Here’s another type of general reading you can do with the Sibilla Indovina (it comes from the LWB that came with the deck, although I MAY have added extras to it over time!). Here’s my actual layout, and I’ll walk you through how I got to it, then we’ll interpret it.
To start off with, in the original instructions, this layout has four “sections” that correspond with different suits. Crucially, the actual cards you pull for each pile may not correspond with those suits, but those that do carry extra “weight”.
Top left: Moneymaking and business, represented in this deck by the suit of Diamonds
Bottom left: Work and day to day activity, represented in this deck by the suit of Clubs
Bottom right: Wellbeing, health and energies represented in this deck by the suit of Spades
Top right: Emotional life and romance, represented in this deck by the suit of Hearts.
Now, those are okay for personal readings (although I find “moneymaking” and “work” to be a little too close together in meaning). These are my adaptions, which I find work better, both for me personally, and for less personal readings: for example where you’re trying to predict the news as I will be here!
Enterprise, Action, Thought: So this would be businesses, enterprise, higher learning, thought, changes, action (Diamonds)
Structure, Practicality: Routines, organisation, day to day, getting things done practically, jobs (Clubs)
Survival, Challenges, Problems: Difficulties, struggles, obstacles to face (Spades)
Emotions, Love, Ideals: Romance, love, friendship, dreams (Hearts)
What You Do
This is a general reading, so all you do initially is shuffle the cards asking the question “What is coming up for me?” giving your timeframe if you wish. Here, I’ve asked, “What is coming up news-wise in 2023?”.
When you feel you’re ready, you place the first five cards in the Diamonds position, on the top left hand corner. These five will be read as the “story” of that section of the cards.
Now, are any of the cards you’ve pulled actually Diamonds? You may not have any, but for any card that is, pull an extra card (it doesn’t matter what suit it is) and place it above the Diamond; it will give you additional information about that card. You can do this before or after laying all the rest of the sections; up to you.
Next, lay five cards in the Clubs section. Again, these will be your main story of this section, and again, for any which are actual Clubs, pull an extra card to give more detail.
Do the same for the Spades section, and then the Hearts.
For each section, read the five cards as a story, PLUS any additional information. you get from the extra “suit” cards.
Finally, take all the “extra” cards, put them together in the middle and read them as an “extra” overview of the whole reading.
My 2023 Interpretation
So here, you can see I had no extra Diamonds, one extra Spade, two extra Clubs, and two extra Hearts to add to the story in each section.
Enterprise, Action, Thought, Moneymaking Business (Diamond Area)
Businesses, enterprise, higher learning, thought, changes, action
Blonde Woman—Dark Haired Man—Trip To The Country—Enemy—Thought
In the area of business, enterprise or higher learning, we may see either a prominent blonde woman, or women in general being seen or portrayed as ditzy and self-serving, by a dark-haired man or men. There’s a sense of escape or “getting away from (or with) things” in terms of what enemies or a particular enemy will think. To mirror the cards, we have the thoughts of or about “a blonde woman” by either this dark-haired male who is an enemy of hers, or the enemy of his, and a sense there’s been an escape or getting away from it all.
Structure, Practicality (Clubs Area)
Routines, organisation, day to day, getting things done practically
Thief—Letter—Hope—Infantilism—Contrariety, Displeasure
Hope is a Club card, and the extra card I pulled above it was Weakness (which is like the Sickness/Malady card in other oracle decks), so this can be read as extra info.
In the area of work and day to day activity, here’ll be either news of or writing about a theft, or a document will be stolen, which someone hopes will bring sorrow, sadness, and rile people up into displeasure, complaints and opposition. The “Hope” however, is deeply unhealthy and a sign of weakness in whoever is expressing it. To mirror the cards, the displeasure of a thief or that caused by a loss brings someone sorrow, tears and sadness over a document or news—but their hopes and wishes are pretty unhealthy. “Cry harder!” as some might say.
Survival, Challenges, Problems (Spades)
Difficulties, struggles, obstacles to face
Trap—A Lot Of Money—Visit—Anger—Inconstancy
Both Trap and Inconstancy are Spades in the this deck, and the additional cards I drew for them are Fright and (although it’s hard to make out here, apologies for that) Waiting.
In terms of survival, challenges and problems, many may find themselves trapped with regard to money. Meetings or face to face communication are likely to involve sniping and anger in the face of inconstancy or unreliability. The “trap” or sense of entrapment may end—or it may prove the final straw for some, and the having to wait too long increases the sense of inconstancy and inconsistency. To mirror the cards, being stuck in a cycle of unreliability is a trap that may be the nail in the coffin for some, creating anger, resentment and animosity towards those with a lot of money when met face to face. The wealthy and powerful may want to be a little careful at assuming the support and compliance of those less privileged than themselves when out and about in public.
Emotions, Love, Ideals (Hearts)
Romance, love, friendship, dreams
Sweet Card—Pensioner—A Little Money—Soldier—Flatterer
The Sweet card and Pensioner here are both Hearts and the additional cards pulled are the City House and the Wedding.
There’s sweetness, even a degree of sickly syrupy-ness, with regard to a household or structure or even a particular building here, perhaps a bit too much niceness and generosity, and a “commitment” ceremony for an older person who may be luckier with wealth than in love, bringing a little money or advantage to a military or official figure who is obsequious or will try to flatter his way into proceedings. Mirroring the cards gives us a flatterer who’ll try to charm the whole family or structure, an official or military older person involved with the commitment ceremony and who may receive a little money, payoff or advantage for his trouble (or to get rid of him, perhaps).
Overall—Additional Cards
Finally, we can read all those additional cards, in order, together to give us an extra message or prediction.
The cards we have are:
Weakness—Fright—Waiting—City House—Wedding
Bit of an alarming one this, if on the world stage, suggesting security might want to be stepped up at any ceremonies or signings. Dysfunction, weakness or an unhealthy situation may bring a fright, a shock or an ending that’s been waiting at or for a building, structure or family at a “commitment” ceremony or where a deal is signed. There’s a weakness or malady at work with regard to a deal or commitment that brings a fright or shock for a family or building in a situation where people are waiting.
So there we have it. Another curious mix, which looks to me as if it involves possibly rather anti-woman politics and politicians, public disgruntlement with regard to money matters that may flare up when people come face to face with their supposed “betters”, flatterers and schemers trying to ingratiate themselves to make a return to the scene (I can think of at least two disgraced possibilities here for that, one from US politics, one from the UK royal family); and a literal or metaphorical shock event which may happen at a ceremony (definitely not great for official swearings-in or coronations). Let’s hope not, eh, and that it IS just metaphorical, even if we may have our own views on all the people involved.