I’m going to write a few articles on the similarities and differences between cards in the Sibilla deck based on certain topics or concepts. Because I’m a positive person, let’s start with the concept of loss.
This list is not meant to be exclusive (for instance, most bad cards next to the Money card can show loss of money). Context is key, and each spread must be studied as its own thing. Furthermore, loss is not the only meaning of the cards I talk about here.
Five of Hearts Reversed (Happiness)
The 5♥R generally indicates failing to meet aims and failing to live up to promises and commitments. These ideas can easily be what leads to loss, whether material or in the field of relationship (though it also has a strong connection with cheating in the latter field).
Six of Hearts Reversed (Money)
This one doesn’t require much in terms of explanation. The Money card, when reversed, can indicate money troubles.
Eight of Hearts Reversed (Hope)
When upright, the 8♥ is connected with investments (things where there is a hope placed on future returns). When it is reversed, it often shows bad investments causing losses. It also indicates relationships that go up in smoke.
Ten of Hearts Reversed (Perseverance)
Traditionally, the 10♥R is really bad for commerce, as it shows loss of contracts and even of merchandise. More broadly, though, this card bodes ill for anything where you wish for smooth sailing.
Six of Clubs Reversed (Surprise)
When upright, the 6♣ represents a positive discrepancy between effort and returns: you get more than you hoped for based on your efforts. The 6♣R is the opposite: you put much effort into something but get little in return. It also shows excess confidence and ambition causing losses.
Five of Diamonds Upright or Reversed (Melancholy)
In general, this card represents unsatisfactory situations, but next to the card of something we hope to get it shows either we don’t get it or we are unsatisfied with it. When reversed it speaks more clearly of loss and debts.
Eight of Diamonds Reversed (Handmaid)
The 8♦R often speaks of the need of spending money or money going out in general. By itself not a tragic card, but its meaning can be exaggerated by the presence of other difficult cards. It also indicates lack of skill in balancing a checkbook.
Ten of Diamonds (Thief)
Obviously, a thief takes something from us, so we lose that something. The 10♦ represents all situations where we lose someone or something, and if other cards of dubious moral import add their meaning, foul play may be suspected.
Ace of Spades (Sorrow)
The A♠ is a strong card, which can modify most readings for the worse. It represents feelings of bereavement and loss, not necessarily material in nature. If it is material, it is likely to be a big loss, as it will shake the querent to the core, like a letter containing tidings of death (which is what the card represents). When reversed its meaning is lessened.
Three of Spades (Widower)
This is the ‘loss’ card. It represents the notion of ‘without’ and it brings loss to the fore as a concept. The loss doesn’t need to be material, so the 3♠ can show loss of friends or social support. As the title implies, it can show widowhood. When reversed the loss is more traumatic.
Five of Spades (Death)
The 5♠ is similar to the Widower in its depiction of loss, but the loss is sharper and is more likely to radically change (usually for the worse) the querent’s life.
Seven of Spades (Tragedy)
The 7♠ represents disruption, the surfacing of unaccounted or unexpected factors bringing the loss of what we hoped to achieve. As with most really bad cards, the Seven of Spades can add its meaning to other cards to bring most projects to their knees.
Eight of Spades (Desperation and Jealously)
The 8♠ is specifically connected with a crisis in material affairs (though of course it can bring problems to relationships as well). It is not uncommon to find it when the question is about investments or debts, showing a critical situation where the querent must tread carefully to avoid making mistakes they’ll deeply regret.
MQS
