Deck Review: Lenormand Cartomancy by Christopher Butler

Lenormand Cartomancy 

by Christopher Butler

Lenormand Cartomancy by Christopher Butler is proving to be a great deck for me. It is my first traditional Lenormand. I have another deck that is similar but it is a Gypsy Fortune Telling deck and in the scheme of the area of Lenormand they are oceans apart.

I was given this deck by Schiffer Publishing to review and I am so glad it was in the box for me to work with. I had been, as I said, trying to figure out the Lenormand system. I had written down things from the internet and joined Facebook groups that had a focus on Lenormand and Cartomancy but nothing really seemed to be teaching me exactly what this all entailed. Tarot was much easier to pick up for me than this was. But I have to say, the book by Christopher Butler, that comes with this deck, is just outstanding. I know some people say the font is too small but I deal with that easily. I wish it had a few keywords at the top if the text, and that is my only niggle with it. Wonderfully insightful book. Love it.

The deck comes with a 96 page book and a deck of 36 Lenormand cards plus two extra Man and Woman cards, in case you want to add these extra cards into your deck. It also comes with the traditional Schiffer card, which as I have mentioned in other reviews, I have actually pulled the Schiffer card in a reading. It's funny when you do that. But I usually go with the flow and interpret as I see fit in the moment. But I digress, the box this deck comes with is a fantastic hard box with a magnetic closure. It is very durable and should last for a long time.

From what I understand Christopher was influenced by Marie-Anne Lenormand, who was a great celebrity fortune telling during the Napoleonic era. She created this whole Lenormand and Cartomancy movemenrt. This deck is an updated version of her original deck. The cards are very abstract and take a minute to look at in order to discover what the nature of the card is. Take the snake for example. The snake image is a bit in silhouette. If you don't know that #7 card is the Snake, it might take you a bit of time getting used to the artwork. But I like this new take on Lenormand. And since it is my first Lenormand deck, I am finding it close to my heart.

Christopher Butler has also created the Quantum Tarot in conjunction with Lo Scarabeo and Kay Stopforth and the Son Tarot published in 2012.

This is a wonderful deck, the card stock is nice if not a tad bit too laminated, but I find it easy to use and just a joy to play with. I hope you decide to check it out.

This deck is published by Schiffer Publishing and you can find it on their website www.schifferbooks.com or on Amazon.com.

I received this deck as gratis from Schiffer. But the views and opinions of this deck are surely my own.

Pay attention to gossipy friends

Victorian Fairy Tarot

Lunaea Weatherstone 

Art by Gary Lippincott

Four of summer (cups)

This card is saying to me that it's okay to take a break and rest but don't let the Illusions in life fool you and keep you from going for an opportunity that is ripe for the picking. Watch others emotions. Their emotions are a reflection of you today or how you were feeling yesterday. These are part of the Illusions as well.

Three of winter (swords) 

this card is usually about heartache and pain but the image tells me another story. this is feeling more like the seven of swords by way of the women gossiping and bad mouthing the obvious success of another person. So this asks which  person are you? The gossipy lady or the star. People are listening to the gossip so watch out. 

Knight of Summer (Cups)

Knight of winter (Swords)

This is an experience of opposites. There will be someone coming in who will bring clarity and happiness and will be your protector and will slay those dragons of your life. Could also suggest be two people coming in. Both are here to teach you something.

The Conjuror ( The Magician)

You have all you need to move forward in your life. So it is time to start creating that great life and living it. 

My Take:

So, what does is this all mean when we put it all together? There are Illusions in our lives that we would swear on our dead grandmother's grave was true and valid. These illusions are keeping you from going for those true opportunities that are available to you.

You play game on stage when you fall into the Illusion's trap. And those who are working with the dark ones of this world think it's a funny type of game to keep you confused, distracted, and off your path. It may take the help of like-minded friends to swoop in and save the day by banishing the illusions and showing you how you've been deceived. But in the end it all leads to a place where you are more the creator than you have ever been before. You will have all you need to move forward.

Tarot Tuesday

I pulled these cards for myself this morning from my Mystic Dreamer Tarot deck. The first card, 9 of Swords, is all about how you have had a tough time recently and been through many trials and yet you are still standing looking at your experience and deciding if you want to journey forward again or move to a different experience. This stress won't be helped by conflict coming in today. Some sort of misunderstanding with others over creative things, ideas, etc. But stay true to your own divine spark of inspiration because later in the day you will be getting a great new "ah-ha" moment that will bring all this conflict into focus. Now you will know why all has happened lately and what your part in it is.

Blessings.

Murder In The Choir Room oracle Speaks 2/10

I pulled a reading by choosing various numbers from my kooky, often ookie Murder in the Choir Room oracle. Today I got the cards COLTON ANDERS, INJURY and LIAR/LYING.

I feel compelled to recall my incident from yesterday which I blogged about in the previous blog posting on this my inspirational blog creative-you.blogspot.com. Maybe something like that happened to you this week as well.

COLTON ANDERS
I get the whole Page of Wands feel with this card, so going by the image I chose when designing this card I'd say that the yellow in his shirt represents clarity, the electronic device is distraction and him being a teen says to me that this is a youthful/inner child issue. It also speaks of not doing what people think you should be doing. So, something occurred that was out of the ordinary for you, and this issue is now distracting you from your clarity in life or whatever you had previously been seeking.

INJURY
As it says in the description, something has thrown you off course, and this is causing you pain. You didn't see it coming. It was unexpected and unplanned for. But now you have to deal with it in the now, the present moment. It's not fun and you don't really like it.

LIAR/LYING
Looks like a bit of gossip is now circulating due to the youthful, zesty thing you did earlier that took everyone by surprise. And now gossip is going the way, as gossip does, to the over-blown, exaggeration level.  So now what you did has been taken way out of proportion and made to look damaging on your character and this may effect something in your life, like a job or promotion.

Overall, I hope this isn't a reading for me, generally speaking, considering I just did a silly, out of character thing. I spouted off to a co-worker and told them to go-away. But if I take me out of the picture, I'd say that you will gain clarity by getting rid of distractions that aren't leading you to your path or your best life. Look for the unexpected, or expect the unexpected to crop up this week and keep your eyes peeled for those pesky people who like to talk, talk, talk. You may have to explain your position over and over this week. But don't go to that angry place, Be nice and you will come out aces.