The benefits of writing down your own thoughts about each of the cards

[strings of life]

I am new to Tarot and have decided to write down my thoughts (using a blog) about each of the cards after I study them. For now, I am writing down my interpretation of the story in each card and am doing my best to include symbolism and colors when relevant.

My goal is to do this for all of 78 cards. I truly see the value in it and think it will help me bond with the cards.

Of course this is going to take me a long time--well not long since I am in no rush, but most likely 2 months, maybe less.

Have any of you done this as well? Do you have any recommendations? My plan is to go into as much detail as possible with the Major Arcana cards (including general thoughts, questions I have, etc.), and to do the same for the Minor Arcana (sans questions).

When it comes to symbolism and colors, I know that this can be different based on he deck you are starting with. I am using the Universal Waite. Right now, it's helpful for me to include colors in my discovery. Part of me thinks it is better to focus entirely on the story--almost to the point of getting lost in it--before I focus on the small details. But, doing the combination of the two really forces me to focus.

I am reading The New Complete Book of Tarot (Paperback) by Juliet Sharman-Burke, as my first guide / lesson and she breaks down each section using a similar format so that the reader gets to know the cards before they actually draw cards for readings.

Any feedback is welcome. I was gong to post the first two entries that I wrote on The Fool and The Magician, but they are quite long. That and I need to find the best place to put them since there is no need to start a new thread about a topic that I know is already on the board.

Much thanks. There is so much information here - what a great community.

 

[rwcarter]

Hello again.

I think what you're doing is the best way to learn the particular deck you're using. (I wish I had had that idea 17 years ago when I picked up my first deck....) What you're doing is learning and developing a body of text of what the cards mean to you instead of what they mean to the artist, the person who wrote the companion book or the person who wrote whatever other book you might be using with your deck.

A few words of caution though.

1. Understand that what you're developing is a living document. What you see in a given card today probably won't be the same thing you see in the card a month from now. You also may not see a particular detail in a given card until the 100th time you look at that card.
2. I don't know if you're using reversals or not, but regardless, remember that each card has both positive and negative aspects to it.
3. You're looking at single cards right now, but remember that within the framework of a reading the cards don't live in a vacuum. You may associate Cups with love and then do a relationship reading and get no Cups in it. That doesn't mean that there aren't any feelings/love in the relationship. It just means that you have to interpret the cards that come up as they apply to the relationship and the question.

As for where to post your thoughts on your cards, the Study Groups forum would be the proper place. Find the deck you're using in the Study Groups Forum Index and post away. Looking at your profile, I'm guessing you're using the Universal Waite, which doesn't have a Study Group. I don't think that discussion of the Universal Waite is appropriate in the Rider Waite Smith forum, so you would have to start your own Study Group for the Universal Waite. (I've done a Study Group by myself, so it can be done.) Check with the Study Groups Moderator for the final word on where a Universal Waite Study Group should go.

HTH,
Rodney

 

[divinemsm]

Kinda doing the same thing...

I am sort of doing the same thing. When I decided to brush up and dive back in after being away from my cards after a few years, I dug out all my LWB and other books on Tarot and began reading. I had forgotten how different some of the means and symbolism can be from book to book. So, what I started doing was keeping a big notebook for notes from everything I have ever read on tarot. Every card has its own section. I write down what each author has to say about each card. If I see a common theme, I highlight it. I also write down my thoughts, my interpretation on the numerology and symbolism of each card. I also have sections on the suits as a whole, their symbolism and meanings. It has been super helpful in not only remembering all the meanings of the cards, but in seeing how they connect to each other. I actually usually don't read reversals. Certain groupings of cards seem to have negative meanings and I pull that out accordingly by my understanding of the cards themselves.
I agree with Rw that this is an ever-changing document. My perspective on the meanings of the cards has changed somewhat since I have gotten older, but there are still some core meanings that I still follow. I still look at the Majors from the perspective of the Fools journey and I still break the cards down in my head to separate meanings before I stack them all together. To me, by making all these notes and putting everything together, it lays a basic foundation for me to work with and grow from.
I just bought a leather bound sketch book in which will go only my own thoughts and drawings on each one of the cards, no authors or official LWB speak. Just me and my cards. So I wish you the best of luck, aurarcana. Let us know how it turns out.
Laurie

 

[spm]

Maybe it would be a good idea to post your analysis of the cards, in different topics, so that people can comment and discuss individual cards. I think you'll get more comments here than on your blog. (Keeping things on your blog makes it more personal though...)

I'm keeping up with your blog posts, I've thought about the Magician for the past few hours, knowing your blog post was up (but I didn't read it yet). I'll do that now, and compare...

 

[AprilFool]

I did something similar when I first started, but it wasn't a blog, it was a bound journal with two pages set aside for each card.

I'd shuffle and draw a card for the day and then pull out the same card from several other decks which I kept in order. I'd lay them out side-by-side and then read through the card description for that specific card in the companion books that came with each deck. I dated the pages for each card, and kept up with it until I finished studying the entire deck, one card at a time. That took me about six months, since I'd have to skip days for various reasons. Each day's study took me about 45 minutes in the early hours of the morning before my family woke up. It was a wonderful time to immerse myself in the meanings of one card at a time; and was also a meditative time. The journal I created IS a moving, breathing document, because years later, I'm still squeezing new insights into each page.

I checked out your blog, and it's very interesting and insightful - I hope you enjoy the process as you progress through the deck - I'll enjoy reading your thoughts!

 

[strings of life]

^^

I am finding the time quite relaxing as well. I commute 2 hours each way to work, and with a 9 hour day, that's 13 hours. I spent a decent amount of time last weekend, and reading materials as well a the deck has made me focus. It's a terrific mental exercise. When I really want to cut myself off from all of the "noise", I grab everything and head to the beach which is 5 houses away from where I live.

In addition, my boyfriend is extremely supportive. We are in our thirties (I am 33 and he is 32), and we know that we have responsibilities. It's been helpful to me to know that he understands that this is going to take time and that this is a time of reflection for me.

As for where to post your thoughts on your cards, the Study Groups forum would be the proper place. Find the deck you're using in the Study Groups Forum Index and post away. I don't think that discussion of the Universal Waite is appropriate in the Rider Waite Smith forum, so you would have to start your own Study Group for the Universal Waite. Check with the Study Groups Moderator for the final word on where a Universal Waite Study Group should go.

Hi again Rodney.

I am going to contact the Study Groups Moderator and see if I can set a Study Group up. This would be ideal. Thanks for the lead.

I am aware that the the meanings of the cards will evolve over time and that the blog/journal will be chameleon-like in structure. As new ideas to come to mind, I will add them to the main post about the card. In addition, I set up categories for each card so that I can add subsequent posts.

I've yet to look at the cards in a spread, or their relationships with other cards. I don't want to dive into quickly.

Reversals may become an inadvertent part of my reading process. There are positives and negatives involved with situations, and I will have to weigh this when I do readings (first on my self). I have read some information on this board already about reversals, but much of it is confusing: the direction of the cards, etc. I am going to flip them like a book (to the left). And, a card will only be upside down if I drop the deck or shuffle in an odd way of I am correct. I will proceed in this direction at a later date. But yes, I see myself considering reversal meanings and they are becoming part of my general meanings for the cards.

 

[ideely]

I just bought a leather bound sketch book in which will go only my own thoughts and d

Like divinemsm and AprilFool, I am also creating a book on the meanings of each card. I have been reading for 7 years, but as I explore new decks, I am finding the exercise to be useful. I tried a small journal but found that the pages were too small, so I too bought a sketch book which allows me to include more information including sketches of the cards.

I like hand written document, though the blog idea is wonderful. The sketch book is a fully portable medium that is always at hand so that I can immediately record new insights. I have the page arranged in sections for a summary, a list of keywords, phrases borrowed from books or other readers, reversals, and potential significance when the card appears with others.

I use pencil. As I meditate on each card, new information sometimes emerges on cards already in the book. Pencil allows me to go back and make room for additional comments.

Drawing and coloring the sketches of the cards have been enlightening. I am no artist so copying forces me to attend to details that I haven't considered previously. Colors have taken on a deeper meaning for me as I begin to notice similar color schemes among certain groups of cards.

The process does eat some time, but for me, it is time well spent.

 

[strings of life]

UPDATE: I was going to start a study group on the Universal Waite Tarot deck, but after speaking with a moderator, they recommended that I use the main RWS area for this study.

Happy learning, posting!

 

[ideely]

Thanks

Auracana, I would be interested in the study group. Thanks for taking leadership.

 

[strings of life]

Hooray - a taker!