Romance in the Making? — A Lenormand “Cross” Reading
AUTHOR’S NOTE: This is a reading for a man who has romantic inclinations toward a woman (and suspects she harbors similar sentiments toward him). He wants to know what may transpire between them during an upcoming gathering. Before I begin, there is a convention in Lenormand reading that if the Heart is absent, there will be no romance, and if there is no Ring, there will be no commitment. However, the Ship mirroring the Bouquet with the Lilies below suggest that there might be an “arrangement” or an “accommodation” in store for the querent at some point in the future.
I just received my new La Lenormand a la Vincent by Geonetique Designs, a traditional deck with artwork inspired by Vincent van Gogh, and decided to give it a spin. (As an aside, it looks like the perfect “summer” deck since it is saturated with the warm colors of the artist’s “Arles” period.)
This is a typical five-card Lenormand cross with a personal twist: I lay the three-card horizontal row first, left-to-right, and then a three-card vertical column, top-to-bottom, doubling up on the middle card as “the heart of the matter.” The idea behind this design is that the doubled cards describe two layers in the situation; the first card dealt becomes the “inner” (or concealed) aspect of the affair that implies undisclosed motives, and the card placed on top shows its “outer” (or more visible) dimensions. Together they form a complete picture of what is going on in both the private and public domains.
The most interesting thing in this pull is that the Lady was not intentionally placed and came up randomly as the bottom “focus” card of the central pair. I was tempted to see this as revealing the querent’s secret fixation on her, but I think that it is actually showing what she may do covertly when they meet, confirming his suspicions about her active interest. Reading the horizontal line as descriptive rather than narrative, it suggests that she will express willingness in the form of a discreet invitation (Bouquet) to move forward (Ship). Note that I pay no attention to directionality in Lenormand reading, so it is insignificant that the Ship seems to be “returning to port.”
Although this is his reading and she should technically be the object of his pursuit, the fact that the Lady appeared spontaneously in the most critical position of the spread gives the impression that the situation itself has taken over and center stage has shifted so she is the one “bearing gifts.” He does not seem to be keen on taking the lead himself, so “the ball is in her court,” implying that she will be calling the shots. If, on the other hand, I take it as showing a strong push by him in her direction, the outcome seems less fortuitous for him; the “returning” Ship might actually portend an aborted mission, and it is worth mentioning that in cartomancy — where Spades is the most unfortunate suit — the 10 of Spades as the playing-card inset hints that its voyage will be a fruitless one.
I read the vertical column as additional detail that affects the status of the original “focus” card (in this case the Lady). The card above (the Birds) shows conditions that are influencing her; there are a couple of ways to interpret this card, both of which involve minor stress. One is that she is of unquiet mind over the move she is planning, and the other conveys the threat of malicious gossip. The Star as the “covering” card implies that she will receive the blessing of good fortune in her outreach (that is, her cover won’t be blown despite the risk presented by the Birds). However, the Lilies immediately below (depicting something she has control over) carries the connotation of dubious virtue; it seems that her advances could be salacious (which most likely would not bother him in the least). The King of Spades as the playing-card inset for the Lilies makes me think my client is actually the quarry, and there is a question of honor here.
My conclusion is that the (ahem) “enterprise” indicated by the Ship in the horizontal row will proceed undisturbed by the potential for exposure to gossip and scandal. The Star covering her — and by extension, him — should be enough to deflect perceptions of impropriety. However, the four Spades in this reading make me think it could be difficult to pull off under the circumstances. Both are married and live far apart, the latter being another implication of the Ship; maybe he will receive an invitation to “come visit.”
Originally published at http://parsifalswheeldivination.wordpress.com on July 31, 2024.
