Lenormandkaarten

Lenormandkaarten, or Lenormand cards, refer to a system of fortune-telling built around a 36-card deck named after Marie-Anne Lenormand, a French clairvoyant who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The deck became widely used in Europe during the 19th century and remains popular today. Each card shows a simple illustration and a keyword, with a focus on practicality and everyday life. The imagery is designed for quick interpretation and emphasizes combinations of cards rather than esoteric symbolism. Commonly used decks are produced in several languages and regional variants.

Reading with Lenormand cards relies on combinatorial meanings. A single card gains its full significance when read in relation to neighboring cards and the overall layout. The most famous spread is the Grand Tableau, in which all 36 cards are laid out in a predefined pattern to provide a broad overview of the querent’s life; smaller spreads using three, five, or nine cards are also common for focused questions. The interpretation depends on the individual meanings of the cards, their positions, and how cards interact with each other, sometimes incorporating timing and directional cues.

In practice, Lenormand readings address topics such as love, work, health, and finances, with an emphasis on concrete outcomes and events. Examples of card meanings include Rider (news), Clover (luck), Ship (travel), House (home), Tree (health), Clouds (uncertainty), Coffin (endings), Bouquet (happiness), Crossroads (choices), Heart (love), Sun (success), and Key (solutions). The Lenormand tradition continues to be used widely in Europe and beyond, with a variety of decks, guides, and teaching styles available.