Magic Box Holds Tarot Deck Exchange

By EMILY HILBERT
ONEONTA

The Magic Box in Oneonta held a tarot deck exchange on Saturday, May 11. Anyone with complete, opened tarot decks in good condition was welcome to bring them in and exchange them for a new deck.

Finally, a use for those decks lying around that haven’t been handled in quite a while.

Tarot decks are deeply personal tools used for divination. They are typically not touched by anyone except the owner, and whoever is receiving the tarot reading.

In order to make this event work, the Magic Box required that all decks for exchange be dropped off no later than Thursday, May 9. For each deck dropped off, exchange participants received a voucher which could be used to get a free deck on Saturday, or to receive $5.00 off a new deck or on classes offered at the store. Friday, May 10 was the day the decks were cleansed and purified, so they could find new owners during the exchange event.

Anastasia Majestic, owner of the Magic Box, explained a bit of her purification process.

“The cleansing process will include smoke cleansing after invoking four directions and keeping decks on a selenite plate or in a bowl of salt,” Majestic said.

Saturday came, and participants were able to stop by the Magic Box any time from noon to 5 p.m. to peruse the exchange decks up for grabs. Decks ranged from the common and classic, like the Rider-Waite deck, to the fun and pop-culture, including Game of Thrones and 3D decks. Participants were encouraged to take their time and really look through the decks to find which ones spoke to them.

This reporter already owns a wide variety of tarot decks, including a well-loved Rider-Waite, and instead opted for The Untamed Mystery Tarot, while a friend went with the Crow Tarot due to her love of all things corvids.

Majestic opened up a little more about the event and the inspiration behind it.

“This is the first time I have done an event [like this],” she said, adding that she hoped the anticipation and success would allow the Magic Box to be able to hold a similar event down the line.

When asked where the idea for a swap event came from, Majestic said that she is “all about reducing, reusing, and recycling,” and “the inspiration is to give items a new home.”

Finally, given the personal nature of tarot decks—and the fact that the event involved swapping out decks the previous owner was not feeling connected to—Majestic was asked what people can do to ensure a strong connection with their new deck.

Majestic said that decks and readers need to have a relationship of reciprocity.

“We need to understand them and give them rest and love, in order for them to show us the path. The personal connection to the story of the deck or the story behind the art is essential.”

She continued, “Thus, the connection is built via a shared background or experiences, such as with people. So, one can connect to the tarot by recognizing what symbols, or art, are close to one’s heart and finding a deck that has it within.”

The Magic Box is located at 160 Main Street, Oneonta. The shop is open Monday through Friday from noon to 7 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The store is closed on Tuesdays.