How to Stop Your Tarot Cards from Sticking Together

Are Sticky Tarot Cards a Problem for You?

Many times in the past I’ve had tarot decks from which the cards kept sticking together, and I’m sure you’ve had some too. It makes them quite annoying to work with, doesn’t it? Long ago I discovered a way to remove the stickiness; and as not everyone will know of it, I’ll share it with you now.

But First, Some Common Reasons Why Tarot Cards Stick Together

• They are coated with a filmy residue and need cleaning
• They are coated with a finish that creates static electricity
• They have no finish, and the roughness leads them to cling together
• They have a glossy finish that leaves them with a tendency towards sticking
• In some cases they don’t stick but let’s use vintage cards as an example here; you will want some extra glide to reduce friction, thereby reducing wear and tear

In these cases, what should we do?

Perhaps let’s begin by addressing the cleaning issue. To effectively clean tarot or playing cards, put them in a large tray and sprinkle flour on them. Lightly swirl them around making sure the flour reaches all cards. Once they are well coated, leave them sit at least fifteen minutes. Then individually wipe the flour from each one. As you do this, you will see that the grease or film will roll off with the flour. Once the procedure is complete, the cards shouldn’t stick anymore.

For the other points on the list above regarding why tarot cards stick together, you can treat them all with the same one process, that I will soon reveal. And too, if you have cleaned your cards and they still stick, this is the most logical next step. First you’ll need some fanning powder. You can purchase it many places online, I buy mine on eBay.

What is Fanning Powder?

Fanning powder was created for magicians, enabling them to fan their cards with ease, thus the name. Fanning powder has saved my tarot card collection from much wear and tear over the years. I love it. I can’t be bothered to take the time to discover whether the cards I buy will stick; and besides, I’ve found that most stick more than ideal. Now I automatically treat all cards that come into my possession, that is unless they are coated with printer’s varnish rather than laminate; in that case I’ll do a test on one of them. I’ve found that some types of printer’s varnish break down when fanning powder is applied.

In reference to older tarot cards, if you use any vintage decks for your readings, it is a thrifty idea to treat them periodically with fanning powder to reduce wear and tear as much as possible. The effect of the powder will last longer or shorter dependent on how much you use the deck. For this reason I can’t really say how often you should treat them. What I will say is that you will know, so play it by ear.

How to Use Fanning Powder

Place the tarot deck you wish to treat in a smooth tray – glass works well. Sprinkle with a very small amount of fanning powder. Do not sprinkle straight from the container. If you spill there will be a very difficult mess to clean up, as this is very sticky (er, I mean residuous) stuff. I start with about 1/8 of a teaspoon.

Delicately swirl the cards in the tray. Be careful with them. Make sure to get some along the card edges. If you feel that the initial amount of fanning powder used wasn’t enough, add a small amount more and move the cards around once again.

What you don’t want is any excess. Shuffle the cards well and wipe off any powder that is visible and white. That’s it – all done.

A word of caution – fanning powder is filmy. Be careful how and where you handle it, it coats things if you let it fly. Be careful not to breathe it in or use it close to children or pets; it is mildly toxic.

Color Meanings and Attributes Within the Tarot

Color Meanings and Attributes Within the Tarot

Color meanings within the tarot – what can they tell us?  Colors tell us direction, or whether something is warm or cold, they can offer us insight regarding personality traits, and they can even relate to planets and zodiacal signs. Colors can tell us a myriad of other things as well once we understand how their various definitions apply to our card readings. Read on, the descriptions and attributes are provided farther down the page.

Color is like many other things pertaining to cartomancy… you may or may not choose to work with it. Like all card readers, you will work with the specific properties of tarot that you feel apply best to you; and of course you are free to add to your tools of choice at any time you choose.

It’s safe to assume that most tarot decks are designed to provide an impact of meaning within each and every color used. It’s a good idea to work with those attributes – to give them life as it were. This article covers much of what you need to know to begin integrating color meanings into your readings. You only need to know the attributes of the colors and pay attention to them when you read. In the end, it’s all a matter of applying your intuition, as well as the knowledge you’ve gained through experience.

I had performed an in-depth study to derive my own meanings from color within tarot images some time ago; I now share the results with you. I went broad-spectrum within this presentation.

Color Meanings

White: Refers to the feminine aspect of the Moon, positivity, purity, innocence, wholeness, new beginnings, spirituality, virginity, kindness, cleansing, completion, faith, renewal, peace, safety, communication, coordination, organization, versatility, illumination, brilliance, Heaven, spirit, aether, cleanliness, softness, winter, putting one’s best presentation of self forward, is representative of white light (which contains all other colors); and clarity of logic and thought.

White Negatives: May refer to being high strung, sterility, blandness, feelings of anxiety, or mourning.

Chakra: crown.
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 Black:  Mystery, night and darkness, potentiality, distance, regeneration, exploration, responsibility, subconscious, buried deep within the psyche, transformation, renewal, rebirth, reflection, meditation, hidden strengths, spirit, aether; and a breakthrough revelation after a period of difficulty.

 Black Negatives:  Feeling bound within authority, slow change, slowness, limitations, restriction, destructiveness, dark secrets, concealment, negativity, pessimism, upheaval, obsession, a thirst for power, void, fear, oppression, death, mourning, ignorance, and evil.

Chakra: root/base.
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Red: Fire, heat, energy, force, strength, courage, passion, ambition, motivation, enthusiasm, justice, urgency, speed, activity, intensity, sacred, affluence, abundance, sexuality, wealth, power, prestige, love, blood (as a life source), inspiration, vitality, instinctual urges, protection (offered us by Christ’s sacrifice); and is representative of virtues.

Red Negatives: Defending one’s life or survival; lust, embarrassment, anger, warning, sacrifice, ‘stop’, danger, and death.

Chakra: root/base.
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Orange: Courage, fire, energy, motivation, vibrant, vitality, joy, flamboyant, uninhibited, drive, activity, attention-getting, extrovert, creativity, change, the season of autumn, ambition, enthusiasm, spontaneity, warmth, sociable, friendly, kind, tolerant, stimulation, attraction, plenty, assertive, excitement, thoughtful, outspoken, free-spirited, compassionate, passion-fired, curious, adaptable, sympathetic, encouragement, happiness, balancing sexual desire with logic, open, demonstrative, communicative, successful, and healthy.

Orange Negatives: Deceit, distrust, lacks patience, show-off, disloyal, dislikes being alone, aloof, arrogant, self-centered, pessimistic, superficial.

Chakra: sacral.
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 Yellow:  Life, life force, the mind, air, fire, creativity, imagination, brilliance, joyfulness, happiness, glowing, spirituality, optimistic, peace, logic & reason, cheerful, clarity, hope, identity, friendship, heat, summer, intellect, vitality, self control, purposeful, organized, proud, idealistic, in control, confident, energetic, and enthusiastic.

 Yellow Negatives:  Caution, stern, impatient, controlling, overly critical, judgmental, cowardice, betrayal, and deceitfulness.

Chakra: solar plexus.
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Green: Growth, earth, life, freshness, energy, healing, quick change, peace, vigor, hope, the season of spring, nature, refreshing, youth, rejuvenation, material possessions, generosity, prosperity, learning, balance, ambition, charity, money, renewal, resurrection, health, affluence, harmony, fertility, Christmas, finances, environmental concern, abundance, luck, success, wellness and well-being, safety, stability, forgiveness, endurance, compassion, true unconditional love; and it’s a sign to proceed (as like the traffic light color). Within nature, all that is animal, vegetable, and mineral.

Green Negatives: Greed, jealousy, envy, inexperience, unfortunate, and misfortune.

Chakra: heart.
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Blue: Emotion, water, air, truth, logic, reason, intuitive, spirituality, power, authority, psychic, subconscious, cosmic, harmony, peace, balance in spirit, communication, healing, honesty, sky, wisdom, loyalty, fidelity, faith, meditation, religion, growth, affluence, prosperity, money, patriotic, wealth, winning, happiness, fertility of the mind, knowledge, employment, tranquility, serenity, patience, understanding, philosophy, order, orderliness, devotion, sincerity, immortality, sleep, protection while sleeping, twilight, astral projection, optimism, calm, stability, unity, trust, confidence, conservatism, security, cleanliness, and technology.

Blue Negatives: Cold, irresponsible, cruelty, depression, sad, and aloof.

Chakra: throat.
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Purple: Spirit, spirituality, aether, water, compassion, power, luxury, dignity, elegance, spiritual leader or teacher, possessing of a spiritual awareness, nobility, royalty, ceremony, piety, sanctity, sentimentality, abundance, wisdom, grand ideals, independent, strong, spiritual protection, magic, healing, psychic ability, the sub-conscious mind, mystical, mystery, transformation, and enlightenment.

Purple Negatives: Cruelty, arrogance, restlessness, decadence, conceit, tension, sadness, and pomposity.

Chakra: crown.
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Brown: The Earth, earth, stability, grounding, wholesomeness, rooted, down to earth, material possessions, concentration, focus, dedication, commitment, pets and animals, hearth, home, outdoors, reliability, responsibility, slow-paced, dependable, physically strong, hard-working, elbow-grease, comfort, endurance, industrious, simplicity, the material world, and the mundane.

Brown Negatives: Stagnant, lazy, dirty, irresponsible, boring, dull, slow to a fault, unreliable, broken, defective, weak.

Chakra: sacral, root/base and earth star; also, when strongly yellowish, the solar plexus.
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Grey: Wisdom, balance, infinite possibility (as a combination of black and white), inner truth/knowledge, practicality, reliability, mature, calm, stability, cool, conservative, neutral, indefinite, modesty, compromise, uniformity, conformity, and advanced in age.

Grey Negatives: Boring, depression, poor health, fear, indecision, stressful, anxiety, confusion, sorrow, dullness, lacking in identity, narrow minded, unwilling to compromise, emotional distancing or detachment.

Chakra: root/base and earth star; also, when silvery, the crown.
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 Pink:  Innocent love, unconditional love, joy, happiness, affectionate, nurturing, romance, beginnings, new, fresh, intimate, feminine, caring, compassion, innocence, childlike, relaxation, contentment, thoughtful, purity, softness, beauty, grace, tenderness, kindness, calm, young, acceptance, understanding, give and take, idealistic, and nostalgia.

 Pink Negatives:  Naivete, rose-colored glasses, a childlike outlook, a childish attitude, childlike ignorance.

Chakra: heart.
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Indigo: Wisdom, depth, mastery of spirit and self, religion, integrity, equal justice for all, ability to access inner wisdom, inner knowledge, ritual, intuition, thinking outside of the box, meditation, preferring or needing solitude, management of personal issues, tradition, organization, structure, introspective, an ability to use honed intuitive skill to find answers; sincerity, and devotion.

Indigo Negatives: A tendency towards melodrama, addiction-prone, workaholic, overzealous.

Chakra: pineal/third eye.
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Astrological Attributes Associated with Color in Tarot

 Pink: 
Astrological attributes – Mercury, Chiron (which is a minor planet), and the Moon.
Star signs: Virgo and Cancer.

White: 
Astrological attributes – Mercury, Chiron; and the Moon.
Star signs: Virgo and Cancer (the same as pink).

Red:
Astrological attribute – Mars.
Star sign: Aries.

Orange:
Astrological attribute – Mercury.
Star sign: Gemini.

 Yellow: 
Astrological attribute – The Sun.
Star sign: Leo.

Green:
Astrological attributes – Venus and Ceres (Ceres is both a dwarf planet and a comet).
Star signs: Libra and Taurus.

Blue:
Astrological attribute – Jupiter.
Star sign: Sagittarius.

Indigo:
Astrological attributes – Jupiter and Neptune.
Star sign: Pisces.

Grey:
Astrological attributes – Jupiter and Neptune.
Star sign: Pisces (the same as indigo).

Purple:
Astrological attributes – Saturn, Uranus; and the Moon.
Star signs: Aquarius and Cancer.

Brown:
Astrological attribute – Venus.
Star sign: Libra.

Black:
Astrological attributes – Saturn, Mars; and Pluto, which is a plutoid.
Star signs: Capricorn and Scorpio.

Image Chart: Direction as Associated with Color in Tarot