Like many learners I struggle to find ways to practice and "drill" (uneventful life, small social circle, etc.).

And it's not just about the "meaning" of the card, but now it's more about wording, while sticking to the essence of the card.

 

So here's the exercise I've been doing :

- Shuffe a Tarot deck, pull one card, keep it face down.

- Question : "what does this card predict ?" => pull 3 Lenormand cards (maybe because it's too early for me but I find 5 cards very difficult here). 

- Read, combine, etc. Remember you want to know what it predicts so a statement in the future helps (wink to those trying to break away from the soul-deep vibes).

- Uncover the tarot card. And fret not, because when it doesn't match, it gives you an opportunity to re-read your Lenormand cards in other ways, even if it's to find one combination only. I make sure I still respect the essence of the card. 

 

I have found that I always get something out of it, because before looking at the tarot card I've looked into several combinations/readings. With the tarot card I've tweaked a few things and "discovered" different wordings that are very useful. It also makes me look at the tarot card differently. It forces me to check Andy Boroveshengra's book and hammer in certain things, and remember things I think of less often. (For ex : I got 36-19-29 for the 10 of Wands) and it brought the "spine" back to mind for 19 that I had forgotten about.) 

 

And when really nothing matches I reverse the process : I now have the Tarot card in front of me (I mean visible), and I ask what does this card predict, and pull 3 more Lenormand cards).

 

It might sound silly but having that one single Tarot card and beneath the 3 LEnormands, if helps binding it in a single, more fluid statement. And some really pretty things emerge, too (8-30-35 => Four of Swords ; 4-12-15 Nine of Pentacles) ! Also framing the statement "you will...or this will happen..." helps keeping it "concrete". But this can also be interesting for those wanting to explore their Tarot cards too !

I hope this can be useful to others. For my part, it requires quite a bit of brainwork I must say. 

 

Celine

That seems like a fun and insightful exercise! 

 

I pulled out my Lenormands and find 8–30–35 (4oS) really fitting. Even when using different wording or going with just one word per card (silent period brings stability).

What’s your meaning for Birds? Thoughts? 

 

I’ll certainly give this a go. Thank you for sharing! 

 

 

Edited July 16, 20251 yr by Ferrea

Thanks Ferrea !

I can't say my 'statement" here was very fluid 😅 but Birds as "hard work", "lots of efforts". Andy B says stress and worries so take this with a truckload of salt, it's Toni Savory that really reads Birds as hard work (thought Andy B also talks about busyness). Her hard work brought her (domestic) prosperity. 

I tried it out, and it went semi-well. I wonder if there's also a personal element to it. Not just in terms of how we interpret the cards, but also the role that specific Tarot card plays in the player's life at the moment.

I could post my first attempt if you'd like to give it a try. 

 

Semi-well is already a lot more then when it stops completely (after a dozen times or so my brain freezes and I have to stop) 😄 .

Regardless it gives me something to focus on, several goals in a row, and the possibility to settle the question right away. It's purely about practising combinations and readings. Frankly I wouldn't dare even pretend I'm trying to predict anything at this point, lol. But it gives something concrete, immediate, to work with. I'm just trying to get the language flowing in every direction.

 

I didn't see this as an exercise to do with other people, but maybe others on this forum would be happy to. For my part it's about me learning to read more fluently for myself. And honestly I'd be worried I'm giving the wrong pointers !!

 

I had 25 Ring, 6 Clouds, 21 Mountain. I thought: a commitment to clarity even when facing an adversary. Of course, it had to be the Queen of Swords! But in fact, it was the Queen of Wands. Maybe the Ring can also allude to support or a supportive connection. I like the interplay between these two systems and how you can get to know each one better with the help of the other.

I will keep playing with this little exercise. Thanks again for sharing. 

 

Edit: The light side of the clouds points to the left. 

Edited July 17, 20251 yr by Ferrea

Just wanted to go back on this and clarify.

This exercise for me was not about being able to predict, or learning combinations. It was about "linguistic agility", intellectual flexibility. There can be a bit of force-fitting in this exercise, that's ok for me as long as I try to stick as much to the essence of the cards as I can. I jot down things, I weed out, I deem one too far, I notice interesting things. 

It doesn't beat drawing cards to actually try and predict something, coming back to it to see how you read it now. But the exercise does bring me a quick possibility to practice agility, on the couch, especially because I'm quickly out of questions. It's about working new connections. And sure you can do it just by pulling Lenormand cards at random and read triplets, here linking it (or trying to) to something (a tarot card), helped me framing it, etc. The tarot deck is what I have on hand. 

May I suggest an idea to really apply it to the lenormand. 

 

Turn over an lenormand card face down and use the 3 cards to look deeper. 

Overtime you may see repeats of patterns 

This way you see the lenormand as they are without tarot influence.

I really don't see a reason to go past 5 cards. 

Also as one evolve it could be you may to see 

The stork, birds, garden in relation to coffin. 

But on your next cycle  you may need to see child, ring, letter. 

 

Just a reminder, we have a Lenormand game going on, so you are welcome to try 3 card combos to answer member's questions, no tarot but it's great for practice -

https://www.thetarotforum.com/forums/topic/11436-lenormand-quick-reading-game/?do=getNewComment

 

 

 

 

Thank you! It's very daunting, doing it for/with others. I'll keep it as a soonish objective though, a way to test my resolve !

Everyone seems to take a different approach to learning Tarot.  I'd suggest being open-minded to all divergent approaches and sooner or later one will resonate with you.  But mostly I'd suggest just doing it, regardless what other people may think is a "better" or "worse" approach.  Tarot is an experiential activity, you learn by doing.  Similar to snow skiing or other experiential activity, you can read all you want about it, watch how others do it, etc., but until you start to actually do it yourself you really won't know Tarot.  I liken the process to how a person drives a car the first time, how they have to pay intensive attention to every little maneuver.  That is sort of what learning Tarot is like in the beginning, paying attention to every little card detail and trying to associate symbols with meanings.  But just like veteran drivers, with practice you'll soon find your intuition taking over.  Eventually you'll likely find that the cards begin to serve as leverage to intuitively read people.

It's really not to read Tarot - it's about developing agility reading Lenormand 😄 - Like I said, the Tarot card is what I have on hand. I coud do the same flipping through a magazine but it would be less convenient (and I don't have any magazines), and probably less inspiring to me.