The Dreaming Way Lenormand was a birthday present with the La Santa Muerte Lenormand. Unlike the latter, The Dreaming Way Lenormand was published several years ago. Although I had seen some images, it’s not a deck that caught my attention.
The 36 cards—there are no extra cards—come in a small but sturdy lift-off box and include a clear but concise book written by Lynn Araujo.
Kwon Shina’s artwork is deceptively simple, quaint, and almost mischievous. The colour palette is soft pastels. The backgrounds are beautiful, with some lovely embellishments or textures. As the cards are borderless, this also adds a homogeneous touch. There are no playing card inserts, but a suit symbol and rank are shown next to the titles. I’ve never seen much point in such notations.
Most of the traditional symbols are reinterpreted in a whimsical, dream-like fashion. Several cards show people, such as the Snake and the Dog. My favorite cards are the Birds, the Book, and the Fox. The Hound/Dog, the Ring, and the Clouds are my least liked.
Kwon Shina seems to have tried to preserve some of the cards’ traditional directional features but with a surreal twist. Whereas we often see a pall or wreath on the Coffin card, we see a half-open sardine can here. How successful Kwon Shina was will be dependent upon the reader. But I do like the Birds and the Book.
Lynn Araujo’s book is concise and relatively standard and echoes the German literature more than the French. It was helpful to understand some artistic choices, such as why a woman is on the Fox card. There are a couple of short readings, but the full board/die große tafel is absent.
As is my practice, I asked the deck to introduce itself via a cut. The cards’ response was the Stars and the Sun. And there is a clarity and warmth to the cards. Despite my misgivings, it’s an accessible deck to read, and I have used it several times. But I cannot say it is (or ever see it being) a first choice for a reading.
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The Dream Way Lenormand, illustrated by Kwon Shina with a guidebook by Lynn Araujo, is published by US Games Systems, Inc.
When the Lenormand Oracle entered my life over three decades ago, packs were far from scarce. But there was little variety. The cards of Piatnik and Carta Mundi were the two most prevalent patterns. When the AG Müller cards were sold, it was often the version with German or French lyrics.
Things have changed over the last decade. For me, the (often independent) publications of historical decks have been the particular focus. In particular, the Wanderwust Lenormand—a creative remix of the C.L. Wüst pack —has become a firm favourite. The early diet of Carta Mundi or Piatnik seems to cast long shadows, so I haven’t much explored the themed offerings.
La Santa Muerte Lenormand is a themed deck combining the traditional 36 pictures with Our Lady of the Holy Death. It was one of two Lenormand Oracle birthday gifts I found waiting for me. Not being involved in the cult of Santa Muerte or a deck collector, I was unaware of its publication but recognised the artist from the popular Rana George Lenormand.
The cards come in a sturdy, beautiful scull-themed box and number 38. There are two Lord and Lady cards. Inside, the cards sit in a small well. When the book is placed over the cards and the box shut, the two “eye-sockets” offer a glimpse of the book’s cover.
Callie L. French’s artwork is superb, with beautiful, rich, deep colors. My favorite cards are the Key, the Park, the Owls, the Moon, and the Fishes; the Ring, the Rider, and the Letter cards are my least liked. Full playing card inserts are in the lower right corner, with the cards’ titles in Spanish. I would have liked the cards completely borderless, but the Spanish titles seem appropriate. The cardstock is excellent, and the deck shuffles smoothly.
Dan M. Pelletier writes the small companion book, and it is a serviceable introduction from the Lenormand perspective. Mr. Pelletier attributes much to an Eastern European school of thought. There are no references or sources, but you can see the influence of several uncredited authors. The book also demonstrates the care and attention to detail in the art, from candle colors to Mexican culture.
Mr. Pelletier states it is not the object of the guidebook to introduce the reader to the cult of La Santa Muerte. He assumes the reader is or soon will be.
It has become my practice with new decks to seek a small introduction. After a good shuffle, I cut the deck into two piles and the La Santa Muerte Lenormand introduced itself with the Key and Lilies—a promising but pertinent opener.
Since receiving the cards, they have sat beside my journal and Carène fountain pen. I find they lend themselves for late evening and night-time deals. Although not a follower of the cult of Santa Muerte, the cards will open their wisdom if approached with respect as the cut shows.
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La Santa Muerte Lenormand by Dan M. Pelletier and illustrated by Callie L. French is published by Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
Think of the universal substance, of which thou hast a very small portion; and of universal time, of which a short and indivisible interval has been assigned to thee; and of that which is fixed by destiny, and how small a part of it thou art.
Marcus Aurelius, The Meditations Book V (Long trans.)
Cartomantes have long favoured “star” patterns of varying sizes and operations. Here, we will look at a late nineteenth-century variation I refer to as the Dame’s Nowl.
Like Basil Ivan Rakoczi’s Coven of Thirteen – popularised by Dawn R. Jackson – the Dame’s Nowl employs 13 cards. Unlike Rakoczi’s variation, the Dame’s Nowl forgoes mirroring for positional contexts: charting the past, the present and the future alongside unhelpful influences or problems. Consequently, it is an excellent alternative to spreads such as the Celtic Cross.
“The Fashionable Fortune-Teller”
Between 1896 and 1913, “Minetta” authored two books on cartomancy and one on tasseomancy. Minetta also conceived a Bésigue-style deck, specifically for cartomancy, and provided the instructions for a Petit Lenormand published as the Gypsy Bijou Fortune Telling Cards.
Minetta’s identity has never been identified. Several names have been proposed. Caitlín Matthews has suggested that Minetta was Cicely Kent.
There are similarities between Cicely Kent’s text and Minetta’s; although they are not without differences. However, there are also differences between Minetta’s 1896 and 1913 books. Although both manuscripts utilise the same readings, there is some difference in interpretations, and Minetta gives different definitions for multiples in the two texts. It thus the current author’s feeling that two different authors might have written under than penname, one quite possibly being Cicely Kent. Of course, however, this could be development: as diviners, we all grow and change.
The Dame’s Nowl or Star of Fortune:
Minetta’s Star of Fortune appears in both books. It is, however, titled method II in 1896. As I know another spread with this title, I refer to Minetta’s as The Dame’s Nowl.
Minetta’s Method II
In her 1896 text, Minetta states to:
Place two at the head of the significator, two at the feet, two on the right, two on the left, one in each corner, and one on the significator, making in all thirteen cards.
What The Cards Tell (p. 26)
In Card Reading, Minetta states the specific order, as indicated in the diagram below.
Both Cicely Kent and Sepharial adhere to this order.
Cecily Kent’s Star of Fortune
Minetta’s instruction for reading the spread is:
Those cards which crown the significator predict the near future; those at the feet, the past; those to the left, obstacles; those to the right, the distant future; the top corners, present details; those at the feet, the past details; the card on the top of the significator, the consolation.
What The Cards Tell (p. 26 – 27)
Minetta removes the significator before shuffling. It is placed centrally, with the thirteenth card placed upon it.
Adhering to standard sinister (left) and dexter (right) conventions, Minetta sees cards to the left as challenging and problematic. Those to the right can advise on remedy and assistance. These become more pronounced in her 1913 text which includes a table diagram.
Minetta’s Table
Following the Nowl: Stacey’s Reading
Let us look at a reading with the Petit Lenormand. This reading was done just before Christmas 2019. Stacey is a young woman and wanted a general look at where her life was going. For general readings, spreads such as the Coven of Thirteen or the Astrological Wheel are often preferred. However, Stacey seemed quite unhappy, so I thought it was best to ascertain both her background and challenges.
The cards as they fell:
At the heart of the star, we find the Stork. Change is afoot. We will bear this in mind as we examine the cards’ different combinations.
We will start with the bottom section as these describe the past circumstances. Keeping the Stork card at the forefront of our mind, we see that there has been a difficult transition (Cross – Boat) in Stacey’s life.
With the Cross crowning the Boat card, we know that this will have been a significant shift in Stacey’s circumstance and marked a milestone.
Looking to the left and right of the Cross, we see the Hound and Path cards which sheds more light. Stacey’s decisions (Path) has seen her relocate (Cross – Boat), which has meant that she has lost her familiar surroundings (Hound – Cross). The presence of three tens further emphasises that.
Unfortunately, this has left Stacey feeling out in the cold, and a period of disquiet has ensued (Birds – Lilies). With the Lilies on the left and the Cross and Boat at the star’s feet, one was sure that Stacey had moved away from her family.
Both the Birds and Hound cards are near enough to the Lilies to be read as persons, but one was not seized to interpret them as specific individuals. However, the two queens and two kings do denote male and female acquaintance. With the Hound on the sinister side of the star, and the presence of two sixes in the spread, it is clear Stacey has struggled to form new relationships, and this has magnified her discomfort.
Moving upward, the Anchor’s orientation poses a dichotomy. Stacey’s attempts to find a sense of place will continue to prove difficult and keep her moored to her present feelings. Fortunately, the Tree and the Stars bring a soothing solution.
Over the coming weeks, she will take some time out (Tree) and focus on herself and where she feels she needs to be in life (Tree – Book). We note the Stars are the Tree’s roots in this spread, and they seem to be guiding Stacey back home. But the Book falls adjacent to the Stars and crowns the significator. Stacey is urged not to rush into any decisions, which seem to have been the case in the past (Path).
Further into the future, Stacey will find herself moving into more comfortable times (Lady and the House). With the presence of both the Tree and the Lilies cards, it is likely this is a move back to familiar surroundings. Coming back to the Stork, we remember that it is a migratory picture: Stacey will go back home.
Stacey was in her first year at university but was not enjoying her surroundings and her course.
After some reflection, Stacey decided to transfer to a new university in her hometown. Due to the lockdown, Stacey returned home in the Spring. That fits with the Lady looking to the House card (last week of Spring).
Journal of a Cartomante 