I am working on creating a set of workbooks to help people connect with their tarot decks. They will include simple, yet effective exercises on how to look at the cards and assign meanings to them.
What are ways that you connect with your cards to improve your readings?
Do you use any type of journal to track your progress?
I used to try journalling, but I’m not good at sticking to it consistently for anything, so not a good tool for me. Instead, I tell stories with the cards. What is the picture? What’s happening? What are the emotions? What likely happened immediately before and what is likely to happen in the moments after? Who are the people, if any? Their relationships to each other and to the scene? Participant? Bystander?
I go through a new deck card by card, answering those questions. Keywords are great for the storytelling aspect. When creating the story, I’ll make a point of incorporating each keyword somewhere, to help connect them.
If using a themed deck, such as an Irish-based set, I have learned the mythology associated with each character. I’ve even incorporated the myths and stories into my readings for others, which has helped them to connect to what the cards are saying.
It’s part of my process anyway…
My favorite thing to do, is to take a card with my through the day and look at it often. The more I see that card in the world, the better connection I feel to it.
I’ll try and find a person that resembles it.
I use to journal a lot when I was newer. I use to write down the three cards I drew and just write whatever I saw. It was more stream of consciousness. My question was alway the same “what do I need to be aware of today?”
It was a good exercise in just being comfortable with the cards.
I’ve never used a journal. 
My go-to technique with new decks (recently with the Tarot des Amiguités) is to spread all cards around me and start looking for patterns, similar faces, group cards together when they have something in common (floor, ground color, hats, crowns,…).
According to our experience in our tarot courses, students feel more comfortable with readings when they get to know better the deck they use. It’s not neccessary to know it in depth at the beginning, but it helps to spot the connections between cards.
I respond to the art and how the artist for a particular deck has represented the card, which is why I love decks that have guidebooks that explain the artist’s vision. I tend to connect to colors, so generally prefer decks with color. It’s mostly about finding connections among the cards in a spread in the context of the question or topic, building a story. Not much success with journaling…
The way I find connections with the cards is through reading. Specifically, texts associated with fairy tales, mythology, dreams, alchemy, psychology. The collected works of C.G. Jung are a rich source of information regarding the kinds of elements and symbols present in various tarot systems. Grimms is another fantastic source as is the important work that Marie Louise von Franz did in interpreting fairy tales. Any esoteric texts in all likelihood contain useful insights that help understand the symbols present in the tarot.
I try not to stick with the predetermined meanings and look for new messages each time. I enjoy better open readings. I think this helps me connect better with the cards.
I use my smartphone to take pictures of each one of my spreads and write there my question and interpretation. I keep them in a file and back up on google.
Hello! This is my first time here! English is not my first lenguaje, so bear with me, please (i am not using the google translator, as a wey to practice my english) 
I do journaling, but just to register the basic insights i have in my readings. This record is usefull as examples to share in class (not giving any personal info about the person who recieved that reading, of course).
The wey I connect with my cards is reading, asking them questions. Every time I recieve a new deck I interview them: Âżhow you speak? Âżhow you see me? Âżhow can we get a long? Âżcan you give me an advice to help me read you better? And so on.
Thank you for sharing!
I use as many techniques as come to mind when I do my readings. I keep an open mind and do not limit myself. I use whatever comes to mind when I first look at the cards and then I start to interpret: If it’s the number of coins in the middle card that’s “calling out” to me, then that’s what I’ll focus on. If I remember that 4 of Swords is “Jupiter in Libra” then I think of “expansion”. If there are two Kings looking at each other and this is what is most obvious, then it’s what I will connect with. For me it’s usually the first thing, a “lightning bolt” striking, that’s the main connection. For years I would discount this first intuitive moment in a reading. It’s taken time and practice to allow myself enough freedom to trust the inner connection with the cards.
I have a short interview spread that I used to interview my deck after I complete my opening a new deck ritual.
Can you share the interview spread that you use? And what is your new deck ritual?
First, I cleanse the deck with my bell and incense. Then say my prayer to connect with the deck… then I use my left hand to touch each deck (back side) and then I use my right hand to touch the front side of each deck. then I shuffle and mix them well. Then I do three knocks and one blow. After that I shuffle 11 times and divide the pile into three, bless each pile, and put them back together intuitively. Then I pull cards… I pull cards randomly using my left hand. I use this spread below for an interview (no credit to me… I found it online)
Other questions can be: 1- What kind of reading will you excel at? 2- What are your strength as a deck? 3- What are you here to teach me? 4- How can I best connect with you? 5- What card sums you up best?
When I begin a reading I shuffle the cards without thinking of anything, then put my hands on the deck and call on Hermes the messenger god to bless the deck, clear it from all previous readings and that this reading be true and clear.
My first Tarots had their date of birth written on the lid of their box after consecrating them. And the majors were separated from the minors and facing each other in the box. I never shuffled the cards nor did I cut the pack. I do now shuffle the cards but when I feel like cleansing them I spread them on the table face down and bring them back together in a pack several times. Hope this makes sense in English it is easier to do than to explain 
