Both Lenormand cards and Tarot cards are particularly useful tools that can provide a clear snapshot of what’s really going on behind your conscious thought process. While larger, more complicated spreads have their place, you might be surprised at how insightful a simple Line of 5 can be– using either Tarot or Lenormand cards– although for the purposes of this post, I will use Lenormand cards to illustrate the method.
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, when using a Line of 5, I’ve consistently found that adding the base card (bottom card of the shuffled deck) to the spread almost always fine tunes the message the cards want to bring to your attention.
This simple Line of 5 Insights Spread with Base Card works well when you are seeking clarity regarding a particular problem, situation, concern, goal or desire that’s been on your mind and it works equally well when you’re not sure what to focus on.
It’s all in how you word the question.
If you have a particular subject matter in mind, your question could be “Insights, please: What do I most need to know about [subject] right now?”
If you’re not exactly sure what to focus on, ask something like “What’s the most important thing for me to focus on right now?” and let the cards define the subject matter.
Suppose you have decided to ask the Lenormand cards an open-ended question and have drawn the following cards:
Q: What do I most need to know about right now?
Celtic Lenormand by Chloe McCracken
Here’s the way I would approach these cards:
Step 1 – Consider the “Hinge” and “Base” Cards and Determine a Theme or Meaning
First consider the central, or “hinge” card, and the base card beneath it and jot down the keywords that come to mind. In this example, we have 32 MOON and 10 SCYTHE, which will provide the theme or subject matter. The remaining cards will flesh out the reading.
MOON: emotions, habit patterns, career, fame, reputation, mother, intuition, cycles, hormones, fluctuations, feminine, femininity, yin, receptive
SCYTHE: cut, break, sever, eliminate, decision, shockwaves, accidents, surgery, separation, rejection, violent act, sharp, quick, analytical, hurtful, interrupt
Right away you can see several “themes” or meanings are possible. Which theme or meaning makes sense to you will largely depend on your own question, concerns and personal circumstances / reality.
For example, MOON + SCYTHE could mean (among other things):
…breaking up with a woman
…eliminating or ending a bad habit
…putting some distance between yourself and a female
…analyzing emotional problems
…interruption or ending of the menstrual cycle
…damaging a reputation/ ending a career
Step 2 – Consider the Remaining Cards and Weave Together a Story Line that Supports the Theme
Next, you’ll want to consider the remaining cards in the spread and weave together a story line that supports the premise shown by the central and base cards. If you are female, you will want to determine whether 29 WOMAN represents you or another female. If you are male, this card may either be giving you information about a woman in your life or suggesting you take a more intuitive (feminine) approach to the matters at hand. You’ll need to decide whether 19 TOWER describes 29 WOMAN (mirroring technique) or if it’s the ‘end of the sentence.’ There is no one true and always-correct way to read cards.
Some Considerations…
For females, WOMAN + LILIES could be yourself if you are older or are concerned about aging issues. It could also be a descriptor of your serenity or peace of mind, regardless of age. For both female and male querents, this combination could point to an older woman, a parent, a grandmother, or someone in authority like a boss.
16 STARS + 19 TOWER could be speaking of business goals or climbing the corporate ladder. It could alternately be showing a need to set boundaries (TOWER) in order to reach one’s goals (STARS). It could describe losing out (SCYTHE) on a recording contract (MOON + STARS) due to age discrimination (LILIES).
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If you’re asking a health-related question, keep in mind the following:
MOON + TOWER could indicate high blood pressure.
TOWER can represent a medical facility, hospital, clinic, emergency room or doctor’s office.
MOON + STARS could represent a skin condition (STARS) exacerbated by emotions (MOON), such as eczema, psoriasis, shingles, etc.
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Example Interpretations…
- A need to eliminate (SCYTHE) an entrenched habit (LILIES + MOON) that is interfering with (SCYTHE) or is not supportive of (MOON) one’s serenity/ peace of mind (LILIES) and career goals (STARS + TOWER).
- A woman’s decision (SCYTHE) to examine her feelings (MOON) and set emotional boundaries (MOON, TOWER) so she can achieve more serenity (LILIES) and get more of what she wants (STARS).
- The need to separate oneself (SCYTHE) from an older woman/ mother/ grandmother (WOMAN + LILIES + MOON) or even a female boss (WOMAN + LILIES with TOWER) who is not emotionally supportive (MOON + STARS).
- Female/ hormonal problems (MOON) in an older woman (WOMAN + LILIES) that may require further diagnostic testing (STARS) and possible surgery or biopsy (SCYTHE, TOWER).
I could go on, but I’m sure you can see how this works. It’s pretty much just a matter of identifying the theme or central message as it relates to your question/ issue/ life circumstances, then fleshing out the rest of the “story.” You’ll be using your intuition as well as the standard card meanings you’ve learned from various sources. If you give this simple yet very effective spread a try, I think you’ll be pleased with the results you get.
Blessings, Mary Hawkins
