Reversals: how important is consistency?

Richard Pickman

I have several decks, but most frequently use my Universal Waite deck for reading (which, to this point, has been mainly for myself and also just from practice).

I have been trying to figure out if I prefer reading with reversals or not. Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't.

I'm wondering how people feel about going back and forth like this...

Would you consider doing this to be okay, or not so good?

Am I making life more difficult for myself by doing this?

I have to say, I don't feel uncomfortable or overly confused, but I'm just wondering what others would have to say about this.

(Here is a point that might be worth noting-- I typically use my regular size UW deck with reversals, and my mini-size UW deck all upright.)

RP
 

rwcarter

If you use some decks with reversals and some without, there's no problem.

If you sometimes use the same deck with reversals and sometimes not, there's no problem.

If it works for you, there's no problem. :D

Rodney
 

frelkins

I don't use them at all, unless I'm doing a Camoin-style reading - where you turn up them right-side up at the end anyway.
 

ofbainbridge

I say do whatever works for you. Whatever feels right at the time of the reading and for the deck your using...

For me personally when I use R/W or any of the R/W clones I do use reversls. Upright cards are given meanings that are for the most part positive and that show flow in the seekers life and reversed cards are given meanings that are in opposition; hurdles that need to be overcome.

Hugs and Blessings
 

xhollysue

I always allow for reversals in my readings, but whether or not I read the reversed meaning just depends on how the spread looks.

So I could do a reading with 3 reversals, and read 1 with the upright meaning, 1 with the reversed meaning, and 1 with the reversal meaning a resistance to the upright meaning.

It's totally inconsistent for me.
 

Sebavin

Follow Rodney's advice, lol. Don't doubt yourself. I don't usually go back and forth within the same deck, but there are decks I read with reversals and others where I don't. To save in confusion I shuffle in a manner as to avoid reversals when I don't intend on reading with them. There is a deck that is an exception for me, though, and that is the Deviant Moon. I initially thought that I would read reversals with this deck, but when they came to me and I shuffled them, I felt like I needed a deeper understanding of each card before trying to contemplate reversals. It has so much to offer that I feel I might overlook details and not give each and every card the attention they deserved. And no, my decks are not animate, but often I am crazy enough to refer to them as such :D. Hope my ramblings have helped.
 

Alta

Hi Richard, I also go back and forth on this. I have no trouble reading reversals but sometimes arrange the deck so they don't come up. I can't see why it matters.... except at first when you are learning to read reversals. Then you might want to always use them for practice.
 

mahjong

I started out using reversals but everything seemed negative and depressing but that was probably just my inexperience so I started using upright only and have learnt so much more.Now if a card just happens to fall reversed I don't automatically turn it the correct way I just read it reversed.I guess that really hasn't helped answer your question only that I'd say do what feels right
 

The crowned one

I use revesals when it feels "right" and that is not very often. I do not think consistancy is important to the reading, but perhaps in your skill of using reversals.
 

SharonS

I usually lay the spread out even with the reversals, but when I look at it, if it doesn't seem to belong, I read it upright. There are not many times at all that I actually use them. I just like to lay them out like they're drawn and see them all together, reversals and all ...then decide. So there's nothing consistent about it. I think that the inconsistency is what makes it interesting.

~SharonS