The Grand Tarot Tableau

Despite the number of cards dealt, it doesn't have to be a long reading unless you'd like it to be. There are several cards that I don't read in this type of spread.

The cards are laid in rows as you would Lenormand, after first selecting card(s) that represents the subject(s) you want to focus on. You read the cards surrounding the pre-selected subject matter card and notice which cards are far away.

That's the extent of overlap with Lenormand methods. I read the cards as I normally would for tarot.

You could do this with a majors only deck if you're happy for a major to represent your focus. I like to use the majors, a minor (or multiple minors) I've chosen to represent the subject matter, and courts that represent myself and/or my husband.

An example with 2 areas to look at:

Questions and pre-selecting cards to represent them:

"What's required to increase my energy level?" -- preselected card is 8 of Wands

"What to do about a current situation at work?" -- preselected card 3 of Pents

My significator - preselected card (by birthday) is Knight of Swords
Husband's significator - preselected card (by birthday) is Queen of Cups

Shuffling:

I shuffle my pre-selected Minor subject card(s) and Court significator(s) in with the Majors only. In other words, almost all of the minors are set aside and never shuffled. My final 'deck' for a reading is between 24 cards (all majors, 1 subject, 1 sig) and 26 (all majors, 2 subjects, 2 sig) depending on the reading. I don't know in advance where the subject and significator cards will appear.

Tower	Devil	World	Priestess	Sun	Death	Chariot
Star	8Wands	Emperor	Lovers	Justice	Magician	Fool
Strength	Moon	Judgement	Hierophant	Empress	QueenC	Hermit
	Wheel	Temperance	KnightS	3Pents	Hanged

Reading the Majors:
The Tower and Devil are a shakeup above the 8 of Wands; the aspiration of the Star is opposite the organized Emperor, and Strength is required to overcome illusion in the Moon. The Sun is the most energetic major to me, so it not being near the 8 means it won't be an easy transition. My significator is far from the 8 too (I know I'm not as motivated as I could be)... Etc. And I'd do the same for the 3 of Pents for Work. Not doing a full reading here to save us a wall of text.

This spread is good for seeing whether two issues are connected. Since the 8 of Wands is far from the 3 of Pents, there's not a connection here. OR you could read on two things you know are connected and focus your reading on the cards that sit between them (like in this case the Emperor, Hierophant, Judgement, and Knight).

It's also good for looking at which cards don't have as much influence, for better or worse. Cards that are far.

I like to use a (mini) TdM so pips stand out clearly.

Edited August 25Aug 25 by Rose Lalonde

10 hours ago, Rose Lalonde said:

The cards are laid in rows as you would Lenormand, after first selecting card(s) that represents the subject(s) you want to focus on. You read the cards surrounding the pre-selected subject matter card and notice which cards are far away.

Hi @Rose Lalonde

This is cool - One question still: How exactly do you operate the pre-selected cards?

Do you place them on the table prior or do you mentally select them and then shuffle the whole pack, looking if they appear or not? Or...?

I sometimes use a similar one with the Majors, place one card representing the theme of inquiry straight in the middle of the table then shuffle the rest and deal 3 rows of seven, one at the top of the card placed, the second row so that the fourth card lands on top of the pre-selected one, and the third row below the other two.

Mode of reading is the same, look whats near and take it to matter, look what's far to see what doesn't, and the middle distances for a tad more info.

The 3-cards dealt first as a message works, too. It's a nice one when matters are confusing or an overview is needed.

6 hours ago, Mister said:

One question still: How exactly do you operate the pre-selected cards?

Do you place them on the table prior or do you mentally select them and then shuffle the whole pack, looking if they appear or not? Or...?

Neither of these, although, you could do either. I shuffle my pre-selected Minor subject card(s) and Court significator(s) in with the Majors only. In other words, almost all of the minors are set aside and never shuffled. My final 'deck' for a reading is between 24 cards (majors, 1 subject, 1 sig) and 26 (majors, 2 subjects, 2 sig) depending on the reading. I don't know in advance where the subject and significator cards will appear.

Thanks @Mister , I meant to include that; I'll add it! (Of course, my way is just an option. And after laying the cards, there are plenty of other Lenormand techniques from knighting to houses that I don't use, but others might.)

Continuing on from my last post...

6 hours ago, Mister said:

I sometimes use a similar one with the Majors, place one card representing the theme of inquiry straight in the middle of the table then shuffle the rest and deal 3 rows of seven, one at the top of the card placed, the second row so that the fourth card lands on top of the pre-selected one, and the third row below the other two.

Mode of reading is the same, look whats near and take it to matter, look what's far to see what doesn't, and the middle distances for a tad more info.

Nice. Honestly, I just like reading with proximity, and this was the way I came up with to do it, but your way works just as well, or even better when you want to use the whole deck. (I get a little muddled with so many cards if my Lenormand deck doesn't have clear, uncluttered images, so I thought for tarot the TdM minors would really stand out for me in what's basically a majors-only reading I'm doing. )

Your reading has the benefit of knowing you can place three rows of 7 exactly. With mine, the layout has to change a little depending on the number of pre-selected cards.

7 hours ago, Mister said:

The 3-cards dealt first as a message works, too. It's a nice one when matters are confusing or an overview is needed.

Yes, definitely. And I like reading the corners for that too.

Edited August 25Aug 25 by Rose Lalonde

54 minutes ago, Rose Lalonde said:

And I like reading the corners for that too.

So do you treat the croners as a secondary message or weave them together?

With mine, I have a curious observation: They tend to have a hang towards the future with this spread, think its due to personal habit/ingrainment (knighting).

1 hour ago, Rose Lalonde said:

or even better when you want to use the whole deck.

Guess what?

It's true and entirely coincidential - I never even considered the option!

1 hour ago, Rose Lalonde said:

Your reading has the benefit of knowing you can place three rows of 7 exactly. With mine, the layout has to change a little depending on the number of pre-selected cards.

Normally, I am an advocate for a fluid approach.

However, pre-selecting the theme and rowing over it brought much needed focus and stability to the - Heh, where's that from? Tableau Majeur.

Now that sounds great.

The reason it stuck is the aesthetics: You have all cards on the table (with MO) and they form a neat lil' box.

What I like about your version is that it is super organic and has an alchemistic touch to it:

Add a "foreign substance" (minors to majors) and draw a resume based on the reaction, in this case you get an insight into the nature of the foreign substance (minors) by examining what sticks to it.

1 hour ago, Rose Lalonde said:

Of course, my way is just an option.

Personally, I think that applies to all reader's ways, at any given point in time.

4 minutes ago, Mister said:

So do you treat the croners as a secondary message or weave them together?

With mine, I have a curious observation: They tend to have a hang towards the future with this spread, think its due to personal habit/ingrainment (knighting).

Anything I do with Lenormand is what I learned in Andy B's book and his course years ago. Whether I accurately reflect what I was taught is another question. 😅 So the first 3 cards are a message for the sitter, almost like a daily draw in many cases. Then the corners for important influences or events during the time period. -- It's nice that these things cover our blind spots. I read proximity to a subject card as related to the subject card, so the first 3 and corners can sometimes show other topics that weren't on my radar.

I see where knighting would lead you toward the future, as in chess. By the time knighting came up, I had so much to figure out that I left it to the side. I have never been, and don't think I ever will be, as comfortable reading Lenormand symbols as I am tarot. But there are some practical questions I prefer to do with Lenormand.

35 minutes ago, Mister said:

The reason it stuck is the aesthetics: You have all cards on the table (with MO) and they form a neat lil' box.

I like that too. With 24 cards, I can do 4 rows of 6. But 25 cards for say, 1 subject and 2 significators, is a problematic layout if you want a centered bottom row. (And I really do. 25 is no good 🙃) I like your neat rows. Speaking of which, where you said that the fourth card on your second row goes on top of the card that represents your issue -- Do you give that card extra weight in the reading?

39 minutes ago, Mister said:

What I like about your version is that it is super organic and has an alchemistic touch to it:

Add a "foreign substance" (minors to majors) and draw a resume based on the reaction, in this case you get an insight into the nature of the foreign substance (minors) by examining what sticks to it.

Ok you just made it all sound way cooler. I love that connection.

46 minutes ago, Mister said:

Personally, I think that applies to all reader's ways, at any given point in time.

Agreed. I usually add a comment to be clear about that. Early on I was put off by some "best way to do it for all readers" tarot info from a few people out of the many that were on Aeclectic. I don't want anything I say to be taken that way.

Edited August 25Aug 25 by Rose Lalonde

4 hours ago, Rose Lalonde said:

Speaking of which, where you said that the fourth card on your second row goes on top of the card that represents your issue -- Do you give that card extra weight in the reading?

I just read it as showing the present state of affairs of the matter, that what immediately pertains to it.

Say, if the matter inquired about is known to be a troublesome one, I expect a troubling card to appear atop the pre-selected one - which tells me we're on track.

So the thing that card gets extra is not weight but attention at the start of the read.