The Lenormand is another divination tool with a similar history (and purpose) to that of the Tarot. It is a 200 year old system from the heart of Europe; a deck of 36 cards that has held its place in the living rooms and salons of France and Germany for several generations. Made of simple, straightforward imagery, the cards themselves deal with more tangible issues rather than psychological ones. 

The cards came into being in the late 18th century, many of their symbols derived from those commonly found in coffee ground readings. The oldest surviving deck dates from 1799 or 1800 and is currently kept in the British Museum in London. Originally named "The Game of Hope", it was once but a parlor game (much like Tarot). But as the years went on, the images on the cards proved themselves suitable for more esoteric purposes.

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The Lenormand cards provide another way of peeking into the winding palace of one’s own mind - helping you plot out possible courses and actions that you can take. Like the tarot, I personally don’t believe that the divinatory use of the cards are the healthiest way of using them, but I have heard that for that purpose, Lenormand cards have yielded clear messages.

By pulling together simple yet effective universal symbols as if they were pearls on a string, the meanings within the Lenormand cards reveal themselves as if they were a story. Regardless of whether we choose to interpret just two cards (for they are normally read in pairs and card combinations) or spread out a full Grand Tableau utilizing the entire deck, we can use Lenormand as a tool for self-development, spiritual exploration but also, something this deck is particularly good at: dealing with simple, everyday concerns. That is where the true power of Lenormand lies - in it's frank and even blunt way of tackling our real life issues. Its accuracy and candid way of "speaking" to us makes it an attractive companion - both alongside tarot, and on it’s own.

​-Labyrinthos