A Lenormand Deck

I’d like to begin this guide simply by saying thank you for having purchased the
Paper Oracle. This is a project I’ve poured many hours into, and it has become
very dear to my heart. I first became interested in Lenormand decks while
finishing my tarot deck, The Ink Witch, and wanting to delve deeper into the
vast overlap between the realms of illustration and cartomancy. Lenormand
quickly became a topic I found almost as compelling as Tarot.

The Paper Oracle deck is modeled after the traditional Lenormand Deck, with a
few small changes and additions; so I consider it to be a Lenormand Deck
suitable for beginners and experts alike, as well as somewhat of a unique
Oracle Deck in and of itself.

Lenormand Decks were named for the French occultist Marie Anne Le
Normand, who was alive in the 1700s. Le Normand was influential in the
practice of using cards as tools for divination, though the “Lenormand Deck,”
that was named after her was not her own creation. Rather, it was based off of
a card game of chance that already existed; “The Game of Hope.”

Much like the tarocchi game decks that would later become tarot decks,
cartomancers found the images in The Game of Hope appealing and suitable
for more esoteric practices than merely as elements of a simple parlor game.
While it’s rumored that Le Normand may have been one of the people using the
Game of Hope cards in her practice, it wouldn’t be renamed after her, and
packaged explicitly as a divination tool, until years after her death.

While the Paper Oracle is not an entirely traditional Lenormand Deck, it can be
used as one.

Typically a Lenormand Deck consists of 36 standard cards. The Paper Oracle

includes those 36 cards (though some have been renamed and re-imagined)
plus seven more. Removing the cards numbered 37-43 would essentially turn
the Paper Oracle into a standard Lenormand deck, if that is what you would
prefer to work with.
In fact, any of the cards could be removed, and the remainder of the deck would
still function as a veritable divination tool. There is really no right or wrong way
to use the Paper Oracle, and if you wished to disregard this booklet entirely and
simply use your intuition to practice with these cards, that would be fine as well.
In fact, I actually suggest spending some time with each card before reading the
meanings of each of them, just to see what sort of ideas they inspire without the
influence of my own interpretations.
I also recommend using the full 43-card deck if you are after more nuanced and
refined readings.
u are new to using Lenormand decks, know that they differ from Tarot in
ral ways, including the smaller number of cards. Some of the names on these
s will be familiar to you if you have practiced Tarot before, but the meanings of
e cards are not necessarily the same.

xample, “The Tower” card in Tarot is an omen of chaos, destruction, and

ption. In a Lenormand Deck however, “The Tower” card symbolizes authority,
ion, and ego. These distinctions are important if you are wishing to practice
his deck in a more traditional manner. However, I always recommend
wing your intuition when using tools like Tarot and Lenormand Decks. If
ething seems to mean something unique to you, I don’t think you necessarily
to read too much into the "intended" meanings of these cards.

all, cartomancy works primarily by helping us to explore the subconscious, so

feel shy about following your first thoughts to ascribe meanings to the cards
self, and then connecting the cards in your readings together to form answers.
said before, there is no wrong way to read this deck.

ever, if at any point you feel at a loss, or simply want a place to start from, you
eference this guide to look up the meanings of each card as I intended to
municate them. Most of these, again, will correspond to traditional meanings of
rmand Decks used by cartomancers for generations.

that this is not a comprehensive guide to reading Lenormand decks, and like
, different readers of Lenormand cards may interpret them in slightly varying
. A more in-depth guide to Lenormand cards can help you to understand the
r Oracle in more detail, but this guide is not a bad place to start, and will also
de my own personal interpretations of the cards, the intended meanings of the
seven unique cards, and some insights into my artistic and creative decisions
n illustrating the Paper Oracle.
For suggestion
My example, the is to
“Past,
startPresent,
with simple
Future,”
spreads,
spread
or by
is asimply
popular
asking
tarot-reader’s
a questionspread
and
pulling
that cana easily
few cards
use from
thesethe
cards.
deckYou
to piece
may choose
togethertoasaskyour
a question
answer. and draw three
cards; the first represents an important aspect of your past, the second is your
current situation,
For example: andwere
If you the third represents
to ask “What dohow it may
I need play about
to know out in the
this future.
job
opportunity,” and were to then draw “The Mountain,” and “The Snake,” you might
ascertain
In the case that
of someone
the example
involved
above,inyouthe might
job opportunity
draw “Thewas
Fox"deceiving
as the card
youinand
the
getting
past, which
in your
represents
way. Theyour
Mountain
workplace
is often
andassociated
career. Youwith
may obstacles,
pull the Mountain
and The or
Snake tois often
represent
associated
the present
with lies
obstacle
and tricks.
in your
Together
way. Then
theyfinally
couldyou
indicate
may draw
that a
deception
the Gardenwasas ainclue
playabout
and would
the future.
create a roadblock for you.

You might then wish to draw additional cards for further clarity. If for example you
asked “How do I uncover the deception,” and were to draw “The Garden,” and “The
Birds,” you could interpret that as an indication to take advantage of your social
network and status. The Garden has to do with social gatherings and networks of
people, while the birds represent chatter, gossip, and communication. These cards
could be telling you to reach out to your network and ask what people know about
the job opportunity in question.
 Mystery Spread.”
n be used to gain more detailed insights into a situation or a question. There
many
volvesversions
drawingof three
this cards
reading,
andbut
arranging
I’ll explain
them
a simple
face down
and easy-to-follow
in a triangle. The
on
ardthat
represents
I prefer for
a situation
my ownor readings.
“mystery.” The bottom left card can be thought
an action, and the bottom right card can be thought of as an object of that
n.
spread first involves choosing a significator to represent the querent or their
tion.These are typically “The Man,” or the “The Woman,” depending on who
eading
you drew
is for.
“The
In this
Fox”particular
as your “mystery
deck, those
card,”
cards
youare
could
called
determine
“The Masculine,”
that the
ng
Therevolved
Feminine,”around
and the
there
workplace,
is also a “The
as TheNon-Binary”
Fox often represents
card as well,
a job
thatorcould
er.
ateThen
an individual
if you drewwith“The
a non-binary
Ship,” as gender
an action,
identity.
and “The Clover” as the object,
could ascertain that this means that you will be moving forward (The Ship)
rd something
etimes, fortunate
significator cards(The
in aClover)
readinginrepresent
your workplace (TheorFox.)
a situation concept rather
a person, so you could instead draw a card like “The Fox” for readings about
workplace, or “The Heart” for readings about relationships.

may pull whatever card you choose as your significator and place it in the
er of your reading to represent you or a querent, and focus the reading
nd them.

shuffle the remaining cards, and arrange eight of them into a square around
significator, creating a 3x3 grid of cards with the significator in the middle. A
general reading without a specific issue or question in mind can be done by
hoosing a significator at all, and allowing that card to be drawn randomly
g with the others.

e your cards are placed, begin reading from left to right, starting with the top
then the middle row, then the bottom row.
Each column represents a phase of time- with the left column indicating the past,
the middle column indicating the present, and the right column indicating the future.

The top row of cards indicates what is on your mind, or your motivations. It may
contain insights into the things that drive you, such as your anxieties or desires. It
can often be thought of as representing consciousness.
Read from left to right, with the leftmost card representing the past, the middle
representing the present, and the right representing the future.

The middle row represents your situation. These are things that are affecting your
life, like obstacles, your environment, or the people around you. These factors are
likely influencing you from an external source, or describe situations and scenarios
in which you find yourself. Again, read chronologically from left to right.

The bottom row represents elements of influence. These are the things that you
have the most control over, things you already have learned, and lessons you
already understand. Often, these cards are associated with the subconscious mind.
Remember to also read from left to right, to understand the past, present, and the
future.