AUTHOR’S NOTE: As I prepared to do my monthly New Moon reading at the end of February, I decided to separate it into two complementary halves: a “mystical” path reflected in tarot cards and a “practical” trajectory defined by Lenormand cards.

The tarot cards are intended to provide a subliminal or psychic impression of the mental/emotional atmosphere for the month of March, while the Lenormand cards will identify the pragmatic milestones for the eight lunar sub-phases. The concept behind it is that if one doesn’t stimulate a prompt and pronounced reaction at the beginning of the 3.5-day duration of a sub-phase, the other can be invoked and we will be able to engage with the one that stands out. But in the ideal scenario they will work together toward the same end. Lenormand cards are generally read in combination, so here I’m treating them as the de facto “flip-side” of their tarot-card companions.

In keeping with the historical nature of the Lenormand oracle, for future readings I will pair it with a Tarot de Marseille deck (or maybe the Grand Etteilla), but this month I’m away from home so I will make do with what I brought along on vacation. My goal with the tarot deck is to steer clear of “canned narrative vignettes” in the minor cards that can hijack the story-line. I’m looking for mood and overall plot structure rather than anecdotal scripting that in practice seldom adheres closely to the actual course of events (at least in a monthly forecast). In short, “the Devil” is not “in the details,” it’s in the symbolic architecture (as we shall see). By working with a “pip” deck (I have the Thoth and its “glorified pip” minors with me) I can focus on the unfolding energy and dispense with the scenic melodrama.

My recent practice has been to use only the tarot Minor Arcana with this spread because they are more attuned to the routine, day-to-day nature of the astrological Moon that forms its foundation. But I’m looking for a broader mystical perspective so I decided to use the full deck. Unlike my normal reliance on astrologer Dane Rudhyar’s Lunation Cycle terminology, I chose to assign standard astronomical titles to the lunar phases. I never use reversal with the Lenormand cards, so I’m not applying it to the tarot cards in this reading.

An additional step was to calculate the numerological “card-of-the-month” by summing the digits in the date and reducing as necessary to yield a trump-card theme; in this instance it is Judgement (2+2+7+2+0+2+5=20), which seems appropriate for the coming resurgence of Spring. (“Spring is sprung/the dead is riz . . .” oops, I mean the grass, the grass!)

Here is the updated layout:

This is the pull for February-March. I labeled the tarot cards because it’s hard to tell what they are.

As the “card-of-the-month,” the Aeon (aka Judgement) indicates a period of dynamic and dramatic developments (per Aleister Crowley, “the taking of a definite step”). I think of it as the “offer-you-can’t-refuse” card, and there is no turning back. But there’s much less urgency in the rest of the spread so I see this card more as a background theme urging me on.

From the pragmatic angle, the Lenormand cards tell the tale quite accurately and thoroughly. At the very beginning of March we will be returning home (House) from Florida to the icy North (Priestess). There will be a period of regaining strength (Bear), then I will be initiating some positive changes (Stork) aimed at allowing me to do what I love (Heart). The Rider could mean a message about an attractive offer that looks promising (Star). The Birds can be a card of minor, short-lived stress, but it sits with the delightful 6 of Cups so I don’t see a disruptive or lasting impact if that does occur. The Sun laying on top of the dismal 7 of Disks is particularly interesting; to me it suggests “planting a seed in the dark soil and nurturing it.” The Garden implies re-engaging with our social network after six weeks away (and perhaps the communal germination of that buried seed).

From the mental/emotional perspective, the week leading up to the First Quarter – with the Priestess, the 4 of Swords and the 10 of Cups – looks like a time of “rest and rehabilitation.” After that I get my feet on the ground (Prince of Disks) and close in on what could be a “golden – or at least ‘silver’ – opportunity” (Star). All is “sweetness-and-light” (6 of Cups) as the 3rd Quarter commences, but there is an abrupt downturn in attitude (7 of Disks) as the week ends. Not to worry since I believe the imperturbable Magus has it covered as the month draws to a close.

In summary, this turned out to be a fun exercise that offered some valuable insights. I think the tarot and Lenormand cards cooperated quite convincingly, and the Thoth’s semi-scenic “pips” have just enough philosophical depth to substantiate the mental/emotional outlook. Except for the 7 of Disks, there isn’t much subconscious strain showing up in March, and – other than the anxious Birds – the Lenormand cards all point toward a stable period of mundane advancement.