Cards of Success and Failure
AUTHOR’S NOTE: The presence of positive, neutral and negative cards in the Lenormand deck inevitably invites contemplation of which ones augur success or failure in any situation being considered from a predictive angle. These are my own opinions on the subject; although most of them align with the textbook definitions, a few differ based on my understanding and experience.
Unlike the way this concept is handled in tarot reading (“There are no bad cards, and woe to those who think otherwise,” an assumption with which I’m not entirely in agreement), a number of Lenormand cards are unequivocal in their fortunate implications, with no stings attached and no need for intuitive hair-splitting, while others are discouraging in the extreme. In between are those that advise being aware of trends leading one way or the other, often according to which side of the Signficator they fall on or how far away they are. Then there are those that don’t touch on the ideas of success and failure at all and just move the narrative along.
Likely Success Cards: Clover; House; Stars; Heart; Sun; Fish; Anchor
Clover = small gains
House = assured success
Stars = a promising outlook (the way is open)
Heart = passionate convictions are rewarded
Sun = great good fortune
Fish = abundance
Anchor = stability and security
“Trending” Cards: Ship; Tree; Bouquet; Child; Bear; Birds; Storks; Dog; Crossroads; Book; Moon; Key
Ship = opportunities (trending positive)
Tree = doubtful prognosis (trending negative)
Bouquet = agreeable climate for growth (trending positive)
Child = initiative and cooperation (trending positive)
Bear = large gains possible (trending positive)
Birds = stressful times (trending negative)
Storks = changing outlook (trending positive)
Dog = competent and reliable lieutenants (trending positive)
Crossroads = crisis management (trending negative)
Book = surprises (trending negative)
Moon = recognition for effort expended (trending positive)
Key = encouragement (trending positive)
Potential Failure Cards: The three “stop” cards, Coffin, Cross and Mountain (*until we can find a way around it); Clouds; Whip; Scythe; Mice; Fox and Snake (**unless we can pin them down and “pull their fangs”)
Coffin = something ending
Cross = a burden or hardship
Mountain = an insurmountable obstacle*
Clouds = troubles
Whip = discord
Scythe = interruption
Mice = decline or decay
Fox = dishonesty**
Snake = treachery**
“Narrative” Cards: Rider; Park; Ring; Letter; Lilies; Tower; Man; Woman
These cards describe situational developments but are basically neutral regarding prospects for success or failure. (Note that the Man and Woman cards have no divinatory meaning when they represent the querent, and don’t speak to success or failure when they identify other people except in the sense of being sympathetic or antagonistic to the objectives of the reading, which must be determined according to surrounding cards and the context of the question.)
Commentary:
In a line reading, all of these cards are constrained by where they land in the row and, except for mirroring, they may be overridden by subsequent cards, nullifying or redirecting their import to some extent. However, the multi-directional nature of the “box” spread and the various tableaux opens them up to a number of what I call “sub-routines” that relate the various features of the array in useful and instructive ways, particularly knighting, mirroring and intersection. In combination, they bring to mind the entirely unrelated Golden Dawn concept of “blended success” (which I interpret as meaning equivocal or qualified attainment of one’s goal).
Originally published at http://parsifalswheeldivination.wordpress.com on August 30, 2023.
