Astro Mythological Lenormand Deck - help please

Hi,

After years of using the Rider Waite deck, I've just starting learning the Astro Mythological Lenormand deck. It's complex but satisfying!!

I can't seem to find any advice on how to interpret the letters of the alphabet that appear in the upper right hand corer of the cards.

I'd be so grateful if anyone could help me out here!

Many thanks!

Cristal

Ohh, the Astro Mythological is a complex deck indeed. I have two books about in in French, and while it has given me interesting readings, I don't manage to use it without the books because it's kinda complicated. All that imagery.

Jean Didier in his book "Le Livre du Grand Jeu de Mlle Lenormand" assigns a couple of meanings to each letter. If you want, I can translate them and post a list with those meanings

Dicta and Françoise, on the other hand, say that the letters are part of a hidden alphabet put in the card by it's creator. Each letter corresponds t a number that you use to do some calculations in order to find out how many card you deal, depending on the situation. The book explains it well, but it's kinda complicated for me to explain here without making your head explode, lol

Their book is the "Le Tarot de Mademoiselle Lenormand". The method of calculating things depends on who you are reading to: yourself, another person that is with you, another person that isn't with you but has given you the permission to read and a person who doesn't know you are reading about them (the authors don't recommend doing the last one).

You don't even use directly the letters in the cards - they provide all tables with letters and numbers that you need. Apparently they have studied the deck and found there was a coded alphabet in them. I'm not sure if that's how the creator of the deck used the letters, but they have consulted some book by Lenormand herself, so maybe it isn't so off the wall as it seems. We know these old parlor games were full of game-like rules.

I'll see if i can post the list of meanings according to Didier later

Marina, thank you!!

Ah...the mystery deepens. I keep coming across interesting sounding books on the subject....in French!

I now feel better that I'm not really overlooking something in the cards - although the chart you've offered to post would be wonderful.

They ARE complex but I find that they are at their best when interpreted simply. My best readings are when I avoid over complicating things.

I usually do a reading first with the Rider Waite and then follow it up with a reading with these cards. I find they have a sense of immediacy about them.

Again, enormous thanks for your very considered post!!

Best wishes,
Cristal

Hi Cristal!

Here's the list. These meanings came from Jean Didier's book Le Livre du Grand Jeu de Mlle Lenormand, they are not mine! I'm not sure if they make sense, but they may be helpful and give you food for thought

A - Enthusiasm, autonomy, initiative
B - Sensibility, introversion, inconstancy
C - Expression, liveliness, inventiveness
D - Determination, decision, tenacity
E - Mobility, curiosity, expression, anxiety
F - Adaptation, balance, responsibility
G - Efficacy, concentration, analyze
H - Ambition, determination, opportunity
I - Passion, idealism, inspiration
J - Creativity, intelligence, loyalty
K - Power, resolve, impulsiveness
L - Versatility, obstinacy, exigency, social sense
M - Stubbornness, difficulty of expressing oneself, diligence
N - Energy, organization, adaptability, strategy
O - Will, obstinacy, dependence
P - Discretion, calm, reason, logic
Q - Impetuosity, imprudence, courage
R - Belligerence, provocation, impatience
S - Skill, independence, creativity
T - Diplomacy, duality, collaboration, confusion
U - Utopia, idealism, insistence, faith
V - Mastery, inspiration, construction,
X - Illusion, ambivalence
Z - Organization, power, inspiration

Phew! Here it is. He assigns the same letter to more than one card. Truth be told, I never cared much about these letters. I just used them as Dicta and Françoise teach, together with the tables they provide in their book. It's not complicated, but since it is one method for each kind of sitter, it can get quite long to explain - if there's interest, I can try to explain it here.

Still, I prefer the more complicated (and fun!) method by Dicta & Françoise than this list of keywords that personally don't make much sense to me :/

But for the sake of information, here it is

Oh, Marina,

ENORMOUS thanks for this really comprehensive reply! I see what you mean about the complexity in the interpretation of the letters.....there is already so much to identify in these cards. I had hoped that 'reading' the letters would be more straightforward. No such luck!!

Yet, this list is v helpful. I so appreciate your knowledge - I'm usually fairly resourceful but I've been a stymied on this occasion!

I'm v grateful for your response - huge thanks!

Best wishes,
CX

Marina said:

Still, I prefer the more complicated (and fun!) method by Dicta & Françoise than this list of keywords that personally don't make much sense to me :/

But for the sake of information, here it is

Click to expand...

Ohhh, I'd be interested to know this Dicta & Françoise method. I only have one book on the Astro Mythological Tarot and it's more of a dictionnary than a good guide (Didier, justement). So I'd be curious to see anything you couldn't point us to... Mmmm. . . I guess I'll go check out the book online to see if I can't find it.

Merci!

Cristal said:

OYet, this list is v helpful. I so appreciate your knowledge - I'm usually fairly resourceful but I've been a stymied on this occasion!

Click to expand...

I'm glad that this is somehow helpful to you. I know how difficult it is to find info about the Astro Mythological Lenormand, so I'm here to help

lord_ewin said:

Ohhh, I'd be interested to know this Dicta & Françoise method. I only have one book on the Astro Mythological Tarot and it's more of a dictionnary than a good guide (Didier, justement). So I'd be curious to see anything you couldn't point us to... Mmmm. . . I guess I'll go check out the book online to see if I can't find it.

Merci!

Click to expand...

No problem, I'll do my best to translate it well and post a brief version or it here I'll try to do it over the weekend, when I have more time!

Try to find the book if you can. It was published by Ed. Mercure de France. I have attached a picture of the cover

Marina!!

Thanks so much for your post....an enlightenment re this complex deck will be gratefully received! I'm amazed there isn't more written about the deck, as it is LOADED with information....

Again, huge thanks!!

Cristal XX

Marina said:

... but they have consulted some book by Lenormand herself...

Click to expand...

I'd be curious to get a copy of those... I wonder if they're even available!? Hmmm.... duno if the pages would even survive a thourough scanning session!

Marina said:

No problem, I'll do my best to translate it well and post a brief version or it here I'll try to do it over the weekend, when I have more time!

Click to expand...

You wouldn't have to translate it for me..! but I'm sure the others would appreciate it. LOL. I agree, it's too bad there isn't more about this particular deck, which even with only the definitions gives you excellent results. Heck, it's rather precise too whenever you get those L'Or du Temps (??) cards to calculate with.

Ohh!! And thanks for the pic.

Lord E, I'm with you.....it would be super great if Marina could enlighten us even more!! This is a great deck and it would be fabulous to know more about them....MXX