The Grand Tableau is THE big Lenormand reading: but it potentially holds such a lot of information that can seem overwhelming.
If you’re not familiar with the Grand Tableau, you can take a look here for my overview and follow the step by step instructions on reading a Grand Tableau
If you want to see what an actual Grand Tableau reading can look like, take a look at one of my READING SAMPLE GT REPORTS, or at me using a Grand Tableau to predict future events in the UK over the course of a year.
So whether you’re doing a GT yourself following my instructions or you are getting a reading from me, what are the 10 most important things to know?
1. The Grand Tableau is a general reading that covers ALL life areas.
A Grand Tableau is long, detailed and takes a long time to put together a reading properly. For example, when I am doing a reading, it will take me more than a day to physically complete just one reading and write the report!
2. There is no one ‘fixed’ way to read a Grand Tableau
Different readers read the GT differently and use different methods. Also, you don’t HAVE to employ every single one of the methods. If you are reading for yourself, you can choose which methods and elements suit your needs best: you can just read around the Querent card, for instance, you can just do an overview of the reading as a whole, or you can do in-depth with Houses, Knighting and so on.
3. Timing. A Grand Tableau is NOT necessarily a predictive reading
Many people assume that a Grand Tableau is purely a predictive reading. This is NOT the case. It does cover long periods of time (6 months to a year, I find) but unless you specify a time period you want at the outset or that you specifically want a future reading, it will include past, present and future influences.
Usually, past present and future influences are indicated by where the Querent card (the Man or Woman) falls in the spread
Cards to the left of where you (the Querent, Man or Woman) fall generally represent past influences, cards to the right, represent the future. This means a Grand Tableau reading could contain mainly information about past influences, mainly future influences or an even mix of both. It depends entirely on the position of the Querent card. So it is NOT necessarily a purely predictive reading. That said, if you specifically ask for a GT to be a future-only reading and set a FUTURE timeframe from the outset, it can be read that way. The main point is it is about interconnection between different life areas.
4. Your Querent’s position in the spread is important
As above, unless you have specified that you want the whole reading to only cover a future timeframe, the column where your Querent card falls will impact on the timeframe shown by the spread with cards to the left showing the past and cards to the right, the future. Cards that are closest to the Querent are also those life areas which are having the most impact on their life at a given time. In addition, the row that the Querent card falls in represents the general amount of control they have over situations. The Querent card in the top row shows a lot of control over events. A Querent in the bottom row shows that a lot of events and influences happening that are out of their hands.
5. The Cards in A Grand Tableau Tell A Story, Usually From Past To Future
A chain reading along a row moves along a timeline from past influences, through the present, towards the future. A mirror reading for that row will give an overview of how past present and future influences work together.
The interpretations for each column in a GT will also move from past influences through the present and to future influences
You can also read around particular cards just like they are the keycard in a 9-card reading to get a picture of that life area. In my own readings, I tend to that for the Querent card only to provide an overview focused on the Querent, but it is possible to do it for any area of interest.
6. Houses, Knighting, Mirroring & Reflection Aspects Offer Additional Detail on Different Life Areas
The ‘extras’ added by these more advanced techniques can be very, sometimes spookily, precise in their detail. As a result, I now include them for all life areas in my GT reports. In some ways, it is this which make the GT ideal for prediction if you wish to use it that way, because it’s all about the details
Not sure what Houses, Knighting, and so on are? Check out my posts on the subject here:
Lenormand Card Houses and How To Read Them
Knighting, Mirroring & Reflection Techniques in the Grand Tableau
7. A big reading like the Grand Tableau can seem more general than other readings
On the other hand, because the Grand Tableau covers a bigger time period and a lot more areas it can seem more general. Often, the spread does give a very clear broad picture of situations to the reader, but it’s less useful for answering specific questions. Sometimes, because of the lack of a specific context to hone down the exact meanings, may also seem more vague or you may have a choice of meanings
8. A Grand Tableau is Not a Short-Term Reading.
A Grand Tableau will generally covers a period of time, at a bare minimum a month, but more usually for periods of 6 months to a year (bear in mind, though, unless you specify that you are looking at the future only, this can include past periods as well as future ones!)
9. A Grand Tableau Is Not The Best Layout For All Reader Situations
Just because a Grand Tableau is bigger and takes longer to do does not mean it is “better”. It is just more detailed and covers lots of life areas so it is more general. I do Grand Tableaus for myself once, maybe two times a year at most, usually to get an overview of what’s coming up, what influences are coming into different life areas. I usually specify and set that time-frame, before I read, too. I would never do a Grand Tableau for a ‘quick answer’ or when I just want to focus on a specific area, and I would never do one now for a period of less than three months.
10. The Grand Tableau Is NOT The Best Layout If You Have A Specific Question
Precise questions are much better and more clearly answered with 5-card and 9-card readings than the Grand Tableau. The Grand Tableau is a general all-areas reading, with the capacity to further explore whatever life areas you want in depth. It is not helpful for answering yes/no questions. It is helpful for if you want to look at life in general over a long period of time. In my Grand Tableau readings, I usually focus either on the general or on life areas people are interested in rather than on answering specific questions
Want A Private Reading?
I now offer private email readings. I can also help you interpret your own readings: your own layouts and your own cards. Please see my service pages here and here for how to order. (Oh, and be sure to check my code of ethics as to my approach!). You can check out samples of my reports here:
SAMPLE ONE QUESTION 9-CARD READING
Want More Guidance?
Go to my Lenormand Tips page for tips about common issues and problems.
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Thanks for the great info on Lenormand. I’ve been considering studying this system and this information helps. 🙂