A Lenormand cheat sheet

Influenced by Camelia Elias, I thought of a stripped-down way of reading the Lenormand deck.

The idea is simple: read combinations like sentences.

Each card can be thought of in three basic ways:

• keyword (what it is)
• verb (what it does)
• condition (how it behaves)

Think of the cards like toy blocks. One block shows what is happening, and the next block shows what changes it. You read two blocks together and see what they do to each other.

A single card on its own doesn’t tell the whole story. The story only appears when you place cards next to each other.

You can think of it like this:

First card = what happens
Second card = what changes it

For example:

• Heart + Scythe: something heartfelt gets cut
• Fish + Mice: resources are slowly taken away
• Dog + Snake: trust is undermined

You read the relationship between the cards. The second card affects how you understand the first. Together they create a meaning that comes from their connection.

Verbs and conditions reflect my personal experience with these cards.

1. The Rider

Keywords: news, arrival, movement, visitor, message, speed

• verb: arrive
• condition: quickly

2. The Clover

Keywords: luck, chance, opportunity, relief, brief success

• verb: appears
• condition: briefly

3. The Ship

Keywords: travel, distance, trade, foreign matters, transition

• verb: move
• condition: distantly

4. The House

Keywords: home, family, property, safety, stability

• verb: protect
• condition: inwardly

5. The Tree

Keywords: health, growth, roots, longevity, development

• verb: grow
• condition: slowly

6. The Clouds

Keywords: confusion, doubt, obscurity, uncertainty, mixed signals

• verb: obscure
• condition: uncertainly

7. The Snake

Keywords: complication, strategy, rivalry, deception, entanglement

• verb: complicates
• condition: indirectly

8. The Coffin

Keywords: ending, closure, illness, inactivity, finality

• verb: stop
• condition: definitively

9. The Bouquet

Keywords: gift, pleasure, charm, invitation, appreciation

• verb: acknowledges
• condition: deservedly

10. The Scythe

Keywords: cut, danger, separation, sharp action, sudden decision

• verb: separate
• condition: suddenly

11. The Whip

Keywords: conflict, repetition, argument, tension, intensity

• verb: repeat
• condition: intensely

12. The Birds

Keywords: conversation, anxiety, discussion, chatter, nervousness

• verb: discuss
• condition: nervously

13. The Child

Keywords: beginning, youth, novelty, innocence, small matters

• verb: start
• condition: innocently

14. The Fox

Keywords: work, caution, self-interest, strategy, deception

• verb: manoeuvre
• condition: strategically

15. The Bear

Keywords: power, authority, protection, finance, control

• verb: control
• condition: forcefully

16. The Stars

Keywords: clarity, guidance, inspiration, visibility, direction

• verb: guide
• condition: clearly

17. The Stork

Keywords: change, improvement, relocation, progress, transition

• verb: improve
• condition: in motion

18. The Dog

Keywords: friendship, loyalty, support, trust, ally

• verb: support
• condition: faithfully

19. The Tower

Keywords: institution, authority, isolation, boundaries, structure

• verb: isolate
• condition: formally

20. The Garden

Keywords: public life, society, networking, events, visibility

• verb: socialise
• condition: openly

21. The Mountain

Keywords: obstacle, delay, blockage, resistance, difficulty

• verb: block
• condition: heavily

22. The Crossroads

Keywords: choice, alternatives, decision, options, divergence

• verb: decide
• condition: alternatively

23. The Mice

Keywords: loss, stress, erosion, anxiety, deterioration

• verb: erode
• condition: gradually

24. The Heart

Keywords: love, affection, desire, passion, emotional focus

• verb: desire
• condition: passionately

25. The Ring

Keywords: commitment, agreement, contract, cycle, repetition

• verb: bind
• condition: cyclically

26. The Book

Keywords: secret, study, information, hidden matters, knowledge

• verb: conceals
• condition: hidden

27. The Letter

Keywords: message, document, email, text, written communication

• verb: communicate
• condition: directly

28. The Man

Keywords: man, masculine figure, male querent

• condition: personally

29. The Woman

Keywords: woman, feminine figure, female querent

• condition: personally

30. The Lily

Keywords: peace, maturity, sexuality, ethics, elderliness

• verb: settle
• condition: calmly

31. The Sun

Keywords: success, vitality, confidence, achievement, exposure

• verb: illuminate
• condition: strongly

32. The Moon

Keywords: recognition, emotions, creativity, reputation, mood

• verb: reflect
• condition: emotionally

33. The Key

Keywords: certainty, solution, importance, access, inevitability

• verb: unlock
• condition: certainly

34. The Fish

Keywords: money, business, resources, abundance, flow

• verb: flow
• condition: abundantly

35. The Anchor

Keywords: stability, work, endurance, permanence, reliability

• verb: hold
• condition: persistently

36. The Cross

Keywords: burden, suffering, obligation, fate, heaviness

• verb: suffer
• condition: heavily