How to Shuffle, Cut, and Draw Tarot Cards for a Reading

I. Tarot Card Shuffling Techniques

1. Embedded Shuffle

Hold a portion of the tarot cards face down in your hand, and randomly insert the remaining cards into the ones in your hand. Remove some cards and insert them back in. Repeat this process until you feel the cards are well shuffled. Note that this method can easily damage the edges of the cards, so handle them carefully (it might even scratch your hands...).

2. Push Shuffle

Place the tarot cards face down on the table and mix them up. Use your left thumb to push the top stack of cards into your left hand, and your right thumb to push the bottom stack into your right hand. Continue until all cards are separated, then stack them back together and repeat until they are well shuffled. This method is tricky and requires practice to avoid injuring your hands (heh heh heh...).

3. Standard Shuffle

With the tarot cards face down, mix them evenly in a clockwise or counterclockwise motion using both hands.

The three methods above are standard shuffling techniques (the third is notably prevalent in most Chinese tarot books). When shuffling, it is generally suggested that the querent focuses on their question, while the diviner handles the shuffling. Whether the querent should shuffle the cards is up to personal preference. I typically shuffle myself, especially in cases where a third party wants a reading for an absent friend. If someone other than the querent does the shuffling, it's best not to proceed with the reading...

You aren't restricted to these methods; any technique that thoroughly mixes the cards without damaging their faces is fine. Also, for the third method, here are some tips:

• Use your fingertips and wrist for leverage while turning
• Position your wrist as if writing calligraphy
• Gently turn each card
• Aim to turn each card at least three and a half times (both revolving and rotating)
• Ensure that cards from the top and bottom are mixed evenly

II. Techniques for Cutting Tarot Cards

After shuffling the cards using any of the above methods (or your preferred one), place the cards face down and proceed to cut them as follows:

• Take a section of cards from the deck
• Place this section to the left of the original deck
• From this new stack, grab another section
• Put it further to the left, forming three stacks
• Randomly recombine these stacks into one, and you're set

This is a frequently used quick cutting method in Western practices. You can either cut the cards yourself or allow the querent to do so during a reading. However, when merging the stacks, trust your intuition and don't overthink their placement.

Here are some traditional cutting techniques found in literature:

1. Gypsy Magic Cards

Lay the cards horizontally in a pile, face down. While organizing them may feel awkward initially, take your time. Neither the diviner nor the querent should see the card faces. Use your left hand to cut the cards into two piles, placing the cut cards underneath the rest to prevent the order from resetting. If reading for a friend, have them cut the cards similarly.

2. Super Player Tarot Cards

During the cut, the diviner can opt whether to perform it. There are no strict rules on how many cuts—be it three times or based on the querent's age. Key is instructing the querent to "please divide the cards into two parts with your left hand."

3. Advanced Mysterious Tarot Cards

Use your left hand to cut the cards into two parts and stack them, ensuring the order isn't disrupted. Place the cut section beneath the stack. When reading for someone else, the querent should follow the same steps. (According to illustrations, place the cards horizontally, take a portion, place it underneath, then restack with the original cards on top, such that initial bottom cards become the top.)

4. Cat Magic Book

Split the organized cards into two stacks and switch their positions. This method is called "cutting the cards." To mix the card faces evenly, perform this action. The number of cuts depends on personal choice. Both diviner and querent should participate in this process. (Illustrations describe: place cards horizontally, call original stack A, take a portion to create B placed beneath, then from B, create C. Place A on B, then A+B on C.)

III. Methods for Drawing Tarot Cards

Since I prefer flexibility in methods, I propose the following card-drawing options for you to consider:

Prerequisite: After cutting the cards...

• Ask the querent (or yourself) to randomly select the necessary number of cards
• Have the querent (or yourself) choose a number first, then draw cards based on this number (from the top or bottom)
• Simply lay out the cards in order from the top (or bottom)
• If a book mentions a standard method, adhere to the described approach

Personally, I often use the second and third methods for drawing cards, but everyone can choose based on their preference. My experiments show that different drawing methods don’t affect the reading’s accuracy, so feel assured. Moreover, these methods apply to both self-readings and readings for others.

Images in this article are sourced from Pixabay