Are you new to tarot journaling? Maybe you’ve experimented but still aren’t quite sure what to put in your journal. Well, I have you covered! With five years of tarot journaling under my belt, I have figured out some key components that help with your journaling practice.
If you are new to tarot journaling, you may wonder what it entails and how to get started. Or perhaps you’ve dabbled in it, but still feel unsure about what to include in your journal.
Well, fear not my fellow tarot lovers, as someone who has been actively practicing tarot journaling for the past five years, I have some valuable tips to share with you.
First and foremost, A tarot journal is a safe space to explore your innermost feelings and connect with your inner wisdom. It’s a place to explore your connection with different tarot decks and enrich your understanding of each tarot card’s meaning and symbolism.
Having a personal connection to the cards allows you to have more intuitive tarot readings. Your Tarot Journal is here to help you reach that level.
Tarot Journaling: Pick your Journal
This whole practice is all about personal choice. There are no set rules on what constitutes a tarot journal. It’s up to you to pick what will work for you. Anything that allows you to put your thoughts down can be used for tarot journaling.
Digital Tarot Journaling Formats-
In this modern day and age, I am sure some of you would prefer technology to keep track of all your tarot insights and readings. This is not my preferred method but I have attempted to give you some options.
Digital Tarot Apps-
There are Tarot Apps on the market that allow you to draw cards for tarot readings and save them.
Labyrinthos is an app that lets you do daily readings with Rider Watie Smith Tarot, Lenormand, or Runes! The app has a place to take notes on your readings and offers different spreads.
There is a section that gives you all the different card meanings. It even analyzes your saved readings to show you how many times certain cards were drawn. Click here to check out their Apple Version or Android version.
Word Documents or Google Documents-
Pick a software that allows you to type, copy, and paste, and you can use it as a Tarot Journal!
This method is great if you want unlimited space to write in. You can have one journal with all your readings and entries without running out of pages.
You can also insert images you find online or have taken yourself. If you can access it from your phone you can use it anywhere easily.
Analog Tarot Journaling Methods
Notebook-
This can be a very affordable option. The reason I like notebooks is that they can be easily customizable. You can easily travel with it and your cards. I also don’t feel pressure to make them perfect. I can write freely without worrying about making mistakes.
However, you can also buy very elaborate notebooks or journals that have gilded edges, leather covers, gorgeous illustrations, or have locks. I encourage you to pick something that gets you excited to use it and reach for it time and time again.
The downside to notebooks is that you eventually run out of room. You can’t reorganize them either. I find I need to flip through them to locate notes about a topic but can’t remember where I wrote it or need to dig out old journals to find a spread from the past. However, I find it fun to rummage through old journals so that isn’t a big issue for me.
Sketchbook-
For you artistic tarot lovers, you may want to consider a sketchbook or art journal. The paper quality is better for drawing and has no lines to interfere. Gosh, I wish I was artistically gifted. I would love to draw my own versions of the cards!
Consider making a collage with magazine pages and journaling your interpretation alongside it. You could really create a beautiful work of art and contain your tarot journey inside it.
Binder or Ring Planner-
I like this idea because as you add things you can move it around to organize your entries. You can use any type of paper or medium you want and just click it in later. You can use a combination of lined notebook paper, cardstock, or any paper you’d like.
PreMade Tarot Journal-
Tarot has seen quite an uptick in the past few years. So much so that you can buy specialty-designed tarot journals. They come in all shapes and sizes. Each one contains a different layout or space for specific information. The perk is you just fill in the blanks but the downside is that it may be hard to find a PreMade tarot journal that fits your needs perfectly.
Tarot Journal: What to Write
The whole purpose of Tarot Journaling is to form a deeper connection to the tarot decks you own and tarot card meanings. Even though each card has a universal meaning you can and should have a personal connection to each one. You can achieve that by documenting a multitude of things. I have created a list of the things that I have journaled about myself.
Tarot Readings-
When I first began my tarot journaling practice the main thing I recorded was my tarot readings. Not only is it helpful to process the reading by writing it down but then you can refer back to it later. There is all things you can consider to document from each reading you do:
- date
- moon phase
- deck used
- crystal/herbs/oils used
- questions asked or the general theme of reading
- spread used and position meanings
- the cards that were pulled and for what question
- keyword associations for the cards pulled
- the first instinct of each card
- astrological association for each card
- element represented
- summary of your interpretation, action to take, and how you feel about it
- quotes from the guidebook
- affirmations from the guidebook
- leave room for later reflection
Tarot Birth Card-
Journaling about your Tarot Birth Card will give you a profound connection to that card and will add an extra layer of meaning, and a personal connection when it comes up in a reading in the future. Find out what that card is and then journal about how you see it reflected in you and how you find it significant in your spiritual journey.
Click here to learn more about your Tarot Birth Card
Save Tarot Spreads-
When you find a spread that you like, save it in your tarot journal to use again. Whether it’s a general reading or specific to a certain time of year, keep the layout and questions so you can refer to it at a later time. Please record who wrote it and where you found it to give credit to the author if you share it with anyone else.
Keep a section in your journal for spreads that you have designed. This way you can quickly find them when needed and can share them with others if you choose!
Explore Tarot Elemental Energy-
Take a deep dive into the suits of the Tarot. Study what each suit represents and how you find their energies in everyday life. Journal about how you the Queen of Cups is Different than the Queen of Wands, for example.
Click Here to learn more about the Energies of the Tarot Suits
Explore Numerical Energy-
Numerology is seen throughout the whole tarot deck. Study the different numbers and what they represent. Record your notes.
Click Here to Learn more about Numerology in Tarot
Explore Astrological Energy-
Planets and Zodiac signs are tied to every Tarot card. If you are interested in astrology this may be an important aspect to add to your Tarot readings. There is so much info I don’t even know where to start to explain. So instead, let me share this book with you. It’s a great place to start to learn about how Astrology and Tarot intersect.
Tarot and Astrology: Enhance Your Readings With the Wisdom of the Zodiac
Explore Guided Meditations with Cards
Numerous resources will walk you through a meditation practice that will take you within a card and give you a deeper understanding of it. Follow along with one of them and record your experience in your Tarot Journal!
Click Here for Audio Meditations for all 21 Major Arcana Cards
Do a Deep Dive into a New Tarot Deck-
It can feel a little overwhelming working with a new deck. After the excitement of flipping through the deck for the first time wears off, you may not reach for it again. I love doing a deep dive so I feel connected to the deck and understand its personality. There are a lot of ways to connect to a new deck. You may need a whole journal just for this purpose!
Click Here to Read about How to Connect to Your Tarot Decks
Daily Pulls –
Daily single-card pulls are a great way to learn the card meanings for beginners and for learning a new deck. Create a grid and keep track of the cards you pull for a month or more. This allows you to see patterns within the suits, numbers, and repeats of Major Arcana. What message are the cards trying to tell you?
Tarot Class or Course Notes-
If you are serious about learning Tarot and want to get a jump start in doing readings, I recommend taking a class or course. Use your tarot journal and a place to record all your notes.
I listened to hours of podcasts throughout my early years and found Biddy Tarot’s Course very helpful in getting a better understanding of how to read the tarot for myself and others. I bet you would find it helpful too!
Click Here to Take Tarot 101 by Biddy Tarot
I hope you found my suggestions helpful and feel empowered to start a tarot journaling practice. No two tarot readers are identical and I hope you find your tarot journey uniquely yours. Allow the cards to share their guidance with you and learn to be confident that you know what it is trying to tell you.
Until Next Time!
