Celtic Lenormand

by Chloë McCracken, Will Worthington (illustrator)

This 45-card deck, with colorful artwork by Will Worthington, provides additional tree, animal and people cards for nuanced readings. Three different bird cards represent the triple goddess. In-depth descriptions for each card include keywords, divinatory meanings, suggestions for spell use, timing, spiritual messages, dark and light aspects, and affirmations. The illustrated guidebook also presents interpretations based on the phases of the moon and the Wheel of the Year. It includes card spreads and instructions for several different methods of reading with the Celtic Lenormand deck.

Genres: Occult, Divination

188 pages, Cards and book

First published January 6, 2015

Reviews

[Tarot · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Celtic Lenormand is a 45-card Celtic Pagan deck that includes a traditional 36-card Petit Jeu and beautiful illustrations by Will Worthington, who also painted The Druidcraft Tarot and The Druid Plant and Animal Oracles.

Even though Celtic tribes spanned much of Europe, the vast majority of Celtic media feature Irish and English traditions. This deck finally features a different part of Celtic times: the lush landscapes of Brittany in northern France. "This area was populated by Celts for over five hundred years, and is still considered one of the six surviving Celtic nations, bringing authenticity to this depiction. It also connects the deck to the more modern French Lenormand tradition."

The nine extra cards included make these sets, which can be freely used or removed from the deck ~
1 Cat (use with or replace Dog)
2 Tree for the God (Oak King/Holly King)
3 Birds for Triple Goddess (Songbirds/Chickens/Owls = Maiden/Mother/Crone)
2 Snake (one represents positive healing/transformation)
2 Rider (fe/male)
2 Lord/Man
2 Lady/Woman
2 Child (girl/boy)

The LWB is by far the best I've seen with a Lenny deck. Each card entry contains:
Keywords
Person (the card can represent)
Playing Card Association
Description
Meanings
Spiritual Readings
Dark and Light (not just positive, negative, and neutral with most Lennies)
Spell Use
Timing (European Pagan Wheel of the year and Moon phases)
Affirmation
Deities (mostly Celtic, but specifies which Celtic nation they're from, plus Norse, Egyptian, Asian, and other Deities for inclusion and variety)

There are also a few spells and non-traditional spreads in the back, but not much instruction for beginners. If you're new to Lennies, I highly recommend Essential Lenormand by Rana George .

I especially appreciate the Dark and Light meanings, aka the "solution-within-the-problem." For example, if Fox represents a deceitful person, then Fox can also mean to trust your instincts to deal with them. This Balance is core to various Pagan/Earth-based beliefs. Contrary to the recent toxic positivity trend of "good vibes only" and "the universe has your back," Nature and the Universe are under no obligation to help anyone and is the whole reason why Practices like prayer and Divination exist: to attempt to tip the Balance in our favor.

As a person of mixed heritage, I want to point out that all the people depicted in the art are Euro-centric, but this didn't bother me given that it portrays life as it historically was in the Iron Age of Europe before the Romans wiped out the vast majority of Celtic tribes.

[Kenneth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cards are small, playing card size, but beautiful. They are Will Worthington's best work, in my eyes anyhow. I love the extra cards. I like the extra card description inclusions, which moves this away from the down to earth lenormand to something closer to tarot, if that's what you want. The book is very good, if too physically tiny, tiny pages, tiny print. I'd like an electronic version or a full size book. Those are really my only quibbles.