Though I’m an avid, experienced Tarot card reader, I do like to dabble with alternative forms of divination and will often combine a range of cartomancy tools and techniques in order to offer clear and concise readings.
It’s been almost a year since I first began working and reading with Monica Bodirsky’s ‘Shadowland Tarot‘; which though a little spooky is a stunning deck that features the most awesome ink-sketch-stylised artwork. Prior to the World popular Shadowland Tarot, Monica first created the ‘House of Shadows Lenormand Deck‘ back in 2017 which she has since had over five further editions published.
Monica very kindly sent me a signed, limited, fifth-edition copy of her ‘House of Shadows Lenormand Deck earlier this week which I simply couldn’t wait to open and to work with.
Monica Bodirsky
Monica is a professional artist, author, and diviner who is of settler origin on Turtle Island with a northern and eastern European background and deep Celtic, Romany, Jewish and Middle Eastern roots though now resides in Toronto, Canada.
Monica worked as a graphic designer, freelance writer and fine artist for many years. She is a professional artist and author who identifies as a practitioner of mystical arts who follows a familial heritage of seership, herbalism and advising.
Monica is the artist of the House of Shadows Lenormand, the Shadowland Tarot, and the Lucky Lenormand oracle deck. Her fine art and writing have featured in a range of galleries and publications including Cartomaner magazine, The Lonely Planet Travel Guide, Spiral Nature Magazine, and various other online blogs and journals.
What are Lenormand Cards?
Lenormand cards are an alternative form of divination, though similar to Tarot they are different in purpose, structure and meaning. Whereas a traditional Tarot deck would usually comprise of seventy-eight cards, the Lenormand is far more simplistic and to the point as it has only thirty-six cards. Tarot tends to focus on the ‘why’, often looking into the emotions, thoughts and feelings of the querent whereas Lenormand is a little more practical and to the point, as it tends to focus more upon the ‘how’ and the everyday matters which will come into play.
The Fifth Edition House of Shadows Lenormand Oracle Deck
This limited collectors edition is signed, numbered and there are only one hundred and ninety copies in circulation available for sale. Featuring an introduction by the well-known and respected Lenormand reader ‘Erika Robinson’, the Fifth-Limited-Edition House of Shadows Lenormand Deck is a whimsically dark Lenormand oracle featuring original pen and ink artwork by the professional artist, author, educator, Tarot and Lenormand reader Monica Bodirsky.
Unlike the traditional Lenormand deck (which would traditionally have thirty-six cards), the Fifth-Limited-Edition House of Shadows Lenormand Deck has forty-two cards in total as it includes six extra cards, each of which are clearly explained in the booklet included.
Perfectly Packaged
The Fifth-Limited-Edition House of Shadows Lenormand Deck is a small deck that arrives neatly packaged in a cute, shiny, sturdy, cardboard tuck-box inside of which are forty-two cards and an LWB (little white book).
The Little White Book
Included with the Fifth Limited Edition House of Shadows Lenormand Deck is an eighteen-page booklet featuring a dedication, thank you, biography, foreword, introduction, a guide to reading with Lenormand, and a paragraph upon each of the cards and their meanings.
The Cards
Printed on quality card stock, the Fifth Limited Edition House of Shadows Lenormand Deck is a small deck with marvellous monochrome card backs featuring a black and white ink-sketch of a bat carrying a letter against a dark, diamond-patterned backing. The borderless cards are clearly titled and numbered, each featuring a white background with simple, cute but clear black-ink sketches symbolising the active characters in order to aid readers to be able to read quickly and easily, whilst keeping the more advanced readers on their toes.
Reading & Working With The House of Shadows Lenormand
The House of Shadows Lenormand is an adorable and rather amusing Lenormand deck; the quirky but cute ink-sketch imagery is whimsically dark whilst charmingly captivating. Monica includes six extra cards within the Fifth Limited Edition House of Shadows Lenormand Oracle Deck: the Cat, the Moonflower, Autumn, Pixies, Potions, and Imagine.
Given that Lenormand Cards are completely different from the Tarot in both context and meaning, I’ve spent the past week working with these cards whilst ensuring that I’ve kept the guidebook close to hand. In order to make learning the Lenormand a little easier, I’ve stuck to simple one, two, and three-card spreads though I’m hoping with time that I’ll become more accustomed to these cards and will be able to expand my readings somewhat.
Though I first found this deck a little tricky to work with as I’m so used to working intuitively and emotionally with the Tarot, whereas the Lenormand is much more practical as it’s far more to the point. I’ve therefore found by combining the Tarot and the Lenormand that I am able to gain far clearer readings and have even found the Lenormand to be a fantastic tool to aid clarification in more complex Tarot readings.
Let’s Take A Closer Look At The Fifth Limited Edition House of Shadows Lenormand
I’ve put together a detailed walkthrough of when I first opened, unboxed and unwrapped the Fifth Limited Edition House of Shadows Lenormand Deck which you can either watch below or on my youtube channel.
Purchasing & Pricing Information
The Fifth Limited Edition House of Shadows Lenormand Deck is available to purchase for $40 CAD (£23.58 GBP) directly from Monica’s online shop (shipping fees may vary).
To Summarise
Though I’ve worked and read with Lenormand cards in the past, the House of Shadows Lenormand Deck feels so much easier and more enjoyable to read and to work with. I’m not sure whether it’s due to the extra cards, whether it’s because I feel more connected somehow, or whether it’s simply down to the design being that much easier to read and to understand. Either way, the House of Shadows Lenormand Deck has proved to be yet another marvel from Monica which I would very much recommend to those looking into expanding their cartomancy collection, tools and techniques.
For further information on the Fifth Limited Edition House of Shadows Lenormand Deck or alternative products and publications from Monica Bodirsky visit www.monicabodirsky.com
Disclosure: I was sent the above product for the purpose of this post however all opinions are my own.