Asking advice from the cards

[malvina]

Hi everyone,

 

I’m curious how you guys read cards when you’re asking them what course of action to take. I find that oftentimes they only describe my current issue, and I get confused where to look for the advice itself.

 

A recent example: Whip + Lilies + Fish + Bear + Bouquet. My mother has found herself in a difficult situation because she has to take care of her sick parents, while her sister refuses to help. I asked the cards what steps mother should take next, but this line just reflects her problem: a conflict in the family over resources and efforts to organize my grandmother’s care. But where’s the advice? Do I look at the opening cards - to lash it out? The end - to reach a compromise? The combination of 2 Kings sitting together?

 

I’d like to hear other people’s experience with such questions.

[Card_Flipper]

I have learned to be tolerant of ambiguity and not force answers.  For me I believe every card I flip is definitely the right card but I do interpret the cards wrong so I have learn to hang in there when I don’t know and ask myself important questions.  I try different ways of looking at a card, as example numerology or I may ask myself how have I interpreted this card in the past as compared to now.  As example 10 Swords I now see forgiveness as an action to take, and that’s a new way of seeing 10 swords for me.  Also sometimes other card flippers blow my mind and they say something important and if what they say rings a bell for me I roll with their idea.

[katrinka]

Hi @Card_Flipper . Just want to remind you that this is the Lenormand section. In Lenormand, we don't do ambiguity. 😉
 

14 hours ago, malvina said:

A recent example: Whip + Lilies + Fish + Bear + Bouquet. My mother has found herself in a difficult situation because she has to take care of her sick parents, while her sister refuses to help. I asked the cards what steps mother should take next, but this line just reflects her problem: a conflict in the family over resources and efforts to organize my grandmother’s care. But where’s the advice? Do I look at the opening cards - to lash it out? The end - to reach a compromise? The combination of 2 Kings sitting together?

I'd advise considering all of them. 
Very briefly, if her sister can't or won't help in a hands-on way, she could contribute financially?  One possibility might be paying a home care worker to come in a few times a week and relieve your mom? Looking at these, I'd advise tact but she's still going to have to be a bit vocal, put her foot down.

[Card_Flipper]

It’s a overwhelming situation, reminds me of the hanged man.  Dammed if your ma do, dammed if your ma don’t.  Perplexity is the doorway to intuitive knowledge, I read somewhere.  I believe more will be revealed for you and her.  

[gregory]

This is still the Lenormand section - where your line simply doesn't hold up.

 

Katrinka seems to have a few good thoughts there. I have recently been relieved of a slightly similar situation with added sibling complications, and suggesting financial help might be a very good way to get the sister involved. In our case, one sister was literally (and justifiably) unable to relate to our mother, but happy to chip in with cash.

[Guest]

17 hours ago, malvina said:

The combination of 2 Kings sitting together?

Two kings indicate an agreement.

 

The Birch Rod is a disciplinary tool. It is used for corrective means. Your mother needs to be firm (Birch Rod) and insist that the whole family officially (Lilies) looks at what resources (Lilies - Fishes - Bear) are available and put that to her sister  (Flowers). 

 

1 hour ago, Card_Flipper said:

It’s a overwhelming situation, reminds me of the hanged man.  Dammed if your ma do, dammed if your ma don’t.  Perplexity is the doorway to intuitive knowledge, I read somewhere.  I believe more will be revealed for you and her.  

Please be mindful that this is the Lenormand section. 

[WizardintheWoods]

@timtoldrum thank you !  I always keep forgetting to look at the inserts for such info even in my own readings. I do have a question on Lilies. I always thought it was Tower that was more the official and formal card not Lilies which was more old age and maturity ?  I am very open to correction here as it might change a bit of the way I read the cards. 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, WizardintheWoods said:

@timtoldrum thank you !  I always keep forgetting to look at the inserts for such info even in my own readings. I do have a question on Lilies. I always thought it was Tower that was more the official and formal card not Lilies which was more old age and maturity ?  I am very open to correction here as it might change a bit of the way I read the cards. 

Over time the High Tower has seen its core significations changed more than any other card. It is now a card of government or corporate organisations, &c. But governments and corporations are collectives — unless we’re in a dictatorship those are Park associations. 
 

The image on the High Tower is a tower-house. These were lookout points erected at borders. In traditional Lenormands it is shown older than any other building any crumbling. Does it look like a government? No. 

 

Consequently, the picture is one of distance either in terms of time (past or future) or distance (location or metaphorical). This is why it’s traditional meaning was a long and happy life and retirement. 
 

The Lilies’ significations never mention old age. Its domain or topic is our family relations. 
 

Often when the Lilies card appears it refers not to events but an ambience: contentment, satisfaction and tenderness.  Otherwise it’s a person: someone protective and steadfast. 
 

In some circumstances, this can never official protection by agencies that have a duty to provide care and aid, such as social and health care organisations.

Malvina’s cards has Birch Rod + Lilies indicating tensions within the family, which must be corrected to move forward. It might be a third party is needed (Lilies) to mediate an agreement (Lilies + Fishes) based on everyone’s resources and abilities (Fishes + Birds).  
 

If the sister cannot offer time, it might be she has potential to offer something else (Flowers).  

Edited July 8, 2021 by Guest

[malvina]

6 hours ago, katrinka said:

I'd advise considering all of them. 
Very briefly, if her sister can't or won't help in a hands-on way, she could contribute financially?  One possibility might be paying a home care worker to come in a few times a week and relieve your mom? Looking at these, I'd advise tact but she's still going to have to be a bit vocal, put her foot down.

Hmm, this makes sense, the Fish card is right in the center and is perhaps the only card offering a specific solution, I didn’t think of it. I guess I was more preoccupied with ways to implement both the Whip’s more aggressive approach and the Bouquet’s desire to compromise, but you’re right, this line does lean more towards peaceful agreements. Lots to think about, thank you🙂

 

4 hours ago, timtoldrum said:

Two kings indicate an agreement.

 

The Birch Rod is a disciplinary tool. It is used for corrective means. Your mother needs to be firm (Birch Rod) and insist that the whole family officially (Lilies) looks at what resources (Lilies - Fishes - Bear) are available and put that to her sister  (Flowers). 

Your interpretation is very clear, thanks a lot! Especially the explanation of the 3 middle cards, I didn’t know what to do with them in the advice context. 
 

Would you personally even consider reading the line first as a description of the issue and then the second time, as an advice? Or would you jump straight into the kind of analysis you showed here? I’m fascinated by the idea that the same few cards could perform such a double duty, but I don’t have enough experience to be sure that the cards arrange themselves in that way every time, sort of despite the actual question.

[Guest]

13 minutes ago, malvina said:

Your interpretation is very clear, thanks a lot! Especially the explanation of the 3 middle cards, I didn’t know what to do with them in the advice context. 

 

It is not an uncommon complaint or difficulty.  What I have noticed (both as tutor and observing) is cartomantes become conditioned to seeing the cards as descriptions. That is why people (including teachers) claim that the Petit Lenormand is for general reads only, et cetera.  Not so. 
 

Each card can be seen as an action — the Birch Rod corrects or revises, the Fishes lubricates or exchanges, the Bear metabolises and the Flowers brings concord.  Your mother needs to correct the flow of resources through and agreement. 
 

26 minutes ago, malvina said:

Would you personally even consider reading the line first as a description of the issue and then the second time, as an advice? Or would you jump straight into the kind of analysis you showed here? I’m fascinated by the idea that the same few cards could perform such a double duty, but I don’t have enough experience to be sure that the cards arrange themselves in that way every time, sort of despite the actual question.

 

No, I go with whatever is the question. There will be some overlap — after all all, your actions stem from circumstance. But it’s best to be focused. 
 

 

[malvina]

25 minutes ago, timtoldrum said:

Each card can be seen as an action — the Birch Rod corrects or revises, the Fishes lubricates or exchanges, the Bear metabolises and the Flowers brings concord.  Your mother needs to correct the flow of resources through and agreement.

This is a wonderful observation and one that I’m sure will enhance my practice. I think I subconsciously focused on the first and the last cards not only because of their positions, but also because the Whip and the Bouquet are the only cards in this line that I could see in action. It’s really helpful to see how every card can be stretched beyond its select keywords. 
 

33 minutes ago, timtoldrum said:

No, I go with whatever is the question. There will be some overlap — after all all, your actions stem from circumstance. But it’s best to be focused.

Got it! This makes things easier for me. Thanks again for sharing your wisdom😄

[katrinka]

7 hours ago, timtoldrum said:

The Lilies’ significations never mention old age. Its domain or topic is our family relations. 

 

I always suspected some gymnastics along the lines of "Lilies = white = white hair = old" lol.
It's pretty entrenched now, but it's still a bit of a stretch. Generally, by the time the white hairs really start coming in, the kids have grown up and gone. It just doesn't jibe well with the other interpretations.