What Makes for a “Real” Cartomancer?

I’m part of a few cartomancy groups on Facebook, and not long ago, there was an interesting experience that prompted a question I put to the cards.

Here’s what happened:

In one group, a fellow member posted a Lenormand reading he’d done and wanted feedback, in the form of other possible meanings for the cards he’d drawn.

A few of us participated, myself included. I saw a couple of possible interpretations for the line of cards, and shared them.

I left the thread, got offline, and went about my business.

I returned at a later point, and saw there was a reply to my comment. Taking a look, a woman posted: “For a real cartomancer, there is only one possible meaning.”

I found the comment interesting. Not interesting enough to debate it with the woman (I don’t debate card reading with other readers, simply because I don’t need to), but interesting enough to ponder.

And, as I said in the opener, the pondering led me to ask the Lenormand (the source of the situation) the question, “What makes for a ‘real’ cartomancer?”

Using the Liberty Lenormand* to draw a Line of 5, I pulled Woman, Key, Stork, Letter, and Clover.

Reading the Line

I love seeing Stork turn up in the middle of the line, as it says, “A ‘real’ cartomancer focuses (focus card) on change and improvement.”

Seriously, I could’ve stopped right there.

Looking at Woman, opening the line up, I thought this represented the woman who posted the response to my comment. And I read with direction in mind, so it was interesting to see the woman looking as if she’s “exiting” the line, her back to all the other cards.

The next card, Key, brought more to the Woman card. Key is a card of answers and solutions; with the Woman not facing Key, it validates the situation that prompted the reading: a woman didn’t care for my answer to the original post.

The pair could also be read to validate a woman sending her own answer, and that her answer was important enough to prompt the reading I was now doing.

Coming back to the question, Key + Stork can be read to say, “The answer (Key) is to change and improve (Stork).”

Letter is a card of written communication and correspondence, and in one regard, points to the post itself. Key + Letter could be read to say, “The discovery (Key) of a post (Letter),” as well as “an answer in printed form.”

Again, that’s about the situation. How does Letter play into answering (no pun intended with Key in the line) the question on what makes for a “real” cartomancer?

With that in mind, Letter can represent a document—and therefore documentation. Stork + Letter can then be read to say, “Improvement (Stork) through writing and/or documentation (of readings).”

Clover rounds the line out, and I like seeing it there as it talks of opportunity (in the future, being the last card).

In terms of how Clover answers the question, the word that came to mind is spontaneity; so a “real” cartomancer has to be a bit spontaneous when it comes to reading (Clover can represent “a little”), as well as being willing to take the chance on being spontaneous (Clover also being a card of chances).

Also, Letter + Clover can be read to say, “Documentation (Letter) is fortuitous (Clover being a card of fortune).”

So, straight from the Lenormand, these are the traits, characteristics, and qualities that make for a “real” cartomancer:

• Being open (Key) to the importance (Key) of change and improvement (Stork)
• Documenting readings (Letter)
• Taking chances and being spontaneous (Clover)

I don’t know how this would sit with that woman, as it’s more than one possible answer, but it works for me.

 

 

 

P.S. Here’s the follow-up to the story…

Another member came to my defense, responding to the woman (I had decided not to).

Then, the woman started leaving rude comments throughout various threads and posts on the group page, the final one being, “This group is too amateurish,” before departing.

The moderator later informed us all that someone had hacked the woman’s account, and was posting unbeknownst to her.

All the comments were deleted.

*Liberty Lenormand Oracle Cards are by Lynn Boyle. You can learn more about the deck over at her Etsy shop, AquariusWellbeing.