Tarot Grimoire: Recording Card Meanings & Spreads

Introduction: Your Personal Tarot Encyclopedia

Tarot is one of the most powerful divination tools in a witch's practice—a mirror for the soul, a guide through life's questions, and a gateway to intuition. Creating comprehensive tarot pages in your Book of Shadows transforms your grimoire into an invaluable divination reference. Whether you're documenting traditional card meanings or your personal interpretations, recording spreads or tracking readings, a well-organized tarot section becomes essential for deepening your practice.

This comprehensive guide teaches you how to create beautiful, functional tarot pages that combine traditional meanings, personal insights, and reading documentation. You'll learn what to record for each card, how to organize your tarot grimoire, creative layout ideas, and systems for tracking your divination journey.

Why Document Tarot in Your Grimoire

Benefits of a Tarot Section

• Personalized meanings: Develop your unique relationship with each card
• Reading records: Track accuracy and patterns over time
• Spread collection: Keep favorite layouts in one place
• Learning tool: Deepen understanding through documentation
• Pattern recognition: See which cards appear frequently
• Skill development: Watch your interpretation skills grow
• Beautiful pages: Card illustrations make stunning grimoire art

How Tarot Fits Into Your Practice

• Divination: Answering questions and gaining insight
• Meditation: Contemplating card meanings deeply
• Spell work: Using cards to focus intention
• Shadow work: Exploring unconscious patterns
• Decision making: Clarifying choices and paths
• Spiritual guidance: Connecting with higher wisdom
• Daily practice: Card of the day for guidance

What to Document for Each Card

Basic Card Information

Card Name and Number:

• Full name (The Fool, Two of Cups, etc.)
• Number or position in deck
• Suit (for Minor Arcana)
• Court rank (Page, Knight, Queen, King)

Traditional Keywords:

• 3-5 upright keywords
• 3-5 reversed keywords
• Core themes and concepts
• Quick reference for readings

Visual Description:

• Key symbols in the imagery
• Colors and their significance
• Figures or characters present
• Background and setting
• What draws your eye first

Traditional Meanings

Upright Meaning:

• General interpretation
• In love readings
• In career/money readings
• In spiritual readings
• Advice the card offers

Reversed Meaning:

• General reversed interpretation
• Blocked energy
• Internal vs. external
• Shadow aspects
• What needs attention

Numerology:

• Number significance (for numbered cards)
• How number influences meaning
• Connection to other cards with same number

Correspondences

Astrological:

• Zodiac sign or planet
• How astrology influences the card
• Timing indicators

Elemental:

• Element (Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Spirit)
• How element affects interpretation
• Suit correspondences (Pentacles=Earth, Swords=Air, Wands=Fire, Cups=Water)

Kabbalistic:

• Tree of Life position (if you study this)
• Hebrew letter association
• Path on the Tree

Other Correspondences:

• Crystals that resonate with the card
• Herbs or plants
• Colors
• Deities or archetypes
• Chakras

Personal Interpretations

Your Unique Meanings:

• What this card means to YOU
• Personal associations and memories
• How you feel when you see it
• Intuitive impressions
• Symbols that speak to you

When This Card Appears:

• What it usually indicates in your readings
• Patterns you've noticed
• How accurate it's been
• Situations it commonly represents

Questions to Ask:

• Prompts this card suggests
• What to explore when it appears
• Journaling questions

Reading Examples

Document actual readings:

• Date card appeared
• Position in spread
• Question asked
• Your interpretation
• Outcome/accuracy
• What you learned

Organizing Your Tarot Grimoire

By Deck Order

Structure:

• Major Arcana (0-21)
• Minor Arcana by suit:
  • Wands (Ace-King)
  • Cups (Ace-King)
  • Swords (Ace-King)
  • Pentacles (Ace-King)

Pros:

• Traditional and intuitive
• Easy to find any card
• Follows the Fool's Journey
• Standard reference format

Best for: Comprehensive card study, traditional approach

By Theme or Archetype

Categories:

• New Beginnings (Fool, Ace cards, etc.)
• Challenges and Conflict (5s, Tower, etc.)
• Love and Relationships (Lovers, 2 of Cups, etc.)
• Spiritual Growth (High Priestess, Hermit, etc.)
• Material Success (Emperor, Pentacles, etc.)

Pros:

• See thematic connections
• Useful for specific questions
• Deepens understanding of archetypes

Best for: Thematic study, specific life areas

By Element

Sections:

• Fire (Wands, some Major Arcana)
• Water (Cups, some Major Arcana)
• Air (Swords, some Major Arcana)
• Earth (Pentacles, some Major Arcana)
• Spirit (Major Arcana)

Pros:

• Understand elemental energies
• See suit relationships
• Good for elemental magic

Best for: Elemental practitioners

Separate Sections

Divide grimoire into:

• Card Meanings (reference)
• Spreads (layouts and how to use them)
• Reading Log (documented readings)
• Personal Insights (journal and observations)

Pros:

• Clear organization
• Easy to find different types of info
• Room for each to grow

Best for: Active readers, comprehensive documentation

Card Page Layouts

Layout 1: Illustrated Card Page

Structure:

• Draw or paste image of card at top
• Card name in decorative lettering
• Keywords in boxes or circles
• Meanings in organized sections
• Correspondences at bottom
• Space for personal notes

Best for: Visual learners, artistic grimoires

Layout 2: Two-Column Format

Structure:

• Left column: Traditional meanings
• Right column: Personal interpretations
• Card image at top or center
• Shows both perspectives

Best for: Comparing traditional and personal meanings

Layout 3: Minimalist Reference

Structure:

• Card name and number
• Upright keywords
• Reversed keywords
• Brief meaning
• Correspondences
• Clean and simple

Best for: Quick reference, digital grimoires

Layout 4: Deep Dive Page

Structure:

• Full page or two-page spread per card
• Detailed analysis
• Multiple interpretations
• Symbol breakdown
• Reading examples
• Extensive notes

Best for: In-depth study, favorite cards

Layout 5: Comparison Chart

Structure:

• Multiple cards on one page
• Compare similar cards (all 2s, all Knights, etc.)
• See patterns and differences
• Chart or table format

Best for: Understanding card relationships

Documenting Tarot Spreads

Essential Spread Information

For each spread, record:

• Name: Spread title
• Purpose: What it's used for
• Number of cards: How many cards needed
• Layout diagram: Visual representation of positions
• Position meanings: What each position represents
• How to read: Order and interpretation tips
• Best timing: When to use this spread
• Source: Where you learned it (if not original)

Essential Spreads to Document

Three-Card Spread:

• Past - Present - Future
• Or: Situation - Action - Outcome
• Or: Mind - Body - Spirit
• Versatile and quick

Celtic Cross:

• 10-card comprehensive spread
• Covers all aspects of situation
• Most popular complex spread
• Document position meanings clearly

Relationship Spread:

• You - Them - Relationship
• Or more complex versions
• For love, friendship, or any relationship

Decision Making Spread:

• Option A - Option B - Advice
• Or: Pros - Cons - Outcome for each option
• Helps clarify choices

Year Ahead Spread:

• 12 cards, one per month
• Or 13 cards (overview + 12 months)
• Annual planning and insight

Custom Spreads:

• Document spreads you create
• Note what works and what doesn't
• Refine over time

Spread Layout Diagrams

How to draw spreads:

• Use rectangles or card shapes for positions
• Number each position
• Draw arrows showing reading order
• Label each position
• Use different colors for different aspects
• Make it clear and easy to follow

Reading Log and Tracking

Reading Documentation Template

For each reading, record:

• Date and time: When reading was done
• Moon phase: Lunar influence
• Question asked: Exact wording
• Spread used: Which layout
• Cards drawn: List all cards and positions
• Initial interpretation: What you thought it meant
• Outcome: What actually happened (update later)
• Accuracy rating: How accurate was the reading (1-5 stars)
• Lessons learned: What this reading taught you
• Notes: Anything else significant

Daily Card Practice

Card of the Day log:

• Date
• Card drawn
• Initial impression
• How it manifested during the day
• What you learned
• Track for patterns over time

Pattern Tracking

Notice and document:

• Cards that appear frequently
• Cards that rarely appear
• Suits that dominate your readings
• Reversed card frequency
• Court cards and who they represent
• Seasonal patterns
• Personal card (appears often for you)

Advanced Tarot Documentation

Card Combinations

Document powerful pairings:

• Cards that amplify each other
• Cards that contradict or challenge
• Cards that clarify each other
• Common combinations and their meanings
• Your observations of pairs

Court Card People

Track who court cards represent:

• King of Wands = [specific person or type]
• Queen of Cups = [specific person or type]
• Physical descriptions
• Personality traits
• How accurate these associations are

Timing in Tarot

Document timing systems:

• Wands = Days or Spring
• Cups = Weeks or Summer
• Swords = Months or Autumn
• Pentacles = Years or Winter
• Or astrological timing
• Your personal timing observations

Tarot Meditation

Record meditation experiences:

• Card meditated on
• Date and duration
• Visions or insights received
• Messages from the card
• How it deepened your understanding
• Feelings and sensations

Creating Beautiful Tarot Pages

Illustration Techniques

Drawing Cards:

• Copy from your deck (trace or freehand)
• Simplify complex imagery
• Focus on key symbols
• Use colored pencils or watercolor
• Or create your own interpretations

Photography:

• Photograph cards from your deck
• Print and paste into grimoire
• Create collages
• Document actual readings

Digital Art:

• Scan or photograph cards
• Edit and enhance digitally
• Create custom layouts
• Print for physical grimoire

Color Coding

Use colors to organize:

• Major Arcana = Purple or gold
• Wands = Red or orange
• Cups = Blue or silver
• Swords = Yellow or white
• Pentacles = Green or brown
• Helps with quick visual reference

Decorative Elements

Enhance pages with:

• Suit symbols (wands, cups, swords, pentacles)
• Astrological glyphs
• Elemental symbols
• Decorative borders matching card energy
• Pressed flowers or herbs
• Washi tape in corresponding colors

Digital Tarot Grimoire

Database Approach

Create tarot database with fields:

• Card name, number, suit
• Keywords (tags)
• Meanings (upright and reversed)
• Correspondences
• Personal notes
• Images
• Reading examples

Multiple views:

• Gallery (card images)
• Table (all information)
• By suit (filtered)
• By element
• By frequency in readings

Reading Log Database

Track readings digitally:

• Date, question, spread
• Cards drawn (link to card pages)
• Interpretation and outcome
• Accuracy rating
• Tags for easy searching
• Filter by date, accuracy, card, etc.

Linking System

Create connections:

• Link cards to readings where they appeared
• Link spreads to readings using them
• Link cards to related cards
• Build interconnected knowledge web

Learning and Growth

Study Plan

Document your learning journey:

• One card per day or week
• Study plan and progress
• Books and resources used
• Courses or teachers
• Milestones and breakthroughs

Accuracy Tracking

Improve through documentation:

• Rate reading accuracy
• Note what you got right
• Note what you missed
• See improvement over time
• Identify areas to study more

Intuition Development

Track intuitive growth:

• First impressions vs. book meanings
• When intuition was right
• When you should have trusted it more
• How your intuition speaks to you
• Symbols that are uniquely yours

Common Questions

Do I need to document all 78 cards?

No! Start with Major Arcana or cards you use most. Add cards as you study them. Some readers focus deeply on fewer cards rather than superficially on all.

Should I use traditional meanings or my own?

Both! Learn traditional meanings as foundation, then develop personal interpretations through experience. Document both to see how they relate.

What if my interpretation was wrong?

Document it anyway! "Wrong" readings teach you. Note what you missed and why. This is how you improve.

How long should I wait to record outcomes?

Depends on the question. Some manifest in days, others in months. Leave space to update. Check back periodically.

Can I document readings for others?

Yes, but respect privacy. Use initials or pseudonyms. Focus on what you learned, not personal details.

What if I use multiple decks?

You can document deck-specific interpretations or focus on one deck. Note which deck you're using in readings. Some cards vary significantly between decks.

Conclusion: Your Tarot Journey Documented

Your tarot grimoire is more than a reference—it's a record of your divination journey, your growing intuition, and your deepening relationship with the cards. Each page you create, each reading you document, each insight you record brings you closer to mastery.

Start with cards that speak to you, document readings that teach you, and let your tarot section grow organically. The most valuable tarot grimoire is one filled with your personal experiences and hard-won wisdom.

May your tarot pages be beautiful, insightful, and filled with divination wisdom!

Ready to explore more divination documentation? Check out our guide to Deity Pages: How to Document Your Patron Gods to honor the divine forces in your practice.