An Intro Post and a Question

[stellina]

Hi everyone!

I'm Stellina, and I've been reading Tarot for about a year now. I actually started my Dreamwidth account mainly to have someplace to post up daily draws and other forms of Tarot journalling exercises, so I'm really happy to see a Tarot community here! I'm also studying cartomancy with regular playing cards.

Some of the decks I like/use on a regular basis are the LS Mini Universal, the Medieval Scapini, and the Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg (that one's mostly for the winter, though). I have a few others, but mostly I stick with those three because I feel like I can interpret them pretty well, and also due to the sizing of most decks -- the Goddess Tarot, for example, is just huge for my hands. (I hear they have a mini version out now, might give that a try)

Which brings me to my question -- how do you handle shuffling large decks? Right now I do the "take a chunk from the back of the deck and sort of redistribute smaller chunks in front or back of the deck" method, but I really just wish I could riffle shuffle them. I've tried the Faro shuffle, too, but it's really hard to do! Any suggestions?

Thanks all, I am really looking forward to future discussions in this community!

~S

Comments

[senmut]

The Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg is gorgeous. I had bought it for my late partner before she found a deck she wanted more (meditation deck/oracle cards rather than true Tarot).

As for the shuffle...I don't have any clue. I've had people who only faro shuffle, and people who only riffle shuffle and both groups claim it is the only way. I think it's all a matter of handling them the way that feels right to you...which doesn't help your position at all I am afraid.

[ex_lindsay366]

As someone with bad hands (fibromyalgia), i've found that whatever form of shuffling i'm capable of that day? That's the right way. Cards that hurt are not cards i communicate with very well.

That being said? One of my motivations behind designing my own deck is that i can make it a much friendlier size. I'm going for standard poker-card side, which i can shuffle quite well, even on a bad day.

[stellina]

That's a good point -- doesn't matter too much how they get shuffled as long as they do. I worry a little about how random my current method will make them, but I may just need to invest more time in the shuffle.

Are you going for a commercially produced deck? Because that is an awesome idea, I know a few people who'd be interested in a poker-size Tarot, for portability and shuffling reasons alone.