I didn't mean to say that the Lenormand deck isn't spiritual. But if one has guides, by whatever name, they can be represented by a spirit guide card or an angel card or a power animal card, and possibly by an ancestor card, depending on your frame of reference and beliefs. I really don't see how they'd mind the generalization. With only 36 or 40 cards, I just can't see why they'd choose THOSE four to add, when those concepts could share a card. I met my first guide over twenty years ago. I call him, alternately, an animal guide, a totem animal, a power animal, or any of several other words. He doesn't give a hoot what label I call him by, and certainly doesn't need three (or potentially four) cards to represent him and his companions.
ETA: Just re-read my post several posts above. What I meant by "in a spiritual direction" is that there are now three or four cards that all represent what, in my opinion, are related concepts. That stacks the deck to that general concept in general. I hope I'm making some sense to others.
you do make sense and i understand what your saying, i just see that it adds to the deck.
often see the Power animal card to mean more base instinct card, and also i see the moon as timing, not so much the concept of animal guides , but more of the nature of animals how they link to nature.
i must say that totems and guides and angels can be fairly different when you work with them, i work with various guides and totems and i can see why you could have differnt cards.
All types of guides work in a different way which is what i think they are trying to do with the concept, the angels i work with are different, so are guides, to animals, and also loved ones. yes you could just have one card but for me it wouldnt be enough...i have guides /angels that work with me for different reasons...for instance if the angel card shows up i know that its refering to a different form of energy and that its linked to past life stuff, i know that the power animal card is talking more about nature, and i know the ancestors is showing me things that my loved ones are helping with...also ancestors i know is personal to me (where other cards could mean helping others).
so i guess what i am saying is, that many people have different types of guides for different things, and this helps me work out who is helping what area, i have 49 guides currently working with me, which doesnt include Angelic help or loved ones, other peoples loved ones, or the people who pop up to test drive me in trance mediumship or help me with particular learning.
I noticed recently that the SP card help told me i was having a new guide, and the power animal card showed me that she is going to help me work with moon energy