Do you find the Lenormand to be counter-intuitive?

Thanks, Teheuti, for the clarification. I'm currently working through the Rana George book, and I do enjoy the sense of a tradition very distinct from those of Tarot as I understand it.

And I look forward to the Katz/Goodwin book also.

heron said:

I'm also a newbie to Lenormand. Am I right in thinking that no definitive set of "rules" for using Lenormand decks actually exists?

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There are "rules." The most traditional way of reading the cards are outlined in a sheet commonly referred to as the "Philippe Lenormand."

This is the trunk of the Lenormand tree, and was published with 95 % of Lenormand decks in North Europe (Germany, Belgium, Holland, France, et cetera.) until after WWII in and was translated into English and published in the States.

It was the basis for the French poems which were largely copied in France and Germany from a Belgian deck, too.

There are however several branches which come off this sheet that have some differences.

Most are minor and you can clearly see the PL sheet in them i.e. Iris Treppner or Mario dos Ventos acknowledge the Snakes’ negativity but also that she can help you in bad situations, which in the PL sheet is what happens when the Snake is “far away” (takes misfortune away). Erna Droesbeke puts the word "work" with the Moon, as in the PL sheet the Moon symbolises fame, honours and prosperity.

However, others owe more to culture and schools of thought such as the Whips as sex or the Fox as work. These are not backed up traditionally and owe more to do with people's take on a symbol or culture/literature (Fox as work seems to be based on a 1920s and 30s book popular in France and parts of Belgium then).

Björn Meuris has pointed out that the Brespol deck, since at least the early 1900s, give career as a meaning of Moon in the verses on the deck. This deck is now published by Carta Mundi.

The Philippe Lenormand instructions appeared with American Lenormand decks (like the Madam Morrow) from at least 1886 and possibly earlier.

I was citing popular authors rather than decks... Iris, Mario and Erna. There are less of them than decks.

If you start using decks where do you stop? Every one and their Aunt has a photosop, mash together, toxic yellow, glowing green and fairy deck. Do these represent schools of thought, too?

andybc said:

There are "rules." The most traditional way of reading the cards are outlined in a sheet commonly referred to as the "Philippe Lenormand."

This is the trunk of the Lenormand tree, and was published with 95 % of Lenormand decks in North Europe (Germany, Belgium, Holland, France, et cetera.) until after WWII in and was translated into English and published in the States.

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Here is a jpg of the Phillipe Lenormand information sheet on my website. It is a high resolution scan so you can print it and read it easily.

andybc said:

I was citing popular authors rather than decks... Iris, Mario and Erna. There are less of them than decks.

If you start using decks where do you stop? Every one and their Aunt has a photosop, mash together, toxic yellow, glowing green and fairy deck. Do these represent schools of thought, too?

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I'm confused. Andy, are you referring to my comment about the career meaning of Moon appearing in the verses on the very influential Brespol/CartaMundi deck - which, in most cases, follows the Philippe Lenormand text very closely. Yes, I think the verses appearing on some of the oldest and most popular decks were influential - but they usually follow the original instruction sheet.

Most of the modern decks don't even come with instructions or with just a basic set of keywords. The problem comes when someone starts incorporating symbolic interpretions of the details on these new decks - often put there just because the artist or collager thought it looked cute.

IMHO, the tradition, as it has developed in the form that most of us recognize (with the Philippe Lenormand text as a basis), optimizes the use of the cards as a whole. Seeing Mice as cute and playful may work well for someone who works psychically or who trusts whatever comes to them in the moment from any and all "signs" in the universe, but it fails to take advantage of the specific benefits and integrated system that is Lenormand.

Tag_jorrit said:

Here is a jpg of the Phillipe Lenormand information sheet on my website. It is a high resolution scan so you can print it and read it easily.

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Thanks for posting this. While it was very confusing when I first tried learning, it's a document that's well worth going back to, again and again, after you have some experience with the cards.

Yes, I was referring to that comment and explaining why I did not reference it specifically above. Although I did mention the poems.

I wanted to concentrate on specific authors whom people most commonly refer to, and who are the prime resources for most neophytes, and Erna is one of those who happens to refer to the Moon as work. She is also arguably the most influential author not just in Belgium but Holland and France. As with Iris or Colette she represents one popularised branch of traditional reading.

Personally, I happen to wholeheartedly support tradition (as you know lol) as it is what it is - Lenormand. Outside of the branches it is not only not traditional but it is not Lenormand pure and simple.

Teheuti said:

I'm confused. Andy, are you referring to my comment about the career meaning of Moon appearing in the verses on the very influential Brespol/CartaMundi deck - which, in most cases, follows the Philippe Lenormand text very closely. Yes, I think the verses appearing on some of the oldest and most popular decks were influential - but they usually follow the original instruction sheet.

Most of the modern decks don't even come with instructions or with just a basic set of keywords. The problem comes when someone starts incorporating symbolic interpretions of the details on these new decks - often put there just because the artist or collager thought it looked cute.

IMHO, the tradition, as it has developed in the form that most of us recognize (with the Philippe Lenormand text as a basis), optimizes the use of the cards as a whole. Seeing Mice as cute and playful may work well for someone who works psychically or who trusts whatever comes to them in the moment from any and all "signs" in the universe, but it fails to take advantage of the specific benefits and integrated system that is Lenormand.

Click to expand...

Tag_jorrit said:

Here is a jpg of the Phillipe Lenormand information sheet on my website. It is a high resolution scan so you can print it and read it easily.

Click to expand...

Thank you! I loved reading this. I saved it and it meant a lot to me.

Babs

You're welcome.