New Beginner Course

Astraea

I am slowly getting to a point where I can squeeze some meaning off a reading, but all the books I have contradict or even cancel each other out, and the online info can get just as confusing. (Not to mention the constant squabbling.)
This is why it's so important to pick one method and stick with it. Get to know it and practice constantly. Don't jump from one school (or dialect, as Andy would say) to another, or you'll only skim each one's surface and never become fluent in any. Tag-Jorrit gives brilliant counsel about relating Lenormand to a set of verbal language skills.

In the beginning, many people have trouble with the concept of choosing an approach and sticking with it - they are afraid of choosing the wrong one, or an inferior one. But this is a non-issue at its base, because there are only 36 cards with well-defined meanings that are read within their own limits. As Tag says, once you make the material your own, it will come naturally to extend your vocabulary to include different inflections and build nuance - you won't need to sweat it or struggle. It is an organic process that unfolds within your brain and (eventually) mind.

Another obstacle in the road to learning LN is the tendency to overthink it. This is a very basic, straightforward traditional system, with only a few variations from method-to-method. By diligently sticking with one approach and letting yourself absorb and experience the associations central to each card, you'll find agony dropping away and enjoyment taking its place. LN is not like tarot, with all of its suits, court cards, philosophical layers and historical controversies.