Adding cards together

I didn't even know this was a thing until this week, but apparently you can add the cards together, like basic numerology, and get another card.

What is everyone's thoughts on this technique? I have been wary on using it, since it seems it can turn a positive reading negative, and vice versa.

However, at times, it seems it can bring more insight to a reading.

I rarely do this but I like it. Give it a try. It can't hurt to gibe you a little bit of a different perspective on what you asked the cards.

In her book, Caitlin Matthews talks about adding the playing card insert numbers together. (Apparently they are assigned specific numbers.) Some of my decks do not have playing card inserts, so I have not explored that option. Does sound interesting.

How far do you reduce the number total? If I get a total of 25 should I reduce it to 7? 25 is the Ring and 7 is the Snake. Would this not give me a different interpretation of the reading? Do I use both the Snake and the Ring to interpret the reading?

What are the rules for summing the cards?

I add it all up to one card. I am not sure I am doing it the traditional way though.

conurelover said:

I add it all up to one card. I am not sure I am doing it the traditional way though.

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But if you do that, would that not limit your summation to cards 1 through 9?

Is summing the cards by number traditional?

We each need to find out own way to read that resonates with us and gives us accurate results. I've only been working with Lenormand for several months now. The near and far technique does not resonate with me at this time. At one time I stayed as far from the grand tableau as possible. Now I love it!

Village Witch said:

But if you do that, would that not limit your summation to cards 1 through 9?

Is summing the cards by number traditional?

We each need to find out own way to read that resonates with us and gives us accurate results. I've only been working with Lenormand for several months now. The near and far technique does not resonate with me at this time. At one time I stayed as far from the grand tableau as possible. Now I love it!

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Me too! I didn't like it at first and now I love it! Its alsmot time to do November's GT!

Village Witch said:

In her book, Caitlin Matthews talks about adding the playing card insert numbers together. (Apparently they are assigned specific numbers.) Some of my decks do not have playing card inserts, so I have not explored that option. Does sound interesting.

How far do you reduce the number total? If I get a total of 25 should I reduce it to 7? 25 is the Ring and 7 is the Snake. Would this not give me a different interpretation of the reading? Do I use both the Snake and the Ring to interpret the reading?

What are the rules for summing the cards?

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I use both as if they had come in a pair. Snake + Ring could be problems with marriage, intestinal obstruction (volvulus, for instance), marriage for money, etc.

Village Witch said:

But if you do that, would that not limit your summation to cards 1 through 9?

Is summing the cards by number traditional?

We each need to find out own way to read that resonates with us and gives us accurate results. I've only been working with Lenormand for several months now. The near and far technique does not resonate with me at this time. At one time I stayed as far from the grand tableau as possible. Now I love it!

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i know, i love grand tableau too! lmao

i must've missed the part where caitlin says to add numbers. I didn't know she meant the playing card numbers, most people i've seen have been adding the lenormand card numbers. Also, i only reduced until i got a number 1-36, and not further, although analuisa brings up a good point of using a pair of numbers.

i agree with you conurelover, i will give this a bit more thought, it may be helpful!

I guess in a way I'm a bit of a purist. I like combining cards into sentences, and that's pretty much all I like. One of the things I enjoy about Lenormand is being able to escape for a while from complicated esoteric practices involving numerology, cabala, astrology etc.

Lee said:

I guess in a way I'm a bit of a purist. I like combining cards into sentences, and that's pretty much all I like. One of the things I enjoy about Lenormand is being able to escape for a while from complicated esoteric practices involving numerology, cabala, astrology etc.

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I think we are on the same page Lee

I think there is a risk that you are using systems within systems just for the sake of it. By doing so, the flow and feel for the reading goes, as you use the other side of your brain to do maths or create pathways that are not always necesary. I also think there is a risk the reading goes off on a tangent in a direction it doesn't need to.

I am not saying these methods are pointless - I know they are of value to readers who use them, but I am not trying to get blood out of a stone when I do a reading. I just don't feel the need to use every and any permutation (mirroring, adding, knighting etc) on a system that is muted to be straightforward.

My thought is this: If the whip card is relevant it will appear somewhere in the layout or line up. I will not force it into being by applying numerology.

Just my take. I love how we can all adopt whatever method we feel is relevant to us as an individual, and it still works well and gives the right information. So no criticism on my part - just a thought to those starting out who may feel they need to make the whole thing more complicated than it needs to be.