How-to Guides · 8 min · 2026-07-18
The Tarot Reading Process (Part 2): From Shuffling to Drawing
Once you've clarified your question and chosen a spread, you move into the essential steps: shuffling, cutting, drawing cards, and interpretation. Each phase carries its own weight and specific practice—all designed to help you connect directly with the energy of what you're asking.
The Tarot Reading Process (Part 2): From Shuffling to Drawing
Shuffling
After you've settled on your question and chosen a spread, you can begin to shuffle. Either the person asking or the reader can do this.
Two common shuffling methods exist:
Method 1: Poker Shuffle
This isn't the showy overhand shuffle of card games. In tarot, the poker shuffle works like this: hold the deck face-down in your right hand, then use your left hand to lift away a random packet and place it on top. Repeat until the deck feels sufficiently mixed.
Note: If you prefer not to distinguish between upright and reversed cards, this method is ideal. If you do want reversals, you'll need to rotate a portion of the deck 180° every few shuffles.
Method 2: Mahjong Shuffle
Spread the entire deck face-down across a table and shuffle it like mahjong tiles—gently rubbing across the surface in both directions. This method creates a thorough mix and naturally produces both upright and reversed cards, though it requires adequate table space and ideally a cloth mat to protect the deck.
Timing and approach: There's no hard rule about how long to shuffle or whether your eyes should be open or closed. The sole purpose of shuffling is to create randomness—something genuinely unpredictable. This principle underlies all divination: the coin toss of the I Ching, the cast of bones.
Gathering the deck: Typically you'll gather the cards horizontally first. If you want reversals to appear, rotate the deck 90° clockwise as you shift to the vertical position (a common habit). The upright/reversed orientation is determined by the gatherer's perspective. That said, tarot is "intelligent" enough to adjust to your personal rhythm—if you consistently rotate counterclockwise, the reading remains accurate as long as you stay consistent.
Cutting
Who does this: The person asking the question must cut the deck.
Why: Cutting reveals the mental state of the querent regarding their question. Only when the querent cuts does the reading truly reflect their innermost thoughts.
How to do it: After the deck has been gathered and turned vertical, the querent lifts away any packet (thick or thin, no rules) and sets it aside. The card at the bottom of the packet they just removed is the cut card.
Once the reader notes this card's information, the original deck is placed on top of the removed packet, then all are reassembled to continue.
Drawing Cards
Who does this: The querent draws the cards.
How to do it: Fan the deck face-down (like an open hand) and ask the querent to draw the required number of cards. Which hand they use—left or right—doesn't matter. Eyes open or closed makes no difference.
Why the querent must draw: You want the cards to reflect information that flows directly from their actual situation, not information filtered through a middleman. When the querent physically touches the deck, they form the most direct energetic connection to their question.
Two important notes:
1. Don't flip cards too early: Ideally, don't turn cards face-up immediately after drawing them. This can shift the querent's emotional state while they're still drawing additional cards.
2. If two cards come out together: Occasionally the querent will draw two cards at once. Ask which one came out first, which came out second—order matters.
Interpretation
Once all cards have been drawn, arrange them in sequence according to your chosen spread. Then turn them face-up from left to right (or following your spread's designated order) and begin to read.
Read deeper
Reference: zhihu.com — Tarot Reading Guide (Part 2)