Agreed. I would rather explore a well-researched and knowledgeable blog than watch a video. I guess that makes me an anachronism.
Yes exactly re: the last few posts (Le Fanu, Lee & Astraea)... I mean, especially for anyone new walking into the Lenormand world, which would be me, it's very very difficult to parse out what is traditional or a long-standing school of thought and what is a personal 'quirk' for lack of better term.. To be honest, sitting on sidelines focusing entirely on Tarot I had no idea Lenormand was such a small community. I'd hear of it a lot here and there but actual readers, diff thing entirely. Dunno how that works, maybe the fewer are the loudest, but that's been my experience.
Of all the English-language books on Lenormand, my opinion is that Andy Boroveshengra's 36 Cards hews closest to the tradition as he sees it, since that was one of his stated purposes, both when he was posting here and in the introduction to the book. Much of what he does is based on the "Phillipe Lenormand Sheet," probably the original "Little White Book."
I just acquired his book today. I see what you mean. On cursory glance it seems to be well thought out. I'm anxious to delve in.
I'm not yet sure what it is, too new, but the Lenormand linguistic approach seems to be involving another aspect of just what I'm not yet sure, my conciousness?, hard to describe, another way of using intuition? I see Andy is making attempt to draw the connection.
So you're saying there may be books in other languages that have lots to offer along these lines? They'd just need translating then I would think.
I'd advise against choosing any particular one based solely on a reputation for historical authenticity, because in my opinion, all such claims are to a certain extent subjective and overblown.
I like watching well-made cartomancy videos because cards are a visual medium and it helps me to see reviews and actual layouts - when the person genuinely knows what he or she is talking about, that is. My main pet peeve is not so much the technical quality of a video, but the dubious knowledge base of many people who make instructional videos. Quite a few YouTubers don't know enough about card history, systems and divinatory practices to know that they don't know much. A few days of googling do not an expert make. And the same can be said of writers in these areas. Caveat emptor all around!
Exactly. That's it in a nutshell. It's so easy to be an expert and Lenormand has become a bit of a free for all. I tend to stick with a very small number of trusted books. The wider you throw your net, the more confused you'll get - I honestly think that's the case with Lenormand. There are people who have worked out a meaning they like and they then present it as something authentic and definitive. I'm all for working out your own meanings but feel free to keep them to yourself. I just want to know historically what's what with the Lenormand-. Then I'll decide my take on it.
