It is well known in the tarot community that recording tarot readings can greatly benefit one’s practice, as it helps document the cards drawn and interpretations for later review, and is a valuable tool for learning and study, and communicating with other readers. However, learning a notation system can be difficult, especially for beginners. The lack of standardization in these systems means that different readers who use notation systems may use different, and potentially conflicting methods and symbols, leading to confusion and inconsistencies in their notes or when sharing with others.

So, we present to you the Psykeon Tarot Notation System, a universally intuitive, simple and consistent way to track and review your tarot readings. There’s no crowdy words or complex symbols, making it easier to review at a glance than words and complex symbols, and readers from any school or culture should be able to understand it. Best of all, it requires (almost) no memorization.

After reading this short guide, you will be able to consistently log all your tarot spreads in under a few seconds, without even thinking about it.

Overview of the symbols

Depending on your preference, you can use either roman (I…,V…,X) or arabic (1, 2, 3…) numerals (as well as a 0) to represent the cards from the Major Arcana. Just follow the numbering order of the specific deck you are using in your readings. While this may be a bit tricky to read and understand if you don’t know the numbering of each card by heart, it is a good way to learn. I personally like to use roman numerals for a more ancient, minimalist and “wizardy” aesthetic, but for many, arabic numbers may be easier to read and more intuitive to use.

The four suits of the Minor Arcana are represented by very basic and intuitive symbols, which can all be drawn with just a few lines. The cups are represented by a simple chalice, the swords by a cross reminiscent of their shape, the wands by a swirly line symbolizing a branch, and the pentacles by a circled dot to distinguish it from zero; this is also the alchemical symbol for gold. Follow the same numerals that you used in the Major Arcana to number Minor Arcana cards, and use the first letter of each figure for the court cards: (P)age, (Kn)ight, (Q)ueen, (K)ing. Then, simply write the numbers and letters of the court cards over the 4 suit symbols to log Minor Arcana cards.

Finally, don’t overthink reversals; just write a downward arrow over upside-down cards, and leave the upright cards as is. This keeps your journal much cleaner than when using both upright and downward arrows, and makes it a lot easier to distinguish the orientation of cards at a glance. 

Example

Here’s a quick example of this system in action, where cards from the Major Arcana and all suits of the Minor Arcana appear upright and reversed.

P.S.: I show a reversed Minor Arcana card to illustrate the system in the example, but keep in mind that reversals are usually not used by readers of the Marseilles tradition.

I hope this simple system helps you track your tarot journey clearly and efficiently.