Before using a new deck of Lenormand Oracle cards, I recommend “cleaning” your deck of all energies and helping to unite it with your own energy. There are several ways to accomplish this. I personally use white sage and exhale the smoke around a new deck of cards, and especially after someone has somehow managed to touch them.
Other ways are surrounding the cards around a white candle, or using crystals or just holding the deck of cards, visualizing a white light soaking through your cards and cleaning them and last but not least remember to ask your angels, guides and your higher self. to provide you with insight and awareness and to bring you messages that you can interpret.
When you get a new Lenormand Oracle deck, the cards will be in numerical order from 1 to 36. The first thing you need to do is shuffle the deck thoroughly. An easy way to do this is to randomly deal the cards into three piles; reassemble the platform; shuffle it, then repeat the process two or three times. It’s a good idea to shuffle the deck this way after each reading, especially if you’re dealing the cards instead of drawing them. This will ensure that the card spreads are broken between each reading.
Two of the “people” cards have a special meaning. The Knight and the Lady represent the querent, respectively, the male or female person for whom the oracle is consulted. These cards can also be used to represent the querent’s problem or question in some designs; for example, the card most associated with the problem can be used: the Heart for a question about love, the Ship for travel, and the Fish for money, etc. The card used to represent the consultant or problem is called “Significator” or “Key Card”.
If your layout calls for a significator placed in a particular location, decide which card to use as the significator, remove it from the deck, and place it in front of you; usually this card will be placed in the center of the spread.
Now it’s time to shuffle the cards before distributing the layout. Either shuffle the cards (but without using the card player’s quick shuffle) or spread them face down on a table and shuffle them. As you shuffle the cards, focus on the querent or the querent’s problem. Do not rush this mix, it is time for you to manipulate the cards and connect with them. Stop mixing when it feels right to do so.
Next, cut up the cards, either with a single cut or in three piles which you then put back together, still focusing on the querent or the querent’s problem. If you are using a significator, remember to place it in the center of the table. You can now deal cards or draw cards to form your layout. Personally, I tend to draw cards for small layouts, but deal the cards for full 36-card layouts.
To draw cards, take the deck and spread it out so that the cards slightly overlap face down in a ribbon or fan pattern on the table. Pull cards one at a time as required from the fan with your left hand (the hand closest to your heart). Let your intuition guide you when drawing the cards: choose the card that “feels right”.
If you are dealing the cards, you can place them face up or face down in the appropriate place on your layout. If you are drawing cards, you must keep them face down until the layout is complete. This is to prevent any emotions, either positive or negative, that you may feel when you see a card from affecting subsequent draws.
Once the layout is complete, turn the cards face up and you’re ready to begin your reading!