Tarot cards have long captivated people as a tool for reflection, insight, and exploring life’s mysteries. While tarot readings with an experienced reader can provide guidance, doing personal tarot readings in a journaling practice can also offer tremendous value. Journaling with tarot cards involves drawing cards, reflecting on their archetypal imagery and meaning, and exploring how these ideas apply to your life through writing.
To get the most out of a tarot journaling practice, it is essential to know which questions to ask. The right journal prompts help direct your exploration in a meaningful way and reveal insights that can facilitate self-discovery, improved self-awareness, and positive growth. Here are some of the best tarot journal questions to ask when doing personal tarot readings.
Formulating Meaningful Tarot Journal Questions
When getting started with tarot journaling, it helps to understand how to phrase questions in a productive way. The key is to ask open-ended questions that allow the cards to provide layered insight, rather than “yes or no” questions searching for definitive answers. Here are some tips for crafting meaningful tarot journal questions:
Ask About Themes, Not Outcomes
Rather than asking about specific outcomes, which can limit the cards’ guidance, ask about underlying themes, energies, or advice related to a situation. For example, ask “What lessons can this conflict teach me?” rather than “Will this conflict be resolved soon?”
Look for Possibilities, Not Predictions
Tarot cards offer guidance by revealing possibilities and perspectives, not by predicting predetermined outcomes. Frame questions in terms of potential actions or insights to consider. For example, ask “How could I build more meaning into my life?” rather than “What will make my life more meaningful?”
Avoid Narrow, Leading Questions
Phrases like “why can’t I…” or “when will…” can limit the cards’ ability to provide broad insight. Try to keep questions open rather than narrow or leading.
Focus on Self-Awareness and Growth
Questions focused on self-reflection and personal development will lead to more rewarding journaling sessions than those about predicting external events.
Ask Follow-Up Questions Based on the Cards
Let the cards guide your exploration by asking additional questions about imagery, symbols, or insights that come up. This allows meanings to unfold naturally.
Essential Tarot Journal Prompts
Here are some essential tarot journal questions to guide you through productive journaling sessions with your cards:
Guidance and Advice
- What guidance or advice can the cards offer about this situation?
- What do I most need to know or understand right now?
- What insight can these cards provide about _?
Self-Awareness and Reflection
- How could I learn and grow from this situation?
- What might be blocking me or holding me back right now?
- What old beliefs or patterns no longer serve me?
- What strengths could help me overcome current challenges?
- What do these cards reveal about my unconscious desires or motivations?
- What false narratives or assumptions may I need to challenge?
Relationships and Connections
- How could I build healthier relationships and connections?
- What pattern in my relationships does this conflict reveal?
- What advice do the cards have about communicating with ?
- How could I express my needs more constructively in relationships?
- What unhealthy relationship patterns should I address?
Life Purpose and Meaning
- How might I gain clarity about my life purpose?
- What ideals or values do I need to honor?
- What meaningful goals or dreams should I work toward?
- What actions could add more purpose and fulfillment?
Shadow Work and Integration
- What unconscious emotions, desires, or fears might be at play?
- What strengths am I ignoring or downplaying?
- How could I embrace my full self with compassion?
- What aspects of myself do I need to better integrate?
Moving Forward
- What shift in perspective or approach is needed now?
- What do I need to leave behind or release to move forward?
- What first step or action would be constructive right now?
- What potential do the cards reveal if I were to make a change?
By starting with these prompts, you can clarify intentions, deepen self-awareness, identify growth opportunities, gain insights on relationships, access inner guidance, and explore many other meaningful topics through tarot journaling.
Sample Tarot Journaling Sessions
To see how effective tarot journal questions can reveal insights through card reflections and writing, here are two sample journaling sessions:
Journal Session on Life Transitions
I’m feeling stuck and uncertain about my career path and next steps in life. What guidance or advice can the cards offer about this situation?
Six of Swords: This card of transition reflects that I’m in a state of leaving behind an old way of being and moving toward a new unknown. While the passage may feel unstable or anxious, there is movement toward a more aligned path.
How might I gain more clarity about life direction during this transitional time?
The Moon: The Moon reflects the confusing emotions and uncertainty I’m experiencing. But it reminds me to trust my intuition and inner compass despite the lack of clear vision. Insights will come through quiet reflection, not force.
What old stories or assumptions may I need to release to help illuminate my path? How could I move toward growth and alignment?
Judgement: This intense card of reckoning indicates it’s time for an inner purging of limiting beliefs that cloud my self-awareness. Through release and shedding what no longer serves me, I’ll gain the clarity needed to align my life with my soul’s purpose.
Journal Session on Relationships
Tension in my relationship has been escalating. What insight can the cards provide about this conflict?
Four of Wands reversed: The reversal of the harmony card reflects instability in my relationship right now. There’s misalignment between our differing needs and desires.
What pattern might this conflict be revealing? How could I express my needs more constructively?
Two of Cups reversed: This card reversed can often reflect poor communication in relationships. We’re talking past each other without understanding the other’s perspective. I need to listen more openly and express my feelings thoughtfully without blaming.
How might I learn and grow from this situation? What shift in my approach to relationships may be needed?
Temperance: With its blend of opposites, Temperance reminds me to seek balance, moderation and patience in my interactions. My reactivity is only adding fuel to the fire. This conflict can teach me to respond calmly and align my actions with my values.
Additional Insightful Tarot Journal Prompts
Beyond the essential questions above, here are some additional tarot journal questions to spark deeper self-discovery:
- What limiting beliefs or false narratives are keeping me stuck? How could I reframe my perspective?
- What would my life look like if I boldly followed my passion? What first step can I take?
- What past events or experiences may be influencing my current situation?
- What hidden strengths or resources could help me thrive amid challenges?
- How can I build more spiritual connection and inner calm?
- What emotions am I avoiding or suppressing? How could I embrace them with compassion?
- What dreams and desires need expression? How can I honor them?
- How could I create more balance and alignment in my daily life?
- What would my best self do in this situation?
- What wisdom have I gained from past difficulties that could help me now?
- How can I tune into guidance from my highest self?
- What limiting self-beliefs should I challenge? What empowering truths do I need to embrace?
- What or who do I need to forgive?
Conclusion
Exploring the tarot through journaling with insightful prompts provides a powerful framework for increased wisdom, personal growth, and tuning into your inner guidance. While specific questions will depend on your intention, open-ended prompts that target themes rather than outcomes will provide the most rewarding journaling sessions. Phrase questions to learn about yourself, understand patterns, gain perspective, identify growth opportunities, and clarify your path forward. With an open, curious mind and the willingness to honestly examine difficult issues, your tarot journal will become an invaluable tool for self-discovery and inner transformation.
FAQs
Tarot journaling involves drawing tarot cards and reflecting on their meaning through writing to gain self-awareness, clarity, and inner wisdom. Here are some frequently asked questions about this insightful practice:
Can I do tarot journaling digitally?
You can use any blank journal or notebook for tarot journaling. Some people enjoy the ritual of a beautiful, bound notebook dedicated to the practice. Others prefer digital options like journals apps or word processing programs for convenience. Choose what works best for your needs.
How often should I do tarot journaling sessions?
Consistency is helpful, so aim to journal at a regular interval that fits your lifestyle – daily, weekly, or a few times per month. But don’t make it a rigid chore. Journal when you feel called to do so. Even 5-10 minutes of intention and reflection during chaotic times can provide centering insight.
How many cards should I draw and read?
Drawing 1-3 cards is best for most journaling sessions to allow time for deeper reflection on each one. You can always pull more cards on a topic if you feel called to continue exploring. For guidance on a specific issue, 1-3 card daily draws over a week can reveal helpful insights as they build on each other.
How do I interpret cards for journaling?
Take your time with each card. Note your first impressions of the imagery. Research traditional meanings. Then reflect on how the symbolism and meanings apply to your life and the question you asked. Trust your intuition.
How do I go deeper in my journal reflections?
Use the prompts above as starting points, then let the card meanings guide you. Ask clarifying questions about the cards’ messages for you. Examine emotions that surface. Explore themes over several journal entries to fully integrate insights.
How do I get the most out of tarot journaling?
Approach sessions with focus, intention, self-compassion, and a willingness to grow. Follow where the card meanings and journal prompts lead even if it’s uncomfortable. Don’t judge your thoughts – just observe them and look for insight. Reflect on entries over time to see progress.
Conclusion
Exploring tarot through consistent yet flexible journaling provides a powerful framework for growth, clarity, and connection with your inner wisdom. Let the cards – and your written reflections – guide you toward deeper self-discovery.
