A “Lenormand Grab-Bag” 26-Card Example Reading
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Here I’ve taken the explanatory pull from my previous post about this spread and spun it out into a narrative around an imaginary querent (Lady) and the central focus cards (as well as exploring the “second-line” story suggested by the ten extra cards). I’m only going to examine a few key points in the matter, staying mostly with the rows and not exhaustively covering the columns, diagonals and other configurations. While this is entirely fictional, it came together in an intriguing story.
The assumption I’m using is not a far-fetched one. A married woman (Lady) is tantalized by her fixation on “vigorous, repetitive action” (Whip above and touching the Lady, implying “sexual urges”) with a married man of her acquaintance but is tormented by what it might mean for her entrenched values (Tower to the left of Whip) and reputation (Moon to its right); these three cards represent a “message for the querent,” and that message is one of discomfort. But she is resolved to make it happen and wants to know how it will all play out for her.
The Man card is nowhere to be seen in this layout, and the thought is that he is bemused by the whole thing, having never encouraged her in any way. It’s possible, with the Rider following the Moon, that she will “declare herself” to him despite the potential for tarnishing her reputation because she is eager to open a new chapter (Child) in her life (I don’t think it means she wants to have a child with him or anyone else). In the next row, she is moving forward (Ship) with making an offering of herself (Bouquet), but it is likely the man will initially give her a “cease-and-desist” message (Cross + Letter). The Lady mirrors the Letter, making me think she isn’t going to sit still for it and will invoke her “inner Fox” as described below. However, this combination could also mean the she sends him a “letter of intent” that he is disinclined to honor.
The central pair, with the Birds beneath as the private face of the situation and the Tree above as its public aspect, suggests that she is “a-twitter” with anxious anticipation over her prospects (Birds) but is trying to maintain an upright posture (Tree); however, the Tree is the “health” card and the stress of her agitation could be preying on her mental stability. (The reader’s challenge is to connect these cards to the querent’s circumstances in a way that furthers the narrative even when the traditional Significator — in this case the Lady — is otherwise engaged; however, in this spread there happens to be “knighting” between the positions to form that link.)
The Anchor represents long-standing fidelity, and the Fox mirroring it implies that she will be seeking a sly way to get around her vows. (The House is not involved, so there are no “fox-in-the-hen-house” implications; this “lady fox” is far too clever to get caught in that trap.) The Bouquet above and the closed Book below indicate a “secret invitation” as a way for her to do this. However, the Clouds on the left of the Book with its dark side to the right and the Heart on the other side show that the conditions under which her offer might be tendered will be troubled. What begins lightly with Clover at the far left of the row ends in romantic tragedy with the Coffin following the Heart at the far right.
The “knighting arrays” involving the Fox are fascinating. As an antidote to the Anchor, she will have to maneuver her way over a few hurdles. Fox knighting to Clouds suggests that she will need to operate under a “cloud of deception.” Fox knighting to Ship conveys the idea of “nudging her agenda along” with clever incentives. With Fox knighting to Moon, she needs to find ways to deflect negative perceptions. Fox knighting to Lilies gives the impression that she will have to navigate around a thicket of family conventions. Fox knighting to Dog implies that she will come in under the guise of “bosom friendship” (before she forthrightly bares her bosom).
The Anchor shares a few of these knighting events, which may only serve to put a veneer of respectability on what the Fox is up to, while Mice followed by Anchor suggests that her fidelity is fraying and Fox followed by Garden (which also mirrors the Mice) that she would really like to “play the field” but is going to start small. This all occurs around the central conflict of the Birds-Tree pair.
Of further interest is that the Ring, the Lilies and the Heart are all far away from the Lady, implying that she is becoming estranged from intimate involvement with matters of marriage (Ring) family (Lilies) and love (Heart); this tale is not about commitment, it is about pursuing gratification without having to pay the price. Because the Tree touches the Heart, knights to the Ring (as well as the Coffin) and mirrors the Lilies, her family is concerned about her mental health, perhaps justifiably so.
Finally, the “four corners” portend that she will jettison tradition and reinvent herself (Tower + Child), and will thereafter enter a “friends with benefits” phase (Dog + Sun) with the object of her affection. Breaking with tradition, we could read the bottom row right-to-left in the direction of flow for the “four corner” sequence and say that her “new friend” (Dog) will take her beyond spouse (Ring) and family (Lilies) and deliver her (Stork) to a “new day” (Sun). The first column says something similar: after shedding (Mice) her inhibitions (Tower) and her “small ambitions” (Clover) she arrives at the same inspiring place (Sun). Whether any of this is ethically defensible is beside the point; it is serving her expectations.
The ten card mini-tableau is also instructive. Snake + House + Stars predict that the deviously flattering woman (Snake) will present herself to the Man “where he lives” in mental-emotional space (House as a euphemism for his sense of self-esteem) and incite visions of happiness and pleasure (Stars). The Mountain followed by the Crossroads with the Key beneath it and the Man at the end has me thinking that the “mountain will definitely come to Mohamed,” but by convoluted paths. Fish + Bear suggest a fulfilling and robust encounter, but the Scythe cautions against the risks for both of them.
Originally published at http://parsifalswheeldivination.wordpress.com on August 9, 2023.
