Tag Archives: 10 Scythe

Card Reading 101, Lenormand Cards

Reversed Lenormand Cards: What Do They Mean? 31 Sun, 10 Scythe, 33 Key, 26 Book, 11 Whip, 17 Storks

Unlike Tarot cards, Lenormand cards are not meant to be read in the reversed position. You are supposed to make sure all the cards in your deck face one way before you shuffle and draw. If despite this, one or more cards show up in the reversed position, you are supposed to disregard this and read the card(s) in the upright position.

At the risk of horrifying the Lenormand experts, I have actually found the information gained from analyzing reversed Lenormand cards to be amazingly useful. I’ll show you why in a minute…

As I’ve probably mentioned before, I like to use the Lenormand cards when I need or want a “second opinion.” Unlike a friend, family member or co-worker, the Lenormand cards have no hidden agenda or bias concerning their answer. They won’t try to spare your feelings. If they “tell” you your idea/ decision/ direction/ plan is unrealistic or ill-advised, they’ll almost always tell you why. And in my experience, they will almost always be spot on.

A couple days ago, I asked the Lenormand cards for insight on how to get started with some ideas I had. I wanted to know specifically how I could put my ideas into action. I drew the following cards:

Q: How Can I Get Started?

Piatnik Lenormand 31 Sun - 10 Scythe Rx - 33 Key - 26 Book Rx - 11 Whip - 17 Storks Rx
31 Sun – 10 Scythe Rx – 33 Key – 26 Book Rx – 11 Whip – 17 Storks Rx

Piatnik Jeu du destin Mlle Lenormand Cartomancy Deck of 36 Cards

I was surprised to see the reversed cards. I always mix my cards a certain way and they rarely change direction. My first impulse was to read the reversals but knowing “the rule,” I decided to begin by reading the cards straight as if they were all upright.

Sun + Scythe suggested positive decisions leading to success (Key) and improved circumstances (Stork). Book + Whip suggested repetitive projects, or “whipping out projects,” one after the other. So the cards (read as if they were all upright) seemed to be saying that I should begin by making positive decisions and whipping out my projects one after the other to achieve success and a positive change in circumstances.

But that interpretation left me a little flat.

I kept staring at those three reversed cards and suddenly it hit me. The reversed cards were highlighting the facts that I was not making decisions, let along good ones (reversed Scythe + Sun), and that I was not cranking out projects one after the other (reversed Book + Whip). And as long as I was not making positive decisions nor cranking out projects, I would not achieve a successful change of circumstances (Key + reversed Storks).

The reversed Lenormand cards clearly revealed what I needed to do in a way I might have missed had all the cards been in their upright positions.

Once again, I couldn’t help but shake my head in amazement at how helpful (not to mention literal) Lenormand cards can be.

Blessings,

Mary Hawkins

 

Card Reading 101, Lenormand Cards

Lenormand Clarification Cards: Should You Use One?

From time to time I use clarification cards in Tarot readings, particularly when I’m having difficulty understanding the meaning of a card I draw for a certain position. I also use them on a fairly regular basis to give a summary or clarification of a reading.

There are four main ways I do this:

1. Pull the top (or bottom) card from the remaining deck (after having laid out the entire spread).

2. Pull the bottom card from the pile assigned to the position I wish to further explore. (I do this when prior to card selection, I cut the deck into as many piles as I have positions.)

3. Add the numerical values of the cards laid out in the spread, reduce to 22 or less, locate that card in the remaining deck and select the cards before and after as well (three clarification cards total).

4. Pull a card (or cards) at random from the remaining deck.

Lenormand cards are read differently than Tarot cards and some readers insist you should not “mix up the rules.”

While I understand and appreciate this viewpoint, I also believe each reader should experiment and use what works for him or her, even if “that’s not the way you’re supposed to do it.”

I often use Lines when I draw Lenormand cards. While I usually draw a Line of 5, you can also use a Line of 3, a Line of 7, or a Line of 9. Using an odd number of cards gives you a central, or “hinge” card, which can be used to determine the focus or theme of the spread. If you browse through some of the Lenormand posts on this website, you’ll notice that I’ll often place an additional card below the central card of the spread.

Like this:

 

Lenormand Mystical 27 Letter - 19 Tower - 16 Stars - 10 Scythe - 24 Heart - 6 Clouds http://livingwithcards.com
27 Letter – 19 Tower – 16 Stars – 10 Scythe – 24 Heart – 6 Clouds

Mystical Lenormand (c) 2006 U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

 

While you could certainly chose another selection method, I select the base card (the bottom card of the remaining deck) as the clarification card. I use clarification cards in my Lenormand spreads because I have consistently found that they will almost always provide me with additional information and/or clarification.

Sometimes the clarification card will modify one or more cards above it. Sometimes I’ll get the intuitive sense that it represents a “House” in which the central card sits.

In the above example, 6 Clouds as the clarification suggests uncertainty at best and dashed hopes that result in heartbreak at worst.

Not to leave you hanging, the spread above was cast last Spring to find out whether a student would get accepted to a particular college. The application to college (Letter + Tower) had been made with high hopes (Stars) but would end in heartbreak (Scythe + Heart). While the Line of 5 was clear enough by itself, the clarification card 6 Clouds reiterated the depressing nature of the prediction (which, unfortunately, turned out to be true).

I’m curious to learn your thoughts about the use of clarification cards in Lenormand readings. Do you use them? Why or why not? Please use the comment feature to let me know.

Blessings,

Mary Hawkins

Card Reading 101, Lenormand Cards

Lenormand Cards Discuss Birth of Twins: Letter, Tree, Snake, Gentleman, Sun, Bouquet

Yesterday afternoon I was anxiously awaiting news about the birth of a dear family friend’s twin girls. I had gotten a text from my younger daughter that the friend, who’d gone into the hospital early in the morning due to a health complication, was still in labor.

I asked the Lenormand cards what was going on and got:

 

27 Letter - 5 Tree - 7 Snake - 28 Gentleman - 31 Sun - 9 Bouquet
27 Letter – 5 Tree – 7 Snake – 28 Gentleman – 31 Sun – 9 Bouquet

Mystical Lenormand (c) 2005, 2007 – AGM-Muller

 

The cards suggested I would get a text (Letter) about a health complication or physical problem (Tree + Snake) that the doctor would successfully resolve (Gentleman + Sun with Tree).

The base card 9 Bouquet (bottom card of shuffled deck) suggested there would be a positive turn around (Snake + Bouquet) and I’d soon be hearing happy news (Bouquet + Letter).

Wanting to learn more about the babies, I found 13 Child in the deck and pulled the card before and three cards after:

15 Bear - 13 Child - 11 Whip - 10 Scythe - 8 Coffin
15 Bear – 13 Child – 11 Whip – 10 Scythe – 8 Coffin

Mystical Lenormand (c) 2005, 2007 – AGM-Muller

 

The cards indicated that the children were strong and healthy (Bear + Child) and the pregnancy would likely end (Coffin) after a painful surgery (Whip + Scythe). I surmised that a Cesarian section would occur.

 

What Actually Happened:

I received the happy news (Bouquet + Letter) early this morning. The doctor (Gentleman) had successfully (Sun) managed the mother’s health complication (Tree + Snake) and the twins were born yesterday evening.

Both babies are strong and healthy (Bear + Child). Baby A was delivered vaginally, while Baby B was delivered via Cesarian section, as the cards had suggested. 11 Whip correlates with the number 2 and it was the second twin that required surgical intervention.

Once again, the Lenormand cards amazed me with their accuracy.

As I write this post, Mom and babies are doing well and all of us are over the moon with happiness!

Blessings,

Mary Hawkins

Card Reading 101, Lenormand Cards

Lenormand Cards Discuss a Book: Snake, Lilies, Book, Whip, Scythe, Paths

When I throw cards for my daily draw, I usually just ask for a heads-up on how my day will go. This morning, however, I had an exact question.

There is a book I want to purchase. Yesterday I went online and discovered this particular book would take two to three weeks to ship. I didn’t want to wait that long, so I thought maybe I would check out the local Barnes & Noble and get the book there. As it turned out, schedule conflicts interfered and I never made it to the store. So this morning, I asked the cards if the book I wanted would be available at the bookstore.

I decided to use the Mystical Lenormand deck and I energetically charged 26 Book while shuffling the cards. After finding that card in the deck, I chose the two cards preceding and following it to complete my draw. As usual, I also pulled the base card (bottom card of the deck) for additional information.

Here’s what I got:

7 Snake - 30 Lilies - 26 Book - 11 Whip - 10 Scythe - 22 Paths
7 Snake – 30 Lilies – 26 Book – 11 Whip – 10 Scythe – 22 Paths

Mystical Lenormand (c) 2005, 2007 – AGM-Muller

 

The cards described the situation — and the book — perfectly. The reason I asked the question was because I considered the long delivery time (Lilies) had I ordered the book online yesterday as planned problematic (Snake). The Line of 5 went on to show that the book (Book) concerns the termination/ cancellation/ elimination (Scythe) of sex/ sexual (Whip) hormones.

As I considered the cards, I further realized that 7 Snake + 30 Lilies could be indicating an aging problem — likely about females since Snake can indicate an older woman — due to termination/ cancellation/ elimination (Scythe) of sexual (Whip) hormones.

I was amazed at how accurately the Lenormand cards described the book, which is about managing and naturally restoring the loss of female hormones experienced after menopause through the use of topical bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

22 Paths as the base card suggested that since Barnes & Noble was only a short jaunt from my house, why not take a ride and find out if the book I’m looking for is there?

Seeing 10 Scythe as the last card in the Line of 5 felt confusing. I wasn’t sure if Scythe was indicating a “harvest,” and that yes, the book would be in stock, or if it meant the book had been “cut” from the inventory. I’ll have my answer later today and will update this post.

Blessings,

Mary Hawkins

UPDATE:  My local bookstore did not have the book I want in stock, confirming the Scythe’s traditional (negative) meaning of a cutting or elimination.

All was not lost, however. I was able to put the book on order at the same price I could have gotten it for online, with delivery promised within five to seven days and no shipping costs!

So, as a card giving clarification or additional information, perhaps 22 Paths was also indicating that an alternative route/ direction to getting the book I desired was available.

Card Reading 101, Lenormand Cards

Lenormand Cards Weekly Draw: Tower, Coffin, Scythe, Mountain, Clover, Rider

On Sundays, instead of doing a daily draw, I usually take a look at the week ahead, asking for a heads up on what might occur.

Here are the cards I pulled this morning:

 

19 Tower - 8 Coffin - 10 Scythe - 21 Mountain - 2 Clover - 1 Rider
19 Tower – 8 Coffin – 10 Scythe – 21 Mountain – 2 Clover – 1 Rider

Mlle. Lenormand Jeu de destin No. 194115 (c) 1986 Piatnik

 

The Lenormand cards seemed to be following up on a situation I’d heard about yesterday when I was alerted that an older gentleman friend had wound up in the hospital after experiencing what appeared to be a stroke.

This morning’s cards showed the sudden (Scythe) hospitalization (Tower + Coffin), and went on to indicate a potentially slow and possibly challenging recovery (Mountain + Clover). Rider as the base card suggested I will get an update on the situation sometime this week.

While Clover at the end of the Line of 5 is encouraging and suggestive of recovery, I know this card has a temporary influence, so I can’t help but worry a bit about my friend’s long term prospects.

On the other hand, perhaps Clover is simply saying that this old boy will luck out & be sent home as good as new. I think I’d rather focus on that outcome for now.

Blessings,

Mary Hawkins