WHAT IS LENORMAND

Marie Anne Adelaide Lenormand was a famous fortune teller who purportedly read cards for Napoleon’s wife, Josephine. The 36 set of cards that became known as the Lenormand are based on cards that she supposedly used. The cards use symbols that are direct and simple. Typically the cards have a playing card inset or correspondence, as well as a card number and title. Much of what is known about Marie Ann Adelaide Lenormand is shrouded in mystery and legend. Though the deck of cards that bears her name – that we’ve come to understand as a “standard” Lenormand, was created after her death and very likely not at all like the cards she used herself, I feel like it’s important to get a sense of the time period that the cards were created in. It informs us on the proper manner to use the cards and creates atmosphere for our readings. Mme Lenormand was an actual person. She was born in the lower Normandy region of France in 1772. Biographical accounts vary, but it is known that she was in Paris at the time of her death in 1843. She operated a salon, sometimes under the auspicious of a book shop since divination was forbidden after the Reign of Terror. She was arrested for divination several times, but avoided spending too much time in prison due to the influence of her very wealthy clients. She had knowledge of cards, but she also read palms and cast birth charts. She claimed to have complete esoteric knowledge, but preferred to channel directly, as a psychic medium, rather than bother with props (including cards). It is known that she read for Josephine – the future wife of Napoleon. There is no direct evidence that she ever read for Napoleon, though that juicy nugget is part of the Lenormand legend. Mme Lenormand used her own deck of cards when reading with them – and though there is no surviving deck, secondhand accounts refer to a pack of playing cards with astrological symbols drawn on them. The Lenormand as we know it popped up around 1845. Cards were a luxury of the middle classes at the time. During the second half of the 19th century, most of Europe was caught up in the Spiritualist craze. Divination was a popular pastime during dinner parties and gatherings. While the men would go smoke cigars in one room, the women would gather in the parlors and read each other’s fortunes. To call the deck a “Lenormand” oracle was a marketing ploy. Mme Lenormand was the most famous psychic in Europe, so it made sense to use her name when trying to sell a new deck of cards. It is unknown how much of the Lenormand actually resembles the cards she used. The deck became fixed at 36 cards that included a symbol, a number, a corresponding playing card or poem. My theory about the playing cards is that they were added so that the user could practice the European form of cartomancy (which typically uses 32 cards) or the deck could be used for gaming if the sixes were pulled out. The poems are similar to limericks in both style and meaning – that is, they’re not particularly meaningful or particularly good poetry – but they offer hints as to the keywords associated with the cards. There is no mystery school or occultism intrinsically attached to the Lenormand. The symbols are modern, simple and direct and usage should be approached similarly. Keep in mind, they were once distributed as a gift when you bought a pack of cigarettes. This is a deck of cards meant for the general population – not just the esoteric or spirituals. And their charm and use has kept the deck in print for 150 years. What kind of Lenormand cards are available? There are many different kinds of decks out there. Modern decks include the Melissa Lenormand and the Postmark Lenormand — which you can learn about (and perhaps purchase) on this site. The Melissa Lenormand was much more expressive and intuitively created. The Postmark is much much closer to a “traditional” Lenormand — or a Lenormand in the French cartomantic tradition, anyway. How do I read Lenormand cards? The Little White Book for Melissa’s cards provide an introduction for reading and there are numerous other blogs and websites on the internet that provide card meaning information. Melissa’s Lenormand 101 course is designed to get you reading cards in about two hours time and Melissa’s method stresses the use of the Grand Tableau as the preferential method to throw and read cards.