Lenormand Starter Deck Recommendations - Please :-)

I like the Enchanted Lenormand. It has lovely art and the companion book explains how to read the cards in a clear and concise manner. It's also cheaper than the average Lenormand deck IME.

Although, the images are less crisp and clear than the decks that have been recommended in this thread so far.

goldenVI said:

How funny, this is the same website I referenced in my initial post up top. I didn't make the connection or don't know who Tag is, lol!

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that IS funny! i didn't notice that you had already posted that link from
Tag's website. She is AT's tag_jorrit

And i agree--any Dondorf Lenormand is great for beginners...but they are still
my personal favorite. There are some beauties! My personal favorite is the Blue Dondorf,
which i no longer see listed on tag's site. But really--any Dondorf!

Just a few things to consider when you are looking for a deck to learn with.

For a starter deck, it's hard to find a new one that has correct symbols on it. When you are learning and have to translate the picture that you see into something different it doesn't aid in learning to read the cards. I haven't seen all of them, but every new deck I have seen has at least 1 wonky card.

For example, the Rider or Cavalier. The Rider is a messenger bringing news. He is also male and perhaps a lover, or an athletic young man. It doesn't help to learn if you have a woman or child on a horse/ camel/ goat.

The Park/ Garden. The Park/ Garden represents your social circle, people you hang out with, your acquaintances and the general public. Back in the days when the meanings were assigned to the cards, a park was a place where people went to meet and socialize if they didn't go to taverns or someone's house. A card that shows a nicely landscaped personal garden with lovely flowers and a inviting swing does nothing to offer clues to the meaning of the card.

The Paths/ Crossroads. This card is about decisions, choices. What direction will you take, consider your options. Or 2 of something. When you have a single track that goes off into the distance it doesn't illustrate the meaning of the card.

The Tower. The Tower is about isolation, or authority -- something official. In the old days a tower was a place where someone was imprisoned, and housed official offices. Having a card illustrating a clock tower or a tourist attraction is not the same thing.

These are the main cards that come to mind when I look at a deck and pass on it. Of course it's just my opinion but I would suggest that, if you don't want to make your own deck from playing cards, you get deck that you get a Blue, Red or White Owl, Piatnik, or any deck deck from 1940 or earlier. JMHO

Tag_jorrit said:

Just a few things to consider when you are looking for a deck to learn with.

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You make some good points, but I also believe things are not so black-and-white. For instance, in this post, as an experiment, I try applying the same parameters to the Dondorf deck that we might apply to a modern deck.

I started with Titania's Fortune Telling Cards, the cards are so simple! the symbols are brightly coloured or on some of the cards are polarised (it's slightly pop arty). It comes in a set with a book with it. I found it great as a beginner and it has nothing else on the cards which clutter it. for a long time it was my deck with the most accurate readings. In the last year I feel it's too simple, I like quite artistic Lenormands now but I would recommend it.

danieljuk said:

I started with Titania's Fortune Telling Cards, the cards are so simple! the symbols are brightly coloured or on some of the cards are polarised (it's slightly pop arty). It comes in a set with a book with it. I found it great as a beginner and it has nothing else on the cards which clutter it. for a long time it was my deck with the most accurate readings. In the last year I feel it's too simple, I like quite artistic Lenormands now but I would recommend it.

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Lol, in the description of this set they say Lenormand is easier and more fun than the tarot! Oh, what have I been missing all these years, darn it! ;-)

The images are fun though, thanks! Was the book a good one to learn Lenormand?

Lee said:

You make some good points, but I also believe things are not so black-and-white. For instance, in this post, as an experiment, I try applying the same parameters to the Dondorf deck that we might apply to a modern deck.

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You make a good point in your other post. The difference in the older cards the symbols are prominent and the other stuff is really quite small and much less significant. In many of the new decks you have, say, a Clover but it is held by a much larger human figure. Or there is such an abundance of extraneous bright and busy illustration that the symbols don't pop out.

Another interesting thing that appears in the Phillipe LeNormand directions that accompanied all the decks up until the recent ones was a reference to trees. Many cards have trees and the presence of trees adjacent to theme cards can influence the reading of the cards when the ones that are close to those cards contain trees. You can find trees, in the Dondorf deck, in the Park as well as the House, and a few others.

I agree with a lot of the points made by Lee and Tag_jorrit. I generally look for unambiguous symbols (except in a couple of exceptions), and that's what I'd strongly recommend for a first deck.

But it doesn't have to be "antique art". One of my favorite decks is the Zingdoodle deck (available from the artist, Rootweaver, on Etsy). The symbols are clear, simple, and unambiguous, but rendered in a much more modern, colorful, fun style.

The only tiny quibble I have with that deck -- and it truly is a *tiny* quibble -- is the Garden card, which looks to me more like a flower garden than a place to socialize.

I recently got a Game of Hope reproduction deck. I was really interested in seeing how the original images relate to the current meanings. For the most part, I think it's pretty clear. The one exception is the Birds card, which shows a single bird and, therefore, isn't quite as clearly about "communication" to me. But I can still see it, because of the general idea of birdsong.

There are also a couple of cards that I think are interesting in light of modern interpretations.
The Fox card shows a fox stalking a chicken -- which, to me, evokes the idea of doing what you need to do to survive and provide for your family. (Although I can certainly also see the interpretation of stealth.)

The Tree card shows 3 trees, rather than 1. They look to me like 2 evergreens and 1 deciduous tree.

The Mice card shows a single mouse -- but it's on a table, nibbling on some kind of people-food (bread or meat, maybe). So I can still see the interpretation of loss.

The Cloud card does not have obvious lighter and darker sides, like the clouds on many of the more recent decks do.

Overall, though, going back to the original or to a deck that represents the original symbols faithfully, regardless of the style of art, is very important while you're learning.

Tag_jorrit said:

In many of the new decks you have, say, a Clover but it is held by a much larger human figure.

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I agree, that's one pet peeve of mine, I really don't like to see objects that were originally the center of attention on their card being shrunk down and held/worn by a person.

Another interesting thing that appears in the Phillipe LeNormand directions that accompanied all the decks up until the recent ones was a reference to trees. Many cards have trees and the presence of trees adjacent to theme cards can influence the reading of the cards when the ones that are close to those cards contain trees. You can find trees, in the Dondorf deck, in the Park as well as the House, and a few others.

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That's an interesting thought, one might do the same with the various mountains in the Dondorf.

goldenVI said:

Lol, in the description of this set they say Lenormand is easier and more fun than the tarot! Oh, what have I been missing all these years, darn it! ;-)

The images are fun though, thanks! Was the book a good one to learn Lenormand?

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When I got into Lenormand there wasn't so much out there to buy, there is many books now and so many decks! Titania's is definitely very modern and non traditional in theme. Her products are always beautifully packaged and made. It has a book as part of the "package" which I did learn my first Lenormand basics from. It was useful for a starting point for me but there is probably much better teaching books. I still sometimes look up meanings in it as a reference though. It doesn't have every combo in there though which is a pain when learning but gives you ideas to form your own opinions. Here is an old AT thread with some of the ideas of the cards and combos from the book. I wouldn't use is as a learning manual but it is a good starting guide. In some ways I think Lenormand is easier and more fun when you get to gripes with it! It gives you a quicker answer but I think (my personal view) Tarot goes deeper!