Shuffling and Cutting a Tarot Deck

Every tarot reader seems to have their own particular style when it comes to shuffling and cutting a tarot deck.  Some people shuffle "casino" style, but this can damage the cards and cause warping.  A safer alternative is to use the overhand shuffle method, where you cut the cards in two sections, and hold one sideways while dropping cards in small bunches on each side of this section with the other half.  The only problem with this method is that no cards will be "reversed" this way.  A way to get reversed cards while shuffling would be to do the "washing the cards" method, where you spread the entire deck on a surface and use your hands to mix the cards around, then gathering them up in a pile again when you intuitively feel it is time to stop shuffling.

Cutting the deck is also a matter of personal preference.  Some like to cut the deck into two sections, however, I prefer to use my left hand (for receiving) to cut the deck into three piles, and then place them back into one pile in a different order.  If the reading is for someone else, I would let them choose which pile they want on top of the deck, and then begin the reading.

Some individuals feel strongly about not letting others touch their cards, I personally feel that it helps others to feel involved in the process, the deck can always be cleansed of energy with sage or a variety of methods if that is of concern.