The “Oracle of Lenormand”… what comes to mind when you hear that name? Ancient oracle? Gypsy tarot? Card fortune telling maybe? …or maybe you’ve never heard of it!
This oracle is named after Mlle Marie Anne Lenormand, a famous French fortune teller of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, considered by many to be the greatest fortune teller of all time. The accuracy of her predictions spread her fame and attracted a large clientele from France’s wealthy nobility, including Josephine de Beauharnais, who later became Empress Josephine, wife of Napoleon Bonaparte.
But her name is all that connects Miss Lenormand to this oracle. Miss Lenormand did not design her own cards, instead she used the Tarot and other decks commonly available at the time. Also, despite being a prolific writer in her later years, she never described the method of interpreting her letters.
So why is this oracle named after him? Mademoiselle Lenormand’s fame had created an enormous interest in cartomancy. In 1845, two years after Lenormand’s death, an enterprising publisher, Grimaud, produced a deck called “Le Grand Jeu de Mlle Lenormand” from information that had supposedly been revealed by a supposed student of the late fortune-teller. The deck consisted of 54 cards rich in symbolism. The cards showed scenes from Greek mythology, images of stars, geomantic symbols, 22 letters (Kabbalah), 7 talismans, playing cards and flowers!
Over the next few years, different publishers produced several decks bearing the Lenormand name and containing various card numbers. A 36-card “Petit Jeu” was produced as a concise version but was still intricate in its symbolism.
Around 1850, decks of a much simpler design were published in Germany. These decks consisted of 36 sequentially numbered cards, each with a single mnemonic image. These are believed to have been based on a deck design published in Nuremberg around 1800 that used the numbered cards for a racing game played with dice. Small images of normal playing cards were placed on the larger image and the decks were marketed under the Lenormand name along with a small instruction booklet for reading the cards.
The simplicity and immediately recognizable symbolism of this design made it extremely popular in Germany and it has subsequently spread throughout Europe and the Western world.
So what makes the Lenormand different from the Tarot? The Lenormand takes advantage of your natural psychic ability, which the Tarot does not. I know, I have been reading Tarot since I was a teenager and the readings, although very accurate, are superficial. The Lenormand doesn’t just give you a single card, which means it delves into the finer threads of life that the Tarot can only touch, as each Lenormand card incorporates surrounding cards to form a deep story.
The cards are very easy to follow, for example, what does the image of a dog represent to you? Obviously a real dog, but what else? Consider the characteristics of a dog: loyalty, companionship, protection. This image could easily represent a loyal and trusted friend, as well as a domestic animal or pet.
It is this simple yet powerful symbolism that makes the Oracle of Lenormand so easy to read. Unlike Tarot cards, whose esoteric meanings must be learned, the everyday imagery of Lenormand’s cards is immediately intuitive. You don’t have to be psychic to read this oracle – the cards really “talk”!
You can consult this oracle on any matter, from financial prospects to matters of the heart, and you will receive an answer. You will gain a greater understanding of the factors that influence the matter, how they interact, and the possible results.
The Lenormand Oracle is incredibly reliable and accurate. Learn to read it, and you will have an invaluable skill that will give you insight into your own life and enable you to help and guide others.