I read somewhere that instead of doing a daily draw without asking a question, it is easier to just ask a question. I do agree and started to do that.
What I am still not sure is, which way to read the 3 cards:

- from left to right
- the center card being the 'theme/main' card and pair it with the left and right card

 

Is this just up to me or why would one use one way or the other?

I go left to right, and mirror the cards on the ends. That's all I find necessary with little draws like this. It seems more streamlined. 
But I'm in the habit of doing them fast. YMMV.

Daily draws are good practice for familiarizing oneself with the cards' spectrum.  But that is best done once the core significations or essential meaning is understood.  It can be hard to see the Coffin as refuse or waste disposal for a total neophyte.  Also, you still need to pose a question:  what is going to happen to me today?   Without the 'me' bit, the cards can hone on something entirely peripheral.  

 

When doing daily draws, I use the first card as the topic and the subsequent two to tell me what occurs.  For example, I did a week's worth of daily draws as part of a future article.  One was the Cavalier, the Scythe, and the Letter.  On that day, I received an item that Royal Mail (Cavalier) had put in a plastic cover as the envelope had split  (Scythe - Letter).  

 

With regards to reading order, I read left to right.  Some cartomantes use the direction the Significator looks.  So if the Lady faced left, you would read right to left.  If doing this, I also believe you should lay the cards right to left.  

 

For a line of three, five, seven or nine, I only use mirroring if I need to clarify something.  Most examples (online or in books) will use it to demonstrate the technique you may need to use.  But in day-to-day practice, you go straight across.  You will still pair (1 + 2, 2 + 3).  As that allows you to fine-tune (e.g. Letter + Fishes, a wet (Fishes as a descriptor) document or bank statement (Letter as subject)).

 

There is a method where you lay the cards 2 - 1 - 3.  Thus, when laid out, you read the cards vis-a-vis the middle, e .g.  Stairs - Sun - Heart would be the realisation of the heart's genuine desire.  The Sun is success (realisation).  The Stars indicate the clarity and precision, and the Heart is the card of emotions and love.  So what you want (Stars + Hearts) is realised (Sun).  

Edited March 28, 20215 yr by Guest

15 hours ago, katrinka said:

I go left to right, and mirror the cards on the ends. That's all I find necessary with little draws like this. It seems more streamlined. 
But I'm in the habit of doing them fast. YMMV.

Thank you and yes I can imagine that with your experience you will read very fast. ☺️

1 hour ago, timtoldrum said:

Daily draws are good practice for familiarizing oneself with the cards' spectrum.  But that is best done once the core significations or essential meaning is understood.  It can be hard to see the Coffin as refuse or waste disposal for a total neophyte.  Also, you still need to pose a question:  what is going to happen to me today?   Without the 'me' bit, the cards can hone on something entirely peripheral.  

 

Right that is why I want to do daily draws as much as possible. And I will ask a precise question 'what will happen today' is in my opinion to general and often it is difficult to find out the situation the cards were referring to.

 

1 hour ago, timtoldrum said:

 

When doing daily draws, I use the first card as the topic and the subsequent two to tell me what occurs.  For example, I did a week's worth of daily draws as part of a future article.  One was the Cavalier, the Scythe, and the Letter.  On that day, I received an item that Royal Mail (Cavalier) had put in a plastic cover as the envelope had split  (Scythe - Letter).  

 

That is so interesting!

 

1 hour ago, timtoldrum said:

With regards to reading order, I read left to right.  Some cartomantes use the direction the Significator looks.  So if the Lady faced left, you would read right to left.  If doing this, I also believe you should lay the cards right to left.  

 

Makes sense.

 

1 hour ago, timtoldrum said:

 

For a line of three, five, seven or nine, I only use mirroring if I need to clarify something.  Most examples (online or in books) will use it to demonstrate the technique you may need to use.  But in day-to-day practice, you go straight across.  You will still pair (1 + 2, 2 + 3).  As that allows you to fine-tune (e.g. Letter + Fishes, a wet (Fishes as a descriptor) document or bank statement (Letter as subject)).

 

Ok that is what I was doing.

 

1 hour ago, timtoldrum said:

 

There is a method where you lay the cards 2 - 1 - 3.  Thus, when laid out, you read the cards vis-a-vis the middle, e .g.  Stairs - Sun - Heart would be the realisation of the heart's genuine desire.  The Sun is success (realisation).  The Stars indicate the clarity and precision, and the Heart is the card of emotions and love.  So what you want (Stars + Hearts) is realised (Sun).  

Interesting too! Guess for the beginning I will stick to the left to right with pairing.

Thank you very much!

19 hours ago, joy said:

I read somewhere that instead of doing a daily draw without asking a question, it is easier to just ask a question. I do agree and started to do that.
What I am still not sure is, which way to read the 3 cards:

- from left to right
- the center card being the 'theme/main' card and pair it with the left and right card

 

Is this just up to me or why would one use one way or the other?

@joy, when I read 3 cards, I read the major arcana card(s) first, at least take that message as the most serious; then read the minor arcana cards.  You can also look at colors, if there are certain colors more prominent in a couple of the cards, you can consider that towards your interpretation.  You can use your intuition also, what cards stands out to you the most and start with that card.   Most important of all, do what's most comfortable for you!

Edited March 28, 20215 yr by Saturn Celeste

2 hours ago, Saturn Celeste said:

@joy, when I read 3 cards, I read the major arcana card(s) first, at least take that message as the most serious; then read the minor arcana cards.  You can also look at colors, if there are certain colors more prominent in a couple of the cards, you can consider that towards your interpretation.  You can use your intuition also, what cards stands out to you the most and start with that card.   Most important of all, do what's most comfortable for you!

 

Ummm, we're in the Lenormand section, Joy was asking about Lenormand. 

 

5 hours ago, timtoldrum said:

For a line of three, five, seven or nine, I only use mirroring if I need to clarify something.

 

It can often be redundant. Like with your example of Cavalier - Scythe - Letter, it wouldn't really be necessary. But if the cards had landed Scythe - Letter - Cavalier, wouldn't the mirrored cards indicate a possibility that it wouldn't be delivered at all? 

 

3 hours ago, joy said:

Thank you and yes I can imagine that with your experience you will read very fast. ☺️

That's a habit I picked up working the lines, trying to answer as many questions as possible before being cut off, lol. Lately I've been trying to slow down a little. 

 

 

 

3 hours ago, Saturn Celeste said:

@joy, when I read 3 cards, I read the major arcana card(s) first, at least take that message as the most serious; then read the minor arcana cards.  You can also look at colors, if there are certain colors more prominent in a couple of the cards, you can consider that towards your interpretation.  You can use your intuition also, what cards stands out to you the most and start with that card.   Most important of all, do what's most comfortable for you!

Hi Saturn Celeste. The Petit Lenormand doesn’t feature a greater arcana. 
 

27 minutes ago, katrinka said:

It can often be redundant. Like with your example of Cavalier - Scythe - Letter, it wouldn't really be necessary. But if the cards had landed Scythe - Letter - Cavalier, wouldn't the mirrored cards indicate a possibility that it wouldn't be delivered at all? 

If I got those three I’d be inclined to with open with care. You might get a cut or something breaks when opening (bottom collapses). If it’s a no post day, unwelcome news or visitors. 
 

However the Scythe - Letter can indicate a threatening or serious letter/call and demanded. 

4 hours ago, joy said:

Right that is why I want to do daily draws as much as possible. And I will ask a precise question 'what will happen today' is in my opinion to general and often it is difficult to find out the situation the cards were referring to.

That is often the issue. Some just pull cards — and wonder where it went wrong.  
 

4 hours ago, joy said:

Makes sense.

It does to me. But there are those who disagree. One reader told me that the reason you do not change the direction you deal the cards is that the GT is not a “dealt” spread. But that is not quite true. Especially if one uses techniques such as corners, fate cards or houses. 
 

4 hours ago, joy said:

Interesting too! Guess for the beginning I will stick to the left to right with pairing

You won’t go wrong. It’s good practice, too. Once three card is familiar to you, you can move to the 3 x 3. Essentially, that is just eight three card readings. 

27 minutes ago, timtoldrum said:

If I got those three I’d be inclined to with open with care. You might get a cut or something breaks when opening (bottom collapses). If it’s a no post day, unwelcome news or visitors. 

 

A cut hadn't occurred to me. Things are normally in so much bubble wrap or styrofoam that nothing seems to arrive broken - but yes, it's a possibility. There's always that one person...
 

27 minutes ago, timtoldrum said:

However the Scythe - Letter can indicate a threatening or serious letter/call and demanded. 

 

I would read Letter - Scythe that way, but that's just the way I do it. 
When I used to put more importance on the direction of the blade, it could just as easily go the other way. People have different ideas about card order. 
(While I recommend Treppner to beginners, she doesn't even touch on it. I finally asked her about this and she reads combos the same way no matter the order. And all that time I thought she didn't mention card order because her course was for beginners. ☹️ It's a good course and I recommend it, but at some point the reader should go beyond that.)

 

And people think Lenormand is ALL very strict and rigid. It isn't. 

 

9 minutes ago, timtoldrum said:

One reader told me that the reason you do not change the direction you deal the cards is that the GT is not a “dealt” spread. But that is not quite true. Especially if one uses techniques such as corners, fate cards or houses. 

 

How is the GT not "dealt"? Laying cards on the table is dealing. It reminds me of that thread where people were saying that spreads without named positions are not spreads. Ay yi yi.

17 hours ago, katrinka said:

A cut hadn't occurred to me. Things are normally in so much bubble wrap or styrofoam that nothing seems to arrive broken - but yes, it's a possibility. There's always that one person...

Yes, there is always that one person. Lol. 
 

17 hours ago, katrinka said:

I would read Letter - Scythe that way, but that's just the way I do it. 
When I used to put more importance on the direction of the blade, it could just as easily go the other way. People have different ideas about card order. 
(While I recommend Treppner to beginners, she doesn't even touch on it. I finally asked her about this and she reads combos the same way no matter the order. And all that time I thought she didn't mention card order because her course was for beginners. ☹️ It's a good course and I recommend it, but at some point the reader should go beyond that.)

 

And people think Lenormand is ALL very strict and rigid. It isn't.

If I saw the Letter- Scythe I tend to see that as sudden messages, abrupt calls. I do use the tip of the blade for identifying the danger but often that is negligible. It’s obvious. 
 

That is interesting about Iris. One of my students told me that in her German book, Iris said to read the cards in front of the Significator. 
 

But it made no sense from seeing others using her material who seemed to follow no order.  

17 hours ago, katrinka said:

How is the GT not "dealt"? Laying cards on the table is dealing. It reminds me of that thread where people were saying that spreads without named positions are not spreads. Ay yi yi.

 

That was much my reply.  She seemed to see the GT like old-time stacks, which were fanned out and read by counting (which was done in the direction of the significator). 
 

But the GT has lines and columns. It has defined positions.  And she used houses. 
 

It makes no sense to always lay the cards left to right, but then to sometimes read right to left.  I once asked Malkiel why, but he never answered. It just is lol. 

Thank you both @katrinkaand @timtoldrumfor your inputs, love reading the discussions!

3 hours ago, katrinka said:

Ummm, we're in the Lenormand section, Joy was asking about Lenormand.

lolol  I'm sorry!  I should look where I'm walking in the forum!  @joy, if you want to delete my embarrassing post, go right on ahead, I'll understand!  Thanks @katrinka for bringing it to my attention. 😊

21 hours ago, Saturn Celeste said:

lolol  I'm sorry!  I should look where I'm walking in the forum!  @joy, if you want to delete my embarrassing post, go right on ahead, I'll understand!  Thanks @katrinka for bringing it to my attention. 😊

That's ok, no need to delete 🙂

Hello 

I agree, I never liked this daily reading without a real focus. I think a focus helps to understand and even how to perform better in a day. 

I find lenormand very straightforward to do this...

 

 

 

 

It is so helpful to go through and read these posts, I always pick up something along the way. How lucky are we to have such great people here who share information and those who take it and not get into a snit about being told what they asked about. 
I don’t know about others but seeing this kind of interaction gives me hope that, not sure if this is a good term to use, down to earth practical Lenormand will live on and thrive!  

Hmm, Daily Draw for Lenormand?

Isn't DD a Tarot technique?

 

How about asking "what do I need to know today?" and lay down a row with three cards? 

Then you will learn to string all the three cards together both forward and reverse and mirror and when you feel safe doing that, you can add to 5 cards or a 9 card square and start to read row, columns, square and the diamond. Then the Big Table!!!!!

 

Edited August 15, 20215 yr by Sar

Do not feel that Daily Draws is only for Tarot. How else can one get familiar with the cards and their meanings other than working with them on a daily basis, hence the expression 'Daily Draw'.

Surprisingly daily draws in Lenormand never worked for me. I used to get independent situations each for the cards singularly. As in Card 1 would correspond to something, card 2 to something and so on. So I use only the Tarot now for my daily draws.

 

Meanwhile coming back to the subject of the thread, I am very much getting the drift of it. Thanks for the pointer @joy

10 minutes ago, pacificwaters said:

Surprisingly daily draws in Lenormand never worked for me. I used to get independent situations each for the cards singularly. As in Card 1 would correspond to something, card 2 to something and so on. So I use only the Tarot now for my daily draws.

 

Meanwhile coming back to the subject of the thread, I am very much getting the drift of it. Thanks for the pointer @joy

That is interesting! I think Lenormand can do this, like be extremely visual. This came up in one of the exchanges

Scythe + Tree = cutting down a tree

 

What I noticed with the daily readings is, it helps me if I ask a precise question. Not 'how will my day go' but rather: How will the meeting with XYZ go.

 

1 hour ago, joy said:

Not 'how will my day go' but rather: How will the meeting with XYZ go.

 

I was actually doing the former until now. Have some interesting stuffs lined up at work for a couple of days. Will try this tip now. Some do need me to be fore-warned 😉

1 hour ago, joy said:

That is interesting! I think Lenormand can do this, like be extremely visual. This came up in one of the exchanges

Scythe + Tree = cutting down a tree

 

It can be very literal in certain contexts. I once had the location of a lost penknife show up as Heart - Bear - Clover. The knife was in the pocket of a flannel dress that  was hanging directly below a teddy bear (Bear) on a shelf. It was in between a red dress (Heart) and a green dress (Clover). But lost object readings are an exception, in most cases you would be looking at the narrative. It's all dependent on context.

Daily draws work with Lenormand (the cards are never wrong!), but I find them incredibly difficult to read accurately because I have no clue what the cards will deem worthy of predicting. I do find the choices funny after the fact! and am endlessly curious about and fascinated by them, but for learning purposes, daily draws without a specific question, like others have said above, are a no-go for me.

 

For a time I tried week ahead spreads, drawing two cards for each day of the week, and ran into a similar problem. For example, I once got the Child - the Mice and only realized what the pair meant when I found maggots feasting on my trash while I took my bins out. Thanks for the warning! 🤣

 

I also had the problem that most events would happen in succession and well before the week was up, like within 24-48 hrs of my readings, but that's a separate issue.

1 hour ago, katrinka said:

I once had the location of a lost penknife show up as Heart - Bear - Clover. The knife was in the pocket of a flannel dress that  was hanging directly below a teddy bear (Bear) on a shelf. It was in between a red dress (Heart) and a green dress (Clover).

That's amazing 😄 I can't find an old reading I did, also looking for a lost object, but I remember the Anchor and the Coffin showed up and the item was in a box (the Coffin) underneath my clothing hangers (the Anchor) in my closet.

Love those readings @katrinka and @frankie Lenormand is so fascinating.