Alternatives to the Use of Reversals.

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 25 Jan 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Rusty Neon	25 Jan 2004
I thought I'd do a brief synopsis of alternatives to the use of reversals. Feel free to add to the list or to make comments. (1) DIGNITIES e.g., Elemental Dignities, Numerological Dignities, Astrological Dignities Note, however, that some tarotists use Reversals plus Dignities. (2) CONSIDERING LIGHT AND SHADOW TOGETHER Considering both the "light" and "shadow" meanings of the card at the same time -- like Pros and Cons. (3) CONSIDERING LIGHT OR SHADOW, AS APPROPRIATE Following the light meaning or the shadow meaning, as appropriate, of the card based on the question, the background, the spread, the spread position, and what other cards are present in the spread. (4) USING STRAIGHT BASE MEANINGS OF THE CARDS This works especially where the deck (e.g., Thoth), or the reader's system of base meanings (e.g., Golden Dawn based), is such that certain of the cards in the deck have naturally positive meanings, while the other cards in the deck have naturally negative meanings, and there is variation from card to card as to the strengths of the various positive and negative meanings. (5) DOUBLING METHOD Use two cards in each spread position. However, in the Celtic Cross spread, don't double the three centre cards. This method is described at pages 167-8 in _The Tarot: Methods, Mystery, and More", by Cynthia Giles. However, I've used and heard of this method even before reading Giles. It's basically a variation on the Golden Dawn's Opening of the Key tarot method of reading in triads and pairs. "The doubling method offers a much greater resonance in each position, since the two cards in the pair can be related to one another in a variety of ways. For example, if the Two of Cups and The Emperor share a position, you can relate them as a _sequence_ (first the Two of Cups influence/event happens, then the Emperor influence/event), as _subject and object_ (the Two of Cups affects the Emperor), as _modifier and noun_ (a Two-of-Cups kind of Emperor), or as a _dialogue_ (what would the Two of Cups and The Emperor say to each other?). "The best mode of relationship for a particular pair usually emerges in the context of the reading -- that is, as a function of the position, the other cards in the spread, the relative energies of the two cards, and so on." Query as to how Giles determines "relative energies".

jmd	25 Jan 2004
Each of these may of course be used with reversals too - thankyou Rusty Neon... Another method I sometimes use (irrespective of reversal) is to 'see' the 'problem' as numerologically between any two presented cards. For example, is two consecutive cards in a spread are the 3 (of whatever suit) and the 8 (of whatever suit), then the 4, 5, 6, and 7 are between... of these, the transition from advice to choice needs to be considered (V -> VI). This can be done relatively easily in many instances...

~X~	25 Jan 2004
I use the Dignities and Light and Shadow as appropriate methods; however your Doubles and jmd's method sound intriguing. I think I may just try these.

Dexter	25 Jan 2004
I've used the Light and Shadow it feels guite natural to me to do this. But I agree the Doubles and jmd's transition from adivse to choice is something I would like to try. jmd do you actually pull the cards that fall in between or just keep them in mind when doing the reading? Dexter

Rusty Neon	25 Jan 2004
Quote: Originally posted by jmd Another method I sometimes use (irrespective of reversal) is to 'see' the 'problem' as numerologically between any two presented cards. For example, is two consecutive cards in a spread are the 3 (of whatever suit) and the 8 (of whatever suit), then the 4, 5, 6, and 7 are between... of these, the transition from advice to choice needs to be considered (V -> VI). This can be done relatively easily in many instances... Thanks jmd ... I'm trying to understand this method. Is the reason you focus on the transition from V to VI is that V and VI are middle numbers of the inner sequence? If I vary your example and the two consequence cards are 3 and 7, so that the inner sequence consists of an odd number of cards, i.e., 4, 5 and 6, would then the inner card with the special significance be the V alone?

Keslynn	25 Jan 2004
I used reversals for a while, but then I decided to experiment to see which worked better. I've found that not using reversals works better for me. I've also found that the more I let my intuition work, the more "hits" I get. Basically, if I relax and let it come to me, I will know if the card is to be read more negatively or positively. It's pretty neat, especially since I had intuition problems before. Thanks for the post Rusty Neon. The two card thing looks pretty interesting as well as the numerological info jmd posted. More experimentation is in order. :) Kes

Rusty Neon	25 Jan 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Keslynn The two card thing looks pretty interesting as well as the numerological info jmd posted. More experimentation is in order. Besides two cards, you can try three cards. With three cards, it may be easier to make sentences or stories.

ros	25 Jan 2004
For reversals I use them as a block -what is to come & let the client draw another card. There would be a card drawn for every reversed card in a spread. If I'm using the Celtic Cross I just read the first two as they are & the rest of the spread picking cards for the reversed one. If too many cards are reversed I just say nothing is moving & when the changes come it will be like a dominoe effect. I find it easier just to pick a card than to tell someone something negative.

jmd	25 Jan 2004
A quick note to answer Dexter's and Rusty Neon's queries. I do not physically draw the 'in-between' cards (they may even more often than anticipated appear in the spread - which is what possibly lead me to even consider such), but rather, as mentioned by Dexter, hold them in my mind's eye. In the example I gave, may may not have been clear is that I used the terms 'transition from advice to choice' because of the cards in question in the Major Arcana (V -> VI), in which V may be key-worded as 'advice', and VI 'choice'. Rusty Neon, your description is spot on: if there are an odd number of in-between cards, then only one card has that significance. Also, it isn't that difficult to see which is the middle card(s). Say the two drawn cards are a 2 of Coins and 20 Judgement. Instead of going through each of the cards in between and checking which is the middle one, a simple arithmetic operation will do the same trick: add the numbers together and divide by 2. In the this example, it will be eleven (2+20=22; 22/2=11). In my earlier example, 3+8=11, 11/2=5&half, ie, between 5 & 6. In the example given by Rusty Neon, it will be five: 3+7=10; 10/2=5. Just thought I'd mention this mathematical aspect to working out what may otherwise be reasonably complex if the two cards are numerically distant - though it may be useful to see the whole transformation from one to the other too (in the example above, how the two moves all the way to the twenty). If the two cards are the same number, by the way, than it is the same number again which is also the hidden problem. __________ I also especially like the Light & Shadow aspect mentioned by Dexter and Rusty Neon... Another key feature which may be apparent - and one I have mentioned a number of times in various posts (there are so many posts here, how wonderful!) is whether any depicted figures are looking towards one another (and what tone this takes), in the same direction (again what tone), or in opposite directions (again, what tone).

The Alternatives to the Use of Reversals. thread was originally posted on 25 Jan 2004 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.