10 Tarot Reading Must Haves (that every Tarot reader needs!!!)

Let’s talk TAROT ACCESSORIES!

We all know that intuition, Tarot knowledge and intention are all important in a Tarot reading, but what about PROPS?

While the right sunglasses, lip gloss and boots make you feel like a hot little number, the right mix of Tarot accessories can make your feel like an intuitive minx!

And yes, for all you Tarotholics out there, this is kind of just an excuse to buy more stuff 😉 You’ve been warned.

First up, here’s a quick pic of my Tarot stash – some of my favorite mystical accoutrements that make my Tarot time delicious….

And secondly, here’s the video version of this post, in case you prefer watching to reading….

Let’s break it down!

1. A favorite, go-to Tarot deck

This one kind of goes without saying. Whether you own one Tarot deck or fifty, every Tarot reader needs a go-to deck – a deck that’s always used for really important readings, a deck that feels like home.

If you’re new to Tarot it might take you a little while to find this deck, but don’t despair! The right deck will find you eventually.

For me, my go-to deck is the Dame Darcy Mermaid Tarot, but sometimes it’s the Crystal Visions Tarot. Depending on my mood, I guess!

2. Black candles….so dramatic!

I don’t always use black candles when I do a reading. In fact, I seldom do. But when I do…oh my god! It’s amazing. But then again, I have a thing with black – 80% of my wardrobe is black, my cat’s black, my undies are black….you get the idea.

I recently found a huge box of black taper candles that I got at Ikea ten years ago and forgot about. And guess what? They AREN’T dripless!!! Woohoo! Now all I need is a stuffed crow and a human skull and I’m all set. Just kidding 😉

3. A Mystical Cat

Most cats will add to your Tarot reading by strutting across your layout and flopping down right on the cards, like they own the place. My cat likes to chew the corners of my cards…she’s so bad!

But sometimes she sits quietly and watches me do my reading or just sleeps on the table next to my cards and it’s just so nice. It adds a magical, loving energy to my readings 🙂 I feel like a real witch with her familiar!

4. Mood altering music

Music has the power to seduce and there’s nothing like a little new age music to get me in the mood for Tarot reading.

I love anything by Stephen Halpern, Aeoliah and Herb Ernst.

The right music helps you relax and drift into that intuitive mindset that is essential for a great reading.

5. Incense….to create that opium den feel

There’s something about a smoky, incense filled room that feels so mysterious, spiritual and….deliciously forbidden.

An otherworldly vibe is created when an incense stick gets lit, which is why I’ve been hopelessly addicted to incense ever since I was a teenager and my mom used to yell “that crap’s giving me a headache!” Shut up, mom.

My favorite incense is Nag Champa and I like the cheap stuff that you find almost everywhere (the one in the blue box). It’s super strong but it hits the spot.

I also like Shoyeido japanese incense, which is much lighter and perhaps a bit more sophisticated. And if you want to splurge, then Ramakrishnananda Hand Rolled Incense is the Cadillac of incense, in my opinion! I save that one for special occasions.

6. Tea (in a fancy lady teacup)

Like incense, a cup of hot, good quality tea has the power to transport you to another dimension. Especially if you spike it with something 😉

But seriously…pouring a cup of tea before a Tarot reading is such a ritual for me, I rarely read Tarot without it! Organic Looseleaf Assam tea from India is my favorite, but if I’m feeling lazy (which is often), I just use bags.

Tea tastes way better if it’s in a fancy china cup. No clunky, honky tonk mugs for me!

7. Chocolate….the good stuff!

I ate several mini Coffeecrisp bars last night (leftover Halloween candy) and you know what? They totally sucked! They were stale, waxy and soul-less. If I’m going to eat something that’s bad for me I want it to be fucking awesome, not mediocre.

My favorite chocolate brand is Zazubean – it’s possibly the tastiest dark chocolate I’ve ever tried. Normally I don’t love dark chocolate, but this stuff – wow! I don’t know if you can get this brand outside of Canada but Theo chocolate and Cocoa Camino are two close seconds.

Okay, I realize I’m starting to sound like a real snob – the fancy tea cups, the highbrow chocolate. Well, I AM a bit of a snob. Deal with it!

Eating chocolate won’t make you a better Tarot reader, but it adds decadence to your reading experience.

8. Tarot journal and peacock feather pen

A journal or notebook of some kind is essential because you need somewhere to record your tarot reading and write down your insights.

You can purchase something cheap and cheerful from the dollar store, or you can buy my very special illustrated Ultimate Tarot Journal – hours of Tarot fun are guaranteed!

As you can see I don’t have a real feather pen – I just scotchtaped a peacock feather to a regular pen. Seems lame until you try it – it will transform regular, boring writing into a hoity toity affair.

Now when I record my Tarot readings, it feels like I am signing some incredibly important declaration!

9. Tarot box (or silk scarf) for storing your Tarot cards

It’s always nice to have a safe place to store your Tarot cards when you’re not using them. I think it shows your deck that you love and respect it.

My dad made me a couple gorgeous boxes for my Tarot cards. I use one just for incense (it’s packed to the tits!) and this one I use for my decks:

Some of my decks I’ve wrapped in a silk scarf and many I’ve just kept in the original boxes just because they are so much easier to find that way!

10. An array of juicy fun e-courses from the Daily Tarot Girl!

If you’re like me, you can get stuck in a Tarot rut – always seeing the cards the same way, using the same spreads, etc. So it’s nice to have a bunch of fun e-courses in your Tarot arsenal to help jazz up your readings and spark up your Tarot life.

My Tarot Shop has a nice selection of Tarot e-courses to choose from:

 Over to you! What are YOUR Tarot must-haves?

Do you have a favorite incense, music or other Tarot prop that helps put you in a mystical mood and add magic to your Tarot readings? I want to know! Tell me all about it in the comments below 🙂