Lenormand resources
Here are a few of my favorite tools and resources for practicing the Lenormand system and traditional playing card divination.
If you’ve missed my previous posts, I’ve been studying Lenormand for a little over a year. I’d first heard of the system a long time ago but never looked into the technique, so when I received my first deck, I was shocked at how natural it felt.
I was also excited when I realized that each card in a Lenormand deck corresponds to a standard playing card. Divining with playing cards is a tradition in Appalachian folk magic and a longtime goal of mine, so I was thrilled to learn that Lenormand already had a system in place to bridge the transition.
The deck I mentioned above is ‘The Sirens’ Song’ by @carrie.paris and @thecardgeek. After rereading the guidebook a few times and discovering additional decks and resources, these are the ones I now use most often:
My main deck is the Blue Owl Lenormand (Orakelkarten Blaue Eule) which is simply (but beautifully) illustrated with the classic symbolism, easy to shuffle, and small enough to create a grand tableu.
When I’m using playing cards, I use a standard Bicycle deck (keep in mind that cards 2 through 5 are omitted from each suit, resulting in the 36-card Leno). My favorite is their Aviary theme.
When I’m pulling smaller spreads, I use my Memento Mori by @blackandthemoon. The base deck can be used as a Lenormand but I’ve substituted some of the standards with other cards from Claire’s expansions that I love (such as the quilt and mining pick).
The book I reach for most often is The Essential Lenormand by @ranageorge1, a clear and extensive resource that not only has a chapter on each card with possible contexts but also stories and instruction from the author on how to approach and personalize the system.
Another guide I like is The Language of Lenormand by @divine_withme, which is more conversational. The author’s a longtime English teacher (I’ve been saying that Lenormand is an English major’s dream) which is helpful for someone still learning fluency in a new language.
Card cases by @pyewackets_playground.