Reversals

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 09 Apr 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

RedWood	09 Apr 2002
I was reading in the fanning thread about how some of you don't read reversals is there a reason for this? Or rephrase it ..What is your reason not to?

Emily	09 Apr 2002
Hi RedWood, I don't use reversals because the first tarot books I read didn't deal with them or the interpretations were so vague that they didn't really tell me enough. I actually think that there are enough positive and negative cards in a deck to give a good reading without having to reverse them. When I am more experienced at reading I might try to start using them then lol :)

Zhritza	10 Apr 2002
I feel limited by not having reversals. I think it's because my first deck, the Medieval Scapini, came with a LWB that gave both divinatory and reversed meanings, and almost all the divinatory ones were "positive." Many decks that I have now are accompanied by literature that gives anywhere from one to four general main meanings for each card, and does not specify which meanings are appropriate for upright cards and which for reversed. This latter approach seems most sensible to me; it gives more room for the reader's intuition to move. But because of how I learned, my brain doesn't work that way with tarot... and now, when I try to do a spread with the whole deck upright, the spread feels imbalanced and unrealistically perky. This is why I wish all decks had vertically symmetrical designs on the backs of the cards, because if I can tell whether the first card for a spread is upright or reversed, it can bias the way I deal the cards out.

Original Destiny	10 Apr 2002
I don't use reversals because I first used the Rider Waite Deck.This has a big enough negative aspect to it so when i included reversals it seemed really negative...What I now do is I look at the surounding cards and if I feel that they weaken or strenghten the card concerned I read it as a reversal or upright:TFOOL

Phoenix	10 Apr 2002
I normally do not use reversed cards. But, when I am doing a reading, and a reversed card comes up, I will interpret it as such. Or when I am shuffling, and a card flies out, I will red it in which position it comes up in, upright or reversed.

meatbox666	16 Apr 2002
I read reversals.........man, do I............................ Reversals are awesome too.....because it really reinforces just how badly ............a situation sucks...............or person for that matter..........OH and Oh my GODDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD , like I just figured it out.................hey guys, look.........okay say for instance your like looking at a card in its reversed positon , okay like A major Arcana....................................hmmmm and it is the uhhhhh uh Star card.........................................hmm o O ( I think its number 17 right..hell I cant remember right now) ................oh the Star card and it is reversed and number seventeen..............Okay like 1+7= 8...so like if your looking for a time to pinpoint.........reducing the number when reversed can help to point a time( remember it depends on the position of the card .so if in the past, depending on the suit of the card, it can be (if its a wand and you did the reading today and its next to the star(reversed)..........okay........ like 8 days ago......OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...... And if it is a minor acarna like 10 the ten of cups...and reversed..reduce it to 1+0= 1..so all reversed card, read them and reduce the number on top of it....................gosh..so like that 1 fromthe reduce 10 of cups depending on the position.like say if in the future you can say man your relationship is going to be screwed in one month........., thats if you did the reading today and their is say a pentacle lurking near buy (to represent taurus whic is comming up in a month....man, uhhhhh, like I just thought of this so like ask questions to helpme explain further......i did not read this in any book, I just made it up OKAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY............. .......

Jenny-Li	18 Apr 2002
Hi! I've never really read with reversals - until I joined Aeclectic...! So right now I'm reading with reversals when I read with my Universal Waite, and without when I use my World Spirit. It's sort of an evaluation thing for me right now, and I think I'll end up NOT using reversals. Why? The World Spirit deck doesn't work with reversals for me, I can't see a thing when I get an upside-down card, it just lies there, mute. And even now when I try to do readings with both decks, I think my WS ones are far better. Of course, after all the WS is "my" deck...! ;) I think I just use my intuition to "feel" the blockages that may be. Someone said that everything that is something is also the opposite - that I believe. And therefore I don't have to turn the cards upside down to be aware that everything has a back side! :) Love and light! Jenny :)

Kaz	18 Apr 2002
first i didn't use reversals at all. then i tried them with 1 or 2 decks, i can read with them being there, but they don't add to a reading imo. so i don't use them anymore, i use all decks upright. kaz

Andryh	18 Apr 2002
There are two reasons I don't read reversals. First of all, my favorite decks (such as the Victoria Regina and the Haindl) do not have symmetrical backs. Secondly...I did try reading reversed cards, but they seemed to obscure the purity and momentum of my readings. It took a lot of energy to do it, without any evidence that my readings were more powerful, meaningful or acurate. I know some people really enjoy using reversals. I guess the take home message is just to do what your comfortable with, and what feels right.

Diana	18 Apr 2002
edited

Kaz	18 Apr 2002
the cardback not being symmetrical doesnt really matter if you deal from the top of the deck i think, only when you fan the cards and don't close your eyes picking the cards. kaz

The Reversals thread was originally posted on 09 Apr 2002 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.