Taking care of divination tools must be one of the most procrastinated practices among the witchy community. But your tools are your channel, the connection between you and the Divine. If you want to get clear messages through, you should keep their energy clear too.
It is known that, whether Tarot decks, pendulums, or dice, divination tools collect energy with use (and even when they are not in use). So it is key to know how to care for them.
If you are unsure how to protect them or if, for any other reason, you are not taking proper care of them, this is your sign to start doing it now. Let’s brush off the laziness and go over some tips on how to take care of divination tools.
Cleanse your divination tools regularly
Divination moves energy back and forth from the divine. Your tools can and will hold on to some of it. As a result, you can get fuzzy or confusing messages over your sessions. To avoid this, you must cleanse them regularly.
Cleansing methods can vary from person to person, from element to element, and even from time to time. They can go from a quick, triple tap on your tarot deck to a full incense session for your runes.
The most popular cleansing methods are:
- Water cleansing: fill a bowl or container with rain or sea water and introduce your tools in it. You can add herbs, such as mint, lavender, or rose petals for boosted cleansing properties. Let them sit overnight.
- Soil cleansing: spot a loose patch of soil in your garden, bury your elements, and let them sit overnight.
- Salt bath: fill a bowl with sea salt and introduce your tools. Cover them completely and let them sit overnight.
- Burning herbs: waft smoking herbs such as lavender or rosemary over your tools with the intention of cleansing them. You can also use incense.
Be careful! make sure you choose a method that both resonates with you and is safe for your tools.
Research how to cleanse your tools safely
Cleansing properly is not only key to getting rid of unwanted energy, but also to avoid physical damage to your tools. Using more than one element to cleanse your instruments might seem ideal, but some materials or crystals are physically sensitive to water or can take damage from certain minerals in the soil.
Of course, common sense tells us that water cleansing your tarot deck or your bones is not the best idea. But sometimes, it is not that evident. For example, if your pendulum, runes, or dice are made of or contain pieces of amber, emerald, lapis lazuli, opal, malachite or turquoise, you should avoid salt as a cleansing method. Likewise, water can be dangerous for crystals such as hematite, malachite, and selenite. Alternatively, a safe method for most materials is incense cleansing.
Keep your tools protected between uses
It is important that, whenever you are not using your tools, they are kept energetically insulated. That is, that you prevent surrounding energy from penetrating through them. An easy, effective technique to repel heavy energy is to keep them wrapped in a piece of cloth and stored in a wooden box.
Choose your storage elements carefully and with intention. For example, this would be a good use for our divination magic witchy blanket: its purple color represents the transformation of energy and aligns with the purpose of divination, enhancing intuition and clarity.
Charge your divination tools for better results
Proper cleansing and storing are important to keep your tools clear of stagnant energy. But charging them will boost their energy and your connection to it. Consequently, the power of your intuition when using your tools will be benefited as well.
In a nutshell, charging is raising the energy levels in our tools. When we charge them, we are imbuing them with energy, whether our own or that of a crystal or celestial body. By doing so, we are boosting its own power.
To pass your own energy to your tools, you can simply hold them in your hands for a few moments throughout your day. However, it is ideal that you include them in meditation sessions. You can go through each one of your cards, runes, bones, or dice. Reflect on their meaning and the vibes you can perceive from them. This will improve your connection with your tools and is especially recommended before first-time uses.
You can also keep your elements in your altar so they soak up the energy you are invoking, or to just let them rest. Specifically for tarot cards, it is advisable to let them rest in order, from the Fool to the World for major arcana, and in numeric order for minor arcana. Also, check that none of them are inverted.
From time to time, you might want to charge your tools with the energy of the Sun or the Moon, for example. This is especially advisable for elements containing crystals. When doing so, preserving your elements is as important as the charging ritual itself. Be sure to place your tools in a safe place to prevent damage or loss (i.e., instead of leaving them in your garden to bathe in the moonlight, place them on your window sill for the night, safe from the weather and little creatures).
Use a consecrated surface
If your tools require a surface to be practiced with, you should consider using a consecrated bedding or mat. Not only will it be a sacred surface, aligned with the kind of spiritual energy you usually aim for, but it will also protect your tools from taking physical damage, especially if there is tossing involved in your craft (like in dice divination).
To consecrate your mat, you can do a small ritual or say a prayer with the intention of making it sacred. Just remember that once consecrated, your mat will remain sacred and you should treat it as such.
As an additional use, you can keep your mat on your altar as an altar cloth, or use it to protect your tools when you are not using them, as we mentioned before. It is advisable to choose a soft material and a design that carries meaning to you, as it will join you in your everyday divination practice.
Learn to understand your divination tools
Always remember that treating your tools with kindness and establishing a regular, healthy communication with them is paramount to keeping their energy light. Your vibe matters as much as that of others when it comes to your tools. Meditate with your elements from time to time and be thankful for the role they play in your practice. Find ways to connect with them on new levels and be open to their messages. Keeping your energy humble and light will make your communication flow better and the cleansing process go easier.
Have you been taking proper care of your divination tools? If your answer is no, now you have zero excuses. Otherwise, we hope you learned something new today!
As we mentioned, taking care of your tools is not only a matter of energy and spirit but also a matter of physical protection and care. It is important to keep in mind that, as much as these elements are our connection with the Divine, they are earthly objects and, as such, they need to be preserved from physical damage. That way, they can accompany us on our journey for many years.
Let us know how you take care of your tools in the comments!
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