MY INTERPRETATION
Here, I’ll just be giving the very basics of the read, rather than going into every single card.
Four Corners, First Three Cards, Bottom Row
The corner cards show change for me is coming (Storks) but it being weighed down in some way (Cross), although I may be able to start whittling down (Mice) blocks and delays (Mountain). If you read those cards from the bottom left clockwise, you get a slow or delayed change (Mountain, Storks), bringing possibly stress and anxiety (Mice), although it could also suggest eroding of a burden or test or obligation, something weighing me down (Cross). So pretty meh, though I do see a (very) slight glimmer of hope in there.
The first three cards indicate the new development of more material security coming with age (Storks-Lilies-Bear); it could indicate savings, investments, assets, those kinds of things.
The message from the bottom row is about progress being made through hard work and discipline and that’ll bring news of success or success with what I’m writing (Ship-Whip-Sun-Letter). So efforts should pay off as long as I make them.
Update: Yes, it turned out to be a very burdened year indeed, with quite heavy energies and a lot weighing on me. “Testing”, I think, would be the word, and I was very much slowed down with regard to changes I had planned to make. Sluggish, would probably be the best description, partly through illness and some changes in personal circumstance, as well as an overload of projects and obligations. “Meh” is indeed the phrase for my 2023.
Me (Woman) & My Position In The Spread
So I’m slap-bang in the middle, with influences both above and below me. I’m appearing in the House of Garden, so other people and being more sociable are likely to be more of a feature for 2023. Surrounding me, there are childlike, childhood or beginner’s hopes and dreams (Stars-Woman-Child), and above that I’m likely to get some sort of official gift or blessing associated with or from a man (Bouquet-Man-Tower). However, beneath me, there appears to be some kind of health issue (heart? I hope not!), or my having to ‘cut out’ something I love, something that has been growing or branching out (Heart-Tree-Scythe). My dreams and goals are very well starred, and I may achieve a dream with something I love (Bouquet-Stars-Heart), which brings me to a man and some sort of energy or branching off (Man-Woman-Tree). That leads to some official beginning, or something ‘official’ where I’m a newbie, having to be excised, it looks like (Tower-Child-Scythe) or being cut down to size in some way (oh, great :/).
I’m reflected/mirrored by the Man, the Child, and the Tower, showing that a man will be significant, as will status and organisation, and being a beginner or “small-scale.” I’m knighted by a bond with or commitment I’ve made to other people (Ring-Garden), and I’ll be making a successful journey or good progress (Ship-Sun). Influencing me, though is the need for survival, opportunism and smartness, and the need to make money and build assets (Bear-Fox). Ahead, it looks like I’ll be picking up wisdom, talking with those who can teach me something, perhaps a secret (Birds-Book).
In terms of the row, column, diagonals where I’m standing, we have an important shedding of problems (Snake-Key), and the importance of ambitions and goals (as well as prioritising them) (Key-Stars). I could be going down a brand new path (Child-Crossroads) in terms of creative choices (Crossroads-Moon), although it also looks as though something there will come to an end also, and I may have to let it go and mourn it (Moon-Coffin).
Diagonally. it looks like I’ll be rewarded after a long time of something developing (Lilies-Bouquet), although I’ll have to be decisive and maybe cut out some of what I’m writing (Woman-Scythe-Letter). On the other side, something close to me, perhaps a domain, may become “official” (House-Tower) with regard to something I love (Heart).
Immediately influencing me will be a stable man or one who provides stability and routine, or someone I’ve known for a long time (Anchor-Man). I’ll be growing and branching out, but also working really hard, really pushing myself (Tree-Whip).
Update: Health issues did indeed impact me, with both COVID and one other major issue which needed to be addressed (I’m fine, nothing dramatic, but just goes to show you should always heed warning signs!). Definitely building assets and had some amazing learning experiences although I discovered a nasty enemy in the frame who was impacting my reputation (Moon-Coffin) so I interpreted that slightly incorrectly. Organisation and simply getting things done continued to be a problem, although there were lots of friends and supporters around and things were a lot more sociable. I’m not sure who the Man is exactly here, there isn’t one particular person who would accurately fit that bill, although most people guiding and teaching me were male. But the spread mainly seems to be trying to flag up impending health issues, which I was determined to avoid! It turned out to be correct anyway, which just goes to show…
Decisions And Cuts
The card in my House of Woman (and also immediately diagonal to me) is the Scythe, suggesting swift decisions, cutting things out. It is underpinned by the hard work, discipline, and struggle for success with my writing mentioned previously (Whip-Sun-Letter), and is surrounded by the Tree and Book, suggesting surgery of some kind might be the secret sauce of energy, growth and wellbeing, and that I’ll be discovering more about this. Above are choices and options around which new directions I should go in, multiple things I may have begun (Woman-Child-Crossroads). Generally speaking, I find that when you have the Crossroads and Scythe together, it’s about not just being presented with choices, but actually making the call, the decision, which usually means cutting off the lesser options. The background to this decision-making in my case is my growth and energy levels and the efforts, hardship and discipline involved (Woman-Tree-Whip), perhaps the lesser or smaller things needing to be cut for success or them reducing success (Child-Scythe-Sun), and what looks like multiple routes or streams of information that I’m writing (Crossroads-Book-Letter) and knowledge being imparted.
Knighting the Scythe, we’ve got progress that’s been made with goals, hopes and dreams (Stars-Ship): this combination also sometimes has a kind of “rocket” quality, a “moving big” “up, up and away” kind of energy. It’s also being knighted by the Man and the Birds, the wise owls here, which indicates that such decision-making and reductions might be his suggestion. (Interestingly, he is also appearing in the House of Birds, so his is a “voice” I might need to listen to). Finally, the Scythe is being knighted by the Moon. This might suggest letting go might be emotionally painful, or that I’m cutting out something creative or vocational, or something from my inner world.
It’s interesting to note also that if I look in the House of Scythe, I find the Ring (with this deck represented by the clasped hands signifying agreement or bond). Again this suggests a commitment needing to be cut.
Update: Well, both the me ignoring health issues again here, but also about prioritising with regard to getting overloaded with writing projects and having to make decisions about the direction to go in, which involved looking at the big picture and higher purpose (Stars). I actually made very good progress this year with a lot of that, but boy, does time fly too quickly! Why are there only 24 hours in a day? And yes, wise male voices in particular giving advice. Broken agreements though, with me not managing to do everything that needed to be done, so that was a big issue, reflected here.
Other Areas To Explore In Detail
I won’t lay it all out here, but there are various of the life areas that are intriguing and I’d like to look into a little more closely for this reading (whereas others and their cards aren’t really of much interest to me at all). Obviously, I’d explore that commitment I’m supposed to be getting rid of in more depth (Ring), I’d find out more about the Man, who he is and what he offers. Both the Book and Letter look worth exploring here, given my interests, I’m curious as to what comes up for the Key, given it’s next to the Shedding Snake, and there’s some kind of ominous ending appearing (Coffin) which I’d like to know more about. Money and business are also of interest to me (Fish) as well as the Storks which appear in the Rider position, as that indicates upcoming changes, always useful for a new year.
But do you see how everything in the “story” contained in a Grand Tableau interlinks and has interesting clues, giving you many different ways to explore them? Now that, my friends, is the true beauty and possibility of a Grand Tableau.
The Spread As A Whole
It’s always useful to look at the Grand Tableau spread as a whole, to see the “big picture”, and remember that it acts as a kind of snapshot of the influences on an individual at a given point in time, so I’d always do at least one “big picture” analysis of the spread and then deep dive into areas of interest.
My Path Through The Houses
Here’s an interesting technique that came from Rana George, and I find it really useful (Check out the post READING LENORMAND HOUSES; FINDING EXTRA CLUES for more on how to do this). It helps you sort the wheat from the chaff in terms of things to focus on for yourself in the reading.
So here’s my personal path through the cards, beginning where my Woman card sits in the House of Garden, and ending with what’s in the House of Woman (the Scythe).
The path through the cards via the Houses shows me being more out there, concerned with other people and sociable (Woman in House of Garden), particularly in terms of learning with or from others (Garden in House of Book), with experience and wisdom or someone older (Book in House of Lilies). Experience will prove positive or lucky (Lilies in House of Clover) and will bring great success (Clover in House of Sun) that will last (Sun in House of Anchor) and bring a sense of stability at home or with ‘my people’ (Anchor in House of House). There will, however be problems and gloom domestically too, or uncertainty (House in House of Clouds) brought by a betrayal or misunderstanding (Clouds in House of Snake) with regard to a change or something new that arrives ( Snake in House of Storks, Storks in House of Rider). I will however, be rewarded (Rider in House of Bouquet) although not without hard work and discipline (Bouquet in House of Whip), and efforts to make money (Whip in House of Fish). I should be able to do that and manage to save some (Fish in House of Bear), possibly through trade or from overseas (Bear in House of Ship) or an important journey (Ship in House of Key). Friendship and support will also be key (Key in House of Dog) with regard to achieving my ambitions (Dog in House of Star) and achieving them big (Stars in House of Tower). However, things might be on quite a small scale (Tower in House of Child) and I’m likely to be slowed down or face obstacles because of that (Child in House of Mountain). Worse, I might be kind of “bonding” or wedded to the obstacles (Mountain in House of Ring), so I’ll need to cut that tie (Ring in House of Scythe), wield that sword, and make the decision to do so (Scythe in House of Woman).
Update: This was in fact a pretty accurate summary of the year I had, so just goes to show how useful the “path through the houses” is as a reading method. I was indeed in a much more sociable position, and learned a lot from other people. Interestingly, the Lilies, particularly in Germanic interpretations often talks about your “purity” and integrity, your ethics and morality and “higher self”, really, and reputational issues to do with that, and I was glad to see that I was learning more about that (and no, it didn’t slip, which was good to know). Lots of lovely comments and things both Lozzy’s Lenormand-related and outside of that in my more personal world and other arenas which spoke to that. Some negatives too, though, particularly with one of my income streams and illness, not to mention a hidden enemy, which although not serious, caused major problems and held me up, as a great deal of hard work, discipline and energy were required, at a time when I was feeling sluggish and behind. I did feel that things in the end on a much smaller scale than I had planned which was frustrating. It’s still time to make those cuts and cut through the unimportant and learn to prioritise better.
Telling A Story Through The Columns and Rows
You can also use ALL the columns and rows in a GT to give an overall picture of influences (Rows) and the story moving across time (Columns). It’s not as focused or good for prioritising as the “path through the Houses” but still gives a good overview of the main themes that you’re likely to see coming up for the year. You can read the cards mirroring each other in rows and columns as well as in chains from left to right and top to bottom, to tell a story.
Here’s the overall story for my 2023 Grand Tableau.
Reading the 8 columns, left to right (the story moving across the year)
- I may find change be being slowed down and 2023 will be time to shed those problems. Time for a new start and to deal with those blockages.
- Old friends and groups of people and bonds and agreements are key. Old or long developed bonds with important people.
- I’ll consider how to make progress in a material or well-resourced sense, around the things I enjoy and love and have big dreams about. Material gifts, blessings and rewards, achieving dreams and goals with passions and making progress.
- Effort and discipline required is likely to be constant, and there’ll be a man in my life bringing health, growth and energy into the picture around me. A stable man, his relationship with me, my health, vitality and growth, and the efforts, drive and toughness involved.
- I’ll have to hustle, play the game, to keep on top of my successes, especially regarding status, organisational matters being cut down or reduced and “small”. A kind of survivalist, street smart way of organising and playing “small” may reduce my success.
- My home or domains of what I write brings spoken knowledge or wisdom about choices I need to make and the routes available to me. Domestic conversations bring choices and discoveries in terms of what I write.
- Luck and opportunities may be gloomy in terms of making money from creative endeavours. Negative or uncertain prospects for finances or enterprise in these areas may impact the manifestation of luck.
- Stresses and anxiety about obligations, although there may be signs of eroding pressure too, but the possible ending of a friendship, source of support or association. An anxious or undermined friendship, and deep sorrow over the ending. That said, this could also indicate the end of a ‘trial’ or burden and getting help with this, so it’s not all necessarily bad.
Update: Yowzers. Well, again, this was pretty accurate, aside from the “man in my life” although as I say, most of my guides and advisors and friends here were male. So it’s not really one person who’s being referred to here. I haven’t cut out a friendship, but one old male college friend sadly passed away. It was also accurate in terms of creative endeavours not being as lucrative as I had hoped, and of course, I was slowed down by illness and efforts did need to be constant, so blockages continued, alas.
Reading the 5 rows, top to bottom, overall influences on the year
- Anxious or undermined changes and negativity about getting older, experience of time passing, home or ‘domain’ security and resourcing, and a hustle that seems permanent. Changes long in development leading to material security in later life, but domestic hustles and perhaps struggle to keep head above water brings gloom and worry.
- The cavalry arrives in terms of support and friendship and a business deal or bond of some kind. Talk of the positives and rewards from a high status, organised, or official man. The arrival of a commitment or agreement which brings positives and rewards, and the reward of an official or high status man, likely advising and supporting on business matters.
- Shedding problems with endings and an emotional or creative solution brings a new goal or dream for me. A significant problem shed brings my ambitions and goals into focus, and the start of a new path with regard to creativity and endings. A project possibly finishes.
- The burden or test of a blockage or obstacle, around good fortune out in the world, and knowledge about passions and loves and the reduction of energy and wellbeing. “Killing my darlings?” Social or public blockages or distancing from others, and loving groups of people, growth and energies but which then get cut or reduced. A secret revealed brings luck and good fortune, although it doesn’t come without responsibility and burdens.
- Writing progress and successful efforts. A tough journey brings writing success.
Update: Again, this is pretty accurate, with unexpected domestic and health issues and gloom cast over certain areas which slowed me down. But I had good support and advice from mainly male guides, and the issue of going for a “higher purpose” in terms of prioritising projects was certainly helpful. My creative work, although there was a lot of it, did involve a new purpose and clarity, and new understandings.