The Language of Lenormand

The Language of Lenormand; A Practical Guide for Everyday Divination
Erika Robinson
Weiser Books
ISBN 978-1-57863-805-5
$18.95

Reading cards is like reading words—once you know the sounds letters make, you combine them to make words and, likewise, once you know the individual cards, you combine them to make meaning. This is Erika Robinson’s premise in The Language of Lenormand; A Practical Guide for Everyday Divination. It may seem simple but many books on cartomancy tend to make the topic feel more opaque by slinging interpretation after obscure interpretation at the reader until the possibility of reading a spread seems as distant as decoding words in an unknown tongue. Robinson, however, takes the deceptively simple approach of explaining what each card means and how the image connects to that meaning, and then providing examples and practice in combination with other cards. This is akin to not just saying that S says “sssss” but also practicing the sound by reading it in sat, sip and pass. Just like in learning to read words, it is the simple but well-planned approach—rather than the scattershot—that results in real skill. 

To support this technique, the images Robinson provides are straightforward and accessible, resulting in immediate understanding. For the reader more accustomed to Tarot, the simplicity might seem like a limitation, but unlike in that system, Lenormand cards are read in combination and carry far less meaning alone. Robinson guides the reader through various spreads, card combinations and reading techniques to provide both the novice and the experienced cartomancer with the knowledge and confidence to divine with this traditional system. Simultaneously accessible, practical and deeply meaningful, The Language of Lenormand is worthy of a spot on every diviner’s shelf.