Reversal-Do or not do?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 13 Nov 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Tallyboo	13 Nov 2004
The way I shuffle my cards (Aquarian) I never get reversals. Is there a stipulation for doing only upright cards? And how do I give a good reading when I don't use reversals?

Etteilla	13 Nov 2004
It's a personal choice, it would seem. There's a good article in the 2005 Reader by Mary Greer on reversals. Worth the read...

Sulis	13 Nov 2004
Hi Tallyboo, Many people don't use reversals when they read - they decide on which meaning to give a card by looking at the surrounding cards and the position of the card. Intuition also plays a huge part. We've had quite a few discussions about this subject in the past. If you click on this link then scroll down the page a little you'll find loads of threads about the use of reversals. Personally I would advise someone new to the cards to get a good grasp of the card meanings in an upright postition before tackling reversals. Love Sulis xx

Tallyboo	13 Nov 2004
Thank you all for you help! I really appreciate the immediate feedback. :)

Lurea	13 Nov 2004
Another idea might be to use spreads that have a 'negative' or 'obstacle' or 'con' position built into them. This will give you some experience in incorporating the negative aspects of a card without the headache of trying to look at it upside down. :)

Tallyboo	13 Nov 2004
Ohhh..I never thought of that. Can you suggest some to me?

Lurea	13 Nov 2004
Oh, there's tons.. Browse through the tarot spreads section and you'll find some. The celtic cross's second card is 'what is crossing the querent". Also the "Ladder to Heaven, Chute to Hell" spread leaps to mind. I think, it has six cards dealing specifically with the negative aspects of the situation. I haven't tried it yet, but it looks intriguing. There's a simple horseshoe spread, too. Lay seven cards out in a horseshoe, left to right. 1-past 2-present 3-hidden influences 4-obstacles to be overcome (so whatever is in this position is something the querent must overcome--good practice for finding hidden negativity) 5-environment 6-best course of action 7-probable outcome Hope that helps! Enjoy! :D

Tallyboo	14 Nov 2004
I looked up and saw that it was acceptable to do reversals. I even tried the shuffling technique. It just doesn't *feel* right. It feel like I'm forcing the energies. You know, cut cards in half, turn one-half 180 degrees. Shampoo Rinse Repeat. It just seems so strange. :)

Fudugazi	15 Nov 2004
The main thing is to decide at the beginning of a reading, or with a particular deck, or person, whether you will use reversals or not. I don't use reversals when I read with the Mythic deck, as it's not designed for reversals. I find that the cards all contain the totality of the meanings already associated with them, and you will understand what the cards are trying to tell you, if you relax into your reading. With other decks, I do use reversals when reading for other people. I don't read reversals for myself with any deck, but I ask for the cards I need (i.e. if there's some challenge on hand, I'd rather have it straight than upside down). Maybe I do miss something- I don't know. I do know that the combination of cards can show if there is a problem. I have heard of a book on reversals reading (Joan Bunning?) so I might give it a go at some point. I don't have trouble reading reversals for other people, however, so the issue seems to be with getting out of my own way, rather than an inability to read reversals. I am sceptical of any fixed meanings for reverse cards (what's the reverse of 3 swords? happiness in love? blocked heart break? lesser heartache? what is the opposite of a broken heart? not the 3 swords reversed!). Reversals can mean blocked energy, or a lesser form of the card, or a perverted form. But I believe these meanings can come out in other ways if you decide, consciously, not to read reversals.

Keslynn	15 Nov 2004
I used to read with reversals, but then, I stopped in an effort to force myself to read more intuitively. Even though all the cards are upright, I can get a general sense of whether I should be reading a particular card's meaning as a more positive or negative expression of the basic idea. I was skeptical as to whether I would get a complete reading if I didn't use reversals, but I'm pleased to say it's worked out fine. And I really feel like it's honed my intuition. :) Kes

Tallyboo	15 Nov 2004
Ohh..that makes sense. So, I'll just stick with uprights before I get into reversals cause it's confuxing the heck out of me. LOL!

bigcaat	20 Nov 2004
Keslynn wrote: I used to read with reversals, but then, I stopped in an effort to force myself to read more intuitively. I have never read reversed, for this very reason. The cards are just the roadmap for me. I try not to rely on them too heavily, just enough to keep direction. I don't want miss all the scenery. ;-) Caat

SunChariot	20 Nov 2004
Tallyboo wrote: I looked up and saw that it was acceptable to do reversals. I even tried the shuffling technique. It just doesn't *feel* right. It feel like I'm forcing the energies. You know, cut cards in half, turn one-half 180 degrees. Shampoo Rinse Repeat. It just seems so strange. :) The most important thing is if something feels strange or not right to you, don't do it. Some people do reversals, some don't its personal choice. But the main thing is that Tarot is about accessiing your instincts and learning to listen to them. And if yours are telling you it doesn't seem right for you it isn't. And you need to listen that and respect it. I have three decks. I use reversals in two of them, the other seems to work better without reversals. You just have to know what feels right to you and follow it. Bar

Alice23	26 Nov 2004
Hi. I cant remember where on this site i read it but if i dont want to do a reversal reading i shuffle all the cards upright.....and then if any do come out reversed.....usually by flying out of the pack when shuffling, i take that as a sure sign that those were meant to be read reversed. Just my view! I find reversals confusing as well......it may help to get a good book on it or do whatever you feel comfy with when using the cards. Alice x

Emily	26 Nov 2004
I don't like to do reversals - I've tried with various decks and I get a sort of mental block. I like to see the cards the right way up plus I think that you can usually tell whether the card should be read negative by where it is in the spread and the other cards around it.

divinerguy	26 Nov 2004
I have always used reversals, and find it quite easy to do so. In my pursuit of tarot education, I note that some folks see reversals as being antithetical to the card's upright meaning - too rigid for me. Others see reversals as taking an upright meaning to its extreme, i.e. - organized becomes controlling. I avoid adopting interpretations of others, and have found something that works for me. I see a reversal as a changed circumstance of the upright card. It might be an antithetical meaning, or it may simply be an absence of an attribute. The deciding factor is my intuition and the influence of the other cards. Sounds goofy, but it works for me.

Fudugazi	04 Dec 2004
bigcaat wrote: I have never read reversed, for this very reason. The cards are just the roadmap for me. I try not to rely on them too heavily, just enough to keep direction. I don't want miss all the scenery. ;-) I find that idea very odd. Tarot is a system of symbols, a story and a way of reading the world which demands a lot of practice, as well as a lot of intuition (but so do biology, parenting and cake-making). Just to take the cards as a "roadmap" and forgetting the symbols and the story, not concentrating on them, internalising then transcending them through the fire of study, is a bit like reading Proust but not bothering to take in all the words, or only one page in two (try that,folks!). Only once you have taken it all in, once you have really studied and absorbed the symbols and the story, do you access the mystery that allows you to read the world. Then starts the real work: and intuition will help most at that time - in fact, it is the oxygen that will keep the flame burning. But if I cut corners, just think the cards are an "indication" and try to hook my intuition onto a vague idea of what this card means at this place, I might myself at the end of a reading wondering if it's all just tosh, or not wanting to see what the CARDS are saying, or at best, I am smothered in a few woolly ideas that don't go deep enough to last until the next day. Tarot demands discipline - like biology or cake-making, or parenting or reading Proust... Think High Priestess and Magician giving birth to the 9 pentacles... And the scenery of the cards is beautiful - because the Tarot is not a roadmap. It IS the scenery as well as a book of the world. Just as A la Recherche du Temps Perdu is beauty and life itself, as well as a representation of life and beauty...

gypsy	04 Dec 2004
well said, helvetica! .gypsy.

The Reversal-Do or not do? thread was originally posted on 13 Nov 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.