lenormand

Lenormand is a system of cartomancy named after Marie Anne Lenormand, a renowned French fortune-teller of the late 18th and early 19th centuries who is said to have advised figures at the Parisian court, including Empress Josephine. The Lenormand method uses a dedicated 36-card deck and a reading style that emphasizes concrete associations and everyday concerns, distinguishing it from tarot.

The standard Lenormand deck comprises 36 simple, pictorial cards. Each card bears a short caption or image such as The Rider, The Clover, The Ship, The House, The Tree, The Clouds, The Snake, The Coffin, The Bouquet, The Scythe, The Whip, The Birds, The Child, The Fox, The Bear, The Stars, The Stork, The Dog, The Tower, The Garden, The Mountain, The Crossroads, The Mice, The Heart, The Ring, The Book, The Letter, The Man, The Woman, The Lily, The Sun, The Moon, The Key, The Fish, The Anchor, The Cross. Modern editions vary in artwork; some include separate significators for a male and female querent, while others treat The Man and The Woman as optional or context-specific cards.

Readings center on card combinations and positions. Unlike tarot, Lenormand readings rely on the relationships between neighboring cards and the overall spread rather than individual card meaning. Common layouts include a three-card spread for past, present, and future, and the Grand Tableau in which all 36 cards are laid out to map life areas and timelines. Reversals are not standard; most readers interpret cards in their upright meanings with nuance added by surrounding cards.

Today Lenormand remains popular among divination practitioners worldwide, with numerous modern decks, guides, and online communities. It is regarded as a practical, down-to-earth method of reading that emphasizes direct interpretations of daily life and events.