Keeping a tarot journal

[Bridget]

I've looked at the 'Tarot Journaling' website's free printable journaling pages, and I like them, but there's a blank space on them for the cards, and if I left them empty it would stress me out, if I tried to draw in them I'd get discouraged because I can't draw! I suppose what I need to do is grab some images from online and sit and make multiple pages of cards from my favourite decks, so that I could snip them out and paste them in.

I've thought of doing something like this for a journal that includes card meanings, but I haven't gotten it together yet. When I'm noting readings, I simply draw small rectangular boxes and write the card abbreviations inside them. That way I have a visual of the spread layout, but it doesn't take much room (and I don't have to be able to draw). Since I also note what deck I'm using, I can always pull it out when I review the reading if I want the image details.

Can anyone elaborate on how journaling is helpful to them? How has it made them a better reader? What do you get from it? What do you write about and how is it useful to you?

I use my tarot journal when I read for myself or when I do tarot exercises (whether my own or from a book). I find that writing helps me focus my thoughts, and I'm better able to see connections between the cards. And once I've written my thoughts down, I can go back later and gain further insights.

 

[shadowdancer]

That sounds like a very thorough and concise journal, shadowdancer!

I have a question, is the spidergram you mentioned a sort of web expansion of something?

hard to explain I guess. just wrote the word REVERSALS in the centre then had a line/arrow going from that outwards to 17 different boxes, each with a method I could use. I then hold the pendulum over the centre and let it indicate which one is appropriate at any given time. I know most here will say just use your intuition, but sometimes (where reversals are concerned) I just don't have a feel for any in particular.

Davina