Positions in the Grand Tableau

This morning I drew an 8X8X4 GT and the Lady card fell as the seventh card in the second row. I am confused as to how this affects the other cards in the GT. Is most everything in the past and the only cards I need to be concerned about are the cards above, below, and to the right of the Lady, or do I read all the cards no matter where the Lady falls?

I drew the GT for a time period of six months. Would it be best to scrape this GT and do a 12 month GT?

If you are interested in reading the cards with the traditional methods, you read the cards as they fall. When the significator falls toward the end of a row as you say the Lady has landed as the 7th card in the row, it usually indicates that there are issues to be resolved that are fairly important to her immediate future. However, you will find many other opinions here that are counter to the traditional methods.

If you are interested in learning traditional methods, you can rely on this book by an author who learned through information handed down through his family.

Tag_jorrit said:

If you are interested in reading the cards with the traditional methods, you read the cards as they fall.

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Thank you.

Tag_jorrit said:

When the significator falls toward the end of a row as you say the Lady has landed as the 7th card in the row, it usually indicates that there are issues to be resolved that are fairly important to her immediate future.

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I was viewing the cards to the left as issues that are in the past... therefore I ignored them.... but that shaped the future. Your statement makes more sense.

Tag_jorrit said:

If you are interested in learning traditional methods, you can rely on this book by an author who learned through information handed down through his family.

Click to expand...

I ordered Andy's book a few weeks ago and spent hours deciphering a GT with his methods and interpretations. My first book on Lenormand was Rana George. Her card interpretations leave room for a more upbeat reading. For example: Rana leaves room for a harvesting/reaping rewards with the Scythe card (depending on surrounding positive cards, of course) that Andy's interpretation does not allow for. I can see why Rana would be so popular with newbies to Lenormand such as myself.

I very much want to learn a traditional method of reading. I am very much considering purchasing Caitlin Matthews new book due out next month and to see what she offers. No worries, I will definitely be prowling Andy's book again.

Caitlin's LWB -- actually very large -- for her Enchanted Lenormand although not nearly as comprehensive as her new one will be, and is also very good, on Amazon.

Not all of life's events are upbeat. There are positive cards, neutral cards and negative cards. But when you think of the Scythe, cutting something out of your life may not always be a bad thing! But the most important thing when you are learning is to pick a teacher (and meanings) and stick with him/her while you are learning. That way you won't get murky readings.

Andy's book is very special because his book is the only one in English that carefully and thoroughly explains the distance method of reading a GT that was/is used by French-influenced readers. You don't need to do the distance reading while you are learning, that may only lead to further confusion -- or not -- but it's something to consider with more experience if you put off using that method. Not sure what Caitlin's new book will cover.

Tag_jorrit said:

Andy's book is very special because his book is the only one in English that carefully and thoroughly explains the distance method of reading a GT that was/is used by French-influenced readers. You don't need to do the distance reading while you are learning, that may only lead to further confusion -- or not -- but it's something to consider with more experience if you put off using that method.

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Yes, I am finding Andy's distance method of reading to be rather confusing. I am very new to Lenormand and need a lot more study and experience before tackling Andy's method.

Aaarrgghhh. I don't usually barge in here, but this one is near and dear to my heart. There will be a blog post. Soon.

If you're reading GTs, you're already using the distance method, though you probably don't call it that. You're just seeing the obvious thing. Which it is.

You want the good cards near the person card, and the bad cards far from it - there are a couple of exceptions, but for the most part the rule holds.

Grab the Lady or Gent for your significator, then put, say, Coffin, Scythe, Clouds, Whips around it - bit of a recoil, no? You want those things off away from you, because the cards that are close to you are the ones that have the strongest effect in the reading. Try looking at your card surrounded with Sun, Bouquet, Stars, Heart - much better, isn't it?

That's pretty much the principle. Andy goes into a lot of depth in his book with specifics, but the gist of it - just what I've told you here. I hope it makes sense.

Chanah said:

"If you are reading the GT you are already using the near/far method."

I read the GT, and do not use the near/far method.

Izzydunne said:

Chanah said:

"If you are reading the GT you are already using the near/far method."

I read the GT, and do not use the near/far method.

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Then I amend my statement. Most readers who read the GT determine how strong the effect of a card will be on the person by how close it is to the person card.

Izzy, you apparently do something else. What? You have me curious.

I'm curious too.

Rana George says to box the querent's card making it a nine card spread. She says to box the other indicator cards such as the Tree for health, House for the state of the home, Bear for finances, etc, but when I do so, do I have to keep in mind how near or far the cards are from the querent's card or simply read each indicator boxed as its own a nine card spread?

Good question! It's like this: a reading is set for a period of time, and not everything in your life is going to be of equal importance during that time. You could be really focussed on your career, but in your home life - nothing exceptional is going to happen, it'll just be day-to-day routine for the most part. Say that your significator is over on the right with Fishes (money), Moon (honours or recognition that usually comes from career these days), Anchor (stability, also relates to career), and over there way on the left is the House. Career will have a lot happening, your household - not so much.

Or maybe the Tree is far away from you - health is not a big concern, as it would be when it is close.

You can still glean something from reading the cards around the House or the Tree, sure - but whatever it is, it's not going to affect you as much as the job stuff does during this period, and people's lives don't usually have a lot of important events in all areas at all times. Which is good, because the stress would just be too much.

Does that help?