I’ve been working with my tarot cards more lately. When I first started my studies on the tarot I was a bit confused with all the rules that most often came up. I learned that you can’t buy your own tarot, you have to keep them any certain cloth, nobody else can touch them, you have to shuffle them a certain way, and on and on. Well I broke most, if not all those “rules”. But it got me thinking about others handling my tools.
When it comes to my wand, chalice, bells, atheme, Book of Shadows, certain stones, and alike I would say no others should touch or use them. I would consider an exception if I were working with a partner or a coven, but for the normal person it would be no. My views on this are fairly lenient though and don’t really apply to divination tools.
The way I see it is like having a puppy. You train, feed, and bond with this puppy. Once you’ve worked with this puppy enough you gain the bond of love and trust. This is the same when it applies to your working tools. Though I would not wish for someone to touch my wand, I know that if they do then I will still have the bond with it that goes much deeper and permeates every fiber of its being. But it is only on the surface of it. I know that once I picked that wand up again, it will recognize my energy as one who it is meant to be with. If the person’s energy seems to have ill effects, then all I’ll have to do is cleanse it.
There is one member of my working tools who won’t get touched and that’s my crystal ball Chip. This has more to do with his personality and less to do with the thought of someone touching him. I’ll tell you more about Chip in another post though.
My divination tools, such as tarot, are fair game when it comes to me reading for someone. I’ve never had the opinion of someone touching my cards being the equivalent of them desecrating the cards. If I’m doing a reading for someone I would actually encourage them to hold the cards before the reading as long as they are respectful to them. Once the reading is done and the cards are ready for a break, they know that they will comfortably rest at home amid crystals or sage that have a similar energy connection with me as I do with the cards. The crystals will let the cards know that it is okay to rest and the energy will bathe them in the energy that’s cleansing and resonates with me.
Allowing others to handle your working tools can also connect you to others around you as well. Instead of re-cleansing your tools to be just your own energy, you can keep their energy on that item. This is something you may consider if you have a working partner that you won’t see for a a while, or if it is a person you truly respect as a teacher. I equate this to the notion of having the Pope blessing a rosary. When doing this you take on the essence of the Pope, his knowledge, the office he holds, the blessings he bestows, and his goodwill to the world around him.
If ever you are to enter my altar room and you see something that calls to you, you are more than welcome to look at it. If you ask (which is just a point of kindness) I will most likely be more than happy to allow you to handle it as long as you do so with respect.
I hope this has given some differing thoughts to the notion of the “must not touch” mentality. If you are still uncomfortable with the notion of someone touching your tools, then respectfully let people know that you prefer them not to touch your tools. Remember that there are no set rules for this practice when it comes to your personal tools.
