AUTHOR'S NOTE: The presence of positive, neutral and negative cards in the Lenormand deck inevitably invites contemplation of which ones augur success or failure in any situation being considered from a predictive angle. These are my own opinions on the subject; although most of them align with the textbook definitions, a few differ based on … Continue reading Cards of Success and Failure
Lenormand – General
Lenormand Jottings: (Mostly) Simple Card Meanings
AUTHOR'S NOTE: My involvement with several online Lenormand communities has brought with it numerous opportunities to practice card interpretation, which has given me the confidence to post my own insights. My baseline in this regard is Andy Boroveshengra's Lenormand, 36 Cards (although I don't intend to plagiarize it), but I've gained considerable depth and breadth … Continue reading Lenormand Jottings: (Mostly) Simple Card Meanings
Architecture of the Grand Tableau
AUTHOR'S NOTE: It goes without saying that interpreting the Lenormand Grand Tableau is an "iterative" process in which the 36-card layout is reduced to manageable proportions via a variety of interconnected techniques focused around a central card that represents either the querent or the theme of the reading: the internal 9-card "box" in all of … Continue reading Architecture of the Grand Tableau
“Sex Cards” in Lenormand
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've always maintained that Lenormand doesn't need a unique sex card (just as it doesn't need a specific, universally-accepted "work" card or "health" card.) There are other ways to "flay the feline." Regarding sex, there are many cards that can deliver us to the brink (or push us down the slippery slope, as … Continue reading “Sex Cards” in Lenormand
Playing-Card Insets: Random Thoughts on Coffee Grounds and Numerology
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Two separate insights regarding the Lenormand playing-card insets have been gnawing at me lately. (Three if I count whether or not to even bother with them.) As a result of my cursory study of traditional cartomancy, I discovered that the divinatory meanings for the playing cards don't align all that well with those … Continue reading Playing-Card Insets: Random Thoughts on Coffee Grounds and Numerology
“That Special Ingredient”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: In her book, The New Lenormand Oracle, Lisa Young-Sutton talks about intuition as the "special ingredient" we add to our readings in the same way we include unique flavors in our cooking to put our personal "stamp" or "signature" on it. For me it's Worcester sauce in any recipe that involves oil, butter, … Continue reading “That Special Ingredient”
Dots and Dashes: A Lenormand Experiment
AUTHOR'S NOTE: In a blog post a while back, Mary Greer described the Lenormand card meanings we use today as having evolved from the reading of coffee-ground patterns that remained on the inside of a cup after the liquid had been consumed. (It apparently originated in the Middle East - mainly Turkey - where grounds … Continue reading Dots and Dashes: A Lenormand Experiment
Deconstructing the Grand Tableau (in Pictures)
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This illustrated essay lays out my normal practice for interpretation of the Lenormand Grand Tableau, which I accomplish primarily by "deconstructing" it into smaller segments. I use the guidance in Andy Boroveshengra's book Lenormad, Thirty-Six Cards in my practice, including the Method of Distance (MOD) or "Near/Far" technique. I try to keep it … Continue reading Deconstructing the Grand Tableau (in Pictures)
The Lenormand Five-Card Cross: A Case of Event Horizons and Broadside Collisions
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I was recently involved in a discussion regarding the temporal nature of the horizontal, left-to-right line in a Lenormand reading and the fact that it doesn't automatically reflect a "Past/Present/Future" scenario. This dialogue occurred within a broader examination of the five-card cross layout, which I will explore further here. In most cases, I … Continue reading The Lenormand Five-Card Cross: A Case of Event Horizons and Broadside Collisions
Economies of Scale: A Lenormand Conundrum
AUTHOR'S NOTE: For my purpose here I've tweaked the business-management definition of economy of scale to read: "a proportionate saving in effort gained by an increased level of organization." The idea is that - up to a point - the broader the range of facts presented for analysis, the more productive it is to identify … Continue reading Economies of Scale: A Lenormand Conundrum
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 