The Enchanted Lenormand Oracle: 39 Cards for Revealing Your True Self and Your Destiny Cards – November 5, 2013

This is the most beautiful Lenormand deck I own. Virginia Lee's artwork is gorgeous: lush colors, interesting detail, and distinctive overall look. Each card includes its symbol in a crystal-ball medallion, the card number at the bottom, corresponding playing card at the top, the four suits at the corners, all on a forest background. Although it sounds "busy," the details do not compete. Each card is a harmonious piece of art. Laying the cards in a Grand Tableau (a full spread) is stunning.The cards are printed on heavier than usual card stock with a high gloss finish, both of which are a plus: the cards will sustain heavy use before ever showing wear. Because of this, riffle shuffling is difficult but overhand works fine: the cards are slick, but not slippery and do not tend to "jump" as some decks do. Also, the deck fits snugly into an Altoids tin for travel in pocket, purse, or backpack. Cards measure 2 3/16 x 3 3/8" (standard Lenormand size), in case you wondered.The book is 160 pages of useful and interesting information. This is not your standard Little White Book! It measures 4 3/16 x 6 11/16 x 1/2" and includes an overview, a bit of history, two pages for each card (color picture, keywords, selected combinations, and other details whose discovery I'll not spoil for you) plus a summary toward the back, five spreads (several of which were new to me or interesting variations of the familiar) including sample readings, an overview of the playing card insets, plus a bibliography, and online resources.The kit also includes a sturdy paper spread sheet for the 9 x 4 Grand Tableau which makes "house" readings much simpler (and prevents people from crowding the cards). The box is lovely, though large (7 1/4 x 5 1/4 x 5/16") and quite sturdy.This has become my go-to deck because it is a visual feast and yields excellent readings. It is perfect for beginners because the book explains the process of reading in a clear, easy to follow manner. The layers of reading (counting pips, suits, the complexities of the Grand Tableau) can be taken in stages so it does not become overwhelming. The kit is perfect for advanced readers as they can add to their knowledge base and try new spreads.

I've been hearing about Lenormand for awhile, so I decided to order a deck and see what the fuss is all about. I chose this set because of the price and Caitlin Matthews' authorship.I've been working with the deck/book for about a week and have developed some definite impressions about the set. Much of what I have to say below reflects my personal preferences and biases: Your mileage may vary.What I liked about the set:* The book is well-written and very detailed. Sometimes the books that come with divination sets are essentially throw-aways. This one isn't.* The cards are made of thick, sturdy material.* If you have small hands, you'll find these small cards easy to shuffle.* The illustrations are beautiful and each card is printed with its corresponding playing card.* The set includes two versions of the "man" and "woman" cards: One with light skin, the other with dark skin.* The kit also includes a fold-out pattern for the grand tableau, something that is very useful when laying out the spread.What I don't like about the set:* While the components all fit very neatly in the box, there is no separate box for the cards. If you want to carry the cards by themselves, you'll need to buy a box or pouch for them. The set itself is large and while it could fit into a backpack, tote or large purse, it takes up a lot of room.* The cards are small and illustrations are in dark colors. I sometimes find myself straining to identify the cards. If you have 20/20 vision, however, this may not matter, though you'll want to consider your clients' eyesight if you are the type of reader who likes to point out card images during a reading.* The book may not be the best introduction to Lenormand. I'm reading Rana George's book at this time and am finding it to be a friendlier and more accessible text. That said, I'm looking forward to re-visiting Matthews' book for a different perspective.* The paper tableau could have been made more handy by printing the card name along with its number in each of the houses. Since each house in the grand tableau is identified with a card, and this identification can have significance in the divination, the names would be very useful, particularly while someone is learning the system.* A cloth tableau would perhaps be more expensive, but would be more long lasting than the paper version, which will eventually break apart. Also, the tableau spread itself requires a lot of room. While one can do the spread on a large table or on the floor, some readers will find that their bed is the best spot they have for the spread. A paper pattern doesn't lie as flat as cloth, making it easy for the cards to shift and slide in response to motion.* In keeping with the cultural sensitivity of including two different man/woman cards, an additional child card could also have been included.

love the cards and the booklet. The only thing that i dislike is the CROSS card... it is definitely too far from the original representation. The design is a bit too dark and hard to see the symbols right away. However, I sill treasure them dearly.

Le livre est parfait, très complet et clair, avec une méthode, entre autres, qui utilise les cartes de cartomancie, qui correspondent à chaque carte-symbole, ce qui sort de l ordinaire. Une petite maîtrise d anglais est nécessaire. J ai pris ce coffret en anglais, car beaucoup moins cher. Un petit bémol pour le jeu de cartes, très beau, féerique, certes, mais pas facile à interpréter en grand tableau, car trop sombre: je ne vois pas bien les images dans les boules de cristal, il faut s adapter. Il y a des cartes 29 Femme et 28 Homme en double, ce qui est super, et une carte 37 Cartomancienne qui représente Mle Lenormand, que l on peut utiliser ou pas. La carte 36 CROIX s appelle le PASSAGE, et elle est représentée par un pont. Il y a aussi une nappe en papier sympa pour le grand tableau 9 sur 4. Attention, une petite erreur d impression, pas trop génante, sur la carte 21 Montagne: ce n est pas un 8 de pique, mais bien un 8 de trèfle.

Für d. Verkäufer und d. Liferung gebe ich 5 Sterne. Selbst d. Karten haben keinen bild müsste durchgoogeln und suchen wie die überhaupt aussehen. Als die karten kamen war die Begeisterung im Rahmen hab auch nicht anderes erwartet. Gibt aber sehr schöne Decks, behalte, aber würde nicht weiter empfehlen.

Me le aspettavo di formato più grande: sarebbero state magnifiche. Spero nel futuro gli autori possano prendere in considerazione questa possibilità, perché è bello mescolarle per trarne gli auspici, è bello osservare in queste sfere che sembrano di vetro le risposte, date anche da numeri che rispecchiano più realtà, con immagini tratte da una simbologia semplice ma potente, immagini i cui colori trasmettono un ché di onirico. Belle. Marina

This new package from Caitlin Matthews and Virginia Lee is a triumph. If you're a newcomer to Lenormand divination, the set has no peer. Even for an experienced reader, the book provides a treasure chest of riches and the deck as illustrated by Lee is astonishingly beautiful.The cards are roughly poker size, printed on sturdy gloss finish stock that shuffles easily. There are three extras added to the traditional deck. The first is the Diviner card, depicting Mlle Lenormand at her reading table. The others are additional `man' and `woman' cards for use when doing same sex relationship readings. Matthews gives a full set of meanings for the Diviner card also also provides several specific methods for using her within your readings. She's a useful addition to the deck and a lovely tribute to the woman whose name has become inseparable from the cards.All but two of the other thirty six cards show traditional imagery. Taking her lead from the earliest decks which showed a birch switch rather than a whip, Matthews has called card 11 the Broom whilst retaining the traditional meanings. On card 36, the Christian Cross is replaced by the more inclusive `Crossing'. This card shows a footbridge leading across an abyss, allowing passage from barren to sunlit lands. Again, the basic meanings remain the same but as the author points out, this symbol represents all spiritual paths and trials rather than those attached to a single faith. The design is ingenious for if you need the traditional symbol to cling to, it's suggested in the shape of the bridge, the pathway and the grass sward on the other side of the abyss. That said, it's also easy to see the shape of a great bird or a Phoenix rising with outstretched wings. It's a lovely image whose ambiguity serves the deck well.Artistically, Virginia Lee has created something quite unique. The iconography of each card is contained within a crystal ball set in a knot work of ivy. The traditional playing card inserts sit above the crystal ball whist the card number sits below. At the four corners of each card are the playing card suit emblems - a diamond, a spearhead (spade), a clover leaf (club) and a heart. All the elements of a traditional deck are here yet the presentation is both beautiful and original. The glass of each crystal ball is a subtly different colour from its neighbours and the visions within are seen from a dreamlike, fish eye perspective. All in all, the deck manages to be a visual feast without blurring the focus on card symbolism.Equal praise goes to the 160 page book printed in full colour. Caitlin Matthew's text is concise and easy to follow, providing everything you need to become a fluent reader. All the basics are here along with the best possible introduction to working with the playing card inserts, something neglected within the previously available deck and book sets. Importantly, the early stages of the book provide a solid foundation on how to approach the deck before individual card meanings are examined. By the time you journey through the cards, you already understand the concepts of combinations, triplets, how to `frame' your enquiries and the way the language of these cards works. Having provided detailed introductions to each card in turn, the final sections deal with card layouts and the more advanced techniques such as playing card insert interpretation. The Grand Tableau method of reading with all 36 cards can seem daunting at first but Matthews explains the basics as well as a variety of supplementary techniques such as knighting, mirroring, working with topic cards and Lenormand Houses. Her approach is practical but it's also grounded in experience and solid research. In short, it's no nonsense and you couldn't ask for a better teacher.The bonus feature of this package is a beautifully illustrated, fold out chart for Big Spread/Grand Tableau readings. Book, deck and chart come in a cigar box style package in deep jade with elegant silver embellishments. All in all it's difficult to fault this set. Beginners will be delighted but even the experienced reader will appreciate Caitlin Matthew's wisdom and solid approach. As for the artistic contribution of Virginia Lee, it speaks for itself. There are few decks more beautiful than this and it's sure to be treasured as a classic in years to come. This is a set that should be on every card reader's bookshelf.