhand, using both hands to mix up the cards, moving them over and under each other at random. Some readers like to spread out the cards and then choose them as they are guided.

Before drawing a card, focus on the question by keeping it in your mind as you shuffle, or you can ask your question aloud. You may choose to pull a card from the top, or you can shuffle until one or more cards fall out. Some readers prefer the latter method, as more than one card can be necessary to provide a more complete response to a question, and letting the universe deliver as many cards as are needed is ideal, as it can give you the full scope of an answer and a more complete picture of a situation.

If you are drawing cards from the top of the deck, many see the “jumpers,” or cards that jump out of the deck during shuffling, as significant to the reading. These cards may give you the answer you’re looking for but haven’t yet asked about, they may offer additional or supporting information, or they can signify an aspect you may not have considered—the answer to a question you may not have asked. The card on the bottom of the deck, after you have finished shuffling and drawing your cards, is a foundational or baseline card that informs the reading with its influence.