1-2-3 Proto-Reversal Cut

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 24 Oct 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Fulgour	24 Oct 2004
Rather than look at the question as being whether or not to use reversals, at which time or if when for what reasons (with this being considered as opposed to only reading the cards in their upright positions) here's another view: Shuffling the deck in such a way as to keep all the cards upright is not the most natural, or easiest, thing to do ~ it takes concentration and practice, with lots of mistakes. But like learning to tie your shoes, it soon comes naturally. This sense of purposeful mastery has an inherent value. And yet, isn't preventing reversals from simply happening in a reading kind of like keeping a beautiful bird in a cage, or perhaps even like painting natural wood surfaces white? Maybe it's wise to deal the cards upside-down on purpose, and visionary to be open to interpret the results as freely. My answer is that I lay my cards upright most of the time, but I do not find any reasons not to use reversals either... Here's how I purposefully include reversals in my readings: One Beginning with all the cards upright in the deck I shuffle for a while and then cut the cards into three equal stacks. Two I reverse the middle stack of cards, pick up the deck and continue shuffling, until I feel the moment is portentous. Three Now I cut the cards again, as I always do before dealing, and then lay them out, and if there are reversals, so be it. :)

magpie9	24 Oct 2004
Fulgour, I can see that as a good way to create a limited amount of reversals. The thing is, should a new student have to find his way with reversals right out of the door? Don't you think that learning the cards right-way-up is enough of a challange for starters? During his early studies the student will, of course, hear a lot about reversals. All the pro's and cons, and by the time he's handy enough with a deck to expand his range, he has some solid information about reversals, and can make an informed choice. It's not like reading reversals is It is a personal choice each reader makes for themselves. Even then, it's not carved in granite--I have decks where I read reversals, and others where I don't. I believe that getting into reversals too early is very confusing to the student, and that the natural inclination is to completely reverse the meaning of the card. Which is very confusing, somewhat scray, and incorrect, anyway. I don't see it at all, as being a question of doing reversals or not doing reversals, I see it as the student being able to to take more on, as he goes along. Eventually, the student can incoperate astrology, numeroligy, kaballah, and the tree of life into his readings, if he is so moved. Everybody has their own path. But there has to be some fairly simple, level ground to start out with, and reading just upright in smaller spreads is a very good place to start.

ferrous	25 Oct 2004
Quote: Originally posted by magpie9 I believe that getting into reversals too early is very confusing to the student, and that the natural inclination is to completely reverse the meaning of the card. Which is very confusing, somewhat scray, and incorrect, anyway. [.. snip ..] But there has to be some fairly simple, level ground to start out with, and reading just upright in smaller spreads is a very good place to start. At least from my own persepective, I can totally relate to what you've said, magpie. I've taken the path you've suggested & tried to stick with the cards the right way up until I feel more comfortable with my skills. If a card does somehow make its way upside down, then I feel that it's definitely meant to be reversed & I'll leave it that way.

Fulgour	27 Oct 2004
Quote: Originally posted by magpie9 Fulgour, I can see that as a good way to create a limited amount of reversals. The thing is, should a new student have to find his way with reversals right out of the door? Don't you think that learning the cards right-way-up is enough of a challange for starters? I do agree, and will even say that I do not use reversals myself because when first learning my clearest understanding was that reversals were not what I was looking for in the cards. With all due respect, my feeling was why read a book upside down on purpose? Reversals have to be introduced, and with very little effort, shuffling the cards can be done without them. But once in a while there is that little voice that says, "we need to talk." :)

raeanne	27 Oct 2004
Hi all, I think one of the best ways to learn about reversals is to use a round deck. (Motherpeace, Daughters of the Moon, or Tarot of the Cloisters are all round decks.) One of the things that round decks do is to show that each card isn’t just upright or reversed. Each card has 360 degrees of meaning. When you are learning each card, spend time looking at it from all angles. I’m not talking about actually turning the card around, though that never hurts, but looking at all the shades of meaning that each card can show. For example, The Empress is mother, Mother Earth, Mother Nature, fertility, birth, rebirth, sensuality, etc. But what else can she be? Nagging, overbearing, smothering, loading on the guilt; these are also parts of The Empress. She can help you and love you even when you make bad mistakes but she can also make you feel guilty and ashamed for disappointing her. Once you learn the full circle of meanings (and I am always learning something new!) then I don’t think it matters whether or not you actually, physically use reversals. I don’t do anything special to create physical reversals but I DO read a card as reversed if the surrounding cards indicate. Round cards also add another level of relationships between the cards. Are the cards looking at each other, looking away from each other, or both looking at a third card. Very interesting combinations can arise with round decks! I just wish there were more.

RedMaple	28 Oct 2004
Quote: Originally posted by raeanne Hi all, I think one of the best ways to learn about reversals is to use a round deck...One of the things that round decks do is to show that each card isn’t just upright or reversed. Each card has 360 degrees of meaning. ... For example, The Empress is mother, Mother Earth, Mother Nature, fertility, birth, rebirth, sensuality, etc. But what else can she be? Nagging, overbearing, smothering, loading on the guilt; these are also parts of The Empress. She can help you and love you even when you make bad mistakes but she can also make you feel guilty and ashamed for disappointing her. Once you learn the full circle of meaning.... then I don’t think it matters whether or not you actually, physically use reversals... Very interesting combinations can arise with round decks! I just wish there were more. I agree. I learned to read reversals using the Motherpeace. And although I no longer use that deck --- I never liked the artwork, but needed a woman-centered deck at the time I got it --- I really learned to see so many different meanings in a card by how it was orientated. I thought of the meanings being slightly held-back, or coming aggressively forward: The Empress as withholding mother at 8 oclock, or extremely domineering in the three o'clock position, for example. Thanks for helping me remember that. When I read without reversals, as I do in some spreads, and with new decks so I can become familiar with the images, I still try to see the "360 degrees of meaning," as you eloquently expressed it. RedMaple

The 1-2-3 Proto-Reversal Cut thread was originally posted on 24 Oct 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.