Hi Belenus, here is your reading.Belenus wrote: ↑12 Dec 2019, 22:18 I have taken up the study of Lenormand over the past 6 months or so - during a lot of down-time because of some very challenging health crises. Truth be told, Lenormand is taking longer to become adept at it than I ever imagined. I have studied and read tarot for almost 50 years. My amazing, skilled, and VERY patientLenormand teacher Serge Pirotte (definitely a master cartomancer) has told me several times that it is far harder to go from Tarot to Lenormand, than it is to go from Lenormand to tarot. My experience is that he is correct! Despite the fact that he thinks I am doing really great and should put myself out there, I lack the confidence and comfort enough to "go public."
My query: "What can I do (i.e., concrete action(s)) to enable a comfortable competency with Lenormand?"
So now I’m going to shuffle the cards of the deck by Jacques Vieville (Maître Cartier 1643-1664, Paris). It is the first time I’m using this beloved deck for a reading I think and the cards are spick and span and just dying to give you some wise advice from the Tarot.
While I’m shuffling, I’ll choose the spread. For the moment, I have none in mind. When I shuffle, the inspiration usually comes along with the necessary detail.
I apologise for the not great quality of the photo.
Cards 1 and 2 (first row vertical) : 5 of Cups / 6 of Cups)
The present. The Tarot will use these two cards to tell us where things stand now – perhaps also how things led you to where you are too, but this would be only a very recent past I think (that’s the feeling I got). I have a hunch that if the Tarot speaks of the recent past, it will be giving us an extra indication and/or confirmation about the conclusion of the reading.
Cards 3 and 4 (second row vertical : Judgment / 3 of Batons
What’s the deal with what seems to be forming a barrier, a blockage ? Why the doubt and the lack of confidence ?
Cards 5 and 6 (third row vertical) : Empress / Page of Cups
So what’s next ? What does Paul need to do – something concrete – real wise advice that will get the horses moving (probably the Chariot horses). I’m curious to see if the Chariot or something similar will come up once I’ve done the draw.
Card 7 : To the right of the top horizontal row) : La Papesse II
A conclusion
I’m a wee bit surprised (almost a bit annoyed – lol) with the Tarot, because it “knows” that I prefer to do three card readings and that five is usually my maximum. I never ever draw 7 cards – that’s an overkill for me.
So it’s forcing me to go out of my personal comfort zone. But as this reading is for you and not for me, then it’s very possible that something will turn up in the reading that is my strong hunch here : that this reading may conclude with something that has to do with your comfort zone.
One can get a lot of impressions while shuffling and just drawing the cards. Even before seeing them. I never turn over the cards until they have all been drawn. (While I'm writing this first part of the post, I haven't yet drawn the cards - I added them in later for coherence's sake.)
The first two things that struck me were firstly the three Cups cards, two of which are in the Present position (perhaps the recent past). The third Cup card, the Page of Cups, is not very close to them in the tapestry however. There is a barrier indeed between them – it’s the 3 of Batons.
Secondly, the card just following the 3 of Batons in the sequence with which I drew the cards, is the Empress III. So we have two 3s here.
Well, if we look at all this picture as a whole, it looks actually quite jolly. There’s doesn’t seem to be a huge obstacle anywhere – no Everest to climb.
I love it that the page of Cups is wanting to offer his Cup to the Papesse, but he’s offering it at present to an empty space – lol. The Cup is being offered in her direction, but he doesn’t seem to be able to attract her attention. It would be easier if he were right next to her – he could nudge on her on the shoulder with his cup. She’s also looking in another direction – concentrating on something else. The future I would assume.
I am starting to understand that these pairs of cards in their vertical rows should be read as being one upright (the top one) and one reversed (the bottom one). So I’m going to go through the pairs now. Again, I don’t habitually read cards as "reversals" in the usual sense of the term – so again this is getting out of the comfort zone, and/or out of a habit. So that's twice the same message.
Upright: 5 of Cups (present (recent past?)
Reversed : 6 of Cups
See how that central Cup in the five of Cups was gently enveloped by the four cups with all that lush vegetation. It was a kind of a Garden of Eden. Bliss. Then you decided to break out and learn something new and you’re sort of now feeling much more vulnerable. There’s nothing at the HEART holding you together. That precious Cup is now a rather plain flower. The 6 Cups are nicely lined up like little soldiers and divided by a stem – which does however hold the sweet promise of something – there are grapes growing and grapes can be turned to wine.
But you turned something on its head – you disturbed the established harmony - the 6 of Cups is reversed – there is a disturbance in the field. And I think this decision to study the Lenormand was and is more destabilising for you than you think. Even now, you don’t see to what extent – but you have recognised it. You may be struggling even a bit unconsciously with the... rigourousness perhaps ? Or is it that the Lenormand is less compliant than the TdM ? I don't know... but I hope this rings a chord. The Tarot does seem to be speaking of this here with these two pairs of Cups.
What do the next two cards have in store ?
Upright : Judgment (What’s the buzz ?)
Reversed : 3 of Batons
Oooh, you’re wanting to go too fast here. Here, the Tarot would like you to listen to a song which I’m sure you know and that you can even sing along to : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvlW4bEjB5A. Who do you think you are ? Sonic the Hedgehog
? 
Your wonderful teacher - and I’m sure he is wonderful and I'm not just taking your word for it- is encouraging you to go public (Judgment), but you’re not yet ready. He's not wrong in encouraging you though. Teachers have to push their students on. They can't allow them to get complacent. (The Teacher is also apparent, but on a "lower" level in the Papesse, who of course represents you. (I don't like the word signifier for some reason - I must ask myself why one day. But I find it "wrong".)
But that three of Batons is far from being an Empress. It’s going to take more study but more than that a LOT MORE PRACTICE. No harm in playing with your cards on forums such as CoT or with friends - on the contrary – where else could you get your practice ? But going completely public would be like putting the Cart before the Horse. Hey… there’s the Chariot aspect that I was expecting to turn up.
It’s the Empress who creates – but the Three of Batons is still learning how to create.
Just a quick comment : the Empress loves to have fun and to laugh. Her eagle on her shield is ready to fly and flying like a bird must be so enjoyable. When we read the cards, we often forget the sense of humour and also the joy that these characters on the cards can depict. So do take your Lenormand seriously – but do also have fun with it ! This will get your creative juices going and you’ll get your mojo back that you left behind when you made the shift and destabilised your harmony.
Later in the spread it is also confirmed that the way for you to get out of this doubt and lack of confidence is for you to really play and have fun. But I’ll get to that a little bit further down.
Anyway, it’s clear that your doubts and present lack of confidence have their source in that you’re still very much in the learning process. But particularly in the creative process.
So the main blockage you are having seems to be that your six cups lined up like soldiers, need to break out of some kind of discipline that you’re imposed on yourself somewhat. I’m not talking about discipline like studying the cards seriously and taking time – I’m sure that’s all well covered.
No I think you’re needing for some time, a few weeks maybe, to get more creative with the Lenormand. To look for a while outside the box. I think this necessity, a temporary one, is due to the shift and the inherent difficulties that you touched on when moving from the TdM to the Lenormand.
So what you’re being asked to do here is to PLAY with your cards in the most creative ways you can for a while – a few weeks maybe. I dunno, print out copies of the cards and make a crazy tableau with them to hang on the wall - something really unusual and off the wall. Write a short story about them – even just a page - a short crime story, or a love story, or even a tragedy or drama. Or something funny. Or a poem or some limericks. Or take out a few cards and have a conversation with them – for instance take the Child, the Fox and the Bear and speak to them. Ask them how their day is going and what they think of each other.
It’s things that have nothing to do with the study itself (you’ve got that well in hand with your teacher) but more creative things. This shouldn’t be necessary for long, because the last three cards are almost beautifully aligned and could work in perfect harmony.
It’s all got to do with your getting out of your comfort zone for a while. The beginning of the reading is indeed found here in the conclusion. You need to give your mind a bit of a holiday (in the States you call this a vacation).
The Page of Cups wants to offer his heart to the Papesse… who is the one who is the Master of the Lenormand and fortunately for us, comes as the conclusion. The Papesse obviously represents you – the Reader. Reader of the Lenormand and many other things because that’s a mighty book you’re holding.
You, who are still a Page at present, will in no time find your way to the Papesse and offer her the wine that was made from the grapes of the 6 of Cups and all will be well again and harmonious. And the little soldiers can disband.
And you’ll have added one more string to your violin. Maybe the next stage will have something to do with the 7 of Cups.
One more interesting aspect of this reading : once you’ve achieved the mastery of the Lenormand with which you feel comfortable with, the six of Cups will be absorbed into Judgment, the three of Batons will be absorbed into the Empress and the Page of Cups will be absorbed into the Papesse and will all be upright then.
I was sorry to hear about your health crises. I naturally didn’t ask the Tarot to give me any insight into this… but all the same, as she is of a very benevolent nature, she seems to be giving a message of comfort and optimism here in this regard.
