Make your own LWB? Multiple?

[Paign]

Today I received the Witchy Tarot Deck, and I've heard the LWB that comes with it is rubbish. I've been thinking about doing a tarot journal with my own interpretations building from the basics. But, should I do one for each deck? like, the symbolism that varies between the decks seem like it would give them a slight variance in meanings.

So, I guess I'm wondering how I would go about making a LWB for myself and if it's necessary to make multiple ones for each deck regarding the symbols included?

 

[rwcarter]

Welcome to Aeclectic, Paign!

I do that when I'm studying a deck. I scan each of the cards in and attach each one to a separate page of a Word document. I'll add in any existing info from the LWB/companion book and then my own notes on imagery, research on symbols, sayings that symbols/images/card title may remind me of, etc. I've done these kind of electronic journals for the Mythic, the Navigators, the Ancient Egyptian and maybe a few others (that I can't remember right now).

Rodney

 

[KristinCali]

I just recently did exactly that! I didn't write one for each deck because my intention was to create an "all-purpose" reference book that I could use for any deck and wouldn't have to use 15 different books.

I pulled out all my decks and all their books and laid out the same card from every deck. I went through 1 card at a time, in order, and wrote down my first impression then referred to the books and wrote down bits and pieces that suited my feelings of the cards. I compared the similarities and differences between the cards. It ended up being a paragraph or two for each one.

I hand wrote all this info in a journal and it took me a few weeks and it was SO worth it! I reconnected with my cards and it helped me learn and memorize them better.

PS- It will not be a "LITTLE white book" when you're done, hahaha

 

[emmsma]

For awhile I did just that. I used small marble notebooks and made a LWB for each deck. I'd pour over them - card by card and study, making note of the imagery and my impressions, keywords, feeling and possible meanings that I found in each card. I'd check the LWB's that came with each deck and glean from the many info that seemed relevant to me, discarding the rest.

I found it to be a rewarding, "get to know you" exercise.

 

[tarotbear]

Having written several books I just want to say that some people are predisposed to writing and many are not. If you are one of the 'NOTS' it becomes one of those 'The Road to Hell ...' exercises.

Case in point: One of the deck creators here on AT recently sat down to start their LWB and discovered it is a lot more work than they thought...so much so that they are temporarily abandoning their writing project. They spent two years working on a deck but thought they could knock out the LWB in a weekend? Hopefully they will return to their LWB ...

 

[Morwenna]

I suppose the way to do that (for deck creators) would be to write down impressions as they devised them for the deck; then it would be just a matter of making the notes into complete sentences afterward. And if that were still beyond them, the notes could be given over to someone more verbally inclined.

For us students, I like what most of you have already said: make notes for yourselves, either per deck or in general. When I was first learning, I had all the books I owned and all the LWBs (it was a long time ago when I had way fewer items) listed on a big chart, giving everyone's take on each card. Would I do that now? You gotta be kidding... I don't even know what became of that chart; it was in one of my numerous notebooks. I guess now I know just enough to be able to read a new book or LWB and correlate that with what I've already learned. As time goes on, that sort of thing happens more readily.

 

[Emily]

A long time ago one of our members, nexyjo, did a spread sheet where she listed all the cards on one side then put keywords to each of her favourite decks. I've copied this idea over the years and adapted her spreadsheet for my favourite decks.

I like keywords and it's amazing how much sticks when you write the keywords or your own keywords out. I'm not good at writing out loads of information but short keywords stick.

 

[Paign]

Welcome to Aeclectic, Paign!

I do that when I'm studying a deck. I scan each of the cards in and attach each one to a separate page of a Word document. I'll add in any existing info from the LWB/companion book and then my own notes on imagery, research on symbols, sayings that symbols/images/card title may remind me of, etc. I've done these kind of electronic journals for the Mythic, the Navigators, the Ancient Egyptian and maybe a few others (that I can't remember right now).

Rodney

I didn't even think of doing one card per page. That's actually fairly nifty, especially the different bits with all information regarding the card. I like that. I'm going to need a lot more journals. xD

I just recently did exactly that! I didn't write one for each deck because my intention was to create an "all-purpose" reference book that I could use for any deck and wouldn't have to use 15 different books.

I pulled out all my decks and all their books and laid out the same card from every deck. I went through 1 card at a time, in order, and wrote down my first impression then referred to the books and wrote down bits and pieces that suited my feelings of the cards. I compared the similarities and differences between the cards. It ended up being a paragraph or two for each one.

I hand wrote all this info in a journal and it took me a few weeks and it was SO worth it! I reconnected with my cards and it helped me learn and memorize them better.

PS- It will not be a "LITTLE white book" when you're done, hahaha

Oh wow. That would be something I would do. I have a rather large Journal coming in the mail, and I don't even think it'll be able to hold all the information for my lots of decks. I'll probably have volumes. xD

Having written several books I just want to say that some people are predisposed to writing and many are not. If you are one of the 'NOTS' it becomes one of those 'The Road to Hell ...' exercises.

I'm a writer myself, so I don't really mind. It's going to be really [really really] time consuming, but it's okay. So was hand writing 80 pages of notes for my classes last semester xD

A long time ago one of our members, nexyjo, did a spread sheet where she listed all the cards on one side then put keywords to each of her favourite decks. I've copied this idea over the years and adapted her spreadsheet for my favourite decks.

I like keywords and it's amazing how much sticks when you write the keywords or your own keywords out. I'm not good at writing out loads of information but short keywords stick.

I considered a Key Word approach, but I really want to go in depth and record my feelings and impressions of the cards. Key words don't capture feelings too well for me. I use them as foundations, primarily. So I may slap a few key words at the top of my pages and then follow it with complete sentences.