How Do I Know Which Lenormand Card Meaning Is Right?

One of the biggest areas of difficulty and confusion I see from people when they’re starting to learn Lenormand is getting to grips with the number of potential Lenormand card meanings. I know. You check your books, you go round all the Lenormand websites looking at lists and examples, and find yourself thinking things like:

“Huh? The Fox means work AND deception? Mice means anxiety AND destruction? The Bear means power AND money as well as diet and weight? How come? And how do I know which of the meanings is the one I need in my reading? Which one is correct?

This all can seem like a major headache at first.

There are a few key things to remember about the Lenormand system:

• Lenormand cards use everyday and animal symbols to represent and talk about underlying universal concepts, in the same way that words in a language represent and communicate underlying meanings and ideas.
• That underlying concept or “feel” might manifest in slightly different ways in day-to-day life and different situations – which leads to seemingly different meanings on the surface.
• The context, question and other cards are really important in your interpretations of the cards
• Lenormand is an intuitive system. Your own connection to the symbols and what resonates is also important.

So let’s start by looking at the reasons for the different meanings in the first place.

We’ll take The Bear as an example & go through the reasoning step by step.

EXAMPLE: The BEAR. How Can It Mean Power AND Diet AND Money? 

The Bear is a classic Lenormand card in that it can seem on the surface to have more than one meaning

In trying to understand why, the first thing to do is focus on the symbol itself as it is in the real world.

Try it now. Think of a grizzly bear, out in the wild.

Picture it, physically. Think about how it behaves, what it does.

You might think of things like:

• Physically strong & powerful animal
• Large and heavy, lumbering
• Protective of its territory and young – often fiercely so
• Forages for food

Now, what is the underlying “feel” or concept connecting those things?

• Strength, power, protection, sustenance

What are the different ways things like strength, power, protection and sustenance manifest in OUR day to day lives?

• Physical and material (rather than emotional) security, safety and protection; financial security and assets; power; physical strength, food

Or in other words … Power, strength, money, security and diet

See it yet?

ALL of the possible Lenormand card meanings for The Bear are actually about the underlying idea of physical and material protection and security. All the meanings you see from readers like me on our lists are examples of  how that underlying idea manifests in real life and in different situations.

If you’re talking about a business, the Bear will very likely represent the financial security of that business; its strength, protection, security and power and the people in power. If you’re talking about a person, it could represent physical strength or personal power, a protective nature or the material security of the person i.e. their financial situation

Yes, But How Do I Know Which One of Those Is The Right One?

As in the examples above, the exact meaning you give the card will often depend on the context and circumstances that you’re reading it in as well as the surrounding cards, what you already know, and the question you asked.

• If you’re doing a reading for your friend Joe who you know is looking for a better-paid job and the Bear shows up with the Tower, then, given that Joe is looking for material protection of some sort, it’s pretty likely that The Bear in that situation represents the money that will give him security.
• Whereas if you’re doing a reading for your friend Julie and she wants to know what her next boyfriend will look like, The Bear in that situation, especially if it’s with the Bouquet or even the Whip might well represent a guy who is physically well-built and strong; perhaps someone who works out.

Tip: if you are unsure of the exact meaning, focus on the most basic underlying idea of the card and see if you can apply it to the situation, rather than trying to decide between surface-level meanings and doing it the other way round.

In Summary, then:

• Instead of thinking about all the possible meanings you’ve read about, put your focus on the most basic underlying meaning or “feel” of the card based on what the card’s animal or object does, is used for, or behaves like in real life.
• Try if you can to apply that underlying meaning to the context of the reading or the question that you asked. (This is one reason clear questions are so helpful.)
• Remember the other cards might also give you clues.
• Use your intuition and what you already know, and think about what makes most sense in the circumstances.

Still struggling?

Check out my  6 Tips For Getting Confident With Card Meanings

 

OR if you think you’ve nailed it, why not try my Lenormand Card Meanings Quiz