Lenormand Tarot Deck
The Lenormand Tarot is one of those decks that is named after a person who did not even think about creating his own predictive tool. However, the glory of Marie Anna Adelaide still haunts mystics from all over the world. The cards under her name are an attempt to recreate the atmosphere of 19th century France, with its inherent romanticism. The practitioner, on the other hand, must immerse himself in a bit of fairy tales and try to pull the truth out of the foggy lake of secrets by the tail. And the spirit of the great soothsayer, with which the Arcana is saturated, can undoubtedly help the correct interpretation of the spread.
History of creation of the Lenormand Tarot Deck
Maria Anna lived in France in the 18th and 19th centuries. She was born with some defects, and therefore was given by her parents to an orphanage at a convent. Such a secluded life left its mark on the character of Marie. Even in the monastery, the girl read all the books on magic and the occult. Fascinated by the secret sciences, eighteen-year-old Maria, together with her friend, opened a fortune-telling salon in Paris. There, the young soothsayer received not only ordinary people, but also politicians. So, after several spreads that came true, the revolutionaries Saint-Just and Robespierre dubbed the girl Black. At the same time, the fortuneteller worked with ordinary playing cards. The Lenormand Tarot deck appeared much later than the one in whose honor it is named.
It is believed that the soothsayer’s love for ordinary cards appeared thanks to a gift from an old gypsy. This lady taught Marie to guess, passing on secret knowledge to her. Next, the French Vanga created her own method of reading. Although she was also able to make predictions by the shape of the head, through water and crystal balls, palmistry. The mystical madam was addressed by: Napoleon Bonaparte, Alexander the First, King Louis Philippe. And the soothsayer gave everyone accurate predictions, far from always positive. But it was precisely such walking along the edge that inscribed the name of Marie in history.
In subsequent years, many practitioners tried to find the secret to the success of her predictive system. On this wave, cards were created under the name of Maria Anna. This is how the Big Astromythological Deck and the Small Deck appeared, based on the German game of hopes. But the Gypsy Oracle appeared during the life of Marie – around 1800. Thus, the Lenormand Tarot deck is a kind of mixture of all of the above.
Three artists worked on its creation – Ernest Fitzpatrick, Pietro Alligo and Alma de Angelis. They managed to combine the motifs of playing cards with the gypsy divination system. The Madame Lenormand Tarot deck is a collective image, bit by bit restored by many people. The creators were able to “fit” the cards to the system known to everyone. They managed to combine the Minor and Major Arcana without changing the style of the deck.
Key features of the Madame Lenormand Tarot
The Lenormand Tarot fits into the framework of the English school. Strength is number 11 here, and Justice is number 8. There are 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana in the deck. At the same time, eclecticism is present on many cards – here you can see Etteila’s motifs mixed with scenes from the Gypsy Oracle. But all this only enhances the romance of France in the 19th century, which has come down to the viewer with the help of magical images.
The Lenormand Tarot suits again remain classic – Cups, Pentacles, Wands and Swords. However, the plots vividly illustrate the era of the French Sibyl. For example, Josephine Beauharnais is shown on the Arcana of the Empress. And the Emperor is just a copy of a portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte. The Hanged Man card shows a gallows, standard for those times, in the central square. Wheel of Fortune, Mage, Strength and Lovers are very similar to the same Arcana from the Etteila deck.
Style and symbolism of the deck
All Aces in Lenormand Tarot are worked out in detail. They depict angels in accordance with the elements of the cards. The motives for most of the Minor Arcana are taken from the Small Deck. However, all the drawings are made in the same style, in muted colors. There is no direct astrological correspondence, references to Kabbalah. An additional information layer can be obtained only from the number of the card. Madame herself very often resorted to numerology. In general, it seems that the scenes of the minor group are built around certain characters. For example – a broom, a key, rats, a fox and so on. All these images are present in the Small deck. Here they are revealed in a new way, acquiring additional meanings.
But the court cards of Lenormand Tarot remained classic. In terms of meaning, they are very similar to Rider-Waite. Do not forget that Lenormand Tarot was created based on several decks at once – playing cards, oracles. The authors of this tool tried to take the most vivid images, understandable even to a beginner. And although the plots of the cards illustrate the past era, you can still impose them on the modern world. For example, the 6 of Swords also denotes a departure, a crisis. But ahead of man is a new stage, which symbolizes a huge ship.
Interpretation of the Lenormand Tarot cards
We can say that this deck is "light". Most images give hope for the future. They are easy to read and understand. Aces with their guardian angels also hint at the positive vibes of the deck. Experienced fortune-tellers say that the Tarot of Maria Lenormand most often shows external circumstances, and not the feelings of a person. This is convenient for those practitioners who are accustomed to giving clear answers without any admixture of emotion. Any spreads of Tarot Lenormand turn into a session with a French soothsayer. The Sibyl herself emphasized simplicity and clarity rather than farce.
Since Lenormand Tarot is a classic predictive deck, you can work with it according to the standard method. However, it is best to pay attention to the symbols depicted on the cards. The objects here carry a much greater semantic load than the characters themselves. At the same time, people and events often take on the image of a wild beast. So, a bear at 3 of Pentacles promises good luck financially, fortitude, and a fox at 5 of Cups hints at cunning or half-hearted results.
What questions is the deck suitable for?
Divination by Lenormand Tarot is best used in situations that require clear, simple answers. Circumstances can relate to any sphere of life, but the advantage is on the side of work, business. In a love relationship, the meaning of Tarot Lenormand will be superficial. The questioner will seem to see the situation from the outside, but will not receive answers regarding the feelings of the persons involved. The fact is that the heroes of the Arcana are unemotional. It is difficult to judge emotional experiences by their facial expressions. But in some cases, such nuances only benefit the fortuneteller, as they help to look at circumstances with different eyes.
But experienced practitioners, even on Lenormand Tarot, can view the sphere of spirituality, mental development. The main thing is to try to combine the main classical meanings with the subtleties of the instrument in question. Moreover, the court cards are quite standard. The Major Arcana of the Lenormand Tarot also remained practically unchanged. You can interpret them in the usual way.
Who are the Lenormand Tarot cards for?
Anyone can get a prediction on the Lenormand Tarot deck. But often these cards are used by those people who want to get the most accurate assessment of the situation. They are close to the "gypsy" approach – "Tomorrow you will meet your betrothed, and today empty chores await you." Therefore, the cards are most suitable for predictors who do not spray on psychology and motivating speeches. They love a practical approach to business. Clients must be appropriate, so as not to be intimidated by directness.
Also, do not forget that Lenormand Tarot is a simple system. Therefore, it will appeal to minimalists who can see the essence through the prism of the ordinary. Indeed, in the same broom for 10 of Wands, someone will read the punishment, and the other – purification or an incentive to action. And since the Minor Arcana of the Lenormand deck are simply replete with small details, the practitioner will certainly be able to draw up a logical chain, tearing the veil of secrecy from the future. After all, even in choosing your instrument, you should be guided only by your own character. And the cards here are just a reflection of the inner world of the fortuneteller himself.