Keeping a Tarot Journal for Self-Study

If you are a student of the tarot, or even if you have been reading for some time, keeping a tarot journal is a great idea. Keeping a tarot journal is easy and can just take a few extra moments of reflection. But it can be extremely helpful to your growth and development as a reader, as you track the progress and success of your readings.

Begin by selecting any type of journal that you like. It can be a pretty decorated journal with a fancy cover, or it can be a seventy-nine cent notebook. Simply select whatever suits your taste and your budget. I will admit that I use an inexpensive notebook because I like to encourage myself to do daily readings, and if I were to use a fancier journal I would probably go through journals at a quicker pace. Somehow I just feel more comfortable with an inexpensive journal. Go figure!

It can be very helpful to keep a pen or other writing implement always near the journal. This will encourage you to use it frequently because it is convenient, you don't have to go running around looking for something to write with. If you live with others then you may want to put it in a private place where others will not read it. Try to keep the journal somewhere that you can reach it easily and access it on a moment's notice. It can be a great idea to keep it in the same place where you keep your tarot cards, it just makes everything all the easier.

When you make an entry in your journal - there are really no rules. This journal is for you, so you want a system that works for you. I would encourage you to consider dating each entry so that you have an idea of the timeframe of when the readings were done. It also can be helpful to write down the exact wording of the question that you posed when you did the reading. Also consider writing down which cards came up and if they came up reversed or in upright position. Then simply journal your reflections. You can journal your reflections on each card, or just a journal entry about the reading itself. If you did the reading for someone else and they had some comments or strong emotions when cards came up then maybe you would want to mention those in your journaling also. Another idea can be to write down what type of spread you did (Celtic Cross, Three Card, One Card or Horoscope Spread for example). Some spreads may just appeal to you more and you may discover this as you re-read your journal.

Your journal becomes helpful when you return to it to re-read it. This is a great time to see what types of readings you have done, if the readings were accurate and what insights came to you when cards were drawn. A great idea can be to add additional notes - in a different color - about the success or other feedback on your readings. Be sure to date these entries also.

It can take a little practice getting used to adding a journal into your tarot reading. But once you are familiar with this habit, the benefits are very helpful and I will admit that I have been grateful for what my tarot journal has shown me over the months.

Keeping a journal is a perfect addition to your studies even if all you do is a daily reading for yourself. It is a terrific way to see how you are responding to the cards and how you are improving over time. It is a great way to see if your readings are accurate and what insights have come up in readings that have been helpful to yourself and to other people.