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
 
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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

ALL HANDS ON DECK: TAROT, LENORMAND AND ORACLE CARDS

 Welcome to The Divination Nation blog!

 We are Pleasant Gehman and Crystal Ravenwolf, a duo of divination divas,

 “spiritual sisters from another mister”. Both of us are life-long Tarotistas, obsessed with all things esoteric and paranormal. We met and bonded in 2009 on a paranormal investigation onboard The Queen Mary.  We’ve created this blog to share our knowledge and to connect with the vibrant worldwide metaphysical community. Aside from Tarot, we practice many other forms of divination and metaphysical disciplines, including Reiki and energy healing, pendulum divining, dousing, crystal work, soul retrieval, mediumship, house cleansings, and more. We read for clients, write, lecture and teach together as well as working solo. For years, we’ve worked as professional belly dancers, and after our gigs we go on ghost hunts, exploring public and private sites that are reputed to be haunted.  Currently, we’re working on our book walking The Tarot Path.

Since we’d love for this blog to be relevant for metaphysically-inclined peeps at every stage of development from absolute beginners to seasoned professionals, our posts will range from basic concepts and info that many of you are undoubtedly familiar with, to stuff that just might make your head explode!

We hope this blog is as fun for you to read as it is for us to write…Enjoy!

 We get a lot of  questions from our clients and curious friends asking what the difference is between the various types of cards used in divination. Quite often, students attending one of our Tarot workshops will come in with an Oracle card deck, not realizing that they have little in common with Tarot…aside from the fact that they’re both printed on card stock! While it’s true that the many forms of divination cards have some similarities, they each have their own systems and traditions. And nowadays, there are so many different types of cards-and so many imaginative artists creating them- it almost adds to the confusion.  Perhaps the following will help you to comprehend the differences- and in some cases, consistencies-in each type of cards.

Rider Waite Smith Tarot Cards

TAROT CARDS

Undoubtedly the most well-known card divination system, Tarot is probably the oldest, too. Many believe that Tarot has its origins in Egypt, but the oldest remaining Tarot cards were hand painted, commissioned by the Visconti-Sforza family, nobility from Milan, Italy. Though there are many different types of Tarot cards and divinatory systems followed for cards to be considered a “true” Tarot deck, certain elements must be present.

A classic Tarot deck is made up of 78 cards, broken down into the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. Composed of 22 cards, the Major Arcana usually signifies larger life events during readings.  It also tells the universal story of the Fool (the first card in a Tarot deck, or number zero) and his journey. The Minor Arcana, like regular playing cards, has four distinct suits: Pentacles, Cups, Swords and Wands. Although some artists get creative and assign different names to the suits,  (such as coins, discs, batons, rods, chalices, etc.) each suit correlates to a different element. Pentacles represent earth, Cups correspond to water, Swords are linked to air, and Wands to fire. Within each suit there are always 16 Court (or Pip) cards- Kings, Queens, Knights and Pages, as well as the  Ace and the numbered cards which follow it. 

Tarot cards can be read in both the upright and reversed positions, though some readers prefer not to interpret  the meanings of reversed cards. This seems to be more of stylistic debate, depending on  the preference of the card reader and/or the way they learned.

 Also worth noting: with the popularity of  Tarot and the vast amount of cards on the market today, some deck creators rename certain cards. For example: Knights and Pages might appear as Princes and Princesses…but the meaning of the card  still remains the same. Regardless of any artistic liberties, the structure of the Tarot deck remains unchanged. There are countless brands and variations of Tarot cards available these days, from beautiful reproductions of historical decks to wild, post-modern creations and even kitschy  decks and limited edition collectable decks.

LENORMAND CARDS

 German Lenormand card, The Scythe

Lenormand cards are named after the celebrated cartomancer Marie Anne Adelaide Lenormand. Perhaps one of the most storied fortunetellers of all time, she practiced divination through reading playing cards. Born in 1772 in Alencon, France, Madame Lenormand gained recognition by advising Napoleon Bonaparte, among many prominent people, and also wrote a number of literary texts.

 Like Tarot, traditional Lenormand decks also have a certain structure, consisting of 36 cards, each with an allegorical image. Many Lenormand decks are imprinted with the pictures of regular playing cards in addition to their symbolic images, which are completely different than Tarot cards. In Lenormand, unlike Tarot, the cards are divided into positive, negative and neutral associations.  Also, in a  Lenormand spread,  divinatory interpretations are not assigned to the positions; instead, each card sort of adds onto other cards, to enhance one another and create a the full reading.

ORACLE CARDS

 In the past two decades or so, Oracle cards have become extremely popular, making them the newest or latest form of divination through cards. Oracle cards are unique beside their structured cousins Tarot and Lenormand in that there is no regulated form or number of cards to any deck- that all depends on the artist who created it. Oracle spreads can be laid out in any way that suits the individual card reader. As a matter of fact, it’s safe to say that Oracle cards pretty much don’t have any rules at all! They come in many themes that resonate with a number of disciplines, traditions and metaphysical practices.  For instance, some of the  popular Oracle decks include themes such angels, fairies, crystals and animal spirits.  Many decks also have the meaning of each card written on the face, making them easy for beginners to read in tandem or as a stand-alone single card pulls.

PLAYING CARDS

Cartomancy is the practice of reading regular playing cards. Though it’s believed that playing cards were first used in Central Asia, today’s standard four-suit apparently originates from Egypt, when the Mamluk Turks ruled it. The cards were imported to Europe in the 1400’s. The 52 card deck, including suits of hearts, diamonds, clubs and spades (and Pip cards, the royal or “face cards” within each suit) originated in France, eventually becoming standard in Europe, England and America. Aside from the standard 52 card deck, the 32-card French  Piquet deck is also commonly used for cartomancy.  Reading playing cards is similar  divination-wise to both to Tarot and Lenormand, in that each card has a meaning or correlation, but  the readings are not done in exactly the same manner.

 

Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Cards

GYPSY CARDS

 There are a few types of Gypsy cards on the market today. Some, like Svetlana Touchkoff’s Russian Gypsy Fortune Telling Cards, are their own entity. These beautifully reproduced cards, which the author says were passed down through her family, actually form a puzzle when laid out, and have their own distinct set of images and meanings. There are also a number of Eastern European Gypsy card decks, some with the divinatory meanings printed on the face of the card, often in a few different languages. The traditional Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Cards were first printed in America in 1903, and became so popular they’ve been through dozens of printings. These cards seem to be based pretty closely upon a combination of Lenormand and playing cards, though they do not use all of the same imagery as Lenormand cards- some pictures seem to be added while others have been left off. An often-heard comment about these cards is that the meanings are kind of macabre…but that goes hand in hand with the sentiments of the post-Victorian Edwardian period, the time these cards were first manufactured. In spite of this (or maybe because of it!) these cards are still in frequent use today.

 Some card readers practice just one type of card  divination, while others  dabble in – and master- reading a variety of different disciplines.  In Leonormand and Tarot decks,  the numbers assigned to the cards and their meanings are  considered important; in Oracle cards, they usually are not. Though everyone has their own personal preference,  it should be noted that no one type of card reading is superior to the others, they’re just different.

Remember- no matter what type of cards you select to use or choose to read, they are all valid forms of divination, and can help you connect to your inner psyche and intuition.

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We’d love to connect with you!
Visit our website: www.thedivinationnation.com
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDivinationNation?fref=ts
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To find out more about Pleasant click here: http://www.pleasantgehman.com/
For more on Crystal, click here http://www.crystalravenwolf.com  

Send an email here: divinationnation@yahoo.com