Well, I finally got around to using the Lenormand Grand Tableau. I’ve been doing my daily three-card readings and some 3X3 monthly forecasts, but the GT just seemed so large and complex that it might take hours to figure out, so I’ve been procrastinating for months and months on it. You see, the GT uses all 36 cards to create sequences in various directions and relationships to the significator (in my case, the Lady card).
Since it’s the first of the new year, though, I decided to take the plunge using Andy Boroveshengra’s distance method. One can also put together mini-sequences in any of a number of directions, but I really only have time to do one method in this post.
There is so much to look at! Wow! But I must say that the card combinations provide some great insights. And I had this weird experience at the beginning that reinforced the power of the energy and sight these symbols can provide. I initially shuffled with the idea of wanting to know how my prospects for moving house and expanding my business and all would go this year, and I was flummoxed by the first result. My significator (the Lady card), showed up as the last card in the spread, in the bottom right corner! Oh dear!
I went to my lovely Enchanted Lenormand companion book (thank you, Caitlín Matthews!) and found that all the cards being up and to the left of the significator meant that the spread would tell me lovely things about the past but not the future. Drat! She recommended redoing the spread. This is where the weirdness comes in. So, I gathered up the cards, shuffled again, and asked specifically for a forecast of the future, and to put my significator over to the left somewhere so I can see more of what’s ahead. Well, instead of finding my significator Lady somewhere in the middle or left of middle, she showed up as the very first card in the top left corner! Just the opposite of her position in the first draw! Talk about getting what you ask for…:)
So, here’s a pic of the draw from the Enchanted Lenormand Oracle by Caitlin Matthews and drawn by Virginia Lee (Watkins Publishing, London):
The draw by the card numbers:
29 01 30 06 15 14 22 03
17 33 27 10 21 13 02 08
34 36 24 11 07 28 23 18
26 19 09 32 05 12 16 31
35 20 04 25
The colors are for Andy Boroveshengra’s distance method. The red 29 is me, the Lady, the significator. Influence and time are gauged by their proximity to the Lady. Close is the three blue cards, Near is the pink cards, and Far is the green cards, with the black cards being neutral and influenced by the cards closest to them.
For this initial interpretation, I’m going to ignore the houses (the numerical sequence of the cards from 1 to 36 that can provide context for the card that is positioned there) for simplicity.
Close: The Lady (me, 29) is right next to the Cavalier (1), which represents movement, dynamic happenings, automobile stuff. Not actually moving house, but definitely moving in some way very soon and importantly. And this movement theme continues with the Storks (17), creating change for the better below me and then the Key (33) to add certainty to the whole concept of moving, in this case with Storks, perhaps more in the direction of up and better conditions, but we don’t see exactly what those are, except maybe the possibility of getting a new (Storks) vehicle (Cavalier again). Let’s see what’s further out.
Near (influenced by Close): Lilies (30, sex, family ties), Letter (27, news via email or letter); Heart (24, emotional focus/importance); Cross-ing (36, burdens, stuff to struggle through); Fish (34, money, business).
So we have all this cool change potential, so let’s apply it to the Near cards. Pairing Cavalier with Lilies in this context could mean family help in getting the new vehicle. Key + Letter means some kind of news on all this moving stuff is certain to open up something, probably to do with the Heart (24), which would be something close to my heart, important to me (getting out of here!). But it won’t be all fast and easy, because we also have the Key (33) + Cross-ing (36), which indicates some burdens and challenges along the way. Storks (17) + Fish (34) is good, though, because it looks like we’ll find positive changes in finances to help with the move.
Far (least influence): Since there are so many, and Lenormand runs on combinations, let’s take ‘em by natural sequences, vertical for one, and horizontal for the other. I don’t know if this is de rigeur for this spread, to go vertical, but I don’t want to make the mistake of reading cards individually. They have much more power in combination.
–Ship (3) + Coffin (8) + Dog (18) + Sun (31): Overall, looks like my friend or friendship could suffer as a result of travel, but it may come out all right in the end. And this sequence is far away so, there’s the possibility that it won’t be so bad in the end, but it may be some time before we actually travel and get through to our destination.
–Anchor (35) + Garden (20) + House (4) + Ring (25): This is the horizontal four-card sequence at the bottom. Two possibilities, depending on which house we’re talking about—First, if this is about the house we’re leaving, it could take some time to sell, or maybe even that the garden will be the selling point and provide a stable transaction. If it’s about the cool place in the country that we want to have, this will take time to get done but is likely to last when we get to it.
Neutrals/In Between: Closest to nears will take their influence, closest to fars will take theirs.
–Lilies (30) influence Clouds (6) and Bear (15): Looks like family may provide material help (or maybe Mom in particular), to get through questions of affordability for the move.
–Letter (27) influences Scythe (10) and Mountain (21): Some kind of news may come that cuts through any obstacles. That would be cool! Unless we read it as news of dangerous obstacles ahead…
–Heart (24) influences Whip (11) and Snake (7): Uh-oh. This middle bit is where the challenges may be. Could be some argument with an older lady or some conflict and thus delay in getting where we want to go. Not a straight path to that moving stuff out there in the Far cards.
–Cross-ing (36) influences Tower (19): This figures. I’m betting the IRS may throw up a difficult path along the way.
–Fish (34) influences Book (12): And most of my money will still come from book projects, I think. The secret is to keep that going through the upheaval of moving.
–Anchor-Garden-House-Ring influences Bouquet-Moon-Tree-Birds: So, the bit about the house contract (either selling here or buying there) will influence the growth of work and communication. Looks like a positive combination, though.
–Ship influences Fox and Path: May need to look out for kinks in the road once travel begins. Will need to be careful making choices.
–Coffin influences Child and Clover: Diminishment of good luck in a new situation, maybe after the move or on the way.
–Dog influences Man and Mice: A friend will help hubby when he feels drained, or will keep something from being stolen.
–Sun influences Birds and Star: All good here. Look for good news and guidance by phone.
Wow! That’s a lot of stuff! And I haven’t finished yet. Amazing thing, this Lenormand. I’d be very curious as to how you might see some of these sequences given the context, and what you think of the distance method.
I’ve never tried this method. Since I am a newbie I’ve done lines of three and five and occasionally a square of nine. I think it is very courageous to try a GT. I would search for lines and squares but this method could be fun too 🙂
Thanks for your comment, Ellen!
The next thing I will do with this spread next week is apply exactly what you are talking about, especially the square of nine around significant area cards like the Moon for work, or Heart for heart’s desire, or Gentleman for relationship issues, etc. I’ll look at some other combinations that Caitlin Matthews mentions in her book, too. I just figured it would be way too long to try to use multiple methods in one post.
Oh, and then there are the Houses (background of the cards in numerical order underneath the actual drawn cards–Lady in Cavalier, for example, since she’s the first card). I haven’t added in the Houses yet. It’s complicated, but rich in information to add the house context to the card.
Lots to go through! If you see any interesting combinations in the spread, do let me know what you think if you have a moment.