Lenormand Astrology Spread: How Will I Meet My December Love?

In October I did a 12 Month Lenormand Card Spread for my friend Heidi to determine when she would meet her Mr. Right. The Heart card predicted a December romance.  For the past week, as we’ve been edging into the month of December, Heidi has begun hounding me again for additional information about her new man.  She wants to know how and where she will meet him.  I keep reminding Heidi that the cards showed  the December romance would be only a temporary fling, but she is still anxious to learn more about the guy.

In order to shut her up, last night I agreed to do another reading for Heidi about her December love interest. I figured it would be another opportunity to try the Lenormand Astrology Spread. The layout works so well for locating lost objects, I though it would be a great method for pinpointing the location where Heidi will meet her December beau.

I set my intention that the Lenormand Gentleman card would represent the gentleman in question, and asked “Where will Heidi meet her December beau?” I dealt the cards into the twelve houses of the astrology wheel beginning with the first house, and proceeding counter-clockwise until I had circled the wheel three times, depositing a total of three cards into each astrological house.

The signifier (the Gentleman) fell into the 5th house of entertainment and recreation. Heidi will meet her beau someplace where she goes to relax and enjoy herself. The two cards that fell with the Gentleman are the Birds and the Garden.

The Garden confirms that Heidi will meet the new guy in a public place, surrounded by lots of other people. The Birds suggest talk and communication, so we might assume a noisy place filled with people and conversations, such as a bar or nightclub. The Birds might also suggest sales and negotiations.  So another possibility would be a retail location, perhaps where the man works.

The Garden can refer to any place where crowds gather, and the 5th house would narrow the location to specific places where people go to have fun. That would include bars, nightclubs, restaurants, theaters, sporting events, resorts, casinos, or even a party. The Birds could specifically point to concerts, lectures, or anywhere people go to listen to entertainment.

These cards can also describe the man in the context of their meeting. The birds suggest someone with good conversational skills, and the Garden indicates someone popular and outgoing. It strikes me that these traits could describe a bartender. In any case, the Birds suggest that the man will initiate contact, and I have an image of him chatting up Heidi over the din of a busy nightclub.

Heidi asked if the cards provide a clue about the man’s physical appearance, or something else specific about him.  I didn’t see any physical descriptions in these cards, so I drew a standard No Layout spread to pick up some clues on the man’s physical characteristics, personality traits, and general disposition.  Again, I set my intention that the Gentleman card would represent the December beau, and asked the cards to describe him.

I was surprised and disconcerted to see the Birds appear again in this reading. My immediate impression was that the combination of Birds and House on the left shows the possibility that the man is already settled in an existing relationship. Heidi’s previous reading predicted commitment issues with this December romance, and so it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that the man is currently living with someone else.  We can only hope that the Birds merely confirm the fact that the new beau has good communication skills, and that the House is showing that he’s financially stable.

The two cards that flank the Gentleman card should provide the strongest testimony for a physical description. The House shows a stocky frame, and represents medium coloring, light-brown or dark-blond hair, and light eyes.  The House can also denote facial hair. Heidi prefers darker, lean, clean-shaven men, so she was not thrilled with this description.

The Letter represents the fingers and hands, so my intuition tells me there is something distinctive about the man’s hands that will attract Heidi’s attention.  Heidi is worried that this could indicate some kind of disfigurement, but the Heart is such a good card that my impression is that the man’s hands will be an attractive quality. The Letter also confirms the good communication skills.

I find it interesting that the Heart card appears in the spread because it was the Heart that predicted the romance.  In describing the man the Heart indicates that he is generous, loving and compassionate, and it also confirms his lighter coloring. Whatever his current arrangement, the Heart card shows that he’s looking for love.

I advised Heidi to keep her eyes peeled for a stocky, light-haired, light-eyed man with distinctive hands and facial hair while she’s out and about nightclub hopping. She reiterated that the description does not match her “type” of man. I also warned Heidi that the man may be living with someone when they meet.  Heidi says that’s three strikes, if we include the “creepy” hands. I think she wishes now that she never pushed for another reading.  In any case, with three strikes against it, this reading will be an excellent test for the predictive power of the Lenormand cards.

Update December 18, 2011:
Heidi is convinced that she has met her December beau. His name is ryan, but he’s not stocky and he isn’t sporting any facial hair. He is tall and lanky and clean-shaven, but he is light-haired. I think it’s reasonable that not all of the attributes associated with the House would necessarily apply; other than the lighter coloring.

Heidi did meet him in a public place where he works, exactly as predicted. He’s a barista at the Starbucks inside the local Barnes & Noble. The thing that has Heidi convinced that Ryan is “the one” is his hands. She noticed his hands immediately, and she says he has the sexiest hands she’s ever seen operating an espresso machine.

Ryan hasn’t actually asked Heidi out yet, but he did chat her up while he was making her Skinny Caramel Macchiato the first time they met, and afterward she noticed him watching her from across the bookstore. He was even friendlier this morning when she went in for another macchiato with an extra shot, and afterward he caught her eye with a smile while she was browsing the Romance section adjacent to the café.

Now I have to pull some cards to see if he’ll ask her out the next time she goes in, or if she needs to make the first move before she becomes jittery from drinking too much coffee. <sigh> 

The Lenormand Entrepreneurial Spread – Breaking into the Real Estate Business

My sister Renée  just passed the state exam for her real estate license. She is now a licensed sales associate, and looking forward to joining a real estate firm and working under a licensed broker. Renée will earn a commission on the properties she sells, but ultimately she is an entrepreneur, responsible for the success or failure of her own business.

In a previous reading titled Pass or Fail the Lenormand cards predicted that Renée would pass the real estate exam if she redoubled her efforts. She took the advice to heart, and was grateful for the motivation and positive outcome.  Now Renée wants to know what the cards predict regarding her chances of successfully navigating the real estate industry.

The Entrepreneurial Spread

For Renée’s reading I am using the Entrepreneurial Spread. I borrowed this spread from a gifted and talented tarot reader named Corbie Mitleid who creates magic when she spreads her cards.  She inspired me to try her Entrepreneurial Spread with the Lenormand cards.

I shuffled the Lenormand cards while focusing on my sister’s real estate business. Then I fanned the cards face down on the table, and randomly chose one card for each position in the spread.  That is how I like to work, but there’s no reason why you couldn’t deal the nine cards right off the top of the shuffled deck, if that’s how you prefer to work.

1 ) The Tree: the first card of the Entrepreneurial Spread represents my sister’s energy in relation to the business.  The Tree shows that her business approach is both sound and sensible.  She has set realistic goals, and she is ready now to grow her business. The Tree also refers to spiritual matters in my readings. I sense a soul connection for my sister in this field of work. I believe real estate is the profession Renée is meant to pursue, and it’s a job in which she can excel easily.

2 ) The Dog: card two of the spread represents the overall energy of the business.  The Dog signifies a friendly business. This card is about reliability, trust and service, and that should be my sister’s motto for the new business.  The focus needs to be on providing quality service. Sadly, real estate agents, like used car salesmen, have a reputation for not always being ethical. In truth, sales is as much about selling yourself as about selling your product. If Renée can sell herself as friendly, reliable and trustworthy, she will build a successful following for her business.

3 ) The Mice: the third card describes the brick and mortar location for the business. The Mice represent pressures and stress, and may reflect the current frustrations that real estate firms are experiencing with the sluggish housing market in our local area. Renée could experience some anxiety with finding the right broker for her business. The Mice also eat away at things of value; my sister may have to settle for a smaller commission split than she would like in order to get her foot in the door.

4 ) The Birds: the fourth card provides insight into how to market the business.  The Birds represent verbal communication.  The best way for my sister to market her business may be through word of mouth.  Looking back at the overall energy of the business, if Renée can establish herself as a trustworthy, approachable, service-oriented agent, she should have no trouble getting referrals. The Birds also represent the media, and advertising budget should be a consideration in choosing the right real estate broker.

5 ) The Flowers: card number five represents the type of clients Renée’s business will attract.  In my readings the Flowers represent a strong feminine influence.  The card suggests that Renée’s clientele will consist mostly of woman, and that she will attract positive people who will appreciate her honest approach. Renée has a fun, bubbly personality, so it’s not surprising that she would draw that same level of energy back to herself through her clients.

6 ) The Moon: the sixth card represents the competition for the business.  The moon is about fame and reputation.  My sister’s biggest competition will be from agents who have already made a name for themselves in the field.  Again I feel that the Dog energy of trust and reliability will help set Renée apart from even the well-known agents. The Moon also reminds me of the importance of intuition in business. Renée will need to tap her intuitive abilities in order to successfully compete with the recognized leaders in her field.

7 ) The Rider: card seven represents the financial aspects of the business. The Rider is about new beginnings, and can suggests new and innovative ways to finance the business. Real estate is a service oriented business, and there is no real overhead to worry about unless Renée is required to pay a desk fee at her firm.  In particular, Renée should consider the start-up fees involved before settling on the right real estate firm to join. The Rider can also show the normal expenses related to the start of any new enterprise: appropriate attire, business cards, office supplies, transportation, etc.

8 ) The Whip: the eighth card tells Renée what she needs to keep in mind about starting her new business.  The Whip represents physical activity, aggression and competition. Renée needs to be aware that real estate is a highly competitive field, and she must be willing to take an active and aggressive role to claim a piece of that pie.

9 ) The Fox: the final card shows the best possible outcome for the business.  The Fox suggests that it is possible in the long run for my sister’s business to become a full-time profession, providing her with regular work, and a steady source of income.

Despite the current downswing in the real estate market, the prospects look positive for Renée and the start of her new business.  She may need to make a few minor concessions in terms of finding the right brokerage, but otherwise the cards are encouraging.  The Tree gives the sense that this line of work is in alignment with a higher purpose. The Dog shows that if she sells herself as an agent who really cares about client satisfaction, she can create the kind of job security indicated by the Fox, and do very well for herself in the real estate industry.

The Lenormand Astrology Spread and the Case of the Wandering Gypsy

On Thanksgiving Day Gypsy mysteriously vanished. Gypsy is a four-year-old white Pomeranian, and she belongs to my sister-in-law Theresa. Theresa noticed the dog was missing right after dinner when Gypsy did not respond to the call for leftover scraps of roasted turkey meat.

The whole family was gathered at my brother’s house to celebrate the holiday, and with all the noise and activity, no one noticed that Gypsy was missing.  A thorough search of the house confirmed that Gypsy had indeed vanished. The kids had been running in and out of the house all day, and the tiny dog must have escaped through the open door unnoticed.

I spent the rest of Thanksgiving evening organizing a search party with my brother Roger, and canvassing the surrounding neighborhoods for Gypsy. By 11 o’clock that night we had circled the city several times, but had found no sign of the dog.  By 11 o’clock the following morning my sister-in-law Theresa was frantic with worry.  She and my sister Renée put together missing dog flyers, and went out to post the flyers around town.

This was not the first time Gypsy had run off.  In fact, she was named Gypsy because of her fondness for wandering the neighborhood.  As a puppy she would station herself by the front door when she heard someone approaching the house. Then she would catapult herself through the opening the minute the door was cracked.

Now it was more than 12 hours since Gypsy had disappeared, and the dog had never been gone that long.  I was not surprised when my sister-in-law asked me to see if the cards could pinpoint the location of the missing dog. Theresa had been impressed with the success of my efforts to help her find the missing birth certificate.

For the reading I used the Astrology Spread, and a technique derived from horary astrology for locating lost or stolen items.

• The first step is to choose a card to signify the lost or stolen object. The the lost object in this case is a dog, so I set my intention that the Lenormand Dog would represent Gypsy.
•  Next I shuffled the entire deck while focusing on the question, “Where is Gypsy?”
• Then I cut the cards into two piles and restacked the deck
• Next I dealt one card into each house of the astrology wheel beginning at the first house and proceeding counter-clockwise.
• Finally, I continued dealing around the wheel a total of three times until all the cards were placed, and each zodiac house contained three cards.

For the interpretation, only the house in which the signifier appears is considered, and only the two cards falling with the signifier are read for clues to the whereabouts of the lost item.  All of the other cards and houses are ignored.

In the reading on Gypsy, the signifier (the Lenormand Dog) fell in the 4th house. This is the house of the questioner’s home, so Gypsy should still be somewhere close to home, safe, and likely to be found.

The 4th house also represents water, plumbing, the kitchen, where food is stored, the basement, underground places, mines, wells, farms, historic places, old age, and graveyards. I found some of those possibilities a little disturbing.

In terms of compass direction, the 4th house indicates north. And in terms of likelihood of recovery the 4th house is angular indicating a quick recovery of the lost object. So far, the news is good!

The two cards that fell in the 4th house with the Lenormand Dog were the Gentleman and the Stars. I did not set an intention for the Gentleman, so he could represent any man.  He is probably a stranger, but perhaps not a neighbor since neighbors are generally represented by the 3rd house.  In any case, it seems that a man is in possession of the dog.

In the 4th house the Gentleman might indicate an older man, or father figure.  The Stars represent hope and guidance. Ancient mariners navigated their ships by the stars, and the stars guided them safely home.  I considered it to be a positive sign that the Stars showed up between the Gentleman and the Dog.  The Dog represents Gypsy, and the Stars may show that the Gentleman will guide Gypsy safely home.

I put my trust in the cards, and told my sister-in-law that Gypsy was fine, and that she was being looked after by a man not very far from home. I told her that the signs are positive that Gypsy would be returned within a few days. Theresa was distraught. I silently prayed that the reading was right, and I that wasn’t feeding my sister-in-law false hope.

The Lenormand cards did not let me down.  At around 2 o’clock that very afternoon Theresa received a phone call from a woman who lives nearby.  The woman had seen one of the flyers that my sister had posted that morning, and called to say that she had Gypsy.

The woman admitted snatching the dog from the curb in front of my sister-in-laws house on Thanksgiving evening. She claimed that Gypsy did not have an ID tag on her collar, but my sister-in-law remembered seeing it when she bathed Gypsy the day before. The woman was strangely reluctant to give up the dog.  She said that her 11 year old son had fallen in love with Gypsy, and the dog had spent the night sleeping in her son’s bed.

The woman lives close by, as indicated by the cards, in the direction north of my sister-in-laws home; so the 4th house was referring to the general location and direction rather than providing specific details. I’m not sure why the Lenormand cards showed a man. The woman has a husband, but it was her 11 year old son who cared for Gypsy while she was away from home. It was obvious that both the woman and the son wanted to keep the Gypsy. Perhaps it was the woman’s idealistic husband (father figure) who had urged them to return the dog.

Gypsy was returned home safely. The poor dog must have been traumatized by the experience because she slept for the rest of the day. When Gypsy woke up that evening for snuggle time, she was treated to choice morsels of leftover turkey, and presented with a brand new collar and ID tag.

The Astrology Spread is a fabulous resource for helping to locate lost items.  You just choose a card to represent whatever object has been lost or stolen.  For example, if you’re looking for a lost ring or missing piece of jewelry, you would use the Lenormand Ring card. For missing persons you would use the Lady or Gentleman card, or the Child card for a missing child.

You can find detailed instructions on how to use this spread with Tarot at Supertarot.co.uk site Finding Lost or Stolen Objects in Horary Astrology, but the spread is equally wonderful with Lenormand and other oracle cards.  For the specific meanings associated with each house of the astrology wheel, my other favorite online resources for horary astrology include Mithras93′s Free Astrology and Tarot site, and Deb Houlding’s Horary: Where Is It?

Tell Me Oh Mystical Lenormand, Will Thanksgiving Dinner Be Served from a Can?

Every year my family gathers at my mom’s house to celebrate Thanksgiving.  My mother is an exceptional cook, and her Thanksgiving spread is second to none. She dishes up roasted turkey and maple-glazed ham, cornbread stuffing and candied yams, and all the rest of the delectable trimmings. For dessert mom sets out holiday cookies and pies, and the traditional pumpkin roll with cream cheese frosting.  My mother spends all week preparing the Thanksgiving meal, and she politely refuses all offers of help; well, not always so politely.

This year things will be different because mom is down with the flu.  Thanksgiving is only days away, and she can barely lift her head from the pillow.  I propose that we have Thanksgiving dinner catered this year, but my suggestion was overridden by the rest of the family.  Instead, my sister-in-law Theresa volunteered to host Thanksgiving dinner at her house this year, and the rest of the family agreed.

What are these people thinking?  Theresa is married to my older brother Roger, and she’s a lovely woman, but she can’t cook to save her life.  The last time I had dinner at my brother Roger’s house, Theresa warmed up a family-sized can of ravioli, and served it with canned green beans on the side.

I don’t mind admitting that I’m spoiled. I look forward to Thanksgiving dinner all year, and I’m worried sick that this year I’ll be forced to eat a frozen turkey dinner with powdery mashed potatoes, gloppy gravy and shriveled peas.

I’m tempted to invite myself to a friend’s house for Thanksgiving, but I feel guilty abandoning my family on the very day I plan to acknowledge how thankful I am to have them all in my life.  Before I do anything rash, I decided to consult with my wise and mystical friend, the Lenormand deck, to see if Thanksgiving Day will be the cataclysmic disaster I fear it will be.

For this reading I set my intention that the Garden would represent the family gathering at my brother’s house.

Nieuwe Lenormand by Erna Droesbeke

The reading looks much more optimistic than I expected.  The Scythe shows a decision or a break from the past, and the Roads indicate a new direction or alternative option.  I think that describes the situation rather well.

The Lily represents established traditions, and the Scythe confirms that this year’s gathering will be a break from our family’s traditional Thanksgiving Day feast.  The Roads show that the festivities will take an alternate route, and the Sun predicts that the new direction will be a shinning success.  Whatever my sister-in-law has up her sleeve, it looks like she will be able to pull it off brilliantly.

Now I’m intrigued. I’m still curious about the dinner, and still slightly worried that the food will be served from a can. I left the the Garden card on the table to represent the gathering, returned the rest of the cards to the deck, and reshuffled while focusing on describing the actual dinner.

The Bear represents food and nutrition, so the combination Garden + Bear confirms that the cards are tuned into my question about the gathering for dinner.

The Dog suggests that guidance or help will be forthcoming, and the Fox gives me the impression of sly or sneaky help.  Ah ha! I bet my sister-in-law will end up having most, if not all, of the food secretly catered, and then try to pass off the gourmet fare as her own cooking.

The Bear is all about caring and control, so everything about this family gathering will be controlled and managed carefully.  Interestingly, the Lily shows up again in this second reading. In combination with the Bear I get the impression that the food will be traditional Thanksgiving fare, which comes as quite a relief to me.  The Lily is also the Zen card.  It represents a peaceful and comfortable outcome.  No family drama. The dinner is going to be leisurely and satisfying, as Thanksgiving dinners ought to be.

No cans and no freezer burn; I’m both surprised and relieved. The Lenormand cards predict a successful Thanksgiving Day feast at my brother’s house, even if it will be a complete break from tradition.  I’ve aborted my plans to invite myself to a friend’s house for dinner since the cards promise that my sister-in-law’s dinner table will be comfortable and satisfying.

Wishing all of my US readers a happy, healthy and prosperous Thanksgiving!

Update Nov 25, 2011:
Dinner was not the elaborate affair of years past, but the food was freshly cooked and quite tasty. It turned out that my sister-in-law did have clandestine help, and I knew it the minute I tasted the stuffing; it could only have been mom’s. My mother half-heartedly denied dragging herself from her sick bed to help with the preparation and cooking. But I know that she did, and I should have known that she would.

The dinner was leisurely and satisfying, exactly as predicted, but the cards failed to predict the drama that ensued after the meal, involving a kindly neighbor and a wandering Gypsy. I experimented with a new card layout to help solve that lastest case, and I’ll share all of the fun details in my next post.

Hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving holiday!

The Lenormand Sleuth and the Case of the Missing Musical Angel

My brother Roger bought our mother a porcelain angel figurine for Mother’s Day. The statue features a wind-up music box that plays the song Wind Beneath My Wings. I thought the angel was kitschy and overly sentimental, but mom loved it, and so I pretended to like it too. I had a hard time keeping a straight face, and I think Roger could tell that I wasn’t being sincere.

The musical figurine went missing recently, and yesterday mom mentioned the mysterious disappearance to Roger. He was not pleased by the news. As a result, last night I received a disturbing phone call from my brother.  For some crazy reason Roger got it into his head that I am to blame for the missing angel figurine. I was flabbergasted!

I decided that before I do something I’ll regret, I had better see what the Lenormand cards can tell me about the missing statue. The musical angel would be considered a personal possession/household object, so I set my intention that the Lenormand House would signify the statue.  I asked the cards, “What happened to Mom’s angel figurine?”

The Mice shows that the figurine was damaged or stolen, which I know already, and the Key provides a clue that the “fickle finger of fate” was involved in whatever happened to the statue. Honestly, I cannot imagine anyone wanting to steal the kitschy angel figurine, but stranger things have happened.

The cards to the left of the signifier should tell me what led up to the mysterious disappearance. The Roads provide easy access, and in readings about lost items the Roads can refer to an exit route or hallway between rooms. The Flowers refer to beautiful things, gifts and happiness. Mom was proud of the musical angel figurine. It’s natural that she wanted to display the statue in a common area where it could be appreciated by anyone passing by.

The cards on the right should provide clues about what became of the missing statue. The Gentleman represents a man who is connected to the statue by a twist of fate.  He is the key to finding out what happened to the angel figurine. The Scythe is a rupture or removal, and more significantly the Scythe may refer to an accident. I have the impression that by a twist of fate the man caused the figurine to be broken, and then he removed the evidence. The Mice and Roads support this idea, and suggest that open and unprotected access contributed to how and why the figurine was damaged.

My prime suspect in the case is my younger brother Christopher who has been staying with mom while he’s between jobs.  I wouldn’t be surprised to discover that he accidentally broke the statue and then hid the evidence because he knew mom would be upset.

First I questioned my star witness: I called mom. She said that the figurine was displayed on the pass-bar, the countertop which separates the open kitchen from the family room. Mom agreed that Christopher probably broke the statue and then hid the evidence. He has a habit of tossing his gear onto the pass-bar when he comes home. I decided to call Christopher before running any of this circumstantial evidence by the judge (our brother Roger).

I interrogated my lead suspect: I called Chris. He denied breaking the angel figurine, but I could tell he was smirking through the mouthpiece. He obviously thought the whole scenario was hilarious; so who knows? He could be lying.

The case remains unsolved. I asked mom to consult her tarot cards for additional leads, and to see if her cards confirm Chris as the guilty party. It irks me that I may never know for sure what happened to the angel figurine.  It irks me even more that I may never be able to convince my brother Roger that I didn’t swipe or destroy the statue myself.

The Case of the Missing Musical Angel may have gone cold, but I’d be willing to bet my last dollar that Christopher had something to do with the disappearance of the angel figurine.