Gypsy Oracle Cards
A Handbook for Interpreting the Sibilla della Zingara
Deluxe Edition
M. Jacqueline Murray
The information provided in this book including any tips or recommendations are meant to inspire the reader. The information provided is based on the author’s experience and has been carefully considered prior to inclusion. Nevertheless, no guarantee can be granted nor is anything in this book a substitute for professional medical, psychological, legal or financial consultation. The author does not assume liability for the use or misuse of the information contained herein, nor for personal or material damage or financial losses.
The illustrations in this book are taken from the following deck of cards:
GYPSY ORACLE CARDS © Lo Scarabeo s.r.l. – Italy
ISBN 978-8883957857
Permission to use the illustrations from the cards has been given by Lo Scarabeo s.r.l. – Italy
© 2017 M. Jacqueline Murray
All rights reserved.
Editions
Print, Deluxe Edition: ISBN 978-0-9991493-0-0
Print: ISBN 978-0-9991493-1-7
E-book: ISBN 978-0-9991493-2-4
For more information or to contact the author please visit:
geogypsyjacqui.net
For my husband Mike who inspires me
to take leaps beyond what I think I can
do because he is there to catch me.
And for my yogi, psychic, astrologer
friend Jennifer who encouraged me to
develop my psychic gifts and gave me
the Gypsy Oracle Deck that set me on
the path to writing this book. Thank you
for sharing your insights and experience
that enriched my understanding of the
cards and the service of interpreting
their meanings for others.
A special thank you to Puka for helping
it all come together so perfectly.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Card Interpretations
Cheerfulness
Child
Consolation
Constancy
Conversation
Death
Despair
Doctor
Enemy
Faithfulness
Falseness
Foe
Fortune
Friend
Frivolity
Gift
Haughtiness
Hope
House
Journey
Joyfulness
Letter
Lord
Love
Lover
Malady
Melancholy
Merchant
Messenger
Misfortune
Money
Old Woman
Pleasure Seekers
Priest
Prison
Reunion
Room
Scholar
Servant
Service
Sighs
Soldier
Sorrow
Surprise
Sweetheart
Thief
Thought
Waiting
Wedding
Widower
Wife
Young Woman
Card Spreads
Cross Spread
Seven Card Spread
Nine Card Spread
Five and Three Card Spreads
Relationship Spread
Service of Reading
About the Author
Introduction
The traditions of card reading as a means of providing answers to life’s questions are centuries old. There are numerous decks to choose from for cartomancy including tarot, Lenormand, sybille or oracle style decks. The card deck discussed in this book is the Sibilla della Zingara or Gypsy Oracle Deck which is widely believed to be an evolution of a Lenormand style deck.
I write this book respectful of the traditions and origins of the cards but with a modern vision for the card meanings and interpretation. The most significant difference is that I have broadened the meanings of the cards to be more gender neutral. The traditional gender roles represented in the cards put unrealistic restraints on the readers ability to interpret today’s life situations. For example, a Doctor or Scholar is not necessarily a male person as depicted on the card, but rather a person who has the attributes or plays the role of a doctor or scholar. That doesn’t mean that a card never represents a male or female person in a reading, but rather it doesn’t limit the interpretation to one gender or the other.
My goal in writing this book is to share my understanding of these cards and how to interpret them but I want to emphasize that the most important voice to listen to when doing a reading is your inner voice. Whether you believe that voice is divine in origin, guided by spirits, a channeling of energy or your own intuition and experience, it takes practice to tap into this source of knowledge. I don’t believe the cards have magical powers, rather, they are a vehicle to tap into this source to provide insights into the situation or question being asked.
I am often asked if the cards can predict the future. I don’t believe that they can because I don’t believe what will happen is predetermined. The cards provide guidance; offering suggestions, warnings, encouragement, and advice. With this added insight into the situation, people and circumstances surrounding them, the inquirer can use the information to make the decisions that will shape their own future.
Card Interpretations
Each card in the Gypsy Oracle deck has it’s own unique meaning. This section explains these meanings including a description of the symbolism of the card image, guidance for interpretation of the card in the straight orientation (that is when the card image is right side up) and reversed (when the card image is upside down).
Also included are suggested interpretations of the card as it might be read in a cross spread. A description of the cross spread and other commonly used layouts are included in the Card Spread section of this book.
While researching this book, I found the original Italian title for each card. In many cases, the current title is the same, however, there are certain cards where the meaning could be interpreted quite differently if influenced by the original Italian word. For instance, the card “Despair” was previously titled “Gelosia” meaning jealousy. I have found it helpful to consider the Italian title in those cases where it broadens the card meaning as it provides an additional dimension for interpretation.
For card readers that work with different types of card decks, I have included a section correlating each card with other card systems. The fifty two Gypsy Oracle Cards can be represented by playing card with numbers (Ace, Two, Three, etc. through King) and suits (hearts, diamonds, clubs and spades). Playing card suits, known as “French suits”, correspond to the Italian suits that are used for most Tarot cards (cups, coins, clubs and swords). The most similar card deck to the Gypsy Oracle Cards is the Vera Sibilla. For each card I have also included the definition of the corresponding Vera Sibilla card.
The descriptions also include numbers and dates that have been historically associated with these cards. The numbers have appeared in earlier versions of the cards but are not in the design of the current printing of this deck. For cards with numbers listed, the first number is for the card in the straight position and the second is if the card is reversed. I don’t use the numbers or dates for my readings, however, others who have gifts in the areas of astrology or numerology may find insight in the numbers and dates.
Although the cards have individual meanings, the interpretation of the cards in a spread requires a
n understanding of how adjacent or associated cards will influence the interpretation. It would be impossible to list every possible combination but I have included examples or general guidelines for how the meaning of a single card is influenced by the others that appear in the same reading.
Cheerfulness
Original Italian title: Allegria meaning joy
This card is full of favorable meanings for the inquirer. The name is synonymous with joy and happiness.
•a social event, reception, wedding or baby shower, celebration
•a need to get out more and enjoy yourself, a spree
•good mood that affects all aspects of life
SYMBOLS: This card bears a drawing of a man and two women, three people, the perfect number and complete. The surroundings are opulent, the figures well dressed and refined, suggesting good fortune and wealth. The geometry of the figures forms a triangle, a symbol of divine perfection, the Trinity, which suggests hope, fertility and luck. The toast with the wine is obvious which suggests an accomplishment or event to celebrate. The wine could also indicate putting bad experiences in the past (wine symbolizing forgetfulness or neglect). It is a sign of good news, successful developments or projects, unexpected victories in every field, or moments of celebration and revelry.
STRAIGHT: The positive nature of this card is obvious. This card clearly indicates a successful event, the announcement of a favorable outcome, the goal finally reached, a challenge overcome. The mood is joyous and gratifying. The life of the inquirer is joyful. This is a serene and lively time. Relationships are harmonious. New happiness, winnings, sentimental and social stability, travel, pregnancy are all possibilities suggested by this card. In the company of negative cards, this card could be a warning that excess, lust, waste or overindulgence could lead to the unfortunate events depicted on the accompanying cards.
SUGGESTIONS FOR:
LOVE: Peace in the family, celebration of life events
WORK: Celebrating promotion, raise, compliments, good review
HEALTH: Good health or pregnancy to celebrate
ADVICE: Launch yourself into obstacles, diffuse with a laugh: joy is your trump card.
LOCATION IN A CROSS SPREAD:
•Above – Past: a past celebration or success is a contributing factor
•Below – Future: there will be something to celebrate soon
•In front – Obstacle: overcome a challenge or obstacle in order to have something to celebrate
•Behind – Advice should get out more and enjoy life, need social interaction
REVERSED: Reversed this card suggests a negative answer to the inquiry, a denied job, a failed exam, unsuccessful pregnancy, or more serious such as a wedding interrupted, broken engagement, illness or death. Joy disappears, giving way to sadness and disloyalty. There is no room for joy or happiness. Expect betrayals, lies, enemy presence, and obstacles. The inquirer feels a general malaise with deep laziness crisis, a lack of enthusiasm or loss of trust in others. Inquirer should act with caution, keep eyes open, use cunning and face a difficult situation in the short term. If in the company of many positive cards, this card could represent discomfort in social situations.
OTHER CARD SYSTEMS: Nine of Clubs
•Vera Sibilla: Nine of Clubs: Mirth: Happiness, personal realization, feeling of “finally”, fertility, parties, joy
DATES: August 8 to 14
NUMBERS: 87 / 31
Child
Original Italian title: Il Bambino, the child
A positive card indicating new possibilities. The name is also suggestive of innocence, beginnings and creation.
•pregnancy, a baby, birth, childhood
•a new project or relationship, a fresh start, creativity
•naïve, inexperience, infancy stage or need to look after someone less able
•satisfying repressed desires and unfulfilled hopes, candor
SYMBOLS: The card bears a drawing of a baby in an ornate bassinet, clearly treasured and born into fortunate circumstances. The child’s eyes are open, resting but restless. The infant represents a baby or a beginning, something being born. It suggests innocence, spontaneity, simplicity, sweetness and a hint of naivety. This image symbolizes the future and the distant future. The child also is vulnerable and needs protection indicating whatever is beginning must be nurtured and cared for in order to flourish.
STRAIGHT: The baby in the cradle, conveys the meaning of “new”, the first step, the initial part of any life event personal or business. Little-by-little the seeds sown by the inquirer will grow and bear lush fruit. Creating a new life. Whatever the situation predicted by adjacent cards, it will proceed well and indicates the beginning of fortunate situations that prove advantageous. It signals the development of something very important. It can mean a pregnancy, a birth, a new love, a new friendship, a window of opportunity that will be beneficial and long lived. There is an element of surprise or an unexpected payoff. There are new possibilities, new ways to overcome daily difficulties.
SUGGESTIONS FOR:
LOVE: pregnancy, birth, beginning of a love story, fulfilling-long lasting, happy marriage.
WORK: a new job, new initiatives are successful, new ideas or creativity thrives, good choices have been made
HEALTH: childbirth, childhood ailments should not be ignored
ADVICE: Accept the new element in your life with enthusiasm and without prejudices: something is going to flourish in or near you. Approach situations with innocence, naïveté, simplicity and naturalness.
LOCATION IN A CROSS SPREAD:
•Above – Past: something new has happened or begun
•Below – Future: a new beginning or start is coming
•In front – Obstacle: will need to nurture something new
•Behind – Advice: situation requires creativity or naïveté
REVERSED: The simplest interpretation of this card reversed is that a desire for motherhood or pregnancy will not be realized. The child in this position predicts failed plans, indecisiveness, worry or anxiety resulting from a fear of losing something that has recently begun. The card reversed can also indicate there has been immaturity, imprudent or unsafe actions that could result financial losses, a series of failures in business, at work or of projects or unwise investments. The interpretation is influenced by surrounding cards. Whatever the theme of surrounding cards, something new will not be born or something small is ending and will not mature or bear fruit.
OTHER CARD SYSTEMS: Seven of Diamonds
•Vera Sibilla: Seven of Diamonds: Child: child, pets, everything that is new, beginning, inception, new situations
DATES: August 28 to September 2
NUMBERS: 47 / 1
Consolation
Original Italian title: Gran Consolazione, great consolation
This is a very positive card that predicts doubts and worries will give way to a great recovery.
•realization of desires, satisfaction, esteem, well-being and fortune
•unexpected opportunity, favorable period
•positive changes, results and events
•approval, honors
SYMBOLS: The card shows a man is sitting on a terrace with a beautiful view. He appears to be waiting for someone but does not appear anxious as he is sitting reading. He is surprised by the appearance of an angel bearing a twig and a bag of coins. The sudden consolation delivered by the angel symbolizes the unexpected gift that is freely given but has not been sought after. The twig could represent laurels suggesting unexpected recognition or honors.
STRAIGHT: A pleasant surprise is coming for the inquirer. The news is positive. The consolation is sudden and unexpected and will result in a positive outcome for the inquirer. It could be an unexpected gifts or honors, or it could be a meeting or event that results in a positive change or provides a new opportunity. A beautiful dream that has become reality. However, these rewards are deserved. They are the rewards that come to one who has believed firmly
in their ideas and as a result their hopes and desires are realized.
SUGGESTIONS FOR:
LOVE: the pains of love are behind, the page has turned, relationships are enriched, new love can appear
WORK: can proceed with optimism and confidence, new initiatives take off and are rewarding
HEALTH: stress or depression gives way, worries fade, spirits are lifted, physically feel good
ADVICE: Look to the future with optimism. Be open and accepting of opportunities and changes.
LOCATION IN A CROSS SPREAD:
•Above – Past: desires and hopes have been realized
•Below – Future: a pleasant surprise is coming
•In front – Obstacle: the challenge is facing change with positivity
•Behind – Advice: hold on to your dreams, be optimistic
REVERSED: When this card is reversed it signifies missed or wasted opportunities. Literally, the failure to receive consolation so it suggests that the failure is due to forces external to the consultant, a fluke rather than a consequence. It could suggest a lack of comfort or an unexpected disappointment.
OTHER CARD SYSTEMS: Seven of Clubs
•Vera Sibilla: Seven of Clubs: Great Consolation: material well-being, stability, safety, realization, work environment, meeting
DATES: July 28 to August 1
NUMBERS: 66 / 38
Constancy
Original Italian title: Costanza, constancy
This is a positive card that gives assurance that with commitment, strength and determination, life’s difficulties are overcome.
•continuity, steadiness, reliability, consistency, solidity
•purposeful, prudent, determined, patient
•long term, long-lasting, far-sighted
•lack of change, solid, accountability, fixed
SYMBOLS: The card depicts a woman, unruffled and secure, leaning on a ruined column. The ruined column could indicate an unwanted event that has occurred in the past but despite this, the woman is strong. Her hair is blowing in the wind but she is steadfast stubborn, perpetually wise. She is waiting for someone, prepared to fight if needed. There is a temple in the background. The temple could represent wisdom.
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