How to shuffle tarot cards
Reading tarot · 2 min read · updated
Any shuffle that mixes the cards well is correct. The four common methods are the overhand shuffle, the riffle, the table wash (spreading the cards face down and stirring them) and the pile shuffle. Tarot cards are larger than playing cards, so gentler methods last longer.
- Gentlest
- Table wash
- Quickest
- Overhand
- Hardest on cards
- Riffle and bridge
- Mixes in reversals
- Table wash
- How long
- Until it feels done; 7 riffles mix a deck well
Four methods
Overhand. Hold the deck in one hand and pass small packets into the other, over and over. Easy for any hand size, gentle on cards. It mixes slowly, so shuffle a little longer.
Riffle. Split the deck in two, bend the halves and let them fall into each other, as with playing cards. Fast and thorough, but bending wears and curls tarot cards, which are larger and often thinner than playing cards. Riffle low and without the bridge if you use it.
Table wash. Spread the cards face down on a table and stir them with both hands, then gather them up. Gentlest on the cards, good for small hands, and the best way to mix in reversed cards, because the cards turn in every direction.
Pile shuffle. Deal the deck into several piles, then stack the piles in a different order. It does not randomise much on its own, but it is a calm way to start and a good way to count the deck.
How long to shuffle
There is no fixed number in tarot. Many readers shuffle until it feels right, or while they repeat their question. If you want a number: mathematicians have shown that about seven riffle shuffles are needed to mix a 52-card deck well; a 78-card tarot deck needs a few more.[1] Overhand shuffles mix much more slowly, so give them time or combine them with a table wash.
Cutting the deck
After shuffling, many readers cut: split the deck into two or three piles with the left hand and put it back together in a new order. Waite's instructions of 1911 include a cut before the cards are laid out.[2] It is optional; it gives a clear moment when the shuffle is over.
Drawing the cards
You can deal from the top, or spread the deck in a fan face down and pick cards one by one. Both are fine. Choose one and keep to it, so it becomes part of your routine.
Looking after the deck
- Shuffle on a clean, dry surface or a cloth.
- Avoid bending cards in a tight bridge.
- Keep the deck in its box or a bag when not in use.
- A new deck is often stiff and slippery; a few days of table washing breaks it in.
