Tag Archives: Suit of Diamonds

Card Meanings, Cartomancy, Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Playing Cards

Playing Cards That Indicate Gain

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I’m doing it with the Sibilla, so it stands to reason that I should do it with playing cards too. As usual, this list is not meant to be complete. It is only intended to look at the cards as if through a cross-section based on a particular topic. In this case, gain.

Three of Hearts

In my playing card system, the Three of Hearts is a gift. It represents all things that we acquire easily. It is not, strictly speaking, a card of gain, but it can entail gain. For instance, if someone asked about their business, this card falling at the end of the spread would indicate improvements and therefore, within the context, additional wealth, that is, gain.

Five of Hearts

The Five of Hearts is the card of abundance. It is one of the cards that can indicate a very positive evolution and increase of wealth. As with the Three, the Five, being in the suit of Hearts, is not strictly about money, but it can promise positive situations in a reading about finances. Furthermore, next to money cards, it increases their import.

Nine of Hearts

Not much to say here. In many respects the Nine of Hearts is like the Three of Hearts, but much more powerful.

Ace of Clubs

The Ace of Clubs is a very strong card, which indicates power within the situation. If it falls next to the querent, it shows the querent actively obtaining something, having power over it. However, unlike in the suit of Hearts, the Club suit requires effort and action, and is therefore less rosy than the Three, Five or Nine of Hearts. The Ace of Clubs can also indicate a powerful vision that comes true in material terms.

Three of Clubs

The Three of Clubs is a card of union, and can represent a business affair. As such, it usually promises gain in material issues, but we must be careful in our analysis of the whole spread, as we all know a business deal can be disastrous when attended by Spades or less promising Club cards. By itself, the Three is mildly encouraging.

Ace of Diamonds

The Ace of Diamonds represents news in general, but it also represents gold and all things that have high value. It is a card of great riches and wealth when not impeded by other difficult cards.

Three of Diamonds

The Three of Diamonds is a money card. As such it is usually read as small gains, whether in a positive sense (as in a small inheritance or a small raise) or in a negative sense (as in having only little money). Furthermore, we must be careful to note whether the little money is being gained or spent. By itself the Three shows gain.

Four of Diamonds

The Four of Diamonds represents agreements and pacts. Being in the suit of Diamonds it is geared more toward material affairs and thus indicates contract, whether positive or negative will be shown by other cards.

Five of Diamonds

The Five of Diamonds indicates change, especially (though not exclusively) within the context of money matters. It can indicate money changing hands for better or worse.

Seven of Diamonds

This is like the Three of Diamonds, but it shows a larger amount. Furthermore, the Seven is more clearly indicative of gain over loss. It is a more inherently fortunate cards.

Nine of Diamonds

The Nine of Diamonds is strongly connected with the realization of plans, material projects and with social ascent. Increase in wealth may or may not be tied to it, though in our society it usually is. It represents strong satisfaction in money matters, and upward mobility with all the perks that are entailed.

Ten of Diamonds

The biggest money card in the game, the Ten of Diamonds indicates success all around. For entrepreneurs it shows the reaching of great goals, while for business owners it can represents advantageous situations that generate wealth and ease in terms of money. Note that gain can be intended also as a reduction in expenses, so if the question is something like “Will I manage to get my landlord toreduce my rent in the next contract?” that counts as gain.

MQS

Card Reading, Cartomancy, Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Playing Cards, Reading Example

Reading the Colors and Suits – Cartomancy with Playing Cards

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In playing card divination, a lot of emphasis is given to the two colors and the four suits. The two aspects must not be separated from one another as they give us valuable information. However, since the two colors are a binary distinction without much refinement, they tend to describe general trends that can be easily overruled by other considerations. It’s best to leave them out unless they strike you.

In general, red cards indicate life and movement, but an excess of red can show instability. On the other hand, black cards show inertia and slowness, but when there’s too many of them they create obstruction. A good mix of red and black shows a balanced situation. This is especially true if we are describing a situation rather than predicting an outcome. For instance, I remember once doing a reading for a friend on the beach. She had just met a new guy. The spread was:

2♥ – 7♥ – 8♥ – J♥ – 3♥

Obviously, this spread consists only of Hearts and it is only red. This is consistent with the newness of the relationship, but it also shows us that there is nothing except some infatuation going on. The cards don’t predict a breakup, but they show that the relationship won’t last after the initial excitement has gone. We would need some black cards to anchor the red ones. We don’t even need to interpret the single cards, although we could. This is a fun summertime romance. Let’s leave it at that. Result: they broke up in winter.

Here is another example. A woman was asking if there would be reconciliation with her husband.

3♣ – 2♠ – 4♣ – 6♣ – 5♣

The Three of Clubs is the marriage and the Two of Spades is the argument. My question to the querent was how long ago the breakup had happened. She said it had been less than a week. The cards are obviously predominantly Clubs and all black. Therefore, they show that inertia will prevail. They don’t show reconciliation proper. They simply show that the breakup wasn’t really a break so much as an argument. The situation is unsatisfactory, and there is no love, but the cards show that it will go on.

Now, suppose that the same question had been asked by the same person and that she had gotten the same cards, but this time the breakup had happened three months ago. There is no reconciliation in the cards, and a new status quo has set in, which will tend to preserve itself (black color)

Red and black

Let us now analyze the suits. Suits tend to reinforce their particular meaning: Spades bring sorrow and blockage, Hearts feelings and joy, Clubs work and toil, Diamonds money and energy. In the first example, we only have Hearts, which shows feelings. It would be helpful to get Clubs, because Clubs show effort, and we all know that true love is a full time job. In fact, in a larger spread, it would even be nice to see some Spades in the past position, together with positive cards showing that the couple has gone through a lot and now has reached a point of stability.

In the second example, however, we have mostly Clubs. Here there is no fun left, and the situation goes on simply because it has been going on for a while, but it remains just drudgery.

Another important thing to take notice of is when a card that symbolizes either a person or a significator for a specific question shows up surrounded by cards of the same suit, or at least by cards that give us a coherent picture.

Here’s an example. A man asked about his relationship.

4♠ – Q♣ – 5♠ – 3♣ – K♦

The woman shows up as the Queen of Clubs, surrounded by two Spades. We don’t care about which Spades. The point is that she cannot move. She is impeded in some way. The reason is given by the Three of Clubs and the King of Diamonds: she is married.

Here is another example: a man asked if his new business venture would flourish.

K♣ – J♥ – 5♣ – 8♦ – 6♣

We don’t need to spend much time fiddle-farting with card meanings. The Eight of Diamonds, the card of business, is hemmed in by Clubs. No, the business will not flourish. It won’t go belly up, but at least for a very long time it will be just toil with little rewards. Yes, we could add that that Jack of Hearts shows he’s naive, but let’s not complicate things, for now. Sometimes the prediction is just obvious.

Cartomancy, Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Playing Cards

Playing Cards | The Four Suits

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The two colors divide into four suits, two for each color.

Red splits into Hearts, which represent emotions and easy triumph, and Diamonds, which represent energy and the reward for positive action taken. Of the two, Hearts are generally more positive.

Black splits into Clubs, which represent effort and toil and the need to act, and Spades, which represent serious trouble. Of the two, Spades are more negative.

At a glance it is clear that Hearts tend to be antithetical to Spades, while Clubs and Diamonds complement each other.

Hearts signify love, family, emotion, religion, art, philosophy, nourishment, miracles, celebrations, gifts. They give freely (out of the goodness of their heart, you may say). They are connected to the home environment, and by analogy to the inner side of the individual. They are also connected to warm climates and the sea and all bodies of water. They are also erratic and lazy. They are associated with the clergy and with nobility.

Spades are the opposite. Whereas Hearts give freely, Spades take away easily. They represent obstacles, enmity, obstructions to the querent’s desires, restriction, punishment and all things that are either bad for the querent (sickness) or are neutral to positive but cause pain or are associated with it(medicine, the legal system, the state). In a word, all those things that create a rigid armor of rules and punishments that keep the individual from getting what he wants. They are associated with cold climates and the mountain, and with hostile environments in general. They are connected with the army and with the state as a means of threatening the citizens.

Hearts are Spades cannot be reconciled. They represent two opposite modes of existence: pure bliss and pure pain, heaven and hell. When only Hearts and Spades litter the reading, you have either miracles or tragedies, depending on which one prevails.

Clubs and Diamonds are the conciliation of the pure redness of Hearts and the pure blackness of Spades. They represent toil and rewards. Toil implies difficulties and the need for action (but also the possibility of action), while rewards imply some action, or they wouldn’t be rewards, but gifts (Hearts).

Clubs are associated with action, physical activity, the physical body, and with the world “out there”, as opposed to the inner reality of the Hearts. They symbolize vegetation and growth, both in plants and in humans, and they stand for the countryside and for the peasantry or with the common folk, those who need to work to get by. They also are a symbol of other people outside of the querent’s family, as an extension of the idea of “out there”. Usually, Clubs are friends or more distant relatives. Clubs are different from Spades because the latter often signify obstacles that are either impossible or very hard to plough through, while Clubs put the accent on action, and therefore on the turning of something from an obstacle into a resource. If Spades are a wall that confines the querent, Clubs are a steep slope to climb.

Diamonds show the rewards reaped from the toil of the Clubs. They signify money, energy (because money can be transformed into anything that money buys, just like energy can be transformed into anything that is made of energy). They also signify the mind and progress, inventions, etc. They are associated with the city and with merchants and the bourgeoisie. They differ from Hearts, the other red suit, because although they are still connected with some sort of inner side of the querent, it is more practical and aimed at achieving the goods of this world. It is inventiveness rather than contemplation, science rather than philosophy or religion.

Card Meanings, Cartomancy, Divination, Divination Master Post, Fortune-telling, Playing Cards

Reading Regular Playing Cards – Card Titles

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This is a short summary of the meanings I assign to regular playing cards. In time, I will add individual pages for each of the cards. It’s how they’ve been taught to me. I am aware that there are many other methods. Feel free to patch together a system that works for you. Note that these are only the “names” of the cards in the system I use. More meanings can be derived by interpreting the title figuratively.

HEARTS

A♥ = The Home
2♥ = Near the home (The door knockers)
3♥ = A gift
4♥ = A reunion
5♥ = Abundance
6♥ = Adjustment
7♥ = A Surprise
8♥ = Cheerfulness
9♥ = Triumph
10♥ = Happiness
J♥ = A child
Q♥ = A loved woman
K♥ = A loved man

CLUBS

A♣ = A Commitment
2♣ = Steps
3♣ = A Union
4♣ = Talks
5♣ = Effort
6♣ = Tiredness
7♣ = Difficulties
8♣ = Work
9♣ = Far away
10♣ = Travel
J♣ = Friendship
Q♣ = The female Querent
K♣ = The male Querent

DIAMONDS

A♦ = News
2♦ = A Letter
3♦ = Money
4♦ = Agreement
5♦ = Change
6♦ = Worry
7♦ = Gain
8♦ = Business
9♦ = Advancement
10♦ = Success
J♦ = A Messenger
Q♦ = A Lady
K♦ = A Gentleman

SPADES

A♠ = Death
2♠ = Anger
3♠ = Intrigue
4♠ = Blockage
5♠ = Imprisonment
6♠ = Sickness (The wards of a hospital)
7♠ = Misfortune
8♠ = Tears
9♠ = Privation
10♠ = A Secret
J♠ = Enmity
Q♠ = Falsehood
K♠ = Authority

Card Combinations, Cartomancy, Divination Master Post, Everyday Oracle, Sibilla della Zingara, Vera Sibilla

Vera Sibilla | Examples of Combinations – Diamond and Spade Court Cards

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In this article you will find some examples of combinations using the Vera Sibilla. Most of these combinations are handed down by tradition. Studying and decoding combinations is a very good way to improve your cartomantic vocabulary, but bear in mind that the exact meaning of a combination depends on many other factors, such as the context of the question and the other cards in the spread, so I would encourage you to keep an open mind. As a rule, you will find that if you do not pose a question and these combinations come up, they will mean what the tradition says they mean 3 times out of 5. Also, keep in mind that it’s useless to try to combine every card with every other card beforehand so that no surprises will ever come up in a spread, just as it is useless to try to combine every word in a dictionary with every other to study a language. That time is best spent actually practicing.

NOTE:
R = Reversed
U/R = Upright or Reversed (doesn’t matter)
* = This combination has to come up in this specific order
3♦ = The Gift (Omaggio)
8♦ = The Handmaid (Donna di Servizio)
C = Cuori (Hearts)
F = Fiori (Clubs)
Q = Quadri (Diamonds)
P = Picche (Spades)

Diamond Court Cards

J♦ + A♥ = intermediary, intermediation, translation, arbitration
J♦ + A♦ = an agency of some kind (to be read from the surrounding cards
J♦ + 2♦ = correspondence, usually important
J♦ + 9♥ = positive, trustworthy news, good intermediary/go-between, can be an angel in the appropriate context
J♦ + 4♦ = the opposite


J♦ + 6♦R = can be a spirit guide in the appropriate context (9♥ or 8♥ would confirm)
J♦ + 3♣ = short trip, errands
J♦ + 2♠ = short trip, communications form the old lady
J♦ + 3♠ = communication that doesn’t arrive or communication of loss, or negative news (J♦R would accentuate the negativity)
J♦R + 8♦R = gossip, a sharp tongue (Q♠ would make the gossip more malignant in nature)
3♦ + J♦ = a parcel or official offer of some kind


J♦R + A♥ = bad intermediary or go-between
Q♦ + 4♥ = married woman in love (usually, if the sognificant woman shows up as the Q♦ in a love reading it’s not a great sign, it means the feelings have sort of fizzled out, but as I said before, the surrounding cards can modify the court card giving them attributes they usually don’t have)
Q♦+ 4♥R = lesbian
Q♦ + 2♥ = housewife, lady of the house, homeowner
Q♦ + 9♠ = she is in a committed relationship
Q♦ + A♣R = separated or divorced
Q♦ + K♦ = can be a colleague


Q♦ + K♣ = female boss or doctor
Q♦ + K♥ = usually husband and wife
Q♦ + 7♦ = woman with children
Q♦ +4♣ = a caring woman, or a woman who is of service, either to the querent or for a living (e.g. school teacher, etc)
Q♦R + 4♦ = a very negative woman to stay away from
Q♦R + A♣R = stengthens the notion of “not married” or separated
Q♦R + 8♦R + 6♥ = a prostitute, either literally or figuratively (Q♥R would also be a prostitute)
Q♦R + 3♠ = a widow in need


K♦ + A♥ or 8♣ = job interview or job meeting
K♦ + A♣ or 7♥ = contract (if A♣ can also be a merger of two firms or a partnership)
K♦ + 7♥ = an intellectual job or a deskbound job, a job you are cut out for
K♦ + A♦ = may be a store
K♦ + 10♠ = wearing a uniform or being in the military
K♦ + J♣ = a subordinate job or a physical job, can also be


K♦ + 7♦ + J♣ = an internship
K♦ + 6♥ = a well-paid job, a banker
K♦ + 5♥ = a fixed term contract
K♦ + 10♥ = lasting job
K♦ + 6♣ = your wages, a raise
K♦ + 7♣ = job security, a promotion
K♦ + 8♠ + J♠ = mobbing
K♦ + A♠ + 5♠ = losing your job, or very negative changes on the job
K♦ + 4♠ = a work-related illness, unemployment


K♦ + 4♠R = more clearly unemployment, or lack of hoped for developments
K♦ + 9♠ = can also be unemployment
8♣ + K♦ + 10♠R = can mean working two jobs, one by night
A♠R + K♦ + 10♠R = night shifts
K♦ + 10♠R + 4♦ = a rather shifty job or a downright illegal one, querent may not be paid
K♦ + 3♣ = business trip
K♦ + 5♦R = poorly paid job, shifty job, work-related stress


K♦ + 2♠ + 5♠ = retirement, or the natural end of a contract (meaning you are not randomly fired)
K♦R + 7♥R = lack of talent, the wrong job for you, lack of practical orientation
K♦R + 7♣R = if the querent is working, the job brings nothing of value to the querent
K♦R + 4♥ + 5♦ = problems at work having an effect on the querent’s love life (if 2♥R, on the querent’s home environment)
K♦R + 8♦R = among other possibilities, a sleazy business man
K♦U/R + A♥R or 8♣R = difficult relationships with the colleagues, for a business person could be difficulty reaching customers

In all combinations about work, K♦R instead of K♦U accentuates the idea of problems at work or in the work life of the querent

Spade Court Cards


J♠ + K♦ = can be a financial enemy or negative colleague, but in the right context it is traditionally the father-in-law (in the right context, the J♠ could represent alone the father-in-law, though)
Q♠ + 2♠ = mother-in-law or negative older woman (again, the Q♠ alone could represent the mother-in-law)
J♠ or Q♠ + 3♥* = someone spying on you or keeping an eye on you in a negative sense
J♠ + 9♦ + Q♠ = a mob or negative group
A♥ + J♠ or Q♠ = negative new acquaintance or you are revealing information to someone who’ll use it against you

J♠ or Q♠ + 2♣R + 3♠R and/or 10♠R = evil socrerer/sorceress (actually the K♠ may also be present instead of the J or Q)
J♠ or Q♠ + 8♠ + 10♥R + 7♠ = an aggressive person who will take out their ill-will or envy on the querent
J♠ or Q♠ + 8♦R + 2♥ = among other possibilities, negative neighbors
9♠ + J♠ or Q♠ + 4♠R = inmates
J♠ or Q♠ + A♥R + 2♣ or 5♣ + 4♣ or 9♥ = enemy becoming friend
J♠ or Q♠ + 9♠R + 6♥R = can be a swindler

J♠ or Q♠ + 8♠ + 4♦ + 10♦ = also a swindler
J♠ or Q♠ + 10♦ = thief
J♠ or Q♠ + 7♠ + A♠ + 5♠ = assassin
J♠ or Q♠ + 7♠R + 9♠ + 10♦ = kidnapper
J♠ or Q♠ + 2♦ + 10♣R + 5♦ or A♠ = cyber bullies or cyber pirates
J♠ or Q♠ + 5♥U/R = negative relative
J♠ or Q♠ + 7♠ = a dangerous individual

J♠ or Q♠ + 10♦R = someone who will seriously hinder you
J♠ or Q♠ + 9♦ + 10♣ = a deranged individual
J♠ + Q♠ + 9♦ + 8♠R = also a deranged individual
6♦R + J♠ or Q♠ + 9♦ + 5♠ = evil spirits, masculine or feminine (without the 6♦R it could be people bringing great turmoil into the querent’s life, or again ghosts)
J♠ or Q♠ + 7♥R or 6♦R = a schemer plotting something

When the J♠ or Q♠ come up reversed in a reading it can be down to three main reasons: the person is even worse; the person is just the stupid kind of bad, not a mustache-twirling murderer plotting their next dastardly deed; the enemy is in difficulty/is losing his or her battle against the querent. This, of course, depends on the surrounding cards. Traditionally (but by no means always) J♠R is in difficulty and Q♠R is worse. Sometimes it doesn’t make much of a difference.

2♦ or J♦ + K♠ = communication of the authority, neutral (if K♠R, negative)
K♠ + 4♥ = among other things, a love that has lost its spark but is mature and based in faithfulness
K♠ + 7♥ = can be a professional working in the legal or paralegal field
K♠ + 4♠ = specialist doctor treating the illness
3♦ + K♠ = favor or “gift” or money granted by the authority
K♠ + 9♥ = it represents faithfulness in marriage in general, or a positive judge


K♠ + 10♥ = success in public things or winning a court case
7♦ + 6♠ + J♦ + K♠ + 2♣ or 5♣ or 9♣ or 3♦R = adoption granted after a while
K♠ + 6♥R = the authority is stingy, won’t grant you money
K♠ + 8♥ = faith, a priest, in the right context
K♠ + 4♠R = can be a church or bureaucratic blockages

K♦R (+ 9♠ or 4♠U/R) + K♠ + 6♣ = being on govt benefits, getting unemployment
K♠R + K♥R = an unjust judge, a misanthrope, someone who hurts or abuses people, dangerous man, or a bad man with legal problems
A♣U/R + K♠R = a divorce or the legal dissolution of a partnership
K♠R + K♦R = can be an illegal scheme
K♠R + 2♣R + 3♠R = evil magician
K♠R + 8♥R = lack of faith, atheism or a distorted view of faith

Cartomancy, Everyday Oracle, Sibilla della Zingara, Vera Sibilla

The Four Suits in the Vera Sibilla

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The Vera Sibilla (or Sibilla della Zingara) inherits its suit system from the playing card tradition. This is nothing extraordinary in itself. The Lenormand oracle also follows this system, but in a different way.

Coming from the German/Austrian Spiel der Hoffnung, Lenormand cards are assigned their value according to the meanings that the four suits have in the German tradition, where Spades are, on average, better than Clubs. Plus, I have never been able to see much numerology behind Lenormand. Other card systems, such as the Gypsy cards, the Biedermeier Aufschlagkarten and the Kipper cards, do not employ suit correspondences.  

As I have said before, and as other Sibilla experts confirm, the Vera Sibilla is a result of the application of the same archetypes as those of the Gypsy cards to the Italian system of reading playing cards (every country has its own variations, probably). Even then, the Sibilla evolved into its own system, so the suit correspondences are not just like those of playing cards. We’ll see why.

The first, most obvious distinction is between red suits and black suits. In the Vera Sibilla, the back suits, i.e. Spades and Clubs, tend to be more active and dominating. Their influence on the spread, in other words, is often stronger, and they tend to influence red cards rather than being influenced by them. This is a rule of thumb, however, and there might be exceptions.

Within the first binary distinction we find the fourfold division of the four suits*. Here, the most glaring pattern that you will find is that Spades cards are all somewhat negative, or at least difficult neutral cards. On the other hand, Hearts are almost all positive, or at least neutral to positive. However, Hearts are red, which means that the presence of negative cards can easily turn a positive Heart card into a negative omen, while Spades tend to be very dominating cards.

If you examine Spades and Hearts side by side, as I’ve done in the numerology series, you will notice that each Heart card is the direct opposite of the Spade card with the same number. Thus, Hearts and Spades symbolize the basic polarity of good and bad that exists in everyday life.

In the middle, we find the other two suits: Diamonds and Clubs. Whereas Spades are black and negative, Clubs are black and positive (with the exception of the Ten of Clubs, which is neutral). Clubs therefore have a strong -mostly- positive influence, while Spades have a strong -mostly- negative one.

Diamonds, finally, are red, which means that they are easily influenced, but they are more of a mixed bag, compared to Hearts: they are mostly neutral, with some very negative cards, some problematic ones and some mildly positive ones. Diamonds and Clubs move within the good-bad polarity that is established by the suits of Hearts and Spades.

HEARTS
It doesn’t take a revolutionary philosopher to realize that Hearts deal mostly with emotions. They are a relatively straightforward suit, showing the many facets of our more intimate relationships. Curiously, the Six of Hearts is called Money, and is the significator card for, well, money.

However, since one of its major meanings is the past (all sixes have to do with the concept of time), I suspect that whoever drew the card was going for the image of a safe to symbolize the idea, and then they decided they could attach the archetype of money to this card.

Be it as it may, even when the Six of Hearts means money, it often shows that emotions and finances are entwined in the situation (as opposed to other money cards such as the Handmaid or the Surprise).

All the other Heart cards have obvious connections with the inner world of emotions their outer manifestation as personal relationships. If we had to associate the suit of Hearts to a planet, it would obviously be Venus, the smaller benefic, ruler of love, emotions, art and beauty, all stuff that goes under the suit of Hearts.

CLUBS
In traditional playing cards, the suit of Clubs is connected to work, toil, the countryside, study and learning. It is not particularly positive, as it is black and conveys ideas of struggle, labor and the need for discipline. It’s not bad, but it’s not a suit of free success.

In the Sibilla, however, the Suit of Clubs is mostly about good luck, opportunities and money. No card in the suit depicts the idea of toil, although some of the cards convey it when reversed. Most of them are connected with chances and opportunities, and also with social relationships. They also showcase the notion of objective production (as opposed to the inner realm of the Hearts), recognition, advancement.

The two best cards in the deck, the Peacock and Fortune, are part of this suit. The only mixed card in the deck is the Ten, Levity, which still conveys the idea of chance, randomness etc. but in a more neutral way, with possible negative undertones depending on the situation.

If we were to associate the suit of Clubs with a planet, it would probably be a tie between Jupiter and the Sun. Jupiter is the greater benefic, ruler of luck, protection, religion and dolce vita, all concepts we find in the suit. The Sun is the planet of royalty, recognition and greatness.

DIAMONDS
Unlike in playing cards, where Diamonds are mostly about money, here the Sibilla seems to want to convey the idea of “everyday happenings”. As Sibilla expert Etienne Valancourt pointed out, the suit of Diamonds is the suit of seeds and impulses, of news, of happenings in general.

It is not a positive suit, though it’s not as negative as the suit of Spades. It shows how our experience of the human condition can lead us to very dark places as well as to very bright ones. If we were to associate this suit with a planet, it would be Mercury, a neutral, shapeshifting influence that can be positive or negative, heralds news and new phases, rules communication, writing and commerce.

SPADES
The Suit of Spades is the one no one wants in their spreads, unless they are waiting for an old lady to kick the bucket so they can get their hands on her money. Every major unpleasant aspect of life is covered here, from death to malady, from tears to loss, from violence to imprisonment, from disasters to desperation.

While the suit of Hearts has an expansive, easy feeling about, the Spades separate, hurt, scar (sometimes for life). At a deeper level, it might be said that the Spades represent the tough lessons we learn from life, or the lessons we learn from pain.

A child truly learns that knives cut only by grabbing one the wrong way (Spades), even though her mother would rather he learned by simply listening to her love-filled advice (Hearts). If we had to associate the Spades to a planet, it would be a tie with Mars and Saturn, the two malefics. Mars rules conflict, war, surgery and struggle, while Saturn rules death, decay, limitation, poverty, depression.

* Some versions of the Vera Sibilla, unfortunately, do not have suit icons, and use a somewhat confusing system of letters. C stands for Cuori, i.e. Hearts (thus, 3C is the Three of Hearts); F stands for Fiori, Clubs (3F = Three of Clubs); Q stands for Quadri or Diamonds (3Q = Three of Diamonds); P stands for Picche or Spades (3P = Three of Spades).

Card Meanings, Cartomancy, Everyday Oracle, Sibilla della Zingara, Vera Sibilla

Vera Sibilla Cheat Sheet

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Here is a quick cheat sheet of the main traditional meanings attributed to each card. To avoid going on and on, I’ve limited myself to a maximum of three concepts/keywords per card side (i.e. three concepts at most for a card in its upright position and three at most for the reversed position).

This list is not exhaustive, as I had to concentrate on the most useful meanings, but it’s a starting point and a good reference. You can click on the four suits to be redirected to more in-depth card descriptions.

Suit of Hearts

Ace – Conversation (Conversazione)
Upright: Communication | People under the same roof
Reversed: Transformation, Change | Communication problems

Two – The House (Casa)
Upright: House or building | Family | Intimacy
Reversed: Negative home environment | Negative place

Three – The Balcony (Belvedere)
Upright: Arrival | Looking, Watching, Seeing | Distance
Reversed: Non-arrival | Arrival of negative things or people | Uncontrollable, animalesque character

Four – Love (Amore)
Upright: Love, Emotions | Positive context that the querent loves
Reversed: Traditionally the card of homosexuality | Lack of emotions | Distorted expression of emotion

Five – Happiness (Allegrezza al Cuore)
Upright: Quick fulfillment | An engagement, A commitment of any kind | Extended family, relatives
Reversed: Cheating, Betrayal | Setbacks of all kinds | Problems with relatives

Six – The Safe (Denaro)
Upright: Money | The past, Things that exist now as a result of something in the past
Reversed: Money trouble | Avarice | The future, Not yet known

Seven – Scholar (Scholar)
Upright: The intellect, Creativity, Talent | A notary public, A lawyer | A contract or legal agreement
Reversed: Ulterior motives | Lack of creativity or talent

Eight – Hope (Speranza)
Upright: Trips and outings, Fun | Hope, Situation clearing up | By the water, Overseas
Reversed: Depression, Lack of hope | Hopes falling through, Situations going up in smoke

Nine – Faithfulness (Fedeltà)
Upright: Success in love | Faithfulness, Honesty, Loyalty to someone, something, etc.
Reversed: Lack of success in love | Betrayal, Infidelity, Unclear behavior

Ten – Perseverance (Costanza)
Upright: Firmness, Steadfastness, Earned success | Duration in time | The querent’s city or home country
Reversed: Wrath, Anger, Arguments | Instability | Inconstancy, Lack of effort

Jack – The Boyfriend (Amante)
Upright: An unmarried man over 30 | The him in “I would totally do him”
Reversed: The person is in trouble or is against the querent | Cheating man or a man who doesn’t love| Lustful, debauched

Queen – The Girlfriend (Amatrice)
Upright: An unmarried woman over 30 | The her in “I would totally do her”
Reversed: The person is in trouble or is against the querent | Cheating woman or a woman who doesn’t love | Lustful, debauched

King – The Gentleman (Gran Signore)
Upright: A married man | A protector, A man who helps you
Reversed: The person is in trouble or is against the querent | Cheating | This card is connected with addictions

Suit of Clubs

Ace – Marriage (Imeneo)
Upright: Marriage, Union or partnership | A contract, a legal agreement requiring a signature | Prosperity, Production
Reversed: Materiality, Material prosperity and material things | Sex, Sexual relations, Sexual sphere

Two – The Peacock (Superbia)
Upright: The best card in the deck, strengthening the positive and reducing the negative in any spread, Divine intervention, Success, Completion | Beauty | The significator card for magic and works of magic
Reversed: Vanity, ego distorting reality, Haughtiness | Dark magic, Demonic forces, Evil

Three – Journey (Viaggio)
Upright: Journey, travel, change of place | Change of opinion, of mind etc.
Reversed: Positive transformation, Progress | Public success | Only negative for travels and journeys

Four – Friend (Amica)
Upright: Friendship | Cooperation, Support | A female friend, sister, parent etc.
Reversed: Help, Recommendation, A very positive card

Five – Fortune (Fortuna)
Upright: Positive turn of events, Luck | Free success | This card is the second best in the deck, after the Peacock
Reversed: Also positive, but delayed | Gradual transformation, less in your face and requiring some patience

Six – The Surprise (Consolante Sorpresa)
Upright: Unexpected, unhoped for turn of events, Surprise | Getting, Receiving, Picking up | Now, Very shortly, the present
Reversed: Excess of aspiration causing one’s downfall | Downfall in general | Lack of common interests

Seven – Gratification (Gran Consolazione)
Upright: Stabilization, Concretization | Realization, Recognition, Promotion | The patrimony, One’s assets
Reversed: Insecurity, Fears | Lack of concrete outcomes or concrete effects | Slander

Eight – Reunion (Riunione)
Upright: The re- card of the Sibilla (Reunion, Reconciliation, Recovery, etc.) | Meeting, Appointment, Coming together, Social contacts | Positive evolution
Reversed: Insecurity, Apathy, Doubts | Non-union, disagreement, breakup

Nine – Cheerfulness (Allegria)
Upright: Social life, Social ties (not necessarily strong) | Party, Celebration | Any positive event that might be the cause for celebration
Reversed: Lack of restraint or self-mastery, Addictions in general and alcoholism in particular | Setbacks of all kinds, usually not dependent on the querent’s will

Ten – Levity (Leggerezza)
Upright: Levity, Superficiality, Frivolity | Carelessness, negligence | “Just a little” of something, Not too much for better or worse
Reversed: Lucky moment, Lucky opportunity | The internet | Betting, Games of chance, Gambling

Jack – The Helper (Domestico)
Upright: A young, single man under 30 | Dependable, helpful | A student, an apprentice, a co-worker
Reversed: Same, but he’s either in trouble or against the querent | A good-for-nothing, A bum

Queen – The Maiden (Giovane Fanciulla)
Upright: A young, single woman under 30 | Sensible, genuine, innocent |Lack of experience
Reversed: Same, but she’s either in trouble or against the querent | Fragility, A tendency to depression | Moodiness, Inconstancy, Immaturity

King – The Doctor (Dottore)
Upright: Someone, possibly a professional, who has power over the querent or the situation, A good position in life | A doctor, someone with a degree | Need to heal something, literally or figuratively
Reversed: Wrong advice, whether by a doctor or another professional | Wrong path | A corrupted man

Suit of Diamonds

Ace – Room (Stanza)
Upright: Intimacy, Privacy | Upcoming news, usually of a confidential nature | A place, especially a place within a building (but not always)
Reversed: Revelation of secrets or unpleasant truths | Lack of intimacy

Two – Letter (Lettera)
Upright: Letter, News, Telephone call | Document, Book, Prescription, etc. | Writing, elaborating
Reversed: Same, this card doesn’t have a reversed meaning, although sometimes it comes up reversed in contexts where negative cards appear

Three – The Gift (Omaggio di Preziosi)
Upright: Gift, Offer, Opportunity | Wealth, Opulence | Objects in general
Reversed: Positive solution, The sorting out of a difficult situation for the best, Especially on the material side of life

Four – Falsehood (Falsità)
Upright: Lie, Falsehood, Insincerity | Mistake, Wrong, Incomplete, Oversight | Negativity in general, Negative context
Reversed: Unmasking of a liar, Demise of enemies | Positivity, Relief

Five – Melancholy (Malinconia)
Upright: Passing sadness, Feeling down or meh| Dissatisfaction | An open wound from the past (see previous cards to confirm this interpretation)
Reversed: Same, but more negative and less passing | Debts, A critical financial situation | Fights, Quarrels

Six – Thought (Pensiero)
Upright: Planning, Projecting | Thinking, Conjecturing | One’s character or inner nature
Reversed: Negative thoughts/plans toward another or oneself | Illusion, Wrong assumption | Subconsciousness

Seven – The Child (Bambino)
Upright: A child, A pet, Something small | Newness, Something new with potential to grow | Inexperience, Naivety
Reversed: Things not growing or progressing | Uncertainty, Doubt | Same inexperience and naivety, but worse

Eight – The Handmaid (Donna di Servizio)
Upright: Offer, Being given something, Gift, Money coming in | Refinement, Politeness, Being upstanding | Evolution, Expansion, Elevation
Reversed: Money going out, Owing, Payment | A shallow, unrefined, petty, morally dubious character | Litigiousness, Tiffs and falling outs

Nine – The Fools (Deliranti)
Upright: Setbacks, Difficulties, Irregularities | Negative social interactions, Fights, Negative groups | Unwarranted exaltation, Miscalculation
Reversed: The steady worsening of a situation, Things unravelling, Devolving instead of evolving | A blunder, A misstep

Ten – The Thief (Ladro)
Upright: Theft, A negative or criminal plan, Someone acting in the shadows | Loss, disadvantage | Things or people or situations snatched or taken away from us
Reversed: Insurmountable problems, Huge obstacles | Foreboding places, Places you’d rather not be | Insolvency, Not living up to a contract or agreement

Jack – The Messenger (Messaggero)
Upright: News, usually more official than those signaled by the letter, A postman | Errands, Small changes of place | An intermediary, An agent, A mediator
Reversed: Negative news or delayed arrival of news/parcels | Bad mediator/intermediary | Gossip, Rumors, Slander

Queen – The Wife (Donna Maritata)
Upright: A married woman, sometimes with children, or a woman with an important relationship
Reversed: Same, but she’s either in trouble or against the querent

King – The Merchant (Mercante)
Upright: This is the significator card for the querent job/career | Only very rarely a calculating individual
Reversed: Problems with the querent’s job or career | Lack of common sense or talent

Suit of Spades

Ace – Sorrow (Dispiacere)
Upright: Bad news | Sorrow, Tears | Violence, Beatings
Reversed: Sorrow, but to a lesser extent | The need to put in much effort, Toil, Labor (also a woman’s labor) | Cycles, Repetition, Many times

Two – The Crone (Vecchia Signora)
Upright: Decline, Weakening, Cooling off | Something reaching its natural conclusion | An older woman, Old as an adjective
Reversed: Obsolete, Outdated | Separation, Inability to get along | Avarice, Inability to let go

Three – The Widower (Vedovo)
Upright: Separation, Removal, Solitude | Loss, Deprivation, Lack | An older man
Reversed: A funeral, A ritual or rite in general | Trauma, Traumatic loss | Misconduct, Aberration from reality

Four – The Sickness (L’Ammalato)
Upright: Sickness, Illness, Malady | Something that is morbid, rotting, noxious | A breakdown
Reversed: A blockage, A standstill | Avarice, Hoarding, Economy | Closed-off places, Lack of movement

Five – Death (Morte)
Upright: Death, Ending, Transformation (usually painful) | Imbalance, Lack of reciprocity or equilibrium or fairness
Reversed: Profound inner turmoil, Inner death, Inner devastation

Six – Sighs (Sospiri)
Upright: Anxiety, Tormented Hope | Waiting, After a long time | A large means of transport
Reversed: Fluctuation, Instability | Explanation, Listening to reason, Receiving advice, especially from a professional

Seven – Disaster (Disgrazia)
Upright: Accident, literal or figurative (anything that hits us from the outside and changes the situation) | Negative energy, Choleric temperament | All of a sudden
Reversed: Force majeure | Oppression, Tyranny, A power we must bend to | Downfall, Ruination

Eight – Desperation (Disperato per Gelosia)
Upright: Crisis, Critical moment | Desperation, Tears | Jealousy, Envy
Reversed: Arrogance, Ego trips | Accidents, Upset

Nine – The Prison (Prigione)
Upright: Blockage, A situation you either are forced into or you can’t get out of, A heavy bond | Solitude, Unwelcoming place | A pregnancy
Reversed: Regret, Feeling of guilt | Loss of physical or moral freedom | If followed by positive cards, the end of a blockage, Liberation, Atonement

Ten – The Soldier (Militare)
Upright: Physical force, strength, violence | The need to fight, an uphill battle | A person in uniform, a person in the army or police
Reversed: Secrets, clandestine matters, Things/people we don’t know | Betrayal, Spinelessness, Cowardice | Controversy, Fights

Jack – The Villain (Nemico)
Upright: A negative man, a man against the querent
Reversed: Same, but a man who is negative out of stupidity | An enemy in trouble, the demise of an enemy

Queen – The Witch (Nemica)
Upright: The female version of the Jack
Reversed: The female version of the Jack

King – The Priest (Sacerdote)
Upright: The government | Legal affairs | Specialist knowledge, Someone who has conducted serious studies to get where they are (in any field, which includes divinity of course, but rarely)
Reversed: Legal trouble or trouble with the government | Having the system against you | Injustice

Card Meanings, Cartomancy, Everyday Oracle, Sibilla della Zingara, Vera Sibilla

Sibilla Quick Meanings – Suit of Diamonds

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Ace – Room (Stanza) | A♢
Upright: Upcoming news usually of a confidential nature | A private meeting or encounter, A meeting that may or may not be secret but is certainly not advertised publicly | Intimacy, Privacy, The querent’s private sphere | A literal room, A place within a building, A place in general | This card is auspicious for the economy, showing potential for prosperity, Advantage, etc.
Reversed: Shocking revelations, Unpleasant facts coming to light, Revealed secrets | In the economic sphere, this card points to bad management with negative cards

Two – Letter (Lettera) | 2♢
Upright: Written words, Written elaboration | Letter, Message (may also be a telephone call these days) | Documents, Papers, Contracts, A Diagnosis, Prescriptions | A Book, A written exam, A test | Elaboration of plans and projects (this comes from the concept of writing down, which implies a certain amount of reflection)
Reversed: Traditionally this card is given as not having a reversed meaning, But you may find that it tends to show up reversed when surrounded by negative cards that show problems with whatever is written in the letter

Three – Gift (Presente di Pietre Preziose) | 3♢
Upright: Objects, Moveable goods in general, Packages sent or received | Gifts, Offers, Proposals, Everything that is extended to the querent that might represent a way for them to progress | This card is connected with wealth, Opulence, Richness, Upward mobility, Luxury, Nobility | Metaphorically, this card can (rarely) show the querent’s “gift”, i.e. their talent, and whether or not it is used
Reversed: A positive card that shows difficult situations progressively going toward some kind of resolution, Especially in a material context | Very rarely, this card may show cheapness, Not using one’s gifts, Difficulties in a couple due to different characters

Four – Falseness (Falsità) | 4♢
Upright: Negativity, Negative context all around, A context the querent should avoid or beware of, because it is not as it seems | Lies, Falseness, Falsehoods, Scams, Things that are not as they seem or don’t seem as they are, Sabotage | Mistakes, Errors, Incompleteness, Wrong point of view, Skewed perception, Distorted sense of reality, Delusion | Broken, Not working, Breaking down | Bad weather | Relatives by marriage, Step-relatives, Adopted children, etc.
Reversed: Discovery of negative plans, people, intents, with a positive solution for the querent being implied, Discovery of lies, etc. | Positive resolution in general, Relief | On rare occasion, this card will point to avarice, but not in an excessively negative sense

Five – Melancholy (Malinconia) | 5♢
Upright: A step toward instability, Unhappy transition | Transitory difficulties and unhappiness which is not necessarily going to last | Often this card represents an open wound, Something that still hurts from the past (look at the cards before to see what it is) | Melancholy, Loss of heart, Sadness, A bad mood, Not feeling like it, Disappointment, Dissatisfaction with a situation
Reversed: The same, but usually worse or longer-lasting, A strongly stressful situation| Situations where it’s too late to do something | Fights, Litigiousness, Quarrels (including legal ones) | This is the card of debts, this is a very prominent meaning of this card

Six – Thought (Pensiero) | 6♢
Upright: The querent’s (or someone else’s) thoughts, Projects, Ideas, Conjectures, Plans, Not necessarily the reality of a situation | Consciousness, as opposed to the normal flow of outside reality | Character, Psychological traits, etc. | Pondering, Thinking, Studying
Reversed: Negative thoughts, Negative thinking, Pessimism | Negative plans, i.e. the plan to do something bad (e.g. cheating, stealing, doing something shady), Note: the negative plans could also be plans of self-harm or self-destruction | Illusion, Delusion | Subconsciousness, Including the paranormal phenomena connected to it (psychic abilities, etc.), Also dreams

Seven – Child (Bambino) | 7♢
Upright: Beginning, Something that starts, Something new that has in itself the potential to develop and have a future | A literal child (usually no older than 10) | A pet, i.e. Any domesticated animal that shares a bond to a human | Newness in general, New ideas, New views of oneself and what’s around | Innocence, Honesty, Candor | Lack of experience, Naivety
Reversed: Things that take long to mature, Things that don’t mature, Things that don’t go on and don’t grow into what they are supposed to become | Hesitation, Uncertainty, Losing momentum, Losing dynamicity | Immaturity, Childishness | The meanings of inexperience and naivety are magnified | A child (or pet) that is sick or in trouble, Abortion or Miscarriage (with other cards)

Eight – Handmaid (Donna di Servizio) | 8♢
Upright: Evolution, Positive development, Expansion | All things that are given to the querent, Gifts, Loans, Offers, Money, etc. | Money earned, in general | Refinement, Sophistication, Politeness, A noble character | Things of value | Rarely, actual nobility, or its equivalent in today’s bourgeois world | Sometimes this card signals the querent’s entrance into a new phase of life, for better or worse | A visit or short trip | Sometimes this card represents a person, A woman whom the querent usually works with, Normally she’s trustworthy and dependable | This card can sometimes be a significator card for the querent’s work in substitution for the Merchant
Reversed: All things that are NOT given to the querent, Things that are refused to the querent, Things that are owed by the querent (e.g. taxes, payments, etc.) | Money spent, in general, Money going out, Where your money goes (see other cards) | Gossip, A sharp tongue | A wretched character, The hoodrat, the trashy type, Sleaziness, Slovenliness, With no standards, prone to cheating or abusing other people’s kindness or honesty, Base, Inferior, Worthless, The classless bitch type (of any sex)| Things of little or no value | Squabbles and quarrels, especially among members of the same family or among neighbors, Sometimes with the partner too

Nine – Fools (Deliranti) | 9♢
Upright: Difficulties, Setbacks of any kind, Usually unpredictable | Irregularity, things that don’t follow a pattern, Things not to be trusted | Things that proceed with difficulties, or with no clarity, or with no clear aim | Fights, Arguments | Unwarranted exaltation, Great misconception, Derangement, Foolishness | Natural disasters (earthquakes, fires, floods, etc.) | Negative social ties, Running with the wrong crowd | Many people, but in a negative sense, Mob mentality, Negative groups | Degeneracy
Reversed: Involution, Steady worsening of a situation, Situations that go back in stead of going forward, That become more difficult instead of improving | Blunders, Mistakes, Misguided attempts | Hesitation, Lack of direction

Ten – Thief (Ladro) | 10♢
Upright: Theft, A thief, Snatching away, Criminal intents | Intrusion, Interference, Ill intents, The shady influence of someone on the situation, Someone who tries to come between two other people | Loss, especially of money or of opportunities, Things (or people, or situations) that are taken away from us in general | When this card comes after a positive sequence, it “snatches” it away from us, no matter how promising it was
Reversed: Insurmountable obstacles, That’s it, Period, One of the worst cards in the deck | A situation of great oppression and difficulty | Places the querent would rather not go, Hospitals, Cemeteries, Prisons, Also large, foreboding places such as castles or monasteries | Devastating material loss, This card is especially a warning to those who bet and gamble | Agreements and contracts that won’t be respected, Also if you lent someone money, you won’t see it back

Jack – Messenger (Messaggero) | J♢
Upright: News, Letters, Messages, Usually more important or more formal than those shown by the Two of Diamonds | The postal services, A postman, A package or parcel | A young man with dark hair (very rarely) | Usefulness, Acquiring knowledge of useful facts within the context | An intermediary, A middleman, Someone who mediates, An agency | Short trips, Errands
Reversed: Delays, Negative news | Problems with the postal services | Ineffective intermediary/agency | Gossip, Slander, Unfounded rumors

Queen – Wife (Donna Maritata) | Q♢
Upright: A woman whose role will be clarified by the context, She is a neutral figure, Usually married or in a committed relationship where she lives with her partner, Sometimes with kids | Unless other cards show otherwise, she’s not the object of the querent’s desire (which doesn’t mean the querent is not married to her, mind you) | An older (but not ancient) woman, A mature lady | Being married was the highest aspiration for a woman back in the day, Today this card can show a woman who is realized | This card is connected to wealth
Reversed: A woman who is either in trouble or who is trouble for the querent, False, jealous, two-faced | Sometimes, a woman who gets into trouble in order to help the querent

King – Merchant (Mercante) | K♢
Upright: Very rarely an actual person, 9 times out of 10 this card is the significator card for the querent’s job/career, Period | On the odd occasion, this card has connection with money, banks, buying and selling, etc. | VERY rarely, a cunning but somewhat charismatic man (not necessarily evil, but certainly not prince charming)
Reversed: Something’s wrong with the querent’s job or career | This card also has a connection with lack of practicality and commonsense, Lack of talent, Not being cut for a certain job or duty | Rarely, a sleazy individual, the stereotype of the merchant before the industrial revolution, The Shylock type