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Lenormand Card Meanings
The Lenormand is a complex forecasting system without any overlaying esoteric baggage, of which like the game of GO, is easy to learn but difficult to master. It serves best at answering bipolar mundane physical questions, because it reveals information of a nature like a court 'witness' could have observed. The Lenormand is unique within the traditional cartomancy systems in that only the card Labels hold significance. Although some traditions, such as standardized card numbering, have arisen regarding imagery; illustrations and other inclusions, such as playing card inserts or poems, are only there for mnemonic purposes.
Another way that the Lenormand is unique amongst the traditional cartomancy systems is that, although there are only 36 cards within the deck, cards are always read as a pair, indicating the subject and its expression. With 35 possible expressions for each card, the total number of possible permutations for a minimal two card draw is an astounding 1,260. Antonym cards, plus the multitude of combinations, means that Lenormand Spreads never use Reversals. Once you have settled on a cards association, such as Fox for employee or Whip for sex, stick with it!
Furthermore, individual Lenormand cards incorporate multiple related meanings, which are extremely dependent upon the context of both the circumstance and the cards position within a Spread. Be mindful that the Lenormand always answers questions literally, and can sometimes actually be referring to the namesake of the cards title, so understanding context is crucial! Lenormand Spreads can be formed as strings or tableaus, but in either, individual cards are tempered by their proximity and direction to the other cards within the Spread.
For persons new to the Lenormand, memorizing a single keyword for each card is helpful. Although impossible for a single keyword to reflect all the nuances of a card, it does serve to recall the cards major theme, which can help prevent readings from veering off course. Note that the Lenormand is evolving to incorporate our modern world, with many cards being assigned new associations. For example, regardless of actual genders, the 'querent' is now always indicated by the Man card, and a 'significant" is now always indicated by the Woman card.
Card examples are taken from the classic Dondorf Lenormand, a deck from the 1800's that has become somewhat of a de facto imagery standard. Above the card photo is the cards traditional label, along with its keyword. Below the card photo is the standardly assigned card number.
Rider - Tidings |
Clover - Serendipity |
Ship - Journey |
House - Home |
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01 |
02 |
03 |
04 |
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Tree - Health |
Clouds - Uncertainty |
Snake - Betrayal |
Coffin - Cancellation |
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05 |
06 |
07 |
08 |
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Bouquet - Joy |
Scythe - Cutting |
Whip - Conflict |
Birds - Chitchat |
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09 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
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Child - Childlike |
Fox - Cunning |
Bear - Powerful |
Stars - Aspiration |
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13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
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Stork - Improvement |
Dog - Loyalty |
Tower - Institution |
Garden - Gathering |
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17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
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Mountain - Impediment |
Crossroads - Choices |
Mice - Deterioration |
Heart - Lovingness |
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21 |
22 |
23 |
24 |
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Ring - Alliance |
Book - Research |
Letter - Correspondence |
Man - Querent |
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25 |
26 |
27 |
28 |
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Woman - Significant |
Lilies - Maturity |
Sun - Clarity |
Moon - Recognition |
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29 |
30 |
31 |
32 |
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Key - Solution |
Fish - Abundance |
Anchor - Stability |
Cross - Suffering |
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33 |
34 |
35 |
36 |
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Antonym Cards
- Bouquet --- Cross
- Child --- Lilies
- Clouds --- Sun
- Dog --- Snake
- Man --- Woman
- Mice --- Stork
Some of the Lenormand cards emit a strong influence on the atmospheric motif overarching a Reading. Although these cards evoke differing feelings, in Lenormad no card is absolutely positive or negative, and all are altered by cards around them in the Spread.
- General Mood Evoked
- 02-Clover = Opportunity +
- 04-House = Security N
- 06-Clouds = Confusion −
- 08-Coffin = Ending −
- 09-Bouquet = Beauty +
- 16-Stars = Dispersion +
- 20-Garden = Networking N
- 23-Mice = Stress −
- 24-Heart = Intimacy +
- 31-Sun = Confidence +
- 32-Moon = Creativity +
- 33-Key = Empowerment +
- 35-Cross = Somberness −
The Lenormand ranks as the best of the traditional cartomancy systems for accurately identifying broad time periods.
- Relative Timespan Estimates (days through years)
- Very_Short = 10-Scythe
- Short = 01-Rider
- Moderate = 30-Lilies
- Long = 05-Tree
- Very_Long = 35-Anchor
- Daypart Predictions (≅ 8 hour period)
- Overnight = 16-Stars
- Daytime = 31-Sun
- Evening = 32-Moon
- Season Predictions (≅ 2 month period)
- Winter = 21-Mountain
- Early_Spring = 17-Stork
- Late_Spring = 24-Heart
- Summer = 31-Sun
- Early_Autumn = 10-Scythe
- Late_Autumn = 30-Lilies