Journaling

I'm trying to get myself worked up about journaling, but i find it boring. probably because my handwriting looks so messey and i don't want to read the d***d thing!

So i was wondering...is ther anybody who would like to share their current journalling projects, methods, and perhaps some pretty pictures?

Go on! You know you want to! (earnest grin)

Another approach

Several of us here on A.T. use TreeDBnotes, a software program that is much like a word processor except that it has an "explorer-like" or "browser-like" list on the left side of the screen which can have indents or chapters, each of which can have added indents or sub-chapters, resources, special notes, etc.

The beauty of this is multi-fold:
** You can copy and paste anything on the Internet directly into your journal page. Then you can modify it, add to it, or just write new stuff.
** You can add or rearrange chapters and sections and sub-chapters and notes any way you wish.
** You can just click on the topical area you want to see and you are there. This is unlike a word processor or notebook of pages where you have to hunt for something.
** When doing a tarot reading as a study project or for someone over the Internet all you have to do is click the toolbar and pop up your journal so that you can refer to it. Or you can copy and paste back into your e-mail.

The software is free for downloading. You can add photos or graphics that are pasted/copied from your files or taken off the Internet. The full version costs about $30. Dave

Thanks Dave i'll check that out!

And some of us suggest a spiral backed steno pad, and pencil.
And it's not like you have to write every day, it's not a daily 'blog'.
Just write your spreads, what the cards told you that day...

Perhaps make a page for each card and write only on what the cards mean that day.

There is a ton of difference between writing by hand - and tying. I do not find typing especially creative.

You cannot type a painting or a piece of sculpture...

It is time to rediscover your creative side - sharpen a pencil...and write...

(turn off thy computer)

I've had problems with pen-and-paper journalling too. I just found the TreeDBnotes two days ago and it really works for me. You could make multiple pages for each card without worrying you'll run out of space, or that different exercises will crowd the page. That's what I'm doing - apart of the general meaning do exercises, as in "what would this card mean if it was in a position of a spread called 'situation'? what would it mean as 'strenghts'? as 'obstacles'?", also a separate page for doing a meditation on each card (you know, visualising you enter it, talking to the characters etc.). I try to do every card one by one, in the order they're supposed to go in, but when I'm too bored with that I allow myself to add some new spreads to the "journal", or maybe research a bit on the elements the suits are assigned to, draw a random card and journal about that. I try to work with my cards every day, but when I feel it's too much of a strain on my imagination I just do a general reading without delving into the meanings too much, just writing down the cards that came in the positions to analyze them later. Experiment

I got a pretty spiral bound notebook today from Walmart today to try my hand for the 60-somethingth time at Tarot journalling.

Hopefully it will work this time. I guess its like trying to quit smoking, you just can't do it till its your time to.

I never journalled properly by hand until I got the Vargo journals. The books feel sumptious and the design on the pages is nice. I then bought a couple of fountain pens and a few inks so the end result does not look as bad as with usual biros and lined paper.

I don't use it daily - only if I have a muse, something to talk about (such as a new deck) or I am writing / listing how and where I am storing them

Davina

Cheers for the replies people!

I looked at that computer journal thingy and i don't think it is for me, too formalised maybe.

I think i need a pad (yes like you suggested Umbrae) because i have bought several lovely journals with beautiful paper and won't spoil them with my crapy handwriting! i've ended up jotting on bus tickets and everything...

Yeah i do do exercises too, like drawing two cards together, and thinking of a one sentence meaning for the combo, using three cards and changing their positions, studying one card in depth, numbers, elements, whole suits...

I think i need to let go though, and not try to do exercises from books as though they are home work i do myself no favours there.

Off with the computer!!

i shall return....

Over the years I've tried to Journal many times - I've come to the conclusion I'm not a natural Journalist but what I do do is to put the spreads and dailies in a little A5 ring binder - sometimes my interpretations or maybe just a few words and that is my Journal.

I also use TreeDBNotes free and sometimes put my cards and readings in there then print them off and put them in the ring binder Journal.

rebecca-smiles said:

Cheers for the replies people!
I think i need a pad (yes like you suggested Umbrae) because i have bought several lovely journals with beautiful paper and won't spoil them with my crapy handwriting! i've ended up jotting on bus tickets and everything...

Click to expand...

That's so funny! i'm the same way! I have a love for stationary that boarders on weirdom (I guard my favorite pens like you would your expensive new laptop.) And I used to hate to ruin their virgin white pages with my awful handwriting..... so I used crappy "doodle" quality notebooks while I carefully improved my handwriting, and now I write very carefully with my favorite pens in my nice tarot journals.