Reversals?

dolphinprincess

As a beginner I have had this big mental debate as to whether to use reversals or not. After getting some advice in another thread, and ordering the Mary Greer Book, I decided to give them a try.

However, I noticed my fey book does not give definitions for reversals. Does anyone use them with this deck??

Should the cards be read only upright?
I have a feeling I will be using this deck quite a bit - as I LOVE it. So I wanted to see how to approach this issue..

Thanks!
 

Kirali

I know you've probably seen this a bunch of times but do what you feel is right! I use reversals with this deck and I read them kind of like the RWS reversals but not exactly since the Fey does differ slightly from RWS meanings. The Mary Greer Reversals book is a good book but I also recommend Janina Renee's "Tarot for a New Generation". And if you hate books and believe in book burning, well use your intuition and see how the position of the card relates in a spread.

Some decks I cannot do reversals with like the Thoth. (even though there are ill-dignified meanings for some cards, I just cannot do it)

Before I learned about reversals, my first deck was the Enchanted by Zerner/Farber and the readings were disjointed and I couldn't really make sense of the upright cards when they really should have been read reversed! I look back at my old readings in my journal and I see that reversals would really have made a difference in the readings. Anyway I digress.

I love the Fey deck and since it shuffles so nicely, it's become one of my mains. I hope you enjoy your deck too and do what feels right! :)
 

lunalafey

I do not have many decks, the first two I had for years gave reversed meanings, I knew nothing different...then came this place & more decks and BOOKS! I had not a book one about the cards, reading without reversed cards???. anyway, when I got the Fey, it was so positive feeling that before I even thumbed through it I knew I would be reading this deck always up right. So far my results have not failed me. There are enough cards (upright) that address the down side of things any way.
If you feel that you should read with reversals, there is that matter of the book not including a meaning......I take the nature of the card and give the flip side, a card of gain would become one of loss....
 

dolphinprincess

Thank you for the input! I think I may try a few readings both ways and see which 'feels' right with the deck!

One other quick question -

I am just learning Tarot (although I am not a 'true beginner' - I did a decent amount of reading on tarot a few years ago - but let if all fall by the wayside) - and have decided to use the Fey tarot as my 'deck of choice' - at least for now! Do you think this deck is okay as a first deck and to learn with?

thanks!
 

angelgrl

I was just thinking the same thing last night about using reversals with my Fey.


I think I've decided that I'm going to use them since the book I learned, Joan Bunning's "Learning the tarot", said that there is no different meaning for reversals it just means they are blocked,just there in appearance,not the right time,and a few others I can't remember.


I think Mary K. Greer's book says this as well but she gives different meanings for reversals.

I say do what you feel is best for you.
 

Alta

I generally use reversals, but there are a few decks where it just doesn't seem right to reverse, for me anyway. The Fey is one deck where I never use reversals. Don't have any special reason, just how it feels.
 

Genna

I don´t use reversals with the Fay Tarot,feeling it is a very intuitive deck,and I can´t read reversals intuitively.Now,if a card turns out reversed in spite of my trying to keep the deck "right way up",I would read it as such.
As for a first deck,why not.Maybe you could have a Rider-Waite too,to compare with,since there are some differences in the meanings for some of the cards.
 

Alta

dolpinprincess, I re-read this thread this morning and see that you asked if the Fey was a good deck to learn with. I would say that it is. Both for 'book readings' and for intuitive readings. The meanings are clear with subtle overtones. It doesn't deviate from the RWS standard much so you can use other books with it. And, it is lovely and charming to use. imo of course.
 

lunalafey

So it seems that most Fey followers are keeping things right side-up.......
I'm wodering if the fact that the book does not include reversed meanings has anything to do with this?
For me, no.......no matter how you look at something, there is always a flip side. The Fey are so cheerful, I read them pright....even that Queen of Swords with her cold stare has a warmth you can feel.
last night, some how, a few of the cards got turned around.....so I wonder....."what is it Fey?".....


Dolphinprincess- did you ever decide up or down?

second what Marion said...The playful nature of the Fey images are less intimidting. Thier simplicity draws you in and holds you there. Compare that to my Legends, the images are very beautiful, but there is a bit of a BIG story that goes with the cards and reflects the meaning of the card. While most excellently done as well as being familiar with Camelot, Legends took a bit to learn.
 

missmezzo

I have also chosen not to read reversals with my Fey deck, but I do read reversals with my Robin Wood deck.

So there you go.

missmezzo