Sibila da Antevisao –
Divino Oraculo
Author: Ricardo Pereira
Artist: Ricardo Pereira
Self-published
2015
ISBN #978-85-420-0743-5
The Sibila da Antevisao is a 52 card oracle deck, based on French playing cards. The cards are structured along the line of French playing cards, with the suits being Clubs, Cups, Swords and Diamonds, with each suit running from Ace to King (thirteen cards in each suit). In reading the cards, Pereira notes that reversals are acceptable. The cards can be interpreted by combination (i.e. two card spreads, three card spreads, etc.), with the student encouraged to use their own creativity, their own intuition, in performing readings. Existing spreads (i.e. The Celtic Cross, and Three Card spreads etc.) can be used with this deck.
Creator Ricardo Pereira is a Brazilian digital artist, researcher of Tarot history and fortune teller. He developed the Sibila da Antevisao oracular deck, as well as writing the companion book for it. He does oracular consultations, as well as teaching Tarot courses, the Petit Lenormand, Sibila Della Zingara, and the Sibila da Antevisao.
In his introduction to the 19 page companion book, Pereira talks about the urge to create the Sibila da Antevisao as coming from a need to create an objective deck, with associations that were easy to work with. The art is digital, reflecting the themes of everyday life, including cards follow the basic precepts of the Petit Lenormand, and Sibyls in general.
The 116 page companion book has a beautiful orange background dotted with tiny yellow flowers. The cover shows the image of Love Potion – 7 of Cups. Here we see a beautiful gray tray with, from left to right, beautiful red flowers, the alchemical potion itself in a stoppered flask, followed by a wine glass to drink the potion from. The book is in Portuguese, but Pereira has an English version in pdf format that he sends to anyone who buys the book. I was very happy to see this, as it allowed those of us that need the material in English to work with this beautiful deck.
Each card is presented with a black and white image, a discussion of the card, and upright and reversed meanings. The following spreads are included at the back of the book: Tres Segredos, Calice da antevisao, Tau, X do amor, Relogio da vida, Espantalho, Tempo nublado, Calculo do tempo, Encantamnto na encruzilhada, Tunel, Frutos do amor, Peladan, Cruz celta, O Jogo do relacionamento, Circulo celestial, Passado presente e futuro, Portal astrologico, Ferradura, and Piramide do amor. There is a bibliography included at the end of the book.
The cards are 2 ½” by 3 ¾”, with quality card stock. The backs show the same orange background with yellow flowers as the book cover. I almost missed it, but Pereira has his initials placed discretely in the middle of the card, back to back, so that the cards are reversible. Nice touch!
The card faces show an orange border, with the card title in a red ribbon at the bottom, and the suit icon at the top of the page, with the card number (or initial, for the court cards) written on the icon. The card imagery is in the center of the card. The artwork is digital, with strong, clean colors. The deck has rather a retro 40’s feel to it. Most of the cards show human interaction, a few of them are animal based, such as the three snakes in the Nest of Snakes – 5 of Cups, and the donkey in the Donkey -6 of Swords. Other cards show simple scenes – a table set for two in Café – 6 of Cups, a pen and paper on the table in the Pen and Paper – Two of Swords, an open treasure chest in the middle of a formal living room in the Chest – 7 of Clubs, and two beautiful red potted plants in the Pansy – 2 of Cups.
In the sixth chapter of the book are mentioned some combinations possible of cards the Sibila da Antevisao deck, for exemple: Pansy and Wedding Cake means loving commitment, marriage.
Here are a few of my favorite cards from this deck:
Man With Dog – King of Cups
Meanings: father, married man, paternity, male universe, home, family, provision, faithful friendship, help, groom, romanticism, seduction, influential person
Reversed: disloyalty, infidelity, disillusion
Ruler and Scale – 2 of Diamonds
Meanings: balance, business and contract, need to measure the pros and cons of a fact, commitment and unity after the variables
Reversed: imbalance, recklessness, error
Nest of Snakes – 5 of Cups
Meanings: jealousy, envy, greed, blackmail, distrust, betrayal, estrangement, trap, competition, rivalry, falsehood, scandal, intrigue, thievery, corruption, sabotage, mental poisoning, gossip, rebellion, tension.
Reversed: loyalty, harmony, tolerance, peace
Coffee – 6 of Cups
Meanings: visit, approach, meeting, reencounter, nice indeed, promise fulfilled, surprise, intimacy, generosity, satisfaction, pleasure, invitation
Reversed: mismatch, false promise, mistake
Teenage – Knave of Diamonds
Meanings: preadolescent or adolescent, professional vagueness, academy, fun, immaturity
Reversed: independence, maturity, ideal
Old Lady – Queen of Diamonds
Meanings: experience, protective, mother, aunt, grandma, relative, boss, wisdom, competence, wisdom, rationality, focus, leadership, independence, prosperity
Reversed: imprudence, tiredness, disease
I found this to be a very upbeat, easy oracle to work with. The titles are in Portuguese, but the energy from the card, along with the icon at the top of the card that designates the suite, allows the reader to tell the story.
The deck and companion book set can be purchased from Pereira’s site:
http://substractumtarot.com/sibila-da-antevisao-compre-aqui/.
Link to digital version of the Sibila da Antesao comanion book: https://bonniecehovet.wordpress.com/2016/07/02/review-sibila-da-antvisao-digital-version/
© June 2016 Bonnie Cehovet
Repoduction prohibited without written permission of the author.
Bonnie Cehovet 