Learning to Read Expanded Edition of Lenormand

The popularity of Lenormand cards seem to accept been revived for contemporary times, at least here in the U.S. Lately it seems that every tarot enthusiast will go through a phase of intrigue for these Lenormands. Well the other day a student asked me to guide her studies of the Lenormands. From at that place, I decided to write this nutshell summary. For the tarot enthusiast who has now suddenly taken on an interest in Lenormand cards, this post volition serve as an introduction.

Overview

They're oracle cards, not tarot, and by and large speaking, they're sub-divided into two kinds: the Petit Lenormand, with 36 cards total, which is the more popular version here in the U.Due south., and the Grand Jeu Lenormand, with 54 cards. I have not however dabbled with the K Jeu Lenormand due to difficulties in getting a deck where I alive (that is, for an economically reasonable price…because, sure, you can buy anything via the Net these days), so I'll focus on the Petit Lenormand only.

The oracle cards are named after Marie Anne Lenormand, who is considered ane of the greatest and most influential French cartomancers of all time. However, the cards were non conceived by her. They were conceived after her death and may or may not accept even been based on any of the cards used by Marie Anne Lenormand. They're called "Lenormand cards" pretty much for marketing purposes. In fact, they may non even exist French. Johann Kaspar Hechtel, a German language businessman and factory possessor, is credited with designing the Petit Lenormand cartomancy deck, initially as a parlour game called "The Game of Hope." And then in many ways, the proper noun "Lenormand cards" might be a bit misleading.

Different Approaches to Card Interpretation

Yous may hear Lenormand practitioners refer to various schools or traditions of card estimation. Particular sets of pregnant of the cards have get popularized by region. At that place'due south the French tradition, the German tradition, the Dutch, and the Russian tradition, to name a few. Some may further flesh the divisions out to note the Swiss-German or Austrian-German approach under the German tradition or the Dutch-Belgian approach under the Dutch.

Don't get too caught up in traditions. These tradition distinctions, i.e., the High german tradition, the Russian, or the French tradition, etc., simply represent regional differences. If the deck you're using is based on a Lenormand deck originating from Frg or even Republic of austria, and so the LWB accompanying the deck is probably based on the High german tradition. If you lot're using a French Lenormand, then the LWB accompanying the deck is probably based on the French.

My suggested exercise is to showtime with the LWB ("little white booklet") for your Lenormand deck, only if a item assigned meaning to a symbol doesn't marshal with your personal attributions to that symbol, get with your personal attributions. Then while the various "traditions" of interpretation are a great starting point, don't adhere to information technology without critical thought. When in that location is a clash between your intuition and a book, e'er become with your intuition. If yous always desire to be proficient at something, and then y'all accept to trust yourself.

Lenormand Bill of fare Interpretation More often than not

Unlike tarot cards, which tell a narrative with each card, Lenormand cards depict a singular symbol per carte, i singular concept. Thus, each Lenormand menu is like a linguistic radical, or semantic root for the construction of Lenormand's very ain unique language system.

When you draw the cards into a spread, the cards form one cohesive statement, expression, or idea. Each card in the spread represents a noun, a verb, a predicate, a direct object or subject complement, adjective, or adverb. In circuitous multi-card spreads, such as the Grand Tableau, strings of cards tin can point prepositional phrases or contained clauses, and interpreted altogether, grade the narrative. Like tarot, Lenormand card meanings tin shift slightly based on the other cards in the spread. However different tarot, at that place are limitations to the extent that a Lenormand card'south meaning can be modified. That is why you may hear some folks say that Lenormand cards cannot be read intuitively.

The Signifier Carte

What is traditionally in many older texts referred to as the significator, I refer to as the signifier.

In selecting a signifier in tarot, y'all tin can first with whatever cistron, characteristic, or intent equally reference. Every tarot practitioner volition take a slightly different, personalized approach to selecting signifiers. Some use court cards, based on gender, historic period, and complexion. Other base of operations the option on engagement of nativity. All the same others choose the signifier from the Major Arcana.

In the Lenormands, it's 28, Admirer for a male and 29, Lady for a female and that is pretty much how anybody does it across the lath.

Card Reversals

Card reversals are highly significant to me in a tarot reading and will change the shade of meaning for the card in a item spread.

Notwithstanding, with the Lenormand, I exercise non read with reversals. Each card is assigned one idea only, one root concept, and any modification to it would be the same mode a word might get modified grammatically in sentence structure.

As I empathise it, the majority of Lenormand practitioners do non observe card reversals with the deck, whereas in tarot, the majority do. If withal youdoread with reversals with the Lenormand, by and large reversals will indicate adulterate energies, or something else obstructing the trajectory of that particular menu. Y'all would then look to surrounding cards to identify what is obstructing the purpose of that reversed card.

Simple Spreads

If you're practiced at English grammar and know how to diagram sentences, that skill will be indispensable in reading Lenormand spreads. 2-card spreads are the easiest to begin with. 1 bill of fare represents the subject and the other card represents the verb or action card.

Here are a few examples:

Say you draw ii cards for a reading. Place one as a subject area and the other as an action card. In the in a higher place example, I selected the Snake (7) to represent a subject, which in this instance most likely indicates a mendacious woman. The Volume (26) suggests secrets. Reading that as a complete thought, yous might interpret it to mean y'all should watch out for a deceitful adult female who is intentionally withholding information from you. This could suggest an affair, a backstabbing female colleague, or a woman in your social circle who is going out of her way to undermine yous and she is doing this with secrets.

Say you draw iii cards for a reading. Identify one every bit a subject. Here, the Admirer (28) is almost probable representative of a subject. This reading pertains to a man. The remaining 2 cards should be read together. The Moon (32) suggests (per my interpretive approach) award that will be bestowed upon the subject, or in this case, the man represented by the Gentleman (28). The Fish (34) suggest coin. This reading probably pertains to career matters. Someone is going to go a promotion at work!

Final simple spread example: four cards. Organize the menu interpretation in your head every bit follows:

I was drawn toward the Domestic dog (18) as the bailiwick of this reading. And then this reading is about a friend. The Birds (12) carte du jour seems to modify the subject field here, suggesting miscommunications, misunderstandings, or small-scale setbacks in the relationship. Crossroads (22) is the activity carte du jour hither: a determination needs to be made. A fork in the path is cartoon near. Clouds (half-dozen) depict that fork in the path. Since it looks like the path in the right foreground of 22 is headed into the darker clouds on the left of half-dozen, a storm is coming. Misunderstandings between you and a friend take led y'all two a crossroads in the friendship. Think twice and do non deed in haste toward your friend, considering if you practice, you lot brand take the wrong fork in the path and the relation will end in grief for all. The friend is represented by the Dog here, who is a loyal and trustworthy companion. Practice non so lightly throw away this friendship.

In any Lenormand spread, each card represents one cohesive concept, either a subject field or an action/issue or the bill of fare describes a subject or activity/event. Read the series of cards as a sentence or even compound sentence to reveal its pregnant.  These sentences are often declaratory, and thus are effective for fortune-telling purposes, unlike tarot, which are more than ruminative in nature and can therefore exist adjusted for multiple purposes, from divination to psychological apperception or mind-mapping uses. Tarot is improve suited for gratis exploration of the unconscious.

The Grand Tableau Spread

Like how the Celtic Cantankerous Spread has finer become the about popular go-to multi-menu spread for tarot, the Grand Tableau is the most popular become-to multi-menu spread for Lenormands. The Chiliad Tableau utilizes all 36 cards of the Petit Lenormand deck. There are several versions of the Grand Tableau.

Hither are 3 of the most popular:

• 4 rows of nine cards per row
• 4 rows of viii cards per row + bottom row of 4 cards centered
• 6 rows of half dozen cards per row

Get with the layout that speaks to y'all the almost and stick with it. Consistency is key for accurate readings. I like to utilise 4 rows of 9 cards per row, so that is the i I'll explain hither. All the same, the techniques discussed in this section tin exist applied to any of the in a higher place three layouts.

To illustrate the points of this section, permit'due south use a case study:

First, locate the signifier card. The signfier card is your betoken of reference for the reading. If you lot're reading for a Seeker (i.e., the client or the querent) who is a man, then the signifier, the Admirer (28) is at F4 higher up. If y'all're reading for a woman, the signifier, the Lady (28) is at D2 above.

Now, the cards below the signifier represent the Seeker'due south unconscious or internal plane. Yet, these cards also stand for the elements in Seeker'southward life that he or she has command over. Cards above the signifier represent the Seeker's conscious or external plane. These cards correspond the world around the Seeker and how that world affects his or her life. Generally, these cards are people or events that Seeker cannot control directly.

In the example given, if the reading is for a man, then in that location is a lot going on in his life right now, almost chaotic, and he is going to feel a scrap helpless and out of control in the face of this onslaught of happenings. If the reading is for a adult female, so her life at this time seems more managed and under command.

Reading Rows

Cards in the same row as the signifier represent the Seeker'southward current life trajectory, by to present, left to right in a chronological order of pregnant events.

The man is probably a well-accomplished professional, i.e., the Sun (31) and may besides be a begetter, i.e., Child (13). The future progression of Volume (26) for noesis, Stars (16) for fortune, and Tower (xix) for work, the corporate world, or corporate hierarchy might hint to me that this man is a rising star in his field and may attain one of the C-suite executive officer positions someday. The House (iv) and Ship (3) in his past propose he's traveled far from dwelling to seek out his fortunes. The Lilies (30) besides suggest to me a honorable, virtuous human.

If this was a reading for a woman, then she sure does seem to surround herself socially with a lot of characters. At that place are a lot of subjects in her straight row (row ii).  She recently overcame betrayals, probably from a adult female friend or peer, simply luckily she avoided the worst of the threat that the woman posed, i.e. series progression of Flim-flam (15), Snake (7), and Scythe (10) to the left of the woman signifier. As a outcome, though, she seems overly guarded, i.e., Bear (15), which is what's preventing her from finding a rewarding and committed romance, i.due east., Heart (24). The Ring (25) immediately below her may propose broken vows in the past. Besides, the Stork (17) suggests a change in her environment presently, the coming of some skilful luck, read: Heart (24) with Clover (two) beneath it, acquiring friends in high places, read: Dog (xviii) with Garden (20), followed by some pretty bad luck, read: Rat (23) with Cross (36). At that place will be theft. But she'll overcome information technology all, read: Ballast (35). Her life circumstances will see her through to nifty commercial success, i.east., the Anchor (35).

Reading Columns

Cards in the same column as the signifier correspond the Seeker's nowadays moment.

Taking the example of the man, I'd say a lot has happened in his present that may have felt well out of his control (since the cards all appear above him). The Clover (2) suggests a real luck of the draw, toss of the dice, and sadly for him, it may have resulted in a broken romance, i.e., reading the Heart (24) with the Coffin (8). In lite of the kid the Seeker's row (row 4), I might ask whether there has been a divorce or whether there's been profound strife between him and his kid'south female parent.

Reading Diagonals

Cards in a diagonal, top right shooting down at the signifier represent forthcoming influences on the Seeker that involve nowadays day decisions that need to be fabricated. Diagonal lesser right shooting up toward the signifier correspond unconscious influences that will emerge presently and come up to light. Diagonal superlative left shooting down at the signifier correspond the direct trajectory of past external, conscious influences. Diagonal bottom left shooting up at the signifier represent the direct trajectory of past internal, unconscious influences.

Now taking the example of the woman, there certain is a lot on her mind (the two diagonals below her). Good news is coming, i.eastward., Letter (27), which will confirm the intuitive feelings she's been having virtually the pending changes in her life, i.e., Stork (17). A homo may be involved, i.due east., the Gentleman (28) and she may even think it's love, i.e., its appearance in the same column as the Middle (24). New demands in her life may pressure her to max out her resource, i.due east., Key (33). The proximity of the Mount (21) card to her signifier suggests to me enemies. She is for sure not notwithstanding over the sting of betrayal she suffered at the hands of the Snake (vii).

Knighting

Knighting is a technique used past intermediate to advanced practitioners of the Lenormand. It is substantially another style of determining significant influences.

Starting time, locate the signifier. All the cards that represent positions that the signifier could move to on a chessboard if it was a knight piece are chosen the knight cards. Like to the knight piece in chess, these knight cards represent imminent action in the Seeker'southward life. The knighted cards to the signifier's right stand for the elements that will directly aid the Seeker advance onward to the side by side stage of his or her life or toward the Seeker's objectives. The ones to the signifier'south left stand for past actions that still weigh down on the Seeker. Also, if there are few knight cards (i.e., the signifier is located well-nigh 1 of the corners of the spread), the Seeker may be in a repressed position or experience stuck between a stone and a hard place right at present. If all four corners are clear, then the Seeker is in a position of empowerment.

The above illustration shows the knighted cards every bit to the female person signifier. Cards indicated with a red box are the knighted cards. The cherry-red line from the signifier and through the two cards leading up to the knight cards correspond the causes of the issue that the tertiary knighted card represents.

Let's focus on the time to come side for the female signifier. The first knighted carte leads from the Bear (15) through the Middle (24) to the Bury (8). What goes upward represents the most probable event. What goes downwardly represents an culling future or possibility based on the same events (i.due east., the Deport and the Heart), simply instead of the Bury (eight) happening, the Clover (2) could occur instead. Hither, I would interpret the indication to exist in the beloved sector of the Seeker's life. She looks for financial dependence, security, and a sense of protection from a lover and ane such human relationship is coming upwardly ahead. Information technology'due south not clear, though, whether that human relationship, which she has grounded on a sense of dependence on the lover, volition lead to a smashing deal of grief, i.e., the Coffin (8) or she will luck out and secure a sense of happiness, albeit a fleeting one, i.e., Clover (2). The more than probable result is the one going upward, or the Bury (viii).

Shifting the focus downward to the other ii lowest knighted cards, we examine the Seeker's unconscious. The knighted card on the left represent the past unconscious and the one on the right represent the future unconscious. The Child (13) here suggests a ticking biological clock: she'south been pining for a kid, simply it hasn't happened for her yet. The Child (13) bill of fare, which is the result of the Bear (15) and the Stork (17) suggests a committed relationship where she is dependent on another. If she bears child, also because the juxtaposition of the Child card with the Clover (2), information technology may work out for the best. In her by is the Ship (iii), which suggests that she has traveled geographically far from home in an endeavour to run away from emotional grief, pain, and adversities that she never ended up resolving for herself, i.east., note the trajectory of Scythe (ten) to Mountain (21) and finally to the Transport (iii). When the Mountain (21) appears close to the signifier card, information technology indicates obstacles.

Mirroring

Mirroring is about identifying the cards that represent the Seeker's ain reflection, or how the Seeker views him or herself in light of the circumstances indicated past the cards. Reflections are what the signifier sees from the standpoint of the ego.

The above illustration examines the male person signifier, indicated by a red box. To the left indicated by a blue box is his horizontal reflection. The Sun (31) represents how he views his by. He is quite proud of his great accomplishments. He's done amend than most of his peers and he knows it. Nevertheless, the Coffin (8) represents how he views his present. He has been deeply depressed past his feelings of inertia. He was on such a fast-track to accomplishment before, but right at present he has hitting a plateau and he doesn't know how to leave of it to advance on.

Let's examine the mirror cards for the female signifier. Her horizontal reflection is toward her time to come, the Heart (24). She sees and yearns for love. She sees herself every bit a lover and wants desperately to be loved and feel love. This is consistent with her vertical reflection in. While the Ring (25) can indicate generally a contract, here it most probable represents wedlock. This is a Seeker who yearns for a happy wedlock and sees herself in a committed union.

Theory

By understanding the theory of the Lenormand cards and the Grand Tableau spread, you can make better sense of the reading process and feel more comfortable with formulating your own unique approach with the Lenormand. The 36 symbols of the Petit Lenormand represent the 36 key units that make up homo ceremonious life.

In a Grand Tableau spread, the signifier bill of fare anchors the reading. Cards closest to the signifier, in a particular proximity to it (east.g., same row, same column, or diagonal) or in a detail pattern-relation to the signifier (eastward.g., knighting, mirroring, etc.) correspond the strongest fundamental units influencing that Seeker's life. The ones that are exterior the pattern have weaker influences, but are yet present, because all 36 units are always present in our lives. Thus, the patterns you meet in the carte spread are synchronous with patterns that occur in our lives. Up to down represent the planes of consciousness. Left to right (or right to left, depending on the methodology you lot prefer) stand for the Seeker's life chronology.

Note the stardom in theory hither betwixt tarot and Lenormand oracle cards. In tarot, the 78 cards are a representative of the akashic records compendium, comprising of the infinity of human intelligence and experience, irrespective of infinite-time. The theory of tarot is to select a signifier card as your ego to ground a reading toward your personal energies then depict out the forces from that cosmic compendium that would best offer insight. In my view and exercise, the tarot is more than philosophical.

In the Lenormand, all 36 cards always represent 36 thematic elements present in your life at any given moment. Right now, all 36 cards touch y'all, though at different degrees of intensity and relevance. At all times, all 36 cards stand for your current human experience, but some require your firsthand attention while others are resolved or latent issues. The K Tableau spread is the best demonstration of the theory, which possibly is why it has become the almost popular Lenormand spread. In my view and practise, the Lenormand is more existential.

Lenormand Deck Recommendations

Typically, the decks are smaller than tarot decks. See above. On the left side of the ruler are the Lenormands. On the right is a tarot card from the Dreaming Tarot deck.

The Austrian based Piatnik'southward Mlle Lenormand Cartomancy Deck is my electric current go-to Lenormand. The Swiss Blue Owl Lenormand is too highly rated. Notwithstanding, the U.S. Games Systems version has text on each carte du jour to aid in interpretation. If text written on cards sounds helpful to y'all, and so consider the Blue Owl Lenormand. If text written on cards sounds cheesy, equally information technology does for me, then I practice not recommend it. Then at that place is the French Cartomancy deck past Lo Scarabeo/Llewellyn.

Like tarot, in that location are bunches of other Lenormand versions available. Since at that place really is no regulation of what constitutes a Lenormand, be conscientious and discerning. Just because a deck calls itself a Lenormand doesn't mean it'south a Lenormand. For that matter, what the heck defines a Lenormand anyway when one legit version has 36 cards and nevertheless another legit version has 54? For whatever information technology's worth, what's stopping me from publishing, I don't know, a Benebell Lenormand with 44 cards? No, seriously.

My Overall Review

It makes sense for someone interested in tarot studies to also fiddle with the Lenormand. These oracle cards are a lot of fun and brand for keen parlor entertainment.

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Source: https://benebellwen.com/2013/06/10/the-lenormand-nutshell-summary-of-the-petite-lenormand-from-history-to-practice/

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