I've been hesitant to write a review for The Complete Lenormand Oracle Handbook by Caitlin Matthews.
I've had the book for months. I've started writing a review several times. But I keep stopping because I remember how Caitlin didn't like it when I said something negative about her deck, the Enchanted Lenormand Oracle, even though the rest of the review was positive.
I have no issues with Caitlin Matthews. I think she has made a valuable contribution to Tarot over the years.
I have no desire to hurt her, but in order to review The Complete Lenormand Oracle Handbook, I have to be honest and say that while there are some great things about the book, overall I was disappointed.
What I like about The Complete Lenormand Oracle Handbook
It's clear that a lot of work was put into the book, both by Caitlin and by her publisher.
The book is filled with color illustrations, color section headings, and diagrams.
You will find meanings for all of the cards, along with some combinations.
There are a lot of examples and exercises to help you learn Lenormand, as well as a variety of spreads.
Caitlin covers different techniques for reading the Grand Tableau, including distance (Near and Far).
You will also find advice on reading Lenormand in general and reading professionally.
Criticisms of The Complete Lenormand Oracle Handbook
1. Tarot: There are a lot of references to Tarot and comparisons between Lenormand and Tarot. While Caitlin's background is in Tarot, and many Tarot readers are starting to study Lenormand, it would have been nice if Tarot had been left in the world of Tarot and this was allowed to simply be a book on Lenormand. Lenormand has been around for centuries and is strong enough to stand on its own. Rana George's excellent Lenormand book proves this. If someone unfamiliar with Tarot were to read Caitlin's book, I think the many references and comparisons to Tarot would confuse them, and it might make it difficult for them to learn Lenormand from this book.
2. Exercises: Caitlin provides a lot of exercises to help readers learn Lenormand. This is a fantastic idea, but it isn't always executed well. For example, chapter 1 begins with a discussion of how you need to know a card's keywords (meanings) in order to be able to read the card. Caitlin presents a couple of exercises asking you to read cards in pairs, yet she hasn't covered card meanings yet. She even gives an exercise asking you to do daily spreads before she provides meanings.
In my opinion, it's really disjointed and confusing to new readers to tell them that they need to know the meanings in order to read Lenormand, and then ask them to do readings a chapter before the meanings are covered. Caitlin even covers how to read houses in a Grand Tableau before she covers card meanings, and before she even explains the Grand Tableau.
Instead of introducing elements of reading Lenormand and building on them, The Complete Lenormand Oracle Handbook skips back and forth between elementary information and advanced reading techniques.
Honestly, if my first attempt to learn Lenormand had been with Caitlin Matthew's book, I probably would have sat there, scratching my head, muttering, “WTF?”
3. Card Meanings There are inconsistencies in card meanings. The book provides detailed card meanings, as well as an “at a glance” abbreviated version of card meanings. The “at a glance” card meanings sometimes reference keywords and meanings that aren't presented in the detailed card meanings.
Additionally, some of the reading examples use meanings that are not provided in either the detailed list nor the “at a glance” list. This can make the examples difficult for new readers to understand because it's unclear how Caitlin is coming up with the interpretation based on the meanings provided.
I'm not trying to be nit-picky, but I do believe that such discrepancies can make it challenging, particularly for Lenormand beginners, to follow how Caitlin is interpreting the reading examples.
Important Note about Caitlin Matthew's The Complete Lenormand Oracle Handbook
There is quite a bit in The Complete Lenormand Oracle Handbook that appears to be of Caitlin's own devising. This includes spreads and reading methods derived from playing cards (such as the chapter titled Waking the Pips). This isn't bad, but I think it's worth mentioning for readers.
In Chapter 8, “Secrets of the Lenormand Universe,” Caitlin is upfront that the chapter is her own creation, and not a part of how anyone else has read Lenormand over the years. It is what she describes as “a new mythic pattern” in which she attempts to provide additional meanings and interpretations of the cards, essentially developing a new oracle method from the Lenormand deck.
While the mythic structure is an interesting concept, one of the things I like about Lenormand is its simplicity and how well it works without trying to add this type of nuance. I guess I have an “if it isn't broke, why fix it” mentality.
Summary
It is great that Caitlin attempts to cover so much information in her book, truly taking a kitchen sink approach by including everything she could possibly find on Lenormand, even things that she has made up on her own. However, I really think the book would have benefited from more extensive editing.
While Caitlin's book is comprehensive, I don't think it is the most straightforward or easy-to-follow Lenormand book available. I believe both Andy Boroveshengra's Lenormand Thirty Six Cards and Rana George's The Essential Lenormand are better in this regard.
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Note: I did not receive a free copy of this book or other compensation for my review. All opinions are my own.
I have to agree with all you said about this book I was very disappointed with it, it’s not beginner friendly at all, I think beginners should try Britta Kienle’s books.
I was excited for the book! However I should have checked the bookstore before purchasing online. It’s collecting dust and sadly I might try selling it. Differently not a beginners book. Even now I can’t understand it completely, and I’ve got more confident in lenormand. Sadly it reads like a scary math book. =(
I’ve the book that is being reviewed and I think the best and most useful part is the Near and Far Glossary. This type of info is great for a person very familiar with the Lenormand System. I’ve not felt the need to read the book from cover to cover. I think it is a great reference resource for anyone with a background in Lenormand
Anne you’re absolutely right. I really disliked the book, the exercises, while being a good idea and something Rana George should have added, are impossible. The pips chapter drove me nuts and that’s when I decided to not read any further. Also, she gives different meanings to the cards than the ones I use so yes, you’re right. And although I did’t read your review on her cards, I saw them on the book and thought they were confusing and not very artistic.
I agree with you the book is a nightmare to follow. Back and forth, back and forth… And also quite a few inconsistancies. Though I must say I’m a fan of the line of 5 with hidden dynamics and the pips. Works well for me. Having said that I wouldn’t recommend this book to a beginner. I have been lenormand for less than a year and growing confident thanks to Rana George’s book, my goto book anytime, I recommend it highly especially for complete beginners.
Wow, honestly surprised at the comments regarding how this book wasn’t helpful for readers. I had an entirely different experience. Caitlin’s book was the first book I began my Lenormand journey with and I learned so much. It’s one of my go-to wisdom books for questions, along with Rana George’s book and Andy Boroveshengra’s. The only negative for me was that in several of the exercises, the card numbering was off as far as placement in the spreads.
Hi,
Thanks for your review, I was only just thinking of whether to purchase this book or not. I first started off with Sylvie Steinbach and my fave is Rana George. I had watched some youtube video’s by James Himm Mitchell and he had done a line of 3-5 reading, and it was only that he had mentioned adding the pips on the playing card inserts that grabbed my attention, and that it was something that Caitlin does, as well as adding the lenormand cards as well, to get an advice card.
I think that if it works and is consistence and gets results then it wouldn’t hurt, I think that it is good to evolve in anything or method. Sometimes the advice card after other cards have been added, could be a card that is already in the line-up. So this could be emphasising what needs to be bought to attention more so.
Somethings can be made simple or too difficult, whatever works.
I do like to have structure myself, so if a book is disjointed then it would drive me nuts as well.
cheers
Thanks Lucy! I completely agree that it’s good to evolve methods with things that work. Knighting is an example of a more modern Lenormand reading technique that works really well.
Many people have had difficulties with adding the Lenormand cards. Many have found it to be not just inconsistent, but troublesome to employ. For example, if the cards add up to 36, does this represent the Cross card or do you break it down to 9 to represent the Bouquet? If the cards add up to 29, is this the Woman card or does it break down to 11 Whip or further down to 2 Clover? But if it works for you, you should use it.
Hi Anne,
I think that it is only reduced to a single digit, if the total is over 36, so all numbers 1-36 remain the same and not reduced further.
I love the knighting technique, I also read on Benebell Wen website her technique on the knighting also, which adds another nuance to it, the knighted cards above to the right are the likely outcome, and knighted card below to the right – alternative option, she also reads the 2 cards leading up to it. So many things out there isn’t it. I think someone could do a whole book on just the Grand Tableau alone. I find it quite fascinating. I particularly like reading it with the houses it lands in. Anyway I’m getting away from the topic of this post. Sorry.
Lucy
I am very much enjoying this book . Perhaps it is because I come from a taro background as well as a deeply intuitive background. I was familiar with the basic meanings for the cards before I read this book and so the initial 30 page introductory chapter that came right before the lexicon of meanings didn’t seem out of order to me. As with anything, I take what resonates and works through experimenting and keep moving forward from there.. So far, I am delighted with the process.
Thank you for your review of Catilin Matthews book. I was going to purchase it, because, although I love Rana George’s book – it seems like she gives too much information at times, and that is a bit overwhelming for me. I am going to look into Andy’s book. I want something that is straightforward and quick.
I love your site and how you present the lessons. Thank you.
I hope you enjoy Andy’s book! It’s truly a great compilation of Lenormand teachings!
I agree the beginning of this book is a little confusing. It doesn’t cover how Caitlin came about all the meanings of the cards or how she works out the meanings when you read pairs. This leaves the beginner really wondering what is going on.
However, I kind of skipped passed this and started learning pips. I think the book is marvellous for this and I learnt a tonne of reading techniques that really help to work out the meanings. I have it handy all the time for this purpose.
I wouldn’t discourage anyone from buying this book, I would just warn beginners that the first few chapters may be disorientating.
Thanks James! Just remember, not all decks have playing card inserts because reading pips is not a part of Lenormand. The pips have a different purpose in traditional reading methods than what Caitlin explains.