Tarot Beginner's Guide · Part 5
How to Shuffle and Draw Tarot Cards
There is no single correct way to shuffle and draw. What matters is slowing down and keeping your attention on the question. Here is a simple routine that works.
Get clear on the question first
Before you pick up the deck, take a minute or two to settle and say your question to yourself, or write it down. The more specific the question, the easier it is to connect the cards to your life.
This is not a ritual for its own sake. It is a way to sort your thoughts, and many people find that simply writing the question clearly already takes some pressure off.
Common shuffling methods
Riffle shuffle: split the deck in two and let the halves interleave, like shuffling playing cards. It is quick, but tarot cards are larger and bend easily, so go gently.
Overhand shuffle: hold the deck in one hand and use the other to lift small packets and drop them in front or behind, several times over. This is the most common method and kind to your cards.
Table wash: spread all the cards face down on a table, swirl them slowly with both hands, then gather them up. This is the method most likely to produce reversed cards.
There is no set amount of shuffling. Stop when it feels done. If you read reversals, a table wash, or turning a packet around now and then while shuffling, will let reversed cards appear naturally.
Cutting and drawing
After shuffling, many readers cut the deck into two or three piles and restack them in any order. The cut works as your own final confirmation.
To draw, you can take cards from the top, or fan the deck out and pick the number you need by feel. Lay them in the order of the spread's positions, then turn them over one at a time.
Flip each card from side to side rather than top to bottom, or you will accidentally swap upright and reversed.
Drawing on TarotDome
On the TarotDome home page, write your question, choose a spread, then pick your cards yourself on screen. The order of the deck, and whether each card is upright or reversed, is randomised in your browser, so the card you tap is the card you get.
Once you have drawn, the site gives you an AI-written reading based on your question, the spread positions and the cards. It is meant for entertainment and reflection and does not describe anything that is bound to happen.