The Thelema Lenormand -- Take a Look

[Wyrdkiss]

Greetings everyone, 

 

Below is a sample of the Thelema Lenormand, by Renata Lechner.  The cards were chosen for variety and are not from a reading.

 

Thus far it is my go-to Lenormand, at just the start of my journey. I  had a tryst with the Gilded Reverie for about a week last year; beatiful pack but we did not

end up clicking. This one, however, has some attributes I love:

 

Larger, vibrant images

straightforward, good for a beginner

lovely artwork

and traditional in approach.

 

take a look and tell us what you think, if you use it, etc. It just seems a bit under the radar right now; the deck is not even registered on Goodreads yet.

 

Here you go:

 

 

 

 

[katrinka]

From what I can see here, it looks like a proper Lenormand. It's misnamed (there is no Thelema in Lenormand, and vice versa) but you're reading the cards, not the title. The Whips card contains the traditional whip and birchrod bundle. So many people mistake the birchrods for a broom that there are actually decks featuring brooms, which changes the meaning entirely! And I like that they've chosen a Border Collie for the Dog card. They aren't hunting dogs, but they're excellent working/herding dogs and they help put food on the table that way. The numbers and insets are present, and if the rest of the cards are of similar quality and it's reasonably small (about bridge size or less), it's a good working deck.
 

[Decan]

Below a review

 

[Wyrdkiss]

On 10/15/2020 at 7:54 AM, katrinka said:

From what I can see here, it looks like a proper Lenormand. It's misnamed (there is no Thelema in Lenormand, and vice versa) but you're reading the cards, not the title. The Whips card contains the traditional whip and birchrod bundle. So many people mistake the birchrods for a broom that there are actually decks featuring brooms, which changes the meaning entirely! And I like that they've chosen a Border Collie for the Dog card. They aren't hunting dogs, but they're excellent working/herding dogs and they help put food on the table that way. The numbers and insets are present, and if the rest of the cards are of similar quality and it's reasonably small (about bridge size or less), it's a good working deck.
 

The deck creator addressed the name "Thelema" connundrum when she released her tarot.  While I think it was a confusing and poor choice, it is indeed obvious there is no  connection.

She attributes Thelema as Will, translated from Greek, and thus applied that to her tarot release.

 

I was quite surprised that she did not choose another name for her Lenormand. Regardless, it is indeed a lovely pack.

 

 

[Wyrdkiss]

On 10/15/2020 at 9:00 AM, Decan said:

Below a review

 

What do you think of it @Decan?  NIce of you to share the flip-through for others reading this.

[katrinka]

23 minutes ago, Wyrdkiss said:

The deck creator addressed the name "Thelema" connundrum when she released her tarot.  While I think it was a confusing and poor choice, it is indeed obvious there is no  connection.

She attributes Thelema as Will, translated from Greek, and thus applied that to her tarot release.

 

I was quite surprised that she did not choose another name for her Lenormand. Regardless, it is indeed a lovely pack.

 

 

 

Didn't she use a unicursal hexagram for the Tarot backs? That's Crowley's design. People thought you coulldn't draw a 6 pointed star without lifting your pencil and he came up with the unicursal hex. 

 

It gives me the impression that she's using Thelema as a sales gimmick. 

 

Of course calling the PJ "Lenormand" was a sales gimmick too,  it's nothing new.

[Wyrdkiss]

1 hour ago, katrinka said:

 

Didn't she use a unicursal hexagram for the Tarot backs? That's Crowley's design. People thought you coulldn't draw a 6 pointed star without lifting your pencil and he came up with the unicursal hex. 

 

It gives me the impression that she's using Thelema as a sales gimmick. 

 

Of course calling the PJ "Lenormand" was a sales gimmick too,  it's nothing new.

Damn you are correct, she did use it as the back of the tarot.  Gimmicky indeed. Hope this doesn't sour my enoyment of her Lenormand as

It simmers in my head...

[Decan]

4 hours ago, Wyrdkiss said:

What do you think of it @Decan?  NIce of you to share the flip-through for others reading this.

Yes of course! I posted this video so that people can see all the cards, me included since I don't own this deck.

It is really large for a Lenormand deck. Personally I'm not wild about large spreads, even with Lenormand, but here you need a large table even for a box of 9 cards, and for a Grand Tableau it will be something really challenging.

The cards follow tradition with at times a few additions that don't look too worrying (like a little dog beside the child for example), but nothing serious; of course it's just an opinion and my 2 cents, no more!

[katrinka]

On 10/17/2020 at 12:45 AM, Decan said:

It is really large for a Lenormand deck. Personally I'm not wild about large spreads, even with Lenormand, but here you need a large table even for a box of 9 cards, and for a Grand Tableau it will be something really challenging.

Yes. I only own one oversized one, and it was a gift. (The old Lilac & Cherry Twilight, for those who are curious about such things.) It's roughly the same size as this one seems to be. Definitely not for larger spreads! Maybe if I lived in a sprawling Victorian mansion with a massive dining room table... 😁 

But I don't. Space is at a premium!

[Guest]

The Thelma Lenormand is one of those decks that I think look quite stunning but are just not for me.  The Park is one of my favourites. But I miss the pips. These types of inserts just do not work for me. The regards of the kings and queens can offer details. 
 

It does is interesting how more and more artists show the Fox and Hound in profile or so the tail/head are the same.

[katrinka]

2 hours ago, timtoldrum said:

It does is interesting how more and more artists show the Fox and Hound in profile or so the tail/head are the same.

 

Do you mean facing the same way? Yes, it's odd....and probably completely unconscious, IMHO.

[Guest]

21 minutes ago, katrinka said:

 

Do you mean facing the same way? Yes, it's odd....and probably completely unconscious, IMHO.

Like they are looking behind themselves. It just doesn’t look Fox-like. Their head and tail are both facing one way — how Malkiel would get round that I do not know. It’s just a strange artistic choice. 
 

It is the same with the Letter. Traditionally, we see the seal not the address. It is unopened. Ciro did an open letter as he included an actual letter written by Le Normand. That was a nice touch.... But it ceases to be private once open. The Letter is one-on-one. There are nuances being lost. 
 

But times change I guess.

[katrinka]

True, but change itself is neutral, a mix of good and bad. This is more like a process of degradation.  

Maybe the artists are getting that pose from taxidermy? That, or they think the Fox should be "looking over her shoulder" because she "did something wrong." But that's just silly and it doesn't explain why they pose the Dog like that.

[Guest]

20 minutes ago, katrinka said:

True, but change itself is neutral, a mix of good and bad. This is more like a process of degradation.  

Maybe the artists are getting that pose from taxidermy? That, or they think the Fox should be "looking over her shoulder" because she "did something wrong." But that's just silly and it doesn't explain why they pose the Dog like that.

Lol. A moment of conscience for Renard. I think that there is a lot of folklore sometimes lost. For example, Renard is red and that has its origins in Breton and Southeastern European folklore. The devil is red or red haired. 

[katrinka]

5 minutes ago, timtoldrum said:

Lol. A moment of conscience for Renard. I think that there is a lot of folklore sometimes lost. For example, Renard is red and that has its origins in Breton and Southeastern European folklore. The devil is red or red haired. 

Lenormand just IS folklore, as far as I'm concerned. The images, and the folk cartomancy aspect. And that's a lot of what holds my interest.  I don't understand why people are so determined to ignore it.