Imagine using tarot cards to create an art piece that depicts a visual story of your life. Who might you be in the tarot and which cards relate to the important people around you? By selecting cards from different decks, cutting and pasting cut out tarot figures on a landscape or scene gleaned from magazines or painted by you, you can create a world that tells your story. Looking at it you might be inspired to write your feelings or add voice bubbles. Tarot visual journaling will open a new way of understanding about your archetypal journey using the creative process.

I have been keeping visual journals since I was a child; diaries filled with drawings, collages and my written musings. At any point in time I have several of these going; one for dreams, one for travels and adventures, a gardening journal, a book of shadows filled with wishes and gratitude. I use all sorts of art materials, experimenting with different techniques. These visual journals become a container for my hopes, experiences and feelings.

When I began painting Tarot de St. Croix in 2009 I kept a visual journal where I would sketch my ideas and record the synchronicities and experiences that influenced the card I was working on as well as adding notes from tarot books on the meaning of the card. Eventually I would add a photo copy of the finished painting. I hope one day to publish this as a workbook to inspire others in creating their own tarot visual journal.

The process is fun and easy, I suggest using a sturdy multi-media sketch book or a binder that you can add paper to. Look around your house and assemble any art supplies you might have: scissors, glue sticks, your favorite pens, paint if you have it, crayons or colored pencils. Start a collection of images torn from magazines and tarot decks that are missing a card or maybe that you don’t use for readings. Do you have some decorative paper or tissue paper you can add? It is best if you have table or desk where you can lay out your supplies and leave them out to use, if not find a box to keep it all handy. Now you are ready. Your first piece can be an introduction – it can be the cover or the first page. You could use your birth or year card; or maybe describe your first encounter with tarot. You can use a rubber stamp alphabet or letters cut out of magazines for your name, date and title. Express your inner self, your journey has begun…

Creative writing is a way to process readings; sometimes try using your non-dominant hand to get a fresh point of view. Tarot is such a visual language; it makes sense to use images of the cards to remember meaningful spreads. One way is to take a quick photo with your phone and send it to a computer and print it out. Your tarot visual journal is a place where you can record readings of clients and will be useful to refer to when they returns. Your journal is also a place to keep handouts from tarot conferences, or notes jotted down as well as a collection place for useful information. It will be a source book you can use for a life-time.

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Lisa will be leading “Tarot Visual Journaling” and also representing Tarot de St. Croix on the Deck Creators Panel at TarotCon Denver 2015. Visit our Speakers page for the full line-up of presentations and workshops.

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About the Author

Lisa de St. Croix was born in South Africa. After moving to New York she received her BFA from the School of Visual Arts. Lisa’s paintings have been exhibited internationally and hang in many private and public collections. Tarot de St. Croix was self-published in 2014 assisted by Devera. Lisa has presented lectures and workshops on her deck, tarot and art at the International Tarot Conference in Portugal, TarotCon in Dallas, Spiritual Path of Tarot Telesummit, Living Tarot Oracle in Durango, numerous Tarot Meetups at Santa Fe Public Library and in her Santa Fe studio. An article written by Lisa was published and her Empress was featured on the cover of The Magician, Journal of the Tarot Guild of Australia. Tarot de St. Croix won a Pecto award and was voted a top fifty essential deck by Tarot Professionals Association. Tarot de St. Croix is in the Museo Dei Tarocchi collection in Italy. Visit Lisa’s website and blog to find out about Tarot Visual Journaling classes or to view her deck.

© 2015 by Lisa de St. Croix. All rights reserved.

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