Shadowland Lenormand
The Shadowland Lenormand by Monica Bodirsky is a natural companion to the tarot deck of the same name. Published in December 2021, it has the same style of artwork and gold edging as the Shadowland tarot. I will forever loathe gold edging on cards I want to use, and this deck is no exception. These cards are slightly smaller than the Shadowland tarot. They’re also smaller than the box, and I kind of wish it had an insert. I love the Shadowland Tarot, and I expect to love this deck. Will I use it, or will I just take it out of the box now and again to have a look? I’ve had it for over a year and barely touched it, so I’ll assume it’s the latter. The cards come in a sturdy box that makes use of a magnetic strip to keep it closed. There’s a small but very lovely guidebook too, and I very much like how the information is structured.
Lenormand is a little different to tarot and other oracle decks. The cards are usually read in pairs or strings, and they offer practical advice and, erm, fortune-telling. There are some hardcore Lenormand fans out there, and it’s a great little tool if you want answers that are direct and leave less to interpretation. With the tarot, it’s easy to do a deep dive into the undercurrents, the psychological, and the motivations. Oracles tend to focus on spiritual and emotional well-being and will usually offer a heavy dose of guidance to deal with a variety of existential complaints. The Lenormand mostly deals with ‘events’, which is why it does have a strong link to the more traditional aspects of fortune-telling.
The cardstock is different to the tarot deck as these are laminated. They feel robust enough to withstand heavy use. I can imagine the gold edging will be long gone before the rest of the card starts to look worn. They are incredibly easy to shuffle, and because it’s only thirty-six cards they’re not remotely awkward to handle. I see that instead of Whip (11), Monica uses Brooms. All other cards use their traditional titles. In the guidebook, Monica says that it’s fine to use a single card, and she gives examples of different readings with 1, 2, 3, 9 and 36 cards. I am going to be exceptionally disciplined and talk about only two cards. I think that should be plenty to give you an indication of whether you want to add it to your collection.
The first card is Garden (20) and I picked it because I recognised the big brown creature from the tarot deck. We can see the image shows three people surrounded by flowers. Monica’s trademark bat hovers above the young woman, and even the spider puts in an appearance. From the guidebook: Several unique characters gather in a garden to socialize.
KEY WORDS: Friends, social gatherings, shared green spaces, community groups.
SHADOW: Social anxiety, introvert, needing excessive attention and validation.
MESSAGE: Whether a party in the garden or a space to meet coworkers, this card indicates a gathering of people both in a professional or personal capacity. Often, we socialize or gather in public gardens, and — you never know — you may meet some very unique people shortly. The garden can also indicate convalescence or a much-needed break from an illness or new friendships and alliances. This card suggests one of your strengths is your community involvement and signifies an improvement in social status.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
How do you feel about socializing in general?
Do you give yourself adequate time to recover from illness or stress?
How do you define community?
I think the guidebook is pretty thorough in its interpretation, although it needs to be stressed that the Lenormand system of reading relies heavily on modifying the interpretation depending on the order the cards are read and which card shows up next.
Clover (2) features a ginormous, mean-looking clover. While scary, he is friendly with the young woman. Or is he? Does she want her hand to be held? From the guidebook: A four-leafed clover creature holds the hand of a young woman and a sack of coins.
KEY WORDS: Luck, fortune, opportunities, prosperity, wealth, relationships.
SHADOW: Gambling, ignoring a romantic connection, throwing money away, relying on luck instead of taking action.
MESSAGE: While this card denotes luck and prosperity in general, especially when this is the subject of the question being asked, it can also mean a short-lived turn of events. This may be a symbolic reminder not to sit back and wait for luck when action is required to achieve your goals. A card of light-heartedness and fun, it indicates playfulness and joy. Depending on the situation or context, it can also be a message to lighten up and enjoy life a little — you are lucky! In a reading with several cards, the Clover lessens difficult situations indicated by surrounding cards such as the Coffin or Scythe. If near Garden, Heart or Bouquet, luck in love is indicated.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
What is in your control and out of control in your life right now?
Do you feel compelled to gamble as a result of relying on luck?
Where in your life could you be more playful and spontaneous?
If Garden was followed by Clover in a reading this would modify the interpretation to something along the lines of social gatherings that bring luck, or a group get together to play cards or other games of chance.
The Shadowland Lenormand is quirky, colourful, and lighthearted. There’s not much to analyse because it’s a far simpler, and more straightforward tool than tarot or regular oracle sets. Although, Monica’s artwork cleverly adds an extra layer to any basic keyword meanings. My only complaint is the gold edging. I know it’s simply not possible to keep anything pristine once used; but once the foil starts coming away, it really does make a deck look shabbier than necessary. I’m glad it’s a part of my collection and would buy it again. I’m certainly happy to recommend it to others. Monica has a couple of other decks: The Bats Blood Ink Oracle, and Between the Worlds Oracle, and I can imagine these are both worth owning. I’m excited to see she has a new tarot deck planned for release in February and look forward to buying a copy.
