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)
Three of Hearts (3♥) – Balcony (Belvedere)
3♥ + 4♥ or 9♥ = arrival of love, usually love at first sight
3♥ + 3♣ = movement toward the querent | can be a distant journey
3♥ + K♦ = arrival of a job or looking for a job
3♥ + 2♦ = the arrival of a letter, check or document (look at the other cards)
3♥ + 7♦ = arrival of a baby or of something new
3♥ + 3♠ = something that will not arrive
Q♠ or J♠ + 3♥* = someone spying maliciously on you (+10♠R, in secret)
3♥ + Person = a visit, someone calling on you | someone coming into your life
3♥R + Person* = the arrival of someone you should keep at arm’s length
Person + 3♥R = a person who is dominated by their basest instincts and possibly a very choleric one, someone who “can’t see” reason
3♥R + 10♠ = a very traditional combination showing that you’ll soon meet a stranger you shouldn’t trust. Stranger danger
3♥R + A♠ + 10♥R = great violence
[Note: if in the combinations showing arrival the 3♥ comes up reversed, the arrival is delayed or will not happen, depending on the other cards]
Three of Clubs (3♣) – Journey (Viaggio)
A♦ + 3♣ + 2♥* = moving from a house into an apartment (if the 2♥ and A♦ are swapped, then moving from an apartment into a house)
3♣ + 7♥ = it can mean buying a car or other vehicle
3♣ + 8♥ = journey by water
3♣ + 8♣ = it can mean having two cars
8♣ + 3♣* = it can mean you need to travel in order to meet someone | a trip to the country
3♣ + 9♣ = a pleasant trip
3♣ + 10♣ = journey by air (+3♥, it adds the idea of distance)
6♦ + 3♣ = thinking about a journey or planning it | changing your mind
3♣ + 9♦ = a trip full of difficulties and problems | it can also mean leaving on the spur of the moment
3♣ + K♦ = travelling for work | working with vehicles
3♣ + 2♠ = a second-hand car
3♣ + 3♠ = moving away from something, someone or somewhere (often, the thing or person is shown by a card falling in the middle, e.g. 10♥, abandoning your city)
3♣ + 7♠ = an accident (but if no negative cards are present, it’s more likely that all of a sudden you’ll need to go somewhere)
10♣ + 3♣ + 2♦ + K♠R or 10♠ = fined for careless driving (the 8♦R would show money being spent)
10♠ + 3♣U/R + K♠R = having your car towed away (the 7♠R would show the fact that it’s something you can’t do anything against. Again, the 8♦R would show money being paid)
3♣R + 5♣ = a traditional combination showing a turn for the better in the querent’s destiny, going through a lucky period | with other cards, it can mean winning the lottery
3♣R + 7♥ = also a traditional combination showing a positive future for a self-employed person | the creation of a good name for oneself
3♣R + 2♣ + 3♠R = a successful white magic ritual
K♦ + 3♣R + 7♣ = rosy career prospects
5♠ + 3♣R = a difficult transformation which will prove beneficial
Three of Diamonds (3♦) – Gift (Omaggio di Preziosi)
3♦ + 2♥ = an opulent house (+ 8♥, a beach house; +8♣, in the country; +10♠, in the mountains or woods) | furniture, household items or appliances
3♥ + 3♦ = arrival of a gift or offer
3♦ + 5♥ = traditionally, an engagement ring, but it can mean other things
3♦ + A♣ = traditionally, a wedding ring, but it can mean other things
3♦ + A♣R = exclusive, luxurious objects that are worth a fortune
3♦ + 2♣ = great opulence (+8♦, nobility)
3♦ + 3♣ = a luxury car
3♦ + 6♣ = finding a lost object | a positive and unexpected gift or proposal
3♦ + 9♣ = an important gift or proposal
3♦ + 4♦ = the wrong gift, or a gift made with ulterior motives (7♥R may also be present instead of the 4♦) | it can mean a broken object or one that malfunctions
3♦ + 7♦ = can be a toy
3♦ + 8♦ = traditionally, a gift of jewels | an important gift | a job offer that will move you upward
3♦ + 8♦R = a completely worthless trinket
3♦ + 9♦ = can also be an object that doesn’t work
3♦ + J♦ = a parcel or package
3♦ + K♦ = job offer
3♦ + 4♠ = also a broken object | an offer that is “sick”, that will bring no good
3♦ + Person = a wealthy person
7♥ + K♣ + 3♦R = some red tape clearing or being overcome
7♦R + 3♦R = in general, a situation that slowly untangles itself
4♠ + K♣ (+4♣R) + 3♦R = a health issue slowly being resolved thanks to a doctor’s help
9♣R + 9♠ + 3♦R = slowly kicking an addiction
8♦ + K♠ + 3♦R = it can be a loan that is granted to you (the combination of 8♦ and K♠ would already be a loan, so the 3♦R would show either that there had been obstacles to the loan being approved before which are being solved, or that the loan will be a life-saver. Look around in the spread)
Three of Spades (3♠) – Widower (Vedovo)
A♥U/R or 9♣U/R or 8♣U/R + 3♠ = solitude, difficulties getting along with others or making friends, not knowing how to reach out to people, solitude
4♥ + 3♠ = feeling lonely emotionally (if instead it’s 9♥, another possible interpretation would be lack of support)
4♥ + 3♠ + 9♥ = traditionally the best combination for love, it shows being “the one”, the romance of the century (the Widower has to come up in the middle)
6♥ + 3♠ = loss of money
6♥ + 9♠ + 3♠ = traditional combination showing the querent’s wish will be denied due to obstacles rooted in the past
8♣ + 3♠ = there won’t be reconciliation
K♠ + A♦ + 3♠ + 8♥ = a hermitage (instead of the A♦ you may find the 10♦R showing a difficult environment or 4♠R)
3♦ + 3♠ = loss of an object
7♦ + 3♠ = a lost child or an orphan | in the appropriate context it can represent the inability to conceive (if K♥U/R, because of him, if Q♦U/R, because of her)
7♦ + A♠ or 5♠ + 3♠ = loss of a child/miscarriage
3♠ + J♥ or K♥ = an ex | a lonely man | losing your man (traditionally this combination showed widowhood for a woman, but that was when people went to a card reader once in their life and had their whole life read for them. In itself this combination is not enough to show widowhood)
K♦ + 3♠ = it can mean loss of emoloyment | someone who works alone | a removal due to work
3♠ + 5♠ + Person = an actual widow or widower
K♠ + 3♠ = it can represent lawlessness or something or someone not in compliance with laws or regulations (the “loss” of justice)
4♥ or 9♥ + 3♠R = a trauma connected with one’s love life
6♥ + 3♠R = traditionally, a traumatic past
6♦ + 3♠R = a heavy miscalculation | wrong conduct (if 6♦R, serious mental issues, aberration from reality)
3♠R + 9♦ = a completely deranged individual (+9♣R, due to substance abuse)
3♠R + K♠ + 8♥ = a religious rite of some kind (not necessarily bad, but if 5♠, a burial)
3♠R + K♠R + 8♥R (+9♦ + 2♣R) = a satanic ritual (the 8♥R is atheism, but also distorted faith)
