So in my second look at the Sibilla Vera Grand Tableau for 2023, I’m going to be looking at the rows and columns for the story they tell.
Overall Story Via The Rows & Columns
Just as with Lenormand and Kipper, you can get a sense of the overall ‘big picture’ story by reading the rows and columns in the spread for events. Bear in mind that where characters are facing can, like Kipper, give you extra information about events, character focus and so on.
The Story In The Rows
In the first row, we have our frivolous or unreliable young woman (Young Lady, R). Because of the direction she’s facing, it looks as though all of the events in the row are ‘behind’ her. From R-L, this begins with Service, and then impulsive thoughts or thoughtlessness (Thought, R), followed by inevitable Destruction, plus the destructive actions of a female Foe (R) who is also facing in the same direction. There is personal, private and family life and privacy (Room), and a Journey, trip or move, which is ‘light’ or superficial in some way (Frivolity), bringing a sort of “entertainment” of entrapment or imprisonment (Prison) for our young woman.
In the second row, there are several characters to choose from, some of which are facing in different directions. We have the male Enemy, who has Cheerfulness and celebration ahead of him, but we also have the male Lover, and the Soldier, both facing to the left here. If we use the male Lover as the main character in this row, we have a celebrating enemy behind him, and big consolations ahead, but he may be dreaming of a sweetheart who does not return his love or will break his heart (Sweetheart, R). There is a distinct lack of protection or protection fails (Soldier, R) “healing” that is not actually healing and that may even be making his ailments worse (Doctor, R), and resulting in an unhealthy loyalty or attachment (Fidelity, Malady).
In the third row, the only person is the Thief, really. The thief is longing for Money, and is looking ahead to a sense of Despair, even slight derangement regarding a House or family name that is a constant (Constancy). There are benefits and treasures to be gained (Gift), but there will be talks and meetings (Conversation) about those treasures and benefits.
The fourth row contains several more characters or their aspects, all facing differently; the Servant (Maid), the Scholar or man of letters, the Friend and the Priest. Using the friend, whoever they may be, as the main character in this row, from R-L, in the friend’s past, we have Cupid’s arrow hitting (Love) bringing Sorrow and negativity. There’s also recently been someone likely of great influence who is rather overtly haughty and arrogant (Haughtiness) and has a showy way of preaching right from wrong. The friend may be, or know, a Scholar or person of letters (a scholar or journalist or other writer, most likely) and someone (Servant) who will ‘nanny’ or serve a young person or child.
The fifth row involves the delivery of news (Letter, Messenger) bringing a lucky reunion (Fortune, Reunion), a small consolation (Surprise) regarding an ending or death (Coffin). There’s been a certain recklessness and poor judgement, even derangement connected with this (Pleasure Seekers, R) and regarding mourning for an older woman (Old Woman, Widower).
Finally, the bottom row contains a main male character (Lord) facing to the left. He is looking ahead at what looks like both a Falsehood and a Celebration. Behind him, we can see a businessman (Merchant) hoping for marriage and a family (Hope, Marriage, Wife).
The Story In The Columns
In the first column, the unreliable young woman (Young Woman, R) is loyal (Fidelity) to a thieving younger person, or someone who tries to take a child (Thief, Child) of whom there is news (Letter).
In the second, an entrapping unhealthiness or dysfunction (Prison, Malady) brings a yearning (Longing) for a Friend to deliver (Messenger) a message of cheer and celebration.
In the third, there is a superficial or frivolous version of “healing” which isn’t at all, and is probably making things worse (Frivolity, Doctor, R), but involves money for a writer (Money, Scholar) and brings good luck for a falsehood (Fortune, Falsehood).
In the fourth, we have a Journey or trip that involves a failure of or lack of protection (Soldier, R) with an eye to the future or looking ahead (Waiting). There we find a Friend or supporter who will reunite with a man (Reunion, Lord).
The private life or privacy of a sweetheart who may break his heart (Room, Sweetheart, R) brings Despair, but also a somewhat preachy influencer (Priest) who brings a beneficial or surprise business interest (Surprise, Merchant).
A female enemy’s consolations or dreams are fulfilled (Foe, R, Consolation) with regard to a house or name (House) and a great display or show of pride over a death or ending (Haughtiness, Coffin) either brings or ends hope (Coffin, Hope).
A terrible destruction or Disaster for a male Lover brings constant sadness (Constancy, Melancholy) and a sort of derangement or poor judgement in marriage (Pleasure Seekers, R, Marriage).
A sense of service brings happiness and celebration (Service, Cheerfulness) with people gathering and talking about love (Conversation, Love) as well as a loving kind of mourning (Love, Widower).
So in summary, then:
With regard to an unreliable young woman, a sense of service has brought thoughtlessness and destruction, as well as destructiveness from a female foe. Her private and personal life has involved a move or journey which is frivolous or superficial in some way, bringing the ‘entertainment’ of entrapment for the young lady concerned.
Meanwhile, a male lover has a male enemy behind him, celebrating, and our lover will have the consolations of romance ahead of him, although his sweetheart may not return his love or may break his heart. He is unprotected or there is a failure or protection in some way, there is “healing” that is not actually healing and is likely making things worse, and it results in an unhealthy or dysfunctional loyalty or attachment connected with the young lady.
A thief is yearning for money, and is looking forward to a sense of despair or even madness regarding a house or family name that is a constant. There are benefits and treasures to be gained, but there will be talks and meetings from others about what’s on offer.
A friendly “person of letters”, possibly a journalist or writers, serves or supports a young person or child. Cupid’s arrow hitting has brought sorrow and negativity leading an influential or important person to show off and make great displays of arrogance, with a showy or preachy way of behaving or declaring right from wrong in support.
News is delivered regarding a lucky reunion or coming together, a small consolation regarding an ending or death. There’s been recklessness, poor judgement and even derangement regarding mourning for the loss of an older woman.
A man looks ahead to a false celebration. Behind him is a businessman hoping for marriage and a family.
The young woman is loyal to a thieving younger person or someone who tries to take a child, of whom there is news. An entrapping dysfunction or unhealthy situation brings a yearning for a friend or supporter to deliver a message of cheer and celebration. A superficial or frivolous version of “healing” that is probably making things worse involves money for a writer and brings great luck for a falsehood. There is a journey or trip involving a failure of or lack of protection, although there’s a sense of waiting or having an eye on the future. There, we have a friend or supporter who will reunite with a man. The private life or privacy of a sweetheart who may break his heart brings despair, but also a rather preachy influencer who brings a surprise business interest.
A female enemy’s consolations or dreams are fulfilled with regard to a house or name, and a great display or show of pride over a death or ending of hope. A terrible destruction or disaster for a male lover brings constant sadness and derangement and poor judgement in marriage. A sense of service brings happiness and celebration, with people gathering to talk about love as well as loss and mourning.
Now, in all cases, you can get way more information than the above about any aspect or person that interests you in this spread by looking firstly at the cards around the card of interest, as well as the diagonals, plus any mirroring or knighting cards. Who is the young woman, the lover and sweetheart? Who is the showy-offy priest or influencer figure preaching away? Who is the thief?
Given that I don’t want to spend the entire week looking at this spread, however, although it’s very good fun, I will leave those and any other questions to you, my readers, to analyse by exploring the spread. Instead, tomorrow, we’ll be looking at a different layout for a new year, and a completely different deck: our other Sibilla, the Sibilla Indovina (or Parlour Sybil).
Until then!