THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING A TAROT JOURNAL

Welcome to The Divination Nation blog!

 We are Pleasant Gehman and Crystal Ravenwolf, a duo of divination divas, “spiritual sisters from another mister”. We’re life-long Tarotistas, obsessed with all things esoteric and paranormal. Look for our forthcoming book, “Walking The Tarot Path” in April 2016.

 We’ve created this blog to share our knowledge and to connect with the vibrant worldwide metaphysical  and paranormal community. We hope it’s as fun for you to read as it is for us to write…Enjoy!

There are several reasons to keep a Tarot journal…but the most significant one is that it will make you a better reader.  No matter what level you’re on, the process of journaling is illuminating. If you’re a student, it helps you become acquainted with the cards. For longtime practitioners and professionals, the connection to each card deepens. Keeping written notes will assist you in tracking your own progress. A written record of your readings- whether for yourself, friends or clients- allows you to look back, seeing how the various situations the cards showed you played out. 

 Another benefit of keeping a journal is expedited learning through your own personal experiences. If you’ve been devouring every book on Tarot you can get your hot little hands on, undoubtedly your mind has absorbed the key words and phases for each card. However, those interpretations – no matter how academic or correct- are the opinions of others. Keeping a journal practically forces you to formulate your own ideas. You’re our feelings and intuition provides guidance-and ultimately, knowledge- while you handle, relate to and write about the cards… and that is precisely where you will grow as a reader.

We always advise our students to keep a workbook or journal; as far as we’re concerned, it’s mandatory! It doesn’t matter how to keep your journal- some prefer an old-school style- they keep a special book and make notes by hand, including photos of their spreads with notes on the positions of the cards, photocopies of individual cards, or images that remind them of certain cards. Others keep their journal electronically. The preference is yours. Remember, this is for you.

 Often, newer readers or even those who haven’t studied this way previously are unsure of what to include in their Tarot journals.  Really, there are no hard and fast rules. Remember, this is for you.

 Here are  some Tarot journal ideas we like:

Explore Each Card Fully

 Shuffle your deck and randomly pull a card, same as you would for a one-card reading. Instead of applying key words and phrases- and without looking up the card’s meaning if you’re not sure of it, - simply observe the card.  Explore everything- notice every little detail, and your emotional responses to it.   Every card has correlations with numerology, astrology and the Kabbalah.   The suits of the Minor Arcana each relate to an element.  Explore all of these connections.

What catches your eye first- is it the imagery, the colors used, the numeral on the card face? How does the card make you feel? Can you relate to it? Do you like or dislike it? Why?

If you own a few decks, draw the same card from a different and compare the images. What makes them similar or different?   Do you relate to the image in the same way as you did the first version of the same card? If you only own a single deck, you can still contrast cards- download some images from the Internet and do your comparisons that way. Take notes on everything you’ve noticed about each particular card in your journal. Remember, each card has it’s own correlations with numerology, astrology and the Kabbalah, too. The suits of the Minor Arcana each relate to an element.  Explore all of these connections.

 With seventy-eight cards, there’s no way you’re going to get bored, because this exercise on it’s own could practically fill an entire book!

 Keep Records Of Your Readings…And Your Thoughts   

It doesn’t matter if you’ve pulled a single card pull or done an elaborate layout, jot down some notes on the reading itself. Begin with date and time, the name of the person you read for, and the cards that turned up.  If you keep a journal on your phone or computer, snap a photo and label it with pertinent info. For a hard copy diary, just write down the cards and their positions or if you want to get fancy, draw a little picture of the layout.

 It’s important to mention the way felt about the reading. Write about your own feelings, or the client’s. Take note if the reading went well, or if it was tricky- maybe some of the cards pulled didn’t seem to make sense, or your sitter didn’t react to them well. You can also “rate” yourself on the way you delivered the reading verbally, if all the questions asked were answered, or if you (or the person you read for) has certain cards showing up over and over.

 For spreads that involve a number of cards, such as the Celtic Cross, another good thing to make notations on is the number of Major Arcana cards, and the dominant suit- both of those are important for future reference.

 Write About Your Most-And Least-Favorite Cards

 Do certain cards really resonate with you? Does The Star feel like it’s “your” card, do you emulate The High Priestess or get the Warm Fuzzies every time you see the Six Of Cups?  Write about the cards you love…and why you love them.

It’s also important to explore the cards you don’t like as much. There are certain cards that may be a bit off-putting to the general public, like Death Or The Devil. As readers, we understand early on that essentially, there is no “good” or “bad” cards- they all have both qualities…and we spend ages trying to educate our students and clients on that, too!

 However, there probably are some cards that you personally don’t like as much as the others, for whatever reason. For example, both of us are not really down with The Hierophant, he just…kinda works our nerves. Somebody else might dislike the Three Of Swords, the Five Of Pentacles or one of the Knights. It’s all subjective. If you aren’t “that into” a card, all the more reason to explore the reasons why. By journaling about it, you might feel a new connection to it…or realize that the qualities the card hit a little close to home.  It could be that the card signifies something that’s lacking-or needed- in your life.

 Write About Cards That Represent People In Your Life

 Go through your deck and pick out a few cards that most represent the significant people you know, such as family members, a best friend, your boss, and so on.  If your first crush was like The Magician, your sister is a total Queen Of Wands, you have a pal who’s really Eight Of Swords-like or the Two Of Cups describes your relationship with your cat, write about it!

  Review A Reading You Get From A Professional

 It’s always a good idea to get readings from others- no matter what level they’re at.  Other readers can often pick up on things you can’t; they’re also able to be a bit more objective than you are when you read for yourself.

But getting a reading from a seasoned professional, someone you respect is always illuminating. It will be a good experience for you’re personally, but it can also inform you intellectually, and help you to grow as a reader. If you can make a recording of the reading, definitely do that. But even if you can’t, there are several things to appreciate.

Watch (and write about) the way the reader handles the cards, what spread is used, and how much time they take to absorb the card’s meanings before they start speaking. Listen to the tone and delivery  of the reader’s voice- is it soothing? How do they discuss “tricky” cards with you? Does the reader offer counsel or do they just tell you bluntly what each card means?  Did they answer any questions you had? How would you rate your overall experience?  Would you get another reading from this person?

 By dissecting your reading, you can learn a lot about yourself, but also about speaking to and relating  to a sitter during a reading that you do.

 Trust us: you don’t need to work with your cards and write in your journal every day… but if you want to master the Tarot, you will.

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Crystal and Pleasant: Photo by E.A. Kohan

We’d LOVE to connect with you!
Visit our website to book Tarot readings,  metaphysical  and occult workshops, a  healing session  or  to have us come out for a paranormal investigation:  www.thedivinationnation.com
 
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDivinationNation?fref=ts
 
Connect with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TarotAlimah
 
To find out more about Pleasant or request a reading or healing session, click here: http://www.pleasantgehman.com/
 
For more on Crystal’s background, or request a reading or healing session, click here: http://crystalravenwolf.com

HOT TRAMP, I LOVE YOU SO: A PARANORMAL INVESTIGATION AT A HAUNTED HOLLYWOOD LANDMARK

 

The historic-and haunted- Chateau La Fontaine, Hollywood, California

Welcome to The Divination Nation blog!

 We are Pleasant Gehman and Crystal Ravenwolf, a duo of divination divas, “spiritual sisters from another mister”. We’re life-long Tarotistas, obsessed with all things esoteric and paranormal. Look for our forthcoming book, “Walking The Tarot Path” in 2016.
 We’ve created this blog to share our knowledge and to connect with the vibrant worldwide metaphysical and paranormal community. We hope it’s as fun for you to read as it is for us to write…Enjoy!

On the evening of January 10, 2016, we had the opportunity to do our first paranormal investigation of the New Year. Our hunt took place at a Hollywood landmark, the beautiful Chateau La Fontaine… and for the first time ever in many years of doing paranormal investigations, one of us came home with a spirit attachment. We blame this on David Bowie… but more about that later!

 Noted architect Leland Bryant designed the historic Chateau La Fontaine in the 1930’s; the building has been home to a number of celebrities- and spirits- in the decades since it was built.  For years, the place has been  acknowledged as being notoriously haunted. A current resident called us to investigate her apartment because there was a lot of paranormal activity going on: whispering, objects moving, and cold spots. She also said that she felt totally “creeped out” when she went to her storage locker in the basement.

 The apartment owner and her adult son accompanied us during the hunt. As we worked, the son took photos on his iPhone 6 as per our instructions: take two or three sequential photos of each spot, to see if any anomalies were present in the images. All our equipment was in use during the investigation: we had a  Rempod, K2, EVP recorder and an EMF meter and an Ovilis. 

We got lots of hits in the apartment itself … listen to this EVP we took in the hallway, and you can hear whispering:

 https://soundcloud.com/kim-burch/evp-at-la-fontaine-in-apt-hall-whisper

When we were in the basement, we investigated in a hallway that was very heavy with weird, dark energy. Crystal was in the midst of doing a session with her dowsing rods when she suddenly said, 

"I feel like there's someone behind me!"

  None of us noticed anything unusual, but the apartment owner’s son snapped these pix on his phone sequentially. Both photos, taken seconds apart, appeared about the same… but look carefully at the second one- there is definitely something behind Crystal, and there was nobody else-or at least no other humans-in that hallway.

 

 The first photo from The Chateau's basement

 

The second photo from the Chateau's basement-look at Crystal's left shoulder

 Here is the second photo blown up. but otherwise un-retouched or altered. As you can see, something is hovering around Crystal’s left shoulder.

 

Seriously...What The *BLEEP* is that?  We'd  love for you to comment on this photo!

  After more investigating, we finally called it an evening and headed home to Pleasant’s house. We figured we’d smudge each other off and do some energy work- the way we always did after an investigation-before hitting the hay.

 But the moment we walked in the door, we heard the news on the radio that David Bowie had died.

 Instantaneously, both our phones started blowing up with texts about it. In disbelief, we Googled it, hoping it was a hoax. Soon, we realized it wasn’t. Both us are lifelong hardcore Bowie freaks …we were absolutely devastated. In between bursts of tears and expressions of total denial, we combed the Internet for more news. Finally, we went to bed. The next day, both of us were still very upset, and pretty much useless. The day after, Crystal left to go back to her home in   California’s Central Valley.

 The reason we’re giving you this personal post-investigation timeline is because about a week later, we both noticed that things were getting a little cray-cray in our respective houses; in both places, objects were going missing and  electronics were malfunctioning. Oddly, neither of us realized that these phenomena had anything to do with our investigation at the Chateau.

 At that point, a friend of Crystal’s teenage daughter casually asked if their house was haunted. The very next day, Crystal, her daughter and daughter’s two friends saw objects literally flying out of cabinets on their own. 

Only then did it dawn on us that because of David Bowie’s death, we’d completely forgotten to do our regular post-investigation cleansing rituals!

Luckily, we’re both experienced in banishing negative energy and chasing away “hitchhiking" spirits, so we took care of things immediately. However, we were both horrified that we’d forgotten to protect ourselves after the investigation.

 We are both “clean” now, but we want to make sure you stay safe after your investigations, too. 

So here are some post-investigation tips:

CLOSE DOWN YOUR INVESTIGATION

 You wouldn’t leave a dinner party without saying goodbye, right? Well, you gotta get closure on your paranormal investigations, too. Politely bid adieu to any spirits you encountered but make sure to let them know that under no circumstances are they welcome in your home. Respectfully ask to stay right where they are. Mention that you had a good time interacting with them and thank them, but that they need to stay put, they can’t join you as you leave.

 Next, make a circle with your team, discussing plans to check in with each other during the next few days to make sure everyone is fine and that no entities followed them home.  If you were hunting at a private residence, include the humans who live there, too. Cleanse each other with sage, which, by the way should stay in your car during a hunt, because spirits hate it- sage actually repels them!  Take turns smudging each other before you leave the investigation site.  Fan the smoke up and down each other’s bodies, covering everyone thoroughly. If anyone in your group does energy work, have them pull any negativity off the other members.

 WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU GET HOME

Keep a watchful eye open in the hours and days after your investigation. Check for any signs of spirit attachments.  If you’ve brought home a hitchhiker, your energy level, general health and also your emotional wellbeing might be affected. In the week or so after your hunt, if you find yourself feeling under the weather don’t jump to conclusions; rule out the mundane first.   For example, if you’ve got a headache, are you sure you drank enough water during the investigation? And when was the last time you ate a full meal?  If you’ve come down with the sniffles and were hunting outdoors, it could just be hay fever! If you’re lacking energy, again, be sure rule out every day circumstances. For instance, have you been putting in over time at work, or been really busy?  Do a “lifestyle check” just in case.  If you’re condition is worsening, definitely check in with your team to see if anyone else is having similar physical or mental/emotional symptoms.

If things start to seem really off, or if you see any signs of paranormal activity in your house, you need to do a full cleansing, pronto.

We always keep our doors and windowsills salted to deter unwanted spirits, but we’re especially careful about this before going on an investigation.  We sweep up the old salt, dispose of it and replace it with fresh salt.  This ensures that in the event of a “hitchhiker” following us home from a hunt, they won’t be able to get inside our houses.  We also scatter it around the parameters of our yard, and in our cars. No paranormal investigator should ever be without salt!

It’s a good idea in general to cleanse your home about every two weeks. A simple way to cleanse is to light candles and burn sage and candles while asking for positive energy to come into your abode. You might want to add in supplemental cleansing methods based on your spiritual preferences, too. For example, we know people who keep holy water in their houses, some like to have Palo Santo - a type of wood that has spiritual and cleansing effects much like sage- on hand to burn for house purification.

MAKE A CONTINGENCY PLAN

Reach out to your team members  and better yet,  a mentor, psychic medium or healer if you sense that your energy field has been compromised, or feel as though you’ve picked up an attachment on your hunt.  If you are having obvious health problems, be sure to consult a medical doctor, too. Watch for signs of depression, mood swings or anything that could be paranormal activity in your residence. Making sure to protect yourself- before, during and after-a paranormal investigations will allow you to stay healthy mentally, physically and emotionally, plus it’ll enable you to remain committed to doing your paranormal research. 

 And finally… RIP  David Bowie, we adore  you...

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Crystal and Pleasant as vintage fortunetellers...photo by Maharet Hughes

We’d LOVE to connect with you!

Visit our website to book metaphysical and occult workshops, Tarot readings and healings, or to have us come out for a paranormal investigation: www.thedivinationnation.com
 
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDivinationNation?fref=ts
 
Connect with us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TarotAlimah
 
To find out more about Pleasant or request a reading or healing session, click here: http://www.pleasantgehman.com/
 
For more on Crystal’s background, or request a reading or healing session, click here: http://crystalravenwolf.com