Raise your hand if you’ve ever bought a tarot or oracle deck, only to find that when it arrived at your door that the deck just really wasn’t for you. I totally have. And it’s such a bummer when it happens because they can be really expensive. I usually discover that it’s just not going to work when I open the box and play with it for a bit. Sometimes it’s the imagery that doesn’t work, while other times I just don’t  “get” the deck or I’m unable to connect with it. Sometimes the author and I just disagree about core things. So what do you do with a deck that doesn’t work for you? Here are 3 ideas:

Deck Swap. I love a good deck swap. Just because the deck doesn’t work for me, doesn’t mean it won’t work for someone else. It’s pretty easy to do. Find a group of friends, in-person or online, and make a big list of the decks you all want to swap. After everyone has picked something, pop your old deck in the mail and wait for your new one to arrive. 

Give-Away-Cards. I LOVE this one. For decks that no longer resonate with me, I give away a card each time I give an in-person reading. I put the cards in a big bowl and have my clients pick one after their reading is done. It ends up being really magical because it leads to one more message from Spirit  they can take home with them. You can also send them to friends in the mail, as little love notes or surprise pick me ups.

Altar Cards. Sometimes, the deck doesn’t work for me in a reading situation, but it works great as a focal point on my altar. I love putting up repeating cards or messages up where I can see them, so I can be reminded to work with that energy more. However, I also use those favorite decks for both myself and for professional readings. So taking those cards out of the deck isn’t really practical. That’s where those side decks come into play. I find a deck I don’t use often and pull out a card that carries the same message. It’s a win-win–I get my reminder without losing a fav deck.

Bonus Idea: Creative Inspiration/Vision Boards/Art. Use the cards in creative ways. You may want to make art out of them or use the theme of each card in a vision board. You can even use them as journal prompts or writing prompts. Get creative and see what works for you.

I check in with my decks every season. I count the cards in the deck to make sure I’m not missing any. I also check in with the energy of the deck and see if it still resonates. There are some decks I have just forgotten about and some that I have shifted out of. Going through my decks seasonally allows me to let go of any decks I need to and make space for new ones.

I’m curious—what do you do with your decks that don’t resonate anymore? How do you know when it’s time to let go? Send me an email and let me know.