Spreads & Techniques
Discover powerful spreads and advanced reading techniques to enhance your Lenormand practice.
Popular Spreads
Single Card
The simplest and fastest reading method for daily guidance
Single Card Draw
One card for direct, immediate answers and daily guidance
Layout:
One Card
Positions:
The Answer
Direct response to your question or situation
3-Card Spreads
Perfect for quick insights and daily guidance
3-Card Sentence Reading
Three cards flowing as a narrative sentence - the core Lenormand method
Layout:
Card 1 → Card 2 → Card 3 (as flowing narrative)
Positions:
Card 1
First element in the narrative sentence (subject/context)
Card 2
Central element in the narrative (action/development)
Card 3
Final element in the narrative (object/outcome)
3-Card Past-Present-Future
Classic timeline spread for understanding progression
Layout:
Past → Present → Future
Positions:
Past
What has led to the current situation
Present
Current circumstances and energies
Future
Likely outcome or direction
Mind-Body-Spirit
Holistic view of your situation across three dimensions
Layout:
Mind → Body → Spirit
Positions:
Mind
Thoughts, mental state, and intellectual matters
Body
Physical health, actions, and material concerns
Spirit
Emotional well-being, spiritual growth, and inner wisdom
5-Card Spreads
Detailed analysis for specific situations and decisions
5-Card Situation Spread
Detailed analysis of a specific situation
Layout:
Situation → Challenge → Advice → Outcome → Timing
Positions:
Situation
Current state of affairs
Challenge
Obstacles or difficulties
Advice
Guidance for moving forward
Outcome
Likely result of current path
Timing
When to expect developments
5-Card Structured Reading
Grammar-based analysis where each card represents a part of speech
Layout:
Subject → Verb → Object → Modifier → Outcome
Positions:
Subject
The opening element—who or what the story begins with
Verb
The action or descriptor—what is happening or being done
Object
The direct impact or target—what is being affected
Modifier
The qualifier or condition—how, when, or under what circumstance
Outcome
The result or conclusion—where this leads
7-Card Spreads
Deep insights for weekly guidance or relationship dynamics
7-Card Week Ahead
Navigate your week with daily guidance and insights
Layout:
Monday → Tuesday → Wednesday → Thursday → Friday → Saturday → Sunday
Positions:
Monday
New beginnings and fresh energy
Tuesday
Challenges and work matters
Wednesday
Communication and connections
Thursday
Progress and momentum building
Friday
Social activities and completion
Saturday
Rest and reflection
Sunday
Closure and spiritual renewal
7-Card Relationship Spread
Deep insights into romantic or interpersonal dynamics
Layout:
Your Past → Your Present → Your Future → Connection → Their Past → Their Present → Their Future
Positions:
Your Past
Your past experiences in relationships
Your Present
Your current relationship energy
Your Future
Your relationship outlook
Connection
The bond between you both
Their Past
Their past relationship experiences
Their Present
Their current relationship energy
Their Future
Their relationship outlook
9-Card Spreads
Master spread for comprehensive life insights
9-Card Comprehensive Spread
Complete life reading using traditional 3x3 grid layout
Layout:
3x3 Grid: Recent Past → Present → Near Future (across rows) × Inner World → Direct Actions → External Influences (down columns)
Positions:
Recent Past - Inner World
Thoughts, feelings, and personal resources from your recent past that influence your current situation
Recent Past - Direct Actions
Actions you took recently that shaped your current circumstances
Recent Past - Outside World
External influences and events from your recent past
Present - Inner World
Your current thoughts, feelings, and internal state
Present - Direct Actions
Your current actions and the central issue you're facing
Present - Outside World
Current external influences, other people, and environmental factors
Near Future - Inner World
How your thoughts and feelings will evolve in the near future
Near Future - Direct Actions
Actions you'll need to take in the near future
Near Future - Outside World
External events and influences approaching in the near future
36-Card Master Reading
Complete deck reading for ultimate comprehensive guidance
Grand Tableau (36-Card Reading)
The most comprehensive Lenormand reading using all 36 cards
Layout:
6x6 grid with traditional house positions and significator placement
Positions:
Significator
The card representing you (usually Woman #29 or Man #28) - the center of the reading
Cross of the Moment
The 5-card cross formed by significator's row and column - reveals immediate situation
Four Corners
Cards 1, 6, 31, 36 - represent the fixed frame and foundation of the situation
Four Center Cards
Cards 13, 16, 12, 11 - reveal what's secretly driving the matter
Nine-Card Square
3x3 area around significator - shows immediate influences and personal sphere
Knight Moves
L-shaped patterns from significator - reveal underlying patterns and connections
Mirror Positions
Cards directly opposite significator - show balancing energies and lessons
House Meanings
Each position has traditional house associations that add symbolic meaning
Advanced Reading Techniques
Card Pairing
Reading cards in pairs to understand relationships
Examples:
- •Rider + Letter = Important message or news
- •Heart + Ring = Committed relationship
- •Snake + Book = Hidden knowledge or secrets
Directional Flow
Following the energy flow from left to right
Examples:
- •Mountain → Sun = Overcoming obstacles leads to success
- •Clouds → Key = Confusion finds clarity
- •Coffin → Stork = Ending leads to new beginning
Knights Move
Reading cards in an L-shaped pattern like a chess knight
Examples:
- •Card 1 → Card 6 → Card 11 (in a 3x4 grid)
- •Card 2 → Card 7 → Card 12
- •Reveals underlying patterns and connections
Time Associations
Using cards to indicate timing of events
Examples:
- •Rider = Days or very soon
- •Ship = Weeks or months
- •House = Months or years
- •Tree = Years or long-term
The Grand Tableau: Historical Salon Method (1809)
The Grand Tableau is Marie-Anne Lenormand's most powerful reading technique, using all 36 cards in a 4×9 layout (four rows of nine cards). This is the exact method documented in 1820s handbooks and by eyewitnesses who watched her read for Joséphine and Napoleon. She stripped away later add-ons (houses, knighting, etc.) to focus on pure card interaction and position timing.
Historical Note: In Marie-Anne Lenormand's French tradition, the Man card represents the central focus (the questioner or primary subject), while the Woman card represents another key person or secondary influence. When gender is unknown or when reading for mixed-gender groups, the French linguistic convention uses the masculine form by default—a method that remains valid today. Always ask: "Who is central here?" rather than "What is their gender?"
The 4×9 Layout (as dealt left-to-right):
4 rows × 9 columns (historical "salon"quot;salon"salon"quot; formation)
Step 1: Prepare & Charge the Cards
- • Shuffle the 36 cards while stating your question aloud (concentrated intent)
- • Cut toward yourself with the left hand (("feminine"quot;feminine("feminine"quot; cut—Lenormand's requirement)
- • Turn face-up and deal left-to-right in four rows of nine, without further shuffling
Step 2: Locate the Significator
- • Man card (28) = the central person (the questioner or focus of the reading; use they/them if gender unknown)
- • Woman card (29) = another key person or influence (secondary figure; use they/them if gender unknown)
- • Child (13) or Dog (18) if reading for a child or pet
- • Heart (24) if the reading is about a situation or emotion rather than a specific person
- • Circle the significator with a token—everything radiates from this point
Step 3: Read the Five Essential Strips (in order)
A. The Row (Story of the Moment)
Read all nine cards in the significator's row left → right. Cards left of significator are past; cards right are future. Speak complete sentences describing the narrative.
B. The Column (What Weighs on the Mind)
Read the four cards above → below the significator. Top card = unconscious motive; bottom card = what pre-occupies them most right now.
C. The Cross (Immediate Pivot)
The four cards directly adjacent (above, below, left, right). Treat as a four-word telegram answering the question in ten seconds.
D. Corners of the Frame (Fate's Headline)
Cards at positions 1, 9, 28, 36 (four corners). Read clockwise—this gives the overall complexion of the entire reading.
E. Knights (Optional—Unseen Influences)
Leap one card in eight directions like a chess knight. Use only if corners are ominous or question is complex.
Step 4: Timing in the Tableau
- • Columns represent weeks (or months for long-range questions)
- • First "past" card (left of significator): count pip value = how many days ago the story began
- • First "future" card (right of significator): count pip value = days until next concrete event
- • Court cards = 4, Ace = 1, 10 = 10, numbers = face value
Step 5: End the Session
- • Look for repeating motifs (same number, color, symbol)
- • State the bottom-center card (position 36) as the "last page the cards have turned"—your closing advice
- • Never re-interpret after the closing card: "The voice falls silent after the final emblem"
Historical Note: This is the fastest "salon method" that matches every eyewitness description of how Lenormand actually worked. No houses, no knighting, no clutter—just the raw 36-card map she spread on the table in Paris in 1809.
Practice Your Spreads
Start Small
Begin with 3-card spreads to build confidence before moving to larger layouts.
Practice Daily
Regular practice with different spreads helps you understand card interactions.
Keep a Journal
Record your readings and revisit them later to see how accurate your interpretations were.
Your Learning Progress
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