The Perfect New Year Spread: How to Perform the 12-Step Lenormand Grand Tableau
This spread uses all 36 cards to give you an overview of your life for a full year. It is best done on New Year or on your birthday, but can also be performed anytime. You will need:
2 standard-size Lenormand decks
Reading table that measures at least 75cm x 75cm
Velvet tarot cloth, to make picking up the cards easy
Minimum of 2 hours to interpret and record the spread
STEP 1: Prepare and begin.
Using the first Lenormand deck, lay out the backdrop. All cards should be in order from the first one (Rider) to the last one (Cross). Make 4 rows of 8 cards, and place the remaining 4 cards in the middle of the 5th row.
Shuffle the second Lenormand deck while asking, “What will happen to me in the year ahead?”
Lay out the cards over the first deck, dealing from the top.
STEP 2: Note the significators.
There are two significators, Gentleman and Lady. If you are male, you are the former; female, the latter. The other is your lover.
If the significators are facing each other, the love is mutual. If you are single, you will meet someone soon.
If the significators are facing away from each other, a breakup is possible, or a relationship is impossible.
If only one significator is facing away, that is the person who is less committed or uninterested in the other.
STEP 3: Read the first 3 cards as the urgent message.
String the cards like a sentence. You will find the instructions here. Keep referring to it for the next steps.
STEP 4: Read the corner cards as the main theme.
In the example above, the corner cards are Sun, Letter, Anchor and Crossroads — the 4 that form a box. Read them like a sentence in that order.
STEP 5: Read the heart cards as the secondary theme.
In the example, the heart cards are Moon, Fish, Bear and Key — the 4 in the middle. Read them like a sentence in that order.
STEP 6: Read the fate cards as the immediate future.
The fate cards are the last four: Lilies, Ship, Cross and Whip. Read them like a sentence in that order.
STEP 7: Read your past, future and present statements.
Look at the significator. If it is Lady…
Whatever is to your left is a statement about your past (Sun, Heart, Gentleman, Ring, Coffin, Snake).
Whatever is to your right is a statement about your future (Letter).
Whatever is on the same column as you is a statement about your present (Stars, Mountain, Bouquet).
Read cards in the past as a sentence, in the order I have listed. Do the same for the future and the present.
STEP 8: Read the mini spreads within the tableau.
Look to these cards for these subjects:
Gentleman (or Lady) for Lover
Every card that is beside a subject card should be read. These are called touching cards. A subject card, along with its touching cards, form a mini spread within the grand tableau.
For the Love spread, the subject card is Heart, and the touching cards are Sun, Gentleman, Clover, Garden and Mice. For the Work spread, the subject card is Moon, and there are more touching cards this time: Gentleman, Ring, Coffin, Mice, Fish, House, Bear and Key.
To interpret every mini spread, read its cards horizontally first, then vertically. As always, read them like a sentence.
Then mirror them. Mirroring means pairing the card with the one that is opposite to it in the mini spread. Read the two cards as a sentence.
In the Love spread, Sun and Gentleman mirror each other. Clover and Mice do too. In the Work spread, here are the mirrors: Gentleman and Coffin, Mice and Fish, House and Key, Gentleman and House, Ring and Bear, Coffin and Key.
STEP 9: Read the cards against the houses.
This is where you will need the backdrop — the first deck underneath your spread.
Read every single card, from Sun to Whip. Read them in pairs (as with mirrors), with the card as the first part, and the one beneath it as the second.
In the example, Sun has Rider (the first Lenormand card according to the proper order) beneath it. And Heart has Clover.
Take note of cards that fall in their native house and cards that fall in each other’s native house. If you find Anchor beneath Anchor, it means that card’s meaning will manifest strongly in your life. The same is true if you find Fox beneath Snake and Snake beneath Fox. Make sure you remember those two cards.
STEP 10: Count round by 9 to find 5 cards.
Starting from your significator, count 9 cards. Note which card that is. Keep counting and noting the 9th card until you have 5 cards. Always start the next count from the last card selected.
Read these 5 cards like a sentence. Then read the mirrors: Lady and Gentleman, Stars and Bouquet.
Add the playing card values to get the Lenormand card number.
Ace is equivalent to 1, 6 is of course equal 6, and so on. But Jack is 11, Queen is 12 and King is 13.
In this example, the values are : 1 + 6 + 8 + 12 + 1 = 28. The 28th Lenormand card is Gentleman. Read that card as a message you need to remember.
If the sum is greater than 36, simply add the two digits.
STEP 11: Summarize and record the reading.
Repeat to yourself and note down:
The cards that fall in their native house, if any
The cards that fall in each other’s native house, if any
The message found by counting round
STEP 12: Note down any date predictions.
Remark any possible date predictions by looking at the house where the subject cards from Step 8 have landed.
In the example, Fish — the subject card for Finances, landed in the house of Child. That is August. Whatever the Finances mini spread revealed could happen in that month.
For the full list of timing values for Lenormand, refer to this.
To see this spread’s simpler equivalent in tarot, here you go.
theartofmadeline
yousharknotpass
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ellievsbear
romaincrisis
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dededos
