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Dolor Set Amet
LOREM IPSUM
ii
 hen I initially started this project, I assumed that the potential audience would be 
primarily deck collectors, and specifically those already familiar with one or more of the 
various Lenormand systems. As such I didn’t consider there would be a need for any 
companion documentation with this special edition. However during the course of its 
production I received considerable feedback, that suggested in fact there was growing 
interest in these images from many who had no previous experience with the Lenormand 
system. So I felt there was after all a need after all in providing at least some basic 
complimentary material.
This e-book is intended to serve as merely a brief overview and initial introduction to 
this fascinating genre of divination that is embraced under the generic category of 
Lenormand. Its content has been assembled from various contributors who each have 
considerable experience in this field. Nevertheless I recommend that anyone wishing to 
learn and study the Lenormand systems in greater depth, to take advantage of the 
hyperlinks provided throughout this document that connect to various useful Lenormand 
related publications, blogs and web sites. 
 Ciro Marchetti.
W
LENORMAND 
A NEW CHALLENGE
iii
Creative Approach, Process & Production
In May of 2011, I attended the Readers Studio Tarot Conference 
in New York. One morning I shared a breakfast table with the 
renowned Tarot author and reader Mary Greer. During our 
conversation she suggested that I should consider designing a 
Lenormand deck. At the time I didn't give it too much thought as I 
assumed it was a fringe sub-division of Tarot and one with an 
appeal limited mainly to European readers. I was also at the time 
concentrating my efforts on the re working of the Gilded Tarot into 
its new "Royale" version. Nevertheless Mary's suggestion did peak 
my curiosity and so in between commitments to other projects, I did 
dabble with producing Lenormand related images, such as trees, 
books, ships, etc. However, still not convinced about a full 
commitment to the entire project, I used many of those elements in 
other unrelated images instead. Nevertheless, one year later at the 
following corresponding Readers Studio venue, I was finally 
convinced. Having overheard Rana George explaining and 
demonstrating the basics of the Lenormand system, I was intrigued 
and certainly impressed by the reaction and response of the 
audience who were enthusiastically following her every word. So 
with that change of heart, I took another look at the various images I 
 
had previously produced, or had started but not finished. I 
also revisited even earlier projects, I soon realized that many 
of them also contained elements that would lend themselves 
perfectly to a Lenormand project. Strangely it seemed that 
such a deck had been sitting there hidden from view with 
images just waiting to be recognized for the Lenormand cards 
they potentially could become. The challenge now would be 
to see if they could be resurrected with a purpose, theme and 
common visual denominator into a collective body of work.
As with my tarot journey which had started 10 years 
earlier, I was (and still am) a complete novice compared to 
almost everyone who is likely to be reading this. So, I am 
clearly not qualified to teach, explain or otherwise shed fresh 
light on the Lenormand system. Instead, I can share some 
background insight into how I approached the project, both 
from a conceptual and production perspective.
Over the preceding few months I had dedicated time to 
learning the basic history, tradition and reading structure of 
the Lenormand. I also regard these early less informed period 
as useful ones, as they allow me to see things with a fresh eye, 
less tainted by pre-concepts and biases of what any given 
card should look like. This perspective is clearly a temporary 
one that can only exists at the beginning. Eventually as one 
reads and hears more of other peoples opinions, and 
preferences, your own personal perspective become 
increasingly “influenced”. So its during this early period that 
is one of prolific output, involving numerous sketches and 
experimentation with variations on how to best portray core 
meaning, overall illustrative style, and conceptual themes. 
The vast majority of these early drafts get trashed, while 
others that seem promising I may post on say Facebook and 
other related on line forums, and take into consideration 
whatever feedback they generate. Its frustrating that some 
approaches seem to work so well for one card but simply 
won't for others and have to be discarded in order to 
maintain a visual cohesion throughout.
The real challenge however, is one of balance, between 
personal creative goals and the expectations and needs of the 
audience that may use the deck. Early on it was pointed out 
to me that the essence of the Lenormand is its simplicity, or 
better put, its directness compared to Tarot. The cards and 
their images should be less ambiguous. A Freudian cigar is 
just a cigar, so to speak, or in a Lenormand context, a tree is 
just a tree, a key is just a key. As such, I was advised, those 
core elements should not be diluted with other imagery or 
symbolism that might detract or distract from the basic 
meaning. Therein lies a dilemma. First of all, taken to its 
conclusion such simplicity could be reduced to a boring 
blank card with a simple keyword or title printed on it. With 
minimal effort, I or anyone else searching on the internet, 
could find free or relatively cheap clipart, and produce an 
iv
acceptably deck in about a day. However such a process 
would have no appeal to me as a project, and I suspect little 
appeal to my target audience. Despite the well intentioned 
advice to "keep it simple" my personal experience and 
opinion is that the vast majority of the tarot community do 
indeed prefer “more”. Entering into an image’s visual 
richness, no matter the style, is for many an integral part of 
the reading experience both for reader and querent. A key 
may indeed be just a key, but this inert object can nevertheless 
accurately portray vastly opposing concepts of either 
imprisonment or freedom. Most images, depending on the 
circumstances, may also convey a duality of meaning. As 
such, scenes, elements and characters portrayed in a “richer” 
visual way might provide an environment that is more 
conducive to the intuitive interpretation and divinatory 
process. The dilemma of course is that if a depicted scene is 
too specific then it can become less flexible and thus 
counterproductive. The reader may find their own 
imagination being restricted. Its for these reasons that I 
attempt to depict people in as neutral a way as possible. 
Facial expressions and poses, do not suggest any specific 
emotion or mood. Clothing is either minimal or nondescript 
This avoids direct association with historical periods in time, 
or cultural, socio economic status. Unlike many Lenormand 
decks of the past, I chose to depict a Man and Woman as 
opposed to a Gentleman and Lady.
Any modification or “tampering” with tradition can of 
course be like walking on thin ice. Once again there is a 
dilemma and balance involved in providing the core imagery. 
Ones that readers can still use as part of the reading structure 
they are already familiar with, but also fulfilling a designer’s 
wish to create something fresh. This challenge is particularly 
ironic in the case of Lenormand, where the tradition that is 
considered so integral to the whole process, is actually a 
house of cards (excuse the pun), a fragile structure evolved 
over time more by whim and opportunistic marketing than 
any genuine symbolic rational. Furthermore the evolution of 
Lenormand took different paths incorporating variations of 
symbolic meaning along the way reflecting cultural 
deviations. For example the Bear would be considered male 
in German and Spanish,but female in the French, Belgium, 
Dutch and Russian traditions. Depending on the species and 
countries, lilies might be considered appropriate (or 
inappropriate) for either a funeral or wedding. Clearly with 
such variables, a one size fits all symbolic approach is not 
possible. Once I accepted that, I felt more comfortable 
straying from any of the norms as it were. Nevertheless I feel 
that despite the individual style and variations in this Gilded 
Reverie, it is still a deck that I hope Lenormand readers, 
whether they be experienced or beginners, should be able to 
use with comfort.
v
HISTORY & 
TRADITION
vii
The Fox, The Moon and The Fish...
In the name of Lenormand
The Gilded Reverie Lenormand is a continuation of a card-
reading tradition dating back to the late 18th and into the 19th 
century. The design of this deck is intended to respect the tradition 
whilst providing a new vision for the future. We will see that the 
tradition itself has been rooted in “borrowing” and “whim” since 
its inception, with an ongoing history of change. 
You may be surprised to discover that these cards have little to 
do with Mlle. Lenormand, famed fortuneteller of France, other 
than to use her name for marketing. It is only a matter of 
geography and history that give us a deck with an “Anchor” card 
and not a “Spider” card, or a “House” card and not a “Well.” You 
will also come to discover that the Reverie has reworked some of 
the images to provide a more contemporary perspective for the 
modern parlor of the 21st century and presented in a unique 
illustrative style. 
The story of this deck, for a story it is, begins with its 
namesake, when in Alençon, Normandy, France, a baby girl, 
Marie-Anne Lenormand was born to Marie-Anne Gilbert and 
Jean-Louis Lenormand on the 27th of May 1772. Her father 
died the following year, and by the time she was five years 
old she had lost both parents. Misfortune had taken grip of 
her life early on, this however would appear not to have held 
her back.
A child of her time, she was a mere 17-years old at the 
start of the turbulent French Revolution, 1789 - 1799. These 
were ruthless and uncertain times, but they were the 
beginning of a society that recognized the fairness for the 
man or woman on the street to seize their rights and 
opportunities. This uncertainty would no doubt have stoked 
an increase in oracular consultation. Indeed at this time Paris 
was full of fortunetellers, in spite of a law that was in place 
that prohibited divination.
We might easily draw a parallel to the turbulent times of 
today, with our own economic and political upheavals across 
Europe and America, when both times had their “Occupy” 
movement whilst the cards were being introduced.
Mlle. Marie-Anne Lenormand was one of these Parisian 
fortunetellers, and she knew how to recognize an 
opportunity, selling certainty in a time of uncertainty. She did 
not just sell divination but she sold her very self - she was a 
shameless self-promoter. The cartomantic historians Decker, 
Depaulis & Dummet, authors of A Wicked Pack of Cards 
(1986) point out “that of the 14 books that she wrote during 
her lifetime that they were not about theories of Tarot or 
methods of Cartomancy, but about her own career and her 
association with people of importance.” Therefore in reality 
the only ‘Lenormand’ in existence at this time was the 
childless Mademoiselle herself, a walking and talking oracle 
and business woman, whose name and reputation would be 
her one and only lasting legacy of her presence in this world. 
Her death on the 25th June 1843 conjured interest in her 
myth, and as ever, opportunists came out of the woodwork; 
three biographies were written, the contents verging on the 
“creative” side. One even claimed to contain prophecies that 
The Lenormand’ had divined before her death. There was 
money to be made out of Mlle. Lenormand’s visions. It is 
difficult to know what is truth and what is merely “spin” 
with regard to Lenormand, as according to Decker, Depaulis 
and Dummet, the proliferation of Lenormand hot off-the-
press type revelations in 1845 came straight out of a 
“Lenormand Factory”. 
The irony is that as far as we know, Mlle. Lenormand 
never used a 36-card deck as we commonly associate with as 
“The Lenormand” today. This is almost of no question, as she 
herself wrote in 1817, in her book Les oracles sibyllins that 
she used a “piquet pack”, a popular game-playing deck of the 
time. Interestingly too, we have little written evidence of the 
meaning that Lenormand attributed to particular cards. Then 
viii
there is a scant reference to tarot cards, with the oddly spelt 
“tharots” and only three cards are mentioned in her writing 
at all: “Fol, Death, and Devil”. 
How exciting it would be for Lenormand aficionados to 
be able to read somewhere in primary reference material a 
mention of ‘The Clover’, ‘The Whip’, ‘The Tree’, but sadly, it 
will be unlikely ever to be so. Her cards may have been 
playing cards with her own handwritten astrological notes or 
other symbols, and again, if they had survived and were 
found, that would also be a wonderful discovery.
I can only express in the Language of the Lenormand that 
there is a very strong theme of “The Fox + Moon + Fishes” = 
“Trickery and a desire for Fame and Money” running 
through the story of the incredible Mlle. Lenormand. 
So her death, as death often does, created a celebrity out 
of the Fortuneteller, with the creation of an industry of 
“Lenormand” decks using her name and notoriety. The name 
and brand of “Lenormand” which the Mademoiselle had so 
creatively and shrewdly set up would be seized upon and 
spun into an entirely new method of Cartomancy.
We know that in 1845, only two years after her death, the 
first known deck in the format of what is now known as 
“the” Lenormand was created by an unknown publisher. Not 
all the cards survive, and they are hand-colored. This deck 
appears to be heavily strewn with allusions to the patriotism 
of France. The Clover is depicted with two blue symbols to 
represent abundance; that of the cornucopia. Above the 
cornucopia is the green three-leaf clover, and ladies fly above 
it, their hands linked in unity wearing gowns in the colors of 
the French flag; Red, Blue and White, representing the 
Tripartite motto and patriotic colors of the French flag. You 
can almost hear the cry of the tripartite motto ‘Liberty, 
Equality, Fraternity’ in this card.
The cards all have playing card inserts upon them, 
allowing the purchaser to use them as a standard playing 
deck in addition to their fortunetelling use. This is a 
wonderful reversal of how they originally came about, as we 
will see.
The next deck to follow this same format was the 
“Fortune Telling Cards of the Famous Mlle. Lenormand in 
Paris”, printed in Germany in 1846 by J. B. Ruehe. Many 
others were to follow, although the tradition has lay 
somewhat dormant for many years until this recent revival in 
2012 where more decks are being produced each month than 
previously for years.
ix
However, it has been known since 1976 that the 
“original” deck of the exact symbols now used by 
“Lenormand” decks existed 45 years prior to its re-purposing 
as “the” Lenormand deck. It had nothing to do with Mlle. 
Lenormand and was designed by a German brass-factory 
owner named J. K. Hechtel, in 1800, shortly before his own 
death. It was called “The Game of Hope” and was a typical 
example of many such games of the time across Europe. 
There are three extant copies in museums, including the 
British Museum. www.originallenormand.com
The fact that Hechtel died so closely to his own playing-
card game deck being published is a possible reason why it 
was “borrowed” by publishers 45 years later when 
capitalizing too on the death of Lenormand. If they were not 
concerned about using the name of a dead woman, they were 
probably not concerned about using the deck of a dead man.
xhttp://www.originallenormand.com
http://www.originallenormand.com
So, our Lenormand deck got its pictures from a card-
game and its name from a well-known fortuneteller, both 
without their intent and after their death. It was not created 
by them, but from them. Curiously, the game instructions 
from Hechtel contain a brief mention that the deck can be 
used for divination by laying out all the cards and telling 
stories from them, and Lenormand of course used game 
playing cards herself. It is faintly possible that given the 
dates, she herself may have seen a Hechtel “Game of Hope” 
deck in normal play during her later life.
If the publisher had chosen another game deck to use, we 
might have had a very different set of images, including “The 
Spider” card or “The Well” card for example. Although many 
games and decks of the time shared common images such as 
“The House”, there were many variants. In the Reverie you 
will find optional cards from such variants, including “The 
Bridge”, “The Masque”, “The Dice” and “The Clock”.
Over the years there have been many changes to the deck, 
removing or adding various aspects of symbolism, such as a 
cross being depicted on the “Ways” card, or an hourglass 
being shown on the “Scythe”. The original “Whip and Birch” 
has been sometimes redrawn as a “Whip and Broom”, 
causing some debate in traditional circles, as the broom 
symbol is far more domestic and positive than a birch. The 
original card in the Game of Hope shows blood on the birch, 
which is placed on a block, making clear its negative 
connotation.
Similarly, when the cards were originally developed, 
there were generally known myths and fables, which would 
have been familiar to any family playing the game in their 
parlor. Such tales as the Frog-King and the Stork, or Reynard 
the Fox would have been instantly recognizable in the cards. 
As these cards are brought to a new generation, you will 
rediscover these stories in the card descriptions and their 
meaning for your readings.
There are also a number of traditions of reading the cards, 
both in the methods used and the interpretation of the 
symbols. These are often known by their nationality, although 
it is not a hard rule; there are variations from one author or 
teacher to another even whilst sharing nationality.
Whilst there are commonalities of meaning, there can be 
significant differences; the Bear card, for example, may be a 
mother or a strong man of authority, depending on the 
tradition. There are variations to cards of health and wealth, 
and work, so it is recommended that one chooses a single 
tradition and stick with its congruent set of meanings before 
trying another. There are ways of choosing your tradition in 
the Learning Lenormand book. 
xi
In the Reverie, we explain each card in its most generic 
manner, allowing some play of meaning for you as a reader, 
based on experience of a number of traditions and actual 
practice. Where there are significant and useful differences, 
the deck contains variant images, such as the Owl/Birds.
Another recent innovation taken up in the deck is to 
provide two Gentleman cards and two Lady cards for same-
gender readings.
For existing Tarot readers, when comparing the 
Lenormand deck to Tarot cards, there are only four common 
symbols; the astronomical/astrological images of the Sun, 
Moon and Stars, and the Tower. It is important to see these in 
their original context and not compare them directly to their 
tarot equivalents – as you will see in the card descriptions, the 
Tower in Lenormand is very different and far more utilitarian 
than the biblical Tower of the Tarot.
It is hoped that this Gilded Reverie deck provides you a 
wonderful tool of fortunetelling, divination and discovery, 
giving you access to an antique tradition in a contemporary 
presentation. As the Lenormand tradition is revived, these 
cards will come to speak more fully, and you are now part of 
that oracular voice, returning from the ages. Allow the cards 
to tell you their story and in doing so, discover your own.
Tali Goodwin
xii
In the following pages, each card of the Gilded Reverie is 
shown and accompanied by initial brief key points provided 
by Rana George, www.ranageorge.com followed by 
a d d i t i o n a l s u m m a r i e s f r o m Ta l i G o o d w i n 
www.tarotspeakeasy.com In some cases I edited the text to 
better reflect a personal take on the image. Nevertheless these 
descriptions are intended as generalizations. Variations on 
these description will be influenced by cultural traditions and 
symbolic associations along with the particular circumstances 
of the querent and question of the reading. Intuition and 
consideration based on adjacent and related cards, the 
position of “Houses” beneath each card, etc., will add further 
nuance. The combined variables from all these factors will, in 
the hands of the reader, result in infinite possible meanings 
for each card.
You may also notice a color variation between the cards 
shown and the physical version you have in your deck. This 
is a deliberate and intended variable. Several cards were 
produced in two color versions. Either of the two were 
selected randomly during the assembly process which was 
done by hand. This methodology resulted in each deck 
almost certainly being unique in its final combination of 
cards. The chances of anyone else having an identical 
combination of colored cards as you are more than 1 in 8000.
14
http://www.ranageorge.com
http://www.ranageorge.com
http://www.tarotspeakeasy.com
http://www.tarotspeakeasy.com
xv
The Rider of the Lenormand brings news. It is the first 
card and announces new things. In the Reverie we behold a 
dreamy female Rider who sits astride a carousel horse; the 
horse who in fairytale stories is the conveyer of messages. 
She may even be Iris, the Greek messenger of the Gods.
The fastened messenger bag across her shoulder may be 
suggestive of additional messages for different destinations 
along her night’s voyage. In her hands she grasps a white 
letter, one that is out of the bag and ready to be delivered for 
the current reading. The carousel is the ideal metaphor as this 
card is a new cycle being initiated and an ending of the old 
state.
The ups and downs of the carousel also symbolize the 
magical flight that powers this messenger to its destination. 
Freed from the ever-revolving ‘Merry-Go round of life’, 
whose circular motion is also defined by the laws of physics 
as acceleration, our rider symbolically reflects the pace and 
speed of information by which our lives are increasingly 
defined. 
I am always bringing news, look around me to see what 
it includes. I might be coming to visit or bringing you 
some changes. I am fast and always on the move. If you 
see a negative card close by, you will probably not enjoy 
the reply.
RIDER
CLOVER
xvi
In this card is depicted an explosive reverie of clover. 
Three and four leaf clover bearing white flowers are set 
against the backdrop of an idyllic day. All is vibrant green, 
fertile and promising growth and luck. The white of the 
flower symbolizes the purity of luck. Where this card is 
placed, all is well. When taken in the context of flower-
language the white of the flower is known to be a symbol too 
of remembrance; the card can be “think of me” from someone 
afar.
The three-leaf clover is commonly known by the Irish as a 
Shamrock and is associated with luck. The four-leaf clover 
being considered less prevalent, the act of finding one 
naturally in the wild is considered very lucky.
The clover is also known to have associations with love, 
passion and abandonment; Medieval poetry was full of 
passionate trysts between young lovers in fields of Clover. So 
here we also have the state of being lucky in love. However if 
Clover card lies next to the Scythe (10) card, expect the luck 
of love to be short-lived!
I bring you luck, and happiness. I make things better, 
and as long asthere isn’t a negative card after me, I will 
turn difficulties to opportunities. I am the nice surprise 
and the happy sighs.
xvii
I take you on a vacation or a business trip. You will need 
a suitcase for where we are going. Distance is what I am 
known for, and I am constantly in motion. Look at the 
cards next to me for the clues and cues to the changes I 
bring in your life’s journey
A journey is to be embarked upon. There are new horizons 
to be explored and preparation is required to ensure smooth 
passage. In the original ‘Game of Hope’ where we have the 
first publication of the symbols of the Lenormand, this is 
indicated to be a favorable journey, as the traveller will be 
“happily taken by this Ship to the Land of the Birds”. This 
augers well!
In the Reverie, we see this card as a flying ship, a propeller-
propelled briganteen, taking us to new vistas and landscapes. 
Whilst the original card image may have been a ship, later 
decks have modified it to whatever the latest mode of 
“distant” transportation may be, such as a train or airplane. It 
generally signifies distant travel, in any manner.
The nature of the journey will usually be pleasant and 
well-favored, such as a holiday, depending as ever upon the 
cards which surround it.
SHIP
HOUSE
xviii
I am your family and your base, your ground and your 
home. I give you stability and comfort. I am your living 
arrangement and environment. I am what surround you 
and your estate. The cards around me will give you signs 
on my present state, or what the future will dictate.
A sanctuary is to be found in the House, showing us 
family and home; the sanctuary that offers us shelter from 
the world. In the Reverie we have the House depicted in such 
a way to entice us home again to the nostalgic place of 
fairytale. The build of the House is one of gnarled roots, 
speaking of a place of permanent fixture and security. The 
open garden gate speaks of an opening being made available. 
The House can be one of the most interesting ways to date 
a Lenormand deck, as each deck tends to either hark back to 
the past or chose a contemporary building to be depicted. 
Some decks have very utilitarian buildings on them, others 
have a more aspirational mansion house. However it is 
depicted, it represents what we think of as our home, our 
dwelling, our security.
xix
 I am here to stay and grow. I am the health of your body, 
mind and soul. Look for the cards next to me to find out 
more about me. When negative cards are close, pack 
some tissues for your nose.
A sign of health and longevity, and the imperative to put 
down ones roots to ensure a secure future. The cards 
presence could indicate a health condition that is inherited. 
Combine this card with the previous card of the House (4) 
and we have a ‘Tree House’ that speaks of security, but great 
family responsibility, and possible ill health through stress.
The Tree here also depicts the Tree of Life, an ancient 
symbol that has its roots in the most ancient civilizations. 
Whether it be Babylonian, Egyptian or Jewish images of the 
Tree, it speaks here of antiquity and ancient roots.
The card carries these meanings too in the rainbow, 
perhaps suggesting that true health is to be found in aligning 
ourselves between that which is above and that which is 
below. The harmony of the colors reflecting through the Tree 
symbolizes the holistic nature of healing and life itself.
TREE
xx
I am dark on one side and light on the other. Conflicts 
and doubts I am sure to bring. You will not be able to see 
clearly, I will block your perception and let confusion 
reign. One thing for sure I promise is that I will pass 
because the sun always shines after the thunder has 
elapsed.
A card symbolizing foreboding and change, the negative 
or positive influence is expressed by the direction the dark 
aspect of the cloud faces. In the Reverie we have the glorious 
breakthrough of the sun and the ascending birds on the right-
hand side of the card. This promises liberation from 
uncertainty. The card can also warn of the obscuring of a 
truth; there is a lack of clarity with regards to a situation, 
something needs to be revealed. A revelation may be in the 
offing.
The darker aspects of the card are to be found in the lower-
left where we see the lightning striking the Tree of the 
previous card. In this face of the image is uncertainty, 
confusion. In some systems of Lenormand reading, the bright 
and dark edges of this card are used to tell us if the confusion 
is before or behind us, in the Reverie we are also able to tell if 
it is above or below us. This is particularly useful in a Grand 
Tableau reading where we are looking at diagonals – a more 
advance means of reading.
CLOUD
xxi
Watch out for me because I am always hiding, you can 
never trust or believe me. I am cheating, deceiving, and 
will betray you in a heartbeat. Be careful where you are 
treading, my fangs will surely have you dreading.
The Game of Hope makes it clear to “stay safe from the 
bite of this dangerous Snake”. Be afraid, very afraid, as 
betrayal may very well be on the cards where this card lies! 
Watch out for a superficial person, one that is prone to be 
malicious, particularly when combined with the Dog card, 
quite literally, a bitchy best friend meaning you harm. Let’s 
just say here that duplicitous behavior, and a two faced 
person could be a problem. The card warns to be wary and 
watch where you tread. 
Our Snake here in the apple tree also alludes to the Garden 
of Eden, the original breakup of the happy relationship we 
saw in earlier cards, such as the House. The Lenormand 
cards, like many others, including Tarot, are firmly rooted in 
Christian tradition – such as the Cross (36), and even the 
Garden (20) is seen in the original game as a biblical place.
So be wary and look to the cards around the Snake to see 
what is the nature of the evil in your situation.
SNAKE
COFFIN
xxii
I am the painful change and transition, you will feel me 
through your body, your mind, and certainly your wallet. 
Depression, loss, and bankruptcy are my specialties. I 
am sickness and bed rest. I am all endings and 
sometimes death.
 The Coffin of the Reverie deck harks back to the Egyptian 
period. Whilst traditionally seen as an ending, finality, this is 
also symbolic of an initiation, bringing a final reckoning of 
our life purpose. It is often when we are faced with life-
changing events or illness that we weigh up the important 
aspects of our life. 
Here in the Reverie world we have the coffin in the form of 
a sarcophagus and it is flanked by the imposing figure of 
Anubis, the God of embalming and protector of the dead. He 
also has the role of assisting the weighing the heart to 
ascertain the worthiness of the person to enter the 
underworld. The significance of this card can be the actual 
ending of something as we know it.
One very old German Lenormand deck in private 
collection has a child card which is designed to look very 
much like a sarcophagal figure, perhaps indicating that 
indeed every end is a new beginning.
xxiii
Beauty and a happy face is what I bring. I am the gift that 
warms your heart. I am your recovery and your well 
being. No matter what card is before me, I will always 
change it positively. 
 What is it like when someone gives you a gift? This card is 
the fragrant smell of joy and happiness, a show of 
appreciation that could be on its way. The image here of a 
bouquet of pink Tulips speaks the “Language of Flowers”. In 
the Victorian era, flowers were used as a medium of 
communication; they became the code of lovers, a perfect 
way to express love, passion and appreciation covertly. 
The Tulip, way before the Victorian period was valued 
very highly and induced something called ‘Tulipmania’, it 
was so desirable to possess. Therefore, the presence of this 
card signifies a gift that is to be given or received and is 
valuable in some way.That the label here contains the name 
of the deck is a nod to earlier decks which often had the 
“publishers stamp” embossed on one of the cards. Several 
early Lenormand decks contained the flag of the city of the 
publisher on the Ship (3) card, for example.
When combined with a card such as the Rider (1) or the 
Letter (27), see later, we have a beautiful invitation – and if 
then further combined with the Garden (20), it would be an 
invitation to a party. If it were however the Tower (19), it 
might be a more unwelcome invitation to a hospital 
appointment. At least you will get flowers in your room.
BOUQUET
SKYTHE
xxiv
Be careful I am swift and sharp. I cut through with 
precision with a strict and clear vision. I am an accident, 
a sharp cut, a break, or sometimes a decision that needs 
to be made. I can bring good harvest or danger. Look at 
what I am cutting nearby, it just might be your wager.
 “To everything there is a season, And a time to every 
purpose under the Sun.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 
This item is a simple agricultural tool used to clear away 
grass and gather the wheat at harvest time. In the world of 
the Lenormand it symbolizes; a sudden trauma or shock that 
will take one by surprise. A swift clear cut will be made! 
It is dangerous too, as it is sharp. We must be careful 
where this card points, particularly in a Grand Tableau. The 
cards next to the blade-tip moderates its influence, making it 
more or less extreme in its impact. For example, the Scythe 
next to Clover (2) would make the shock less. It is almost as it 
literally the cutting through Clover (luck) blunts the blade.
This symbol can represent a “call to action”, particularly 
when combined with cards such as the Rider (1).
WHIP BROOM
xxv
Be warned of high temper, I bring conflict and strife. You 
will find me in competitions because I work with 
repetition. Arguments and quarrels are my patent, but I 
am not always a villain. I can be found in the gym or in a 
lusty bed on a whim. 
 This card is one of the troublesome cards in the 
Lenormand. Unlike Tarot, there are definitely favourable and 
unfavourable cards in this system. Where the whip comes, 
frenzy will be whipped up, creating discord and a person 
will be quick to anger. The card is trouble, strife, disharmony, 
conflict, argument, particularly when seen with the Birds (12) 
and all things stressful.
A crack of the whip will be exerted either by you or 
against you. The Reverie depicts the curling whip and the 
Birch, a bundle of branches tightly bound which was used to 
reprimand and castigate. Birching was used in France during 
the French Revolution, and during the time of Lenormand 
herself.
In its most positive sense, we have here a card calling us to 
bring our forces and attention together, to get focus, to get all 
our “ducks in a row”.
xxvi
A phone call, a text, or a date that is how I communicate. 
I am in meetings, or interviews, and I like to negotiate. I 
can be your sibling, lover, or mate. Couples is what I 
indicate. 
This card may be symbolic of jabber, gossip or the passing of 
information of a positive kind, as ever dependent on the 
cards in which company it is found. Many voices together are 
louder than one; it is also the modern view of “crowd-
sourcing” or “mass communication”. It can be as simple as 
an announcement that travels quickly or is distributed 
widely, say when with the Rider (1) card.
This too is the ever-growing world of Facebook, and 
Twitter communication. The card is literal in Tweeting. There 
may however be miscommunication with the Chinese-
Whispers effect. In Fairy Tales characters are sometimes 
given the ability to understand the “Language of the Birds” 
and it could be that the card signifies a misunderstanding, 
particularly when combined with the Whip (11).
BIRDS
CHILD
xxvii
I am young, I am new, I am playful and immature. I am 
a baby, a kid, or a teenager. Small, short, or tiny are 
other ways to describe me.
The Child is one of the literal ”people” cards in the 
Lenormand system, indicating a young person. To be honest, 
we also take this as a symbol of a childlike nature or someone 
who is young at heart. No-one wants to do a business 
reading and be advised to choose a young child as a 
corporate partner – perhaps we should think a little less 
literal in some cases.
The child inhabits a place of Wonderment, innocence, hope 
and the ability to just play at something, just for the fun of it. 
It is another time and the place where imagination is 
unchained and reality is taken at face value. It is the early 
stages of development where changes can be made and a 
positive future formed. The Reverie depicts this wonderment 
with an open book of fairytales with start of ‘Once upon a 
time’, the remaining are blank pages yet to be populated. A 
fairytale castle can be seen with hope in the form of a 
rainbow – an image that occurs throughout the deck, 
alluding to the original “game of hope” from which all 
Lenormand decks derive.
FOX
xxviii
When I am not your job, I am you’re your red flag for 
some deviousness going on. Look around your circle in 
your hall, I might be planning your fall. I am master of 
manipulation and I am going to fool you all. Craftiness is 
my fame, and “sneaky sneaky” is my game. 
In the original Game of Hope, it is written that “the 
cunning Fox leads the player astray”. This is the trickster 
card of the deck and its presence brings cunning and 
plotting, for good or ill dependent on its position.
The Fox here looks back upon his prey – perhaps the 
cockerel thinks he is the only one awake so early. The Fox has 
prepared his ruse though, and is sure to get his bird. At the 
time of the conception of the Lenormand deck, a popular tale 
was of “Reynard the Fox”. These collections of tales depicted 
Reynard as a “false prophet”, and many traditional 
interpretations of the Fox card still carry this sense of “false 
gospel”. So beware of trickery and deception. The Fox in the 
Lenormand symbolises these traits and more, beware of the 
charmer who makes you smile, all is not as it seems. The Fox 
next to the Bouquet (9) could warn of deception and flattery, 
be even more wary if the Heart (24) and Scythe (10) cards 
come into the equation. In our literal Lenormand way of 
reading this is “deception and flattery leads to a cut-up 
heart”. You have been warned! 
BEAR
xxix
Power and strength, large and big, only but a few words 
of how I am a bigwig. Your finance is my field, your food 
is my intrigue. My bad side comes out when you see 
negative cards around. 
The Polar Bear is a fitting symbol of the indomitable 
dignity signified by this card, whether it be read as an 
authority figure, a mother, or purely as strength. The Polar is 
the most powerful of all the species. Furthermore its colour is 
symbolic of the pure spirit it embodies.
The Bear can relate to a person who is in a position of 
power in the Business world. The Bear can also be 
Matriarchal. In China the Polar Bear is known to represent 
Russia. The Bear may also be a symbol of officialdom and 
brute force. This card could be telling us to push something 
through sheer force.
An interesting combination would be the Bear and the 
Bouquet (9), an “Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove”, for example.
 
xxx
Shiny sparkles, guidance, and healing is what I promise 
through a gentle feeling. I am reassurance, inspiration 
and a new path for your exploration. Wish upon a star, 
for I bring hope and light from afar. 
In the Game of Hope, we make progress along a snakes-
and-ladders type map of life, at this stage “arriving at the 
Star of good prospects”. Here we see the Stars mapped out 
on the Zodiacal Compass, indicative of this very journey 
though life.
The Stars in the Lenormand can be interpreted as a fixed 
course, something that is preordained. The Star indicates the 
need of vision and the need for wish fulfilment. We have all 
heard the saying about someonewho “has Stars in their 
eyes”, and that “we should follow our own Star”. Therefore it 
is a card of optimism and ambition. The Star card is a card 
that portends Success and much promise, and “thanking 
ones lucky stars”. 
 
STARS
STORK
xxxi
With movements, upgrades and improvements, I bring 
spring and the change of seasons. Sometimes my symbol 
stands for a new family addition or simply a new state of 
evolution. I can be your move, or your next promotion. 
The Stork is a predictable creature, even though it is fabled 
to bring change, for example with the delivery of a child. In 
reality it returns home like clockwork to its same nest every 
year. The Stork is a very favored creature and is looked upon 
with affection. Its return to the nest at springtime is the 
reason for the association with birth and delivery, which is 
very much its meaning in the Lenormand system. The Stork 
and the Rider (1) will bring news for sure, particularly 
combined with the Letter.
The image conjured by the Reverie here depicts a pair of 
storks at home in their nests with the blazing sun breaking 
through the clouds. They are looking up towards the life-
giving sun, one of the other cards in the deck.
The process of birth and life, and then death brings 
inevitable ‘change’. Depending on the cards around the 
Stork, it is a ‘lifestyle change’, for example combined with the 
House (4) might mean a change of dwelling.
 
xxxii
Loyalty and friendship is what I stand for. I am 
protection and trust, support and reliance. When negative 
cards are around, make sure to take a closer look. I could 
be your counselor, your pet, or the lover in your bed.
Depicted here is the dog, a reliable, faithful friend who can 
be trusted and who loves you unconditionally. The Dog is 
self-contained, it is more than content with its role, and holds 
the lead, with a ball in the background, as if you say, “you 
know what to do”. It is a symbol of companionship.
This card in close proximity to the Gentleman (28) or Lady 
(29) is pretty reassuring as to their intention. The Ring card to 
the right will consolidate the relationship.
The Dog can signify a close friend in a reading, one who is 
trustworthy. It brings this sense of loyalty and faith to the 
cards around it, for example if it were combined with the 
Letter (27) it would be a communication you could trust. The 
Dog and Tower (19) might signify a company or authority 
that is looking after your concerns.
 
DOG
xxxiii
Corporations, organizations, institutions and 
governments come under my influence. I am boundaries 
and restrictions, so be mindful of isolation. I describe 
your ambitions as well as your expectations, and let’s not 
forget your higher educations. 
Unlike the Tower in the Tarot, the Lenormand Tower is 
symbolic of a structure that offers protection and security. In 
the Game of Hope it is a Watchtower built on high ground 
for surveillance over the countryside beyond. At the time of 
the decks devising these places were also for border control, 
or control of passage to the city. As such they have multiple 
meanings, ranging from authority to education, to places of 
power and legal dealings.
The Tower then is a seat of power, and often bureaucracy. 
When combined with the Letter it is a dreaded form to be 
completed, even worse when accompanied by the Snake. 
Read the small print of that insurance policy!
In some books, it can be symbolic of a place of isolation, 
such as a hermitage. It then carries occult meanings and the 
remote Towers of the Reverie carry too this connotation. It is 
sometimes within oneself that the watch needs turning.
 
TOWER
xxxiv
When you are going to a party, a concert, or a business 
meeting, I am sure to show up in your reading. You will 
find me in a reunion or a retreat, a riot or a picnic meet. I 
like crowds and public events, so naturally I am good 
with all your networking intents.
In the time of Lenormand, the park or garden was a social 
venue, a meeting place. It was a space for getting out and 
about, sharing and networking, a place where relationships 
were forged. As in the Reverie, the card is often depicted as a 
cultured garden with a fountain, perhaps an echo of 
Nuremberg from where the Game of Hope first sprang.
The card means “public”; and whilst it may seem strange 
that there is no-one in the image, it is because it is the public 
space which is being depicted. When this card is read, it adds 
the “public” to the cards in its vicinity; the Garden and the 
Tower (19) would signify a public organization, the Garden 
and the Book (26) would show public education. It is best to 
stick with the literal Lenormand. This card can suggest the 
importance of being social, and maybe it is saying you need 
to promote yourself more, particularly if combined with the 
Moon (32). A contemporary meaning of this card with the 
Heart (24) might be online dating. If we had the Garden, the 
Heart (24) and a Letter (27), in the 21st Century this would be 
that email from Dwayne for which you have been waiting.
GARDEN
MOUNTAIN
xxxv
I come to bring you challenges and obstacles with 
blockages and resistance. I will make you late for your 
date, and my coldness will take emotions out of the plate. 
Pay attention and beware I can be the enemy in your lair.
The Mountain is symbolic of obstacles in our way. Whilst it 
may be there to be conquered, as we see from the animal 
looking upon the mountain, it is certainly in our way. In the 
Reverie, the mountain appears to us as an almost impossible 
obstacle, according with its origins as a card of detour; 
slowing us down. In fact, when combined with other cards, it 
shows that we might abandon our planned route and take 
another path.
Consider the Mountain with the Tower (19); a delay from a 
government-related body, or the Mountain with the Cross 
(36), a completely uphill struggle.
Other cards of a similar nature include the Crossroads/
Ways (22), offering choices rather than detour and delay, or 
the Stars (16) which offer good prospects and clearer 
navigation.
CHOICE
xxxvi
Decisions and choices is what I offer. Alternate directions 
are what I augur. I speak in multiple and double, and 
when I’m under a relationship I might be trouble.
There comes a time when one needs to make the ‘choice’ of 
going one way or the other, neither way is right or wrong, 
but only one way can be taken. Here in the Reverie we have 
steps that take us upwards and onwards toward this point of 
deliberation. Stairs and steps are symbolic of ascending to a 
higher place, a much better place, where once you are 
through the doors at the top which lead to the stars, and then 
the possibilities are infinite.
 
MICE
xxxvii
You don’t want me in your house, you don’t want me in 
your blouse. I bring loss, I bring theft with destruction 
and decay. I am your stress and anxiety, I am the worry 
in society. I am your nuisance, I am your pest, I bring 
sickness in your nest.
These mice are completely happy with their work; the 
gradual destruction of possessions and resources. They are 
busy nibbling at cloth and fruit, and at bread. They appear to 
have no regard for ownership, and are rapidly gnawing 
away whilst no-one is looking. 
These mice are symbolic of loss, whether that be a gradual 
whittling away of one’s savings, combined with the Fishes 
(34), or actual theft (of time, say, combined with the Clock 
(37) card). Their presence brings into the reading a “bite-
sized” effect, something happening in little chunks. That is 
not to say it is not a powerful card – those mice may be 
delightful, but not when found in your own kitchen. They are 
the niggling aspect of life, where there is an issue, something 
that has become a pest in your life, and will just not go away 
and leave you alone! It leaves your mind troubled. This card 
also warns it is a good idea to take care of your possessions; 
the Mice of the Lenormand are terrible hoarders andare most 
likely to represent ‘theft’.
xxxviii
The form of happiness and love is simply drawn in my 
shape. I am your feelings and emotions. I am your 
passions and devotions. Just make sure no bad cards are 
around to spoil this fondness and affection.
In antique Lenormand decks, the design of the Heart 
varies from an almost biological physical heart to a kitsch 
romantic heart embroidered with flowers and other 
adornments. The Heart is of course symbolic of love and 
relationship. Here we see the heart formed by two Swans, a 
bird itself symbolic of courtly relationship, monogamy and 
enduring love.
The Heart is always a card of beneficial emotions in 
Lenormand. To receive the combination of Heart with Clover 
(2) and Ring (25) promises Love, luck, commitment and 
marriage. The Heart and Whip (11) or Scythe (10) may not be 
such a happy combination. 
HEART
RING
xxxix
A precious item is what I am to bind in marriage and 
commitment. I bring harmony in unions as long as 
negative cards are afar. I am the contract and the 
promise in partnerships and ventures. I am the symbol 
for completion and the form of eternal devotion. 
The Game of Hope tells us that “finding this ring will bring a 
reward”. Here we see a ruby ring symbolising commitment. 
In crystal lore, the Ruby is a guarantee of economic stability – 
in some cultures it was buried in the foundations of 
buildings to assure good fortune.
The Ring is a symbol of commitment, and can speak of a 
contract being drawn up between two people or a business 
contract. The ring is an object of value to those who wear it.
 
BOOK
xl
The book of knowledge, the book of secrets, what I house 
is educational and private. I may be your project or your 
research, and sometimes your studies and journals. 
Watch out for the cards around me, because with the Sun 
you will see right through me. I am hidden, I am 
unknown, but occasional knowledge I might learn. 
The Book draws attention to the importance and power of 
knowledge, and possessing it. This card may suggest there is 
something somebody needs to know, however this will only 
become apparent with the presence of the cards around it. 
The book is a vehicle for the very imagination itself. The 
Book of the Reverie promises tales of great mystery within its 
pages. It has a mechanical dial on its front, showing the 
mechanics of learning. 
The Book opens to the right of the card, which indicates in 
readings the direction of the learning – literally, what is being 
opened by the learning. As an example, if the Dog (18) was to 
the right of the Book it would be learning something about a 
close friend. The next card to the right may indicate what 
was going to be learnt, such as the Ring (25) or the Stork (17). 
It may be a surprise to them to say “Congratulations on your 
engagement” or “Wow! A Baby!” before they have told you.
LETTER
xli
I am a document, I am a message, I am information, I 
am a package. Sometimes I can be an invoice, a 
certificate, or a test result. You can find me as your mail, 
a newsletter, or an award. Look around me to find out 
more of what I am leaning toward.
A letter depicted here with actual correspondence written 
by Mlle. Lenormand connects her name and spirit to this 
deck. Whilst she did not use the cards which have come to 
bear her name, no doubt she would be astonished and 
delighted to be recognised within their continued use today. 
It is a connection which the letter brings – an intimate 
communication, a familiarity.
The Letter indicates a communication that may not yet be 
with us, a slower form of transmission, a patient waiting on 
making a connection. It is the Letter without the Rider (1) 
hastening it to us, and unlike the book may not bring 
knowledge or news (as the Rider) but rather, a simple 
acknowledgement.
The feather on the Letter is the quill which since time 
immemorial has signified truth and communication - let us 
always write straight.
xlii
I could be you the reader, or the male subject of your 
reading or the male parter of the significator.
Significator for the male Sitter, or the Significant Other of a 
female Sitter. One can use the alternative Gentleman card 
provided in the Reverie for same-gender relationships.
Version I: An elegant-looking man sits upon a chair 
holding a red rose. He appears to be awaiting his companion. 
In the background a window lights the scene, which is 
otherwise unadorned. It speaks of waiting, of patience, of a 
quiet endurance. There is a sensitivity to the scene that 
communicates the nature of romance. He looks to the left of 
the card.
MAN I
xliii
I could be you the reader, or the female subject of your 
reading or a female parter of the significator. 
Significator for the Female sitter, or the Significant Other of a 
male Sitter. One can use the alternative Lady card provided 
in the Reverie for same-gender relationships.
Version I: A woman looks up from her book, her thoughts 
wandering. There is commonality of ambience and mood 
that connects this woman, and this card to its male 
counterpart. The red rose provides an additional point of 
connection that binds them. A token a gift, something given 
and received. Something shared.
WOMAN I
LILIES
xliv
Calm, peace, and serenity is what I preach. Your parents 
and elders show up under my symbol. I bring wisdom 
and experience. I happen to be a long time period. 
Contentment and satisfaction is my angle.
The Lily from a pagan view is symbolic of sexuality and 
passion, but also of purity. It can also symbolize motherhood. 
As a result, these calm-looking flowers, with their glass 
engraved background, reflect a range of interpretations. That 
they are both growing and yet eternally captured in smooth 
glass, without any of their essence, shows the two sides of 
this card.
We might suggest that they are a range of excitement; 
sexual, nurturing or the absence of that excitement in 
chasteness.
As a card, these Lilies make the cards about them “pure”, 
“simple”, or excite their nature. A combination such as Lilies 
(30) + Bear (15) might certainly indicate the power of a 
mother or mother-like figure in a situation, depending on the 
question. 
 
SUN
xlv
I am success hear me roar! I control your ego and 
charisma, I boost your confidence and courage. I bring 
victory and glory, but be careful not to get to cocky or you 
will be branded a haughty. 
The Solar face, as the Moon following, carries the essential 
nature of this card as a blessing – success and big luck. In this 
card we also see a scroll of time, as the Sun marks the passing 
of the hours. The shadow falls upon the number 6, a solar 
number.
The sun shines and all under its light grow. The cards 
around this card in a Grand Tableau will be well-aspected, 
and it bodes well at the end of a line of cards too. 
The light that shines from this Sun card is energising and 
revitalizing in nature. It can also signify the confidence to 
step out into the light by engaging with a project or taking a 
new direction.
 
xlvi
Love and romance, intuition and psychic abilities, 
imagination and creativities are but a few of what I stand 
for. I reach across the sky and influence the waters, I am 
admired all around, I bring fame, I bring honors.
The Moon card in the Reverie is depicted as a crescent, 
holding in her horns the various cycles of her nature, from 
the New Moon to the Full. Below her is a clockwork orrery 
indicating that her nature is in the mechanics of the universe. 
The Moon card does not quite live up to the brilliance of 
the Sun, she is more watery in nature and she really wants to 
be a ‘Star’ - to have recognition. Think of the emotional sirens 
of the silver screen, acting by intuition, by method, living the 
emotions of a part they are playing in order to act. This 
produces great creativity but it can also create casualties, 
such as Marilyn Monroe. The Moon brings emotional 
illumination. The Moonhowever really flourish in close 
proximity to the Sun (31); it needs the forceful energy the sun 
emits to shine in the world to its full capacity.
In Lenormand traditions, the Moon is recognition by 
others, reflecting on oneself. It is thus fame and notoriety. It 
illuminates only what others project onto it, so when it turns 
up in a reading, careful reflection is required. 
MOON
xlvii
Discoveries and solutions are my forte. You will find me 
in synchronicities, signs and fate. When I land close to 
you, know that you have the means, and the answers to 
what is troubling you. Look to my right, I point to what is 
highly important or what needs to be in the light.
The solution to the problem can be found by being in 
possession of the Key card, it both unlocks and secures, 
depending on which way it is turned. The answer is within 
your reach, this is a card of liberation, although it can also be 
a tool of captivity. 
The gilded bird cage of the Reverie, speaks of a Bird Palace 
which can become a Prison. Inside is a rose, symbolising 
mystery – a mystery which unfolds as the key unlocks it. It is 
also of course a symbol of love, the most common of all 
mysteries.
This card can influence many things, next to the Heart (24), 
it can unlock feelings and be ‘the key to your heart’, next to 
the Book (26) it can ‘unlock knowledge’ and so on. It is a card 
that offers many opportunities and new beginnings.
 
KEY
FISH
xlviii
I bring plenty and abundance. I deal in commerce and 
sales. I advocate independence and promote self-reliance 
and trade. Water, expansion and flow is my department. 
Be careful not to tip the scales between tipsy and loaded, 
you don’t want to end up dizzy and bloated. 
The Fishes of the Lenormand symbolise resources and 
money. The three fish here in the blue depths show that we 
can dive deep to gather in food and abundance. The card also 
– in some traditions - symbolizes wealth. 
Where this card appears teaches us to make the most of the 
resources that we possess. In modern parlance is “speculate 
to accumulate” or “making a little go a long way” as ever 
dependent on the cards around it. 
 
xlix
With stability and security, I give a peace of mind. I push 
you to persevere and help you reach your goal. Watch out 
for negative cards, they might shackle and pull you down 
a hole.
In the original game instructions for the cards which 
became the Lenormand pattern, this is the most important 
“sheet” of the whole game, “insofar as the one, who comes to 
stay on this picture of Hope, has won the game and draws 
the whole cash-box or deposit”. The Anchor is the traditional 
symbol of hope (or faith) and comes before death – the Cross 
(36), following.
The Anchor offers stability and security; being confident 
that your hard work will pay off in the long term.   The 
Anchor of the Reverie is adorned with two Fish symbolizing 
‘abundance’ and ‘wealth’ in the Lenormand; this is a card of 
assurance. You are protected in times of need.
 
ANCHOR
CROSS
l
I am the bringer of grief, sadness, burdens, and ordeals. 
Pain, suffering and guilt is the area of my expertise. I 
claim weeping, tears and lamentations, and ask for 
prayers and supplications. When happy cards come at 
my right, then you shouldn’t experience too much fright.
The Cross in the Lenormand is a symbol of the state of 
suffering, universal and unavoidable. It is the state of 
carrying the burden of others who are not accountable for 
their actions, the “cross we have to bear”. This card is the 
calling card of taking responsibility, despite the cost. On a 
positive note, with this, redemption may come – dependent 
on surrounding cards – for example, you might bear the 
Cross but “cross” the Bridge (38) and find a better place.
ADDITIONAL CARDS
li
Over the years there have been multiple variations of the 
Lenormand cards. Many reflecting individual preferences and 
concepts of the artist or publisher. Others are more general sub 
divisions that reflect different regions and cultures. Appealing 
though it may have been to try and cover all variables and 
attempt to appeal to everyone, this would clearly have been a 
futile exercise. So for the most part I have focused on the core 36 
cards of the European system commonly used today. However I 
have provided a number of additional cards that can be included 
along with the core 36, to provide additional nuance and 
meaning to a spread. Nevertheless they are designed and 
numbered so that should you choose not to use them, then the 
basic traditional set of 36 cards are unaffected.
These additional cards consist of the Owl, which can 
substitute the Birds. There is an additional Man and Woman 
card, thus a reading can utilize the deck with two cards of the 
same gender, if that would be more appropriate for the querant 
or the specific circumstances of any given reading. Then there 
are also four completely new cards Clock/Time, Bridge, Dice 
and Mask, which will be discussed in the following pages.
BIRDS/OWL
lii
 In the Reverie, we have two alternate cards for the Birds, 
as some prior decks have used the Owls, often as a pair, to 
indicate the concept of “paired” within a reading.
 
liii
 I could be you the reader, or the significant male subject 
of your reading or a male parter. 
In the Reverie, there is included this optional second “Man” 
card. This might be used to a provide a specific reference for 
a reading, or serve for a same sex relationship, or provide a 
choice that might better represent the characteristics or 
personality of the male subject of the reading. Such usage is 
discussed in more detail in the Grand Tableau spread section 
of this book.
Version II: A strong-looking man wears a red cloak about 
himself, his bare chest showing a masculine Mars symbol on 
a pendant. He looks to the right of the card and appears 
determined and passionate. The card is lit with a golden 
background that communicates essential power.
 
MAN II
liv
I could be you the reader, or the female subject of your 
reading or a female parter. 
As with second Man, the Reverie includes an additional 
Woman card. Version II: A powerful and elegant woman 
looks out of a window to the right of the card. She has a 
draped red robe and between her breasts she clutches the 
feminine symbol of Venus. The light shines in through the 
window emphasizing her strong features. She is the 
embodiment of the feminine power.
In all four gender cards, The expressions of both Men and 
Women are all neutral. There is no obvious indication that 
would suggest wether the relationships between them are 
positive or negative. This provides more flexibility to 
interpret the cards appropriately for the specifics of a 
reading.
Note that in the prototype Lenormand deck, the Lady and 
Gentleman card were also drawn as a matching pair, holding 
a fan and a hat in mutual recognition, as if they were actually 
part of one scene, as here in the Reverie.
WOMAN II
TIME
lv
My appearance brings “time” to the forefront 
of importance. I may be approaching or 
passing, so be attentive. Use me wisely to 
provide perspective. Look around me to better 
understand my involvement. Certain cards may 
slow me down, but sometimes a quick action 
will get you the crown.
The Clock in the Reverie is symbolic of the metering out of 
time; the clock is ticking, and life is transitory in nature, so 
each moment we should savour, and live to the full. It is a 
reminder of our immortality, the hands of the clock will only 
go forwards into time, and we must go on regardless. It is the 
card of time management; it is an imperative to use it wisely.
The context of time in a reading, can be suggested usually 
via the Playing Card inserts, numerology, or other methods – 
But this card can nevertheless add additional focus and 
highlights the importance of time in the interpretation itself. 
It may raise a range of considerations from the need to actimmediately to benefits of a patient wait and see approach an 
element missing from the usual pattern of card designs.
The Reverie captures the various ways of recognizing 
time; a cuckoo clock, a sundial, an hourglass, a cockerel, a 
candle, an owl and many other dials and contraptions. The 
clock casts shadows of time in the background, alluding to 
the notion that “time waits for no man”. It can be usefully 
compared to the natural timekeepers of the Sun and Moon.
lvi
Near or far, wide or narrow, steep or straight, 
are some of my traits. But in whatever form, I 
am your connection, to places, people or points 
in time. I can span the spaces that separate 
you. I can shorten the distance that can bring 
you together.
 The Bridge card of the Reverie spans impossible 
mountains. It is a card which can mitigate against the 
Mountain (21) card and provide new passage, indicated by 
the cards around it.
Whilst a symbol of transition and overcoming obstacles in 
your way, the Bridge acts as a link to cross a divide and 
thereby opens up new opportunities. It is significant as an 
extra token card in the deck because it offers a solution, it 
helps to “bridge the gap” of a problem. For example, the 
combination of the Cross (36) + Bridge = Suffering 
Overcome.
However if the Bridge lies behind the other combinations 
it is warning you not to “burn your bridges” as there will be 
no going back on the decision.
In another sense, the bridge is a place of assignations, brief 
interludes and meetings. If combined with the Clock (37), a 
very brief meeting is indicated, and with the Letter (27) and 
Ring (25), a quick resolution to a contractual issue. The 
Bridge provides a new aspect to the deck which has proven 
useful in reading.
BRIDGE
lvii
I am the risk, the gamble you choose to take. I 
am the uncertain, and the leap of faith. I offer 
the promise of future change. Possibly negative 
cards to my right will foretell ill fate, but 
positive cards will bring about a happy state. 
Are you feeling lucky..... well are you?
The two dice provide an element of chance and 
opportunity, of possibility and a new element to be 
introduced into the situation. They signify a randomness, 
and a risk that one chooses to take rather than the Clover (2) 
which is discovered “luck”. Their random outcome can either 
punish or reward, and influence the cards nearby. The most 
trustworthy card of the Dog (18) is soon distracted from his 
duties by rolling dice nearby. This would be a “fair-weather 
friend” indeed.
Whilst this card image appeared in early games similar to 
that which formed the prototype to the Lenormand, it is also 
a recognition to the history of the deck, which was originally 
a game played with dice and cards. The dice are now 
incorporated into the deck in the same way the “meanings” 
of the cards have been fixed, rather than being looked up in a 
“fortune book” as was originally the case.
DICE
MASK
lviii
Look deep into your soul, to whose amusement 
you play?  I balance the contradictions and 
encompass the opposites. I project your 
emotions or hide them. When I land to your 
right I will bring a happy plight, but if my 
presence is to your left then melancholy is in 
your sight. I can be the face to suit any 
occasion. All parts I can play, the truth or 
disguise... I am your creation.
The Mask is symbolic of concealment and deception. It is 
different to the Fox (14) or Snake (7) because it is actually 
apparent and appears to be something which it is not. It is a 
card of not taking something literally at “face value”.
In combination with the Rider (1) this is deceptive news. If 
found close to the Lady (29) or Gentleman (28), the person 
may be a fake – one presenting one face but hiding another. 
This is more public than the Snake or Fox and can apply to 
any situation or card in the deck, depending on its proximity. 
In communications online, a “masquerade” is a term for a 
security risk, where somebody steals an online identity in 
order to defraud. If found together with the Mice (23) and 
Letter (27), this would be identity theft.