Whether you are a brand new tarot reader or a seasoned professional, starting a tarot journal is one of the best and most effective ways of upping your tarot game. Tarot reading combined with journalling can not only help you keep momentum on daily journal entries, but it can also become an essential self-help tool to keep on top of mental and emotional wellbeing.
You don’t have to get fancy with tarot journalling, a simple ruled line or blank notebook will do, along with your favourite pen. You don’t have to illustrate it, just give yourself daily tarot readings and note down the outcome of each reading.
This technique can not only help you to better understand the cards, but it can also help you to uncover elements of your day, thoughts and feelings that you may not have fully processed. Here’s a few tips on how you can get started with your very own tarot journal.
Tools and equipment
Like I said earlier, you don’t need a tarot specific journal to start a tarot diary. Pick whatever notebook you love most and use that!
Each day, you want to do a tarot reading, the best time being in the morning or if you want to do it in the evening, you’ll be preparing for the following day. The key info you want to make note of is:
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What each position in the spread refers to
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What the cards are
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The date of your reading
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Meanings of each card
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How they relate to each other and to what is happening in your life right now
Doing a reading in the morning will help you to set intentions for the day, and give you an idea of what you might want to focus on or avoid throughout that day. Any evening readings should be focused on the following day, it is a good way to prepare for what’s to come and give you a plan for the next day.
Daily readings
To keep things quick and simple (we’re all very busy people!) stick to three card readings. My favourite daily spread looks a bit like this:
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Card 1 will tell you what the general theme of the day is
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Card 2 will tell you what you specifically need to focus on that day
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Card 3 will tell you what to avoid or be wary of
If you follow me over on Instagram, you may have seen my daily card readings on my Insta stories. My most recent reading went a little something like this.
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Card 1 – The Five of Pentacles – Indicating that today I will find myself encompassed in my own company and to revel in this time to myself.
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Card 2 – The Six of Cups – Showing that today should be all about fun, enjoying my time alone and doing the things that bring me joy and even light the fires of nostalgia.
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Card 3 – The Devil (Reversed) – Telling me to be wary of my workaholic tendencies and to not be tempted to abandon this precious ‘me’ time in order to get ahead with work.
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“Tarot readings are not about trying to predict your future, they are about better understanding the here and now”
I find that the information the cards give me is better absorbed if I write it all down, rather than trying to connect the dots in my head. Writing it all down also helps me to delve even further into the meanings of the cards. As I write what each card means to me, I find that more realisations pop into my brain as I go along.
Looking back and reading the full reading in black and white helps me to create goals and tasks for the day. I can write down my intention, solidifying it and creating an unspoken contract between me and the universe.
Using tarot to understand the subconscious
My number one priority for tarot readings, whether it is for myself or for a client, is to uncover and understand the subconscious. Our unconscious mind holds so many secrets and solutions, but it can be difficult to uncover them with everyday conscious thought.
Whenever I do a reading, I like to go into as much detail as possible to uncover the true meanings of the cards. I want to walk away from a reading feeling like I understand myself better and feeling more in-tune with myself. Tarot readings are not about trying to predict your future, they are about better understanding the here and now, so we can live a more in touch and self-compassionate life.