The Grand Tableau- How did you learn?

DaughterOfDanu

I've been doing 3x3 card spreads with the Lenormand to learn relationships of the cards and such. But lately I've been wanting to learn how to do the Grand Tableau. When I set out the cards it just looks very intimidating.

Is there a specific method to learning the GT, a good book or website that teaches it? I know Melissa teaches it in her course and I'm saving up to be able to attend one of her future seminars if she holds them.

Thanks all! I look forward to getting more Lenormand involved.
 

andybc

Hello Trealeafe:

The Grand Tableau can be intimidating and frustrating, but there isn’t anything quite like it.
I learnt it from my aunt, but only the basics. I've experimented on and off over the years, but the thread here has been invaluable in bringing it all together. Watching others use different styles actually cemented some of things I never understood that she did.

As far as I know there aren’t any books in English that cover the Grand Tableau in-depth. Sylvie Steinbach in her ‘Secrets of the Lenormand Oracle’ touches it briefly, Mario dos Ventos glazes over it in the ‘Game of Destiny’ (I wouldn't recommend that book). I believe Treppner teach a version in their online course. Someone mentioned Britta but said it was vague.

Outside of the German and French books there is very little. I am sure someone on here once said it wasn't always covered in many French books.

The best way of learning is trial and error, experimenting with the different techniques. For your first few you might just want to stick to the past, present, future.

There isn’t specifically one way to cover it, and very often a reader will have picked up various methodologies until he/she has something to work with that suits their clients’ needs.

On the most basic level you will begin with the Gentleman/Lady card. Eliciting where it is has fell (on the edges, at the bottom etc) as this will give you an indication of how the tableau is shaping up. You should then examine the past, the present and the future.

If you’re familiar with the 3x3 you can use that in tableau to examine specific cards which represent different areas on life. Experiment.

Not books but just as useful:

There is a large study thread here – it inspired me to start using the tableau again:
http://tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=158864

Treppner’ methodology:
http://tarotforum.net/showthread.php...light=treppner

Lord Elwin’s:
http://tarotforum.net/showpost.php?p...13&postcount=4

Elsewhere Sigrid’s blog has a detailed step by step breakdown:
http://jaycetravel.wordpress.com/2008/10/26/the-grand-tableau-part-1/

I recently posted how my aunt used the tableau on the large thread. Unfortunately, it is not much to go on. There was a strange variation in a book on playing cards but I don't know its source or how you used it.

You will notice all these are slightly to completely different and that’s why you should avoid clinging to one method restrictively.
 

Flaxen

Hi TreeLeafe,

I felt like you just one month ago. I was happy with small spread including the 3 x 3 but the Grand Tableau seemed way too much.

I'd come across the basics in a Dutch book on Lenormand months ago and before that I'd stumbled across a blog which explained it well. Unfortunately, that particular blog doesn't seem to be available any more but there are alternatives.

The thread here has been fantastic - it helps enormously to see how others read and it all adds to your understanding.

By the way, if you get the chance to do Melissa's course, jump at it. It's fantastic and will take away any lingering doubts you may have. :)
 

DaughterOfDanu

Thanks everyone. I'll lurk a bit (And eventually post) in the GT practice thread :)
 

mamawhodun

Hi Treeleafe;

My advice is that you learn and practice doing the Square of Nine. One can see the whole GT of 36 cards as being essentially 4 sets of the Square of Nine! Madame Seaqueen's Trigger Spread is also a great way also to ease into the GT. I do recommend the Sassy Sibyl's Widget, which gives you an interactive view of lines, diagonals and connections drawn between any two cards, but I have not tried her course, Lenormand 101 which teaches the GT.

I began GT studies with Britta's course (German method) which is available in English BTW. Jayce Travel had a weblog online which broke down the way of GT in 8 (+ or-) lessons. I got a lot of insight going over old posts on the Art of Cartomancy board.

So just dive in and don't be afraid to say what you can see. It comes down to initiative for us English speakers and practice, practice, practice.

Luck,
MW
 

214red

practice every method everyone uses both here and other places online, and then find your own method out of all of them, its like a pick and mix board, enjoy:)
 

DownUnderNZer

I was lucky to learn the "36 card spread" through two German ladies in Germany. Pretty much the foundations and a bit beyond that over a few months, but then I discovered the "no layout" method, so went that way. I know both and like both, but do not practise the 36 cards that much at all which I probably should! It was interesting as both these ladies did share common ways of looking at the cards, but had their own ideas about certain cards. Also, one was able to look more in depth at karmic/psychic/past life connections which I didnt quite get around to learning and I should have as she was really good.....

Source as much info as you can whether from people, the internet or books etc.