How to Start a Tarot Journal | Track Your Readings
How to Start a Tarot Journal
How to start a tarot journal: get literally any notebook and write down your readings. that's it. you don't need a $40 leather-bound journal with gold edges. You need something you'll actually use.
Tarot journaling is the fastest way to get better at reading cards. When you write things down, you start noticing patterns — in the cards and in yourself.
Why Bother Journaling
Your memory is unreliable. You pull The Tower on a Monday, freak out, and by Friday you've forgotten what you were even worried about. A journal catches the stuff you'd otherwise lose.
More importantly, it lets you look back. That reading from three months ago that made no sense? Suddenly it's obvious. Tarot makes more sense in hindsight, and a journal is how you access that hindsight.
What to Write Down
Keep it simple. For each reading, record:
- Date
- Question you asked (be specific — "what about my life" doesn't help future-you)
- Cards you pulled (position matters if you used a spread)
- Your immediate reaction — what hit? what confused you? what made you uncomfortable?
- What you think it means — your interpretation, not the guidebook's
That last one is the whole point. Your gut reaction to a card is usually more accurate than whatever you Google.
Optional Extras
If you want to go deeper:
- Note the moon phase or day of the week (patterns emerge)
- Track which cards keep showing up (your "stalker cards" are trying to tell you something)
- Come back a week later and add what actually happened
- Write down which cards you struggle with — those are the ones doing the most work
Formats That Actually Work
Physical notebook — The classic. Pen on paper. No notifications. Weirdly satisfying. Any notebook works. Seriously, any.
Notes app — If you won't use a physical journal, digital is better than nothing. Create a dedicated note or folder so readings don't get buried.
Spreadsheet — If your brain works this way, a simple spreadsheet with columns for date, question, cards, and interpretation is extremely efficient.
Voice memos — Talk through your reading out loud. Some people process better verbally. Transcribe later if you want, or don't.
The best format is the one you'll use consistently. Don't let the setup become the obstacle.
How to Start Right Now
- Open your Notes app or grab any notebook
- Write today's date
- Pull one card
- Write down: what card, what you asked, what you felt when you saw it
- Done
That's your tarot journal. It doesn't need to be pretty. It needs to exist.
Gen Z Tarot's 136-page guidebook gives you clear card meanings to reference while you build your own interpretations. Published by Hachette Book Group.
