Master Method

Experimentation is always good for the mind. Be it with Lenormand or the Tarot, I always like to try new things. It is my conviction that, as a reader, we always have to evolve. Being stuck in a method or a way of doing readings forever looks to me like anorexia, a slow death.

Don’t get me wrong, some people are very good at using a particular method, and I applaud them for that. But for my part, learning and evolution are of the utmost importance. Trial and experimenting is how I evolve.

In that spirit, I was rereading recently a little book that was published in 1875, L’Oracle Parfait. It supposedly explains the methods of Etteilla and Mlle Lenormand. Of course, these claims seem false today, the book having heavily plagiarized another one, much older. It seems that in the past centuries, making extraordinary claims was quite usual. 

As claims are going, they have a habit to stick. Many people still believe that the Tarot has something to do with Egypt and that Mlle Lenormand invented the Lenormand oracle. Oh well, many people do not seem interested in facts, they prefer following their own agenda.

Coming back to l’Oracle Parfait, the book describes an alternate way of using the houses, instead of using the same description as the card with the same number. Further down in this article, I will refer to the usual way of using the houses as the game of hope houses, and the descriptions found in l’Oracle Parfait as the master method. That name that is often used to describe them.

The descriptions can sometimes be very different than what a card typically signifies. For instance, the house of the clouds talks about what we desire, and the house of the key talks about indifference. Please refer to the end of this article for an english translation  the house definitions.

I already tried this method in the past. It gives interesting results, it certainly gives an other twists to the readings. I know some people who use it with much success. But of course, what gives success to someone else does not mean personal success. The proof is in the puding, as it goes.

As I was revisiting it, I did a grand tableau, using the master method for houses. I asked my cards “what would be the impact on my readings if I was using the master method for houses?” 

For significators, I selected the Man to represent me, the reader, the Book for the master method, the Letter for the cards themselves. I also selected the House for the game of hope houses, in order to compare both methods.

I am not going to explain here how I do a grand tableau, as I already did a few in the past.

The corners, as external influences around the question, show that choices are dead set (paths – anchor), if I want long term peace of mind and success (lilies – moon). 

Same idea in the first 3 cards, multiplying the possibilities will bring pain.

Right away, we can already deduct a conclusion from what was found. PIcking a choice and sticking to it is important. What can bring difficulties and lack of success, is to waffle in between methods. 

Looking back at the question, it already tells me that switching to that new method would be disastrous. I could already terminate the reading at this point if I wanted. But let’s look for more evidence.

If we look at my present line, I can see that for me (man) the richness of tradition (fish – tower), or what stands time (tower) is the game of hope houses (house). I literally sit right on top of the house card, that’s what I master. I sit in the house of Dog, telling me to be happy with what I already have, instead of looking for something new. I made my own tradition with time, let’s stick to it.

The House itself is sitting in the house of the book, which talks about enterprise, the projects we embark for. All this consolidates the first conclusion: what I’m using until now, the game of hope houses, is what should stay.

Let’s have a look at the Book, as I picked it as a significator for the master method. It sits in the house of the house, which talks about hope. Hope that this system would be useful. But hope is not evidence, it’s just a feeling. 

Here, we see the book caught in between the Cross and the Mountain, caught in between pain and obstacles. The Mountain representing traditionally an enemy, we  can see that this method would be inimical to my objectives.

Even if I want to experiment, and go with it in the near future (man – rider – book), it is still an experiment that I would kill for public readings (book – coffin – garden). 

After all, I intersect the Book in the Star, in the house of garden, talking about treason. How could that serve me, to give a treasonous guidance?

Even if every system might sometimes look wrong (fox), I have been careful in the past (fox) to pick a system giving me success and clarity (moon – sun).

From this point, it’s quite simple. Looking at my future line, I’m committed to what gives me guidance when I explain a reading to my public (ring, star, birds, garden). The key to success is strong roots (key, tree).

At this point, I could look for more evidence, but we already know what needs to be known. the card of Letter, representing my cards, or my readings, are in the future line of the House (the game of hope system). We could go on and on and on…

Master Method definitions

1. Project
2. Satisfaction
3. Success
4. Hope
5. Hasard
6. Wish
7. Injustice
8. Ingratitude
9. Association
10.  Loss
11.  Pain
12.  Bieng
13.  Joy
14.  Love
15.  Prosperity
16.  Marriage
17.  Affliction
18.  Happiness
19.  Heritage
20.  Treason
21.  Rival
22.  Gift
23.  Lover
24.  Elevation
25.  Generosity
26.  Enterprise
27.  Change
28.  Ending
29.  Reward
30.  Disgrace
31.  Happiness
32.  Fortune
33.  Indifference
34.  Favor
35.  Ambition
36.  Indisposition

Deck: Petit Jeu Lenormand, by Cartamundi.