Albadawn Posted May 31, 2021 Posted May 31, 2021 1. What's the difference between Lenormand and other divination systems? There are a few key differences. Lenormand cards are read in a much more literal way than other systems. Each card has a number of set meanings, which do not change based on the question being asked. Cards are always read in combinations with each other, not individually as one would do in a tarot or other oracle card reading. The order of the cards can also change the interpretation. It is advised to think of reading a 'string' of Lenormand cards as a sentence, with each card being a word or short phrase within that sentence. Answers from the Lenormand are generally more direct and to the point than other systems. Most importantly: simply using a Lenormand deck isn't reading Lenormand - a Lenormand reading follows the Lenormand method. 2. How should I learn the Lenormand card meanings? First and foremost, choose one set of interpretations, and stick to it until you are very fluent with those interpretations, before trying to learn any others. More is not better when starting out with Lenormand, and over-complicating things often causes a lot of confusion and frustration. Learn the card meanings first individually, and then start playing and practising with pairs of cards, followed by triplets. This will give you a good starting foundation. 3. Which set of interpretations should I learn, and where can I learn them? These are often referred to elsewhere as "traditions" or "schools" associated with a geographic region. EG "French school", "German school", etc. This terminology is somewhat misleading, since sets of interpretations can be traced to individual authors, none of whom are representative of their entire country. It is strongly recommended to choose ONE set of interpretations when first starting out with Lenormand, and stick with this for some time. The top recommended sources for beginners (written in English) are: 'Lenormand Thirty-Six Cards: An Introduction to the Petit Lenormand' by Andy Boroveshengra 'The Essential Lenormand' by Rana George Hexe Claire's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXpxAm1MRsk-2JkiAnz60hJXqPUgc04d7 The Treppner Lenormand course (now available for free): https://www.spirisfeed.com/lana-download/lenormand-course/ There are many, many other sources of information about Lenormand available, however the resources above are tried, tested and recommended by many readers. Again - stick to one source to begin with. 4. Why are there tiny pictures of playing cards superimposed on some Lenormand decks? Lenormand divination developed from fortune-telling using a Piquet deck - a standard playing card deck with 2's-5's removed, which leaves a total of 36 cards. The card inserts shown on many Lenormand decks correspond with this deck. As well as providing information from the suit (see question 5), they can also help to identify further 'people' cards - i.e. the Jacks, Queens, and Kings. 5. Is there any significance to the suits of the playing cards? Yes! However, these are not interpreted in the same way as they are in popular playing-card cartomancy. This is because they are based on the historic German playing card suits. Very briefly, the suits can be understood as follows (historic German in brackets): Clubs (Acorns) = Hardship and difficulties Diamonds (Bells) = Risk, changeable luck, gains and losses Hearts = Love, home life, and the paternal line Spades (Leaves) = Growth, happiness, youth, and the maternal line 6. Which Lenormand decks are recommended for beginners? Reproductions of older decks which are ideal for beginners are: Dondorf Brepol's (Carta Mundi) Piatnik Blue Owl Newer decks which are ideal for beginners are: Rana George Lenormand The Maybe Lenormand Green Glyphs Lenormand The newer decks listed all contain additional cards which can be added to/substituted in the deck, for example additional Lady/Gentleman cards to accommodate readings for same-sex couples. That being said, the standard 36-card deck can also be used by choosing alternative cards (for example, using the Rider to represent another Gentleman). It's recommended to choose a deck which is poker-sized or smaller, to help keep things manageable once you start laying out the Grand Tableau. 7. Why has someone said my interpretation is "wrong"? It is important to understand that Lenormand has a much tighter set of accepted interpretations for each card, when compared with other systems of divination. Lenormand does not have correspondences with other traditions such as astrology, Qabalah, numerology, etc. (as often seen with tarot decks in particular) - it is a complete system in its own right. There are variations between "sets" of accepted interpretations (see questions 2 & 3), so it is good practise to always state which "set" is being discussed/referred to, preferably by citing your source wherever possible. This will often clear up any miscommunication. After ensuring everyone is on the same page, it should always be kept in mind that some Lenormand readers are considerably more experienced and practised within the system than others. If another reader is advising that an interpretation is "wrong", and gives an explanation of why this is the case, this should be taken as a learning opportunity and not a personal attack. Likewise, if you are offering this type of critique, be mindful that newbies will make many mistakes in their interpretations to begin with. TT&M is first and foremost a learning forum, and we expect and encourage openness and civility on all sides. With many thanks to @katrinka for her contribution to this FAQ.
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