Using Wooden Boxes to Store Your Tarot Decks

When owning a tarot deck, especially one you plan to use to read cards for others, whether personally or professionally, it is important to store the cards in a sacred way. Often silk pouches are recommended, but wood boxes are sturdier and offer better protection for your deck, practically and energetically, especially if they are properly prepared. This article will explain the best way to prepare your box and where to get the best box(es) for your tarot deck(s).

Why Wood Boxes?

From a practical standpoint wood boxes provide better protection for your cards than a silk wrap or cloth pouch, especially if you are taking the decks to events and reading regularly in public. Also, they have their own energy vibration that enhances the experience of the reading in a way that cloth or silk cannot.

With so many amazing designs, finding the right box for a deck is a joyful process in and of itself. They also provide long-term storage if you have a deck you want to preserve or showcase in your home.

Preparing Your Box

If you are going to keep your boxes for private use, there is nothing special you need to do for the box, especially if you bought it new. At the minimum, you will want to sage it after you get it. Wood absorbs energy quite well and it is important to cleanse the box and the deck before you use them.

If you plan to use the deck for public readings, then you want to charge the box and set it to clear energy off the deck every time the deck comes out for use and is put inside the box before the next reading. The best way to charge the box is to use citrine. Place the citrine inside the box for twenty-four hours. Include amethyst to provide the protection that will be charged into the box. If you want to go the extra step, you can place the box in a salt circle while it is charging.

If you want to charge and set the protection on the box using your own energy, you can do so by ritually intending the box will function as a tool for energetically cleansing a deck after use once it is placed in the box.

To do this process, you want to hold the box in your hands or lap and transfer your energy to the box through meditation. Doing either practice to charge the box after you have cleansed it will keep the cards from absorbing negative energy while resting inside the box when you are out in a public space.

The Best Boxes

While it is possible to find boxes randomly, sometimes in the most unusual places. I have two of my favorites that I found at the clothing and home goods store TJ Maxx, and a few I found at Goodwill.

I even spent some time making my own boxes, using a wood-burning to mark them with protective sigils. But the best boxes for tarot cards come from Poland and India, and you can find them online or in New Age specialty shops.

Polish Boxes

Polish boxes are made from Linden wood, which can be found in certain regions of Poland. This wood has a clean grain that is perfect for carving, burning, staining, and inlaying brass or copper. This wood also takes color brilliantly. Here are some sample boxes to consider for your deck(s).

Indian Boxes

Made from darker wood that is ideal for carving, Indian boxes are another excellent choice for tarot decks. Consider some examples below:

Matching the Box and the Deck

One of the great pleasures in the search for boxes for tarot decks is finding a box that perfectly suits the type of deck.

Here is the Sun and Moon box I have for my copy of the Sun and Moon Tarot:

Sun and Moon Tarot