I have always enjoyed writing, and I have always loved reading.
I don’t remember when I started to write a diary. I know that I was around 12 or 13 years old and that I called my diary Evaristo.

As I grew, my way of writing naturally changed. In the beginning, each day I wrote a summary of the 24 hours that had just gone by.
Later on I wrote about my emotions. I filtered the day through my heart and how I felt about what had transpired. As I experienced life, I began to dissect facts and emotions through my so called rational mind.

As the years went by, I started to put in writing my questions and my answers to every day life . I began to list the books I read and sometime the impression they had on me.

I have always been and avid dreamer. As I often say, I don’t just dream, I watch movies after movies. Some are frightening, some are confusing, others are hilarious or action packed. Some feel like tutorial on things I have been studying during the day. Some dreams are forgotten a few seconds after I open my eyes, while other stay with me for years. I often write about my dreams in my journal. The funny thing is that sometimes when I read about them years later, what first appeared as a very wild dream, has now a fairly clear and straight forward message.

Something else I journal about is Tarot.
I do believe that pulling a few cards each day and putting my thoughts about them in writing is a wonderful practice. One, I suggest to anyone who wants to learn about Tarot.
I have learned a lot this way. Let me explain the process a bit more.

In the morning I ask my guardian angel and spirit guides to guide me through the day. I ask a few questions and I select a few cards.
My questions are not always the same.

Lately I have been asking these questions.

Where is my focus going to be today?

What is going on with my work?

What is going on in my home?

What unexpected news or events will I be dealing with today?
What is the advice for me?

As I look at the cards that have come up in answer to each question, I look at them individually and as a group. I look at the numbers, at the elements, at the pictures. What do they have in common both pictorially, energetically or as meaning?

I then write it all down. The following day I go back to it and I reflect on the events of that day. I look at how accurate I was. If what I wrote is what later transpired, I write it down. If the energy of the card was expressed in a different way that I predicted, but that is still consistent with the card, I write that down. Once in a while I can see no connection between the cards and the events. When that happens I write a big question mark beside them and I proceed to write what actually went on that day.

I have learned many things through this practice.

Someday I can be extremely accurate. Other days I express the energy of the cards well, but I miss the form in which the energy will come about.
Other times there is no connection between the day I asked about and the cards. Yet, the message will be perfect for a few days later and I have not had the opportunity to do another reading in the meanwhile.

Also, the cards can at times answer each question, while others they will use all the cards to answer one of the questions. In other words, sometime the card in the work position will be just about work, while others it may be about what is going on in other areas of the reading. Often the cards will express in ways that are consistent with their key words. The cards can also express in a way that is not by the book, but it is consistently accurate for you.

Let me give you a few examples.

The other day I got a reading that had the 2 of cups, the lovers, the ace of pentacles, the sun and the queen of swords.
Those cards could have well been indicating a fast growing relationship. Plans being made and expressed in concrete ways and a need to communicate clearly and objectively.
What actually happened  was,  I helped my young daughter set up her face book page. We discussed rules and ethics, practicalities and we bonded.

The 8 of cups often stands for times when we leave behind something we once treasured, but have now outgrown.
Since not all days are profound, the cards have also very mundane expressions. The 8 of cups often comes up for me, when my kids are going away for a sleep over, or my husband will stay away overnight on a job.

I have had the 10 of swords indicate acupuncture overload.

As you can see, the use of a journal can be beneficial in many ways and in many areas of our lives.

Feel free to add your comments and share your own experience.