Do you use reversals?

Do you use reversals?

  • Yes, always

    Votes: 103 26.2%
  • No, never

    Votes: 131 33.3%
  • Sometimes

    Votes: 115 29.3%
  • Not yet (still learning)

    Votes: 44 11.2%

  • Total voters
    393

firecatpickles

I always use reversals in readings in one of three ways:

1) Energy blocked (recently "got it" from Solandia [I think]).
2) Someone or something is facing/pointing to another card or direction (i.e., away from the spread).
3) A pip card is "in between" itself and one of the two numbers on either of its sides.

KK
:THANG
 

Nocturnal Lure

I don't use reversals, any card can have two natures... I let situation, querant and placing decide the best interpretation of the card.
 

temperlyne

MeeWah said:
I chose "No, never" because I believe 'tis not necessary to have actual reversed cards to read them that way. All cards contain the full spectrum of possible meanings.
.

Could not have said it better!
 

Acadia

I've always used reversals. I find that adds interesting, tangible depth to a reading. :)
 

cosmic_bubble

:)

i use them..whenever they've appeared, it makes a lot of sense :)
 

starrystarrynight

I used to read reversals until I read a highly respected book in which the author said to deliberately shuffle reversals into your deck so that approximately half are upright and half are reversed.

Somehow, that smacked of manipulation to me. I mean, if reversals occurred naturally through shuffling, that's one thing. But to "force" shuffle in such a way as to make sure some of the cards are reversed??

It got me thinking the way a lot of the comments above have stated--that the cards have inherent upright and reversed meanings. And the other cards around them will tell me how I should read them in any given spread.

So, now I only read cards upright.
 

numbers

Simplify the simple; complicate the complicated.

If I'm doing a simple, unfocused, three-to-five-card spread as I do every few days, I don't use reversals. The idea of the spread is just to alert me to general trends, so why try to get a fully nuanced meaning from the cards?
For a larger spread to answer a specific question, I even shuffle to get half the cards reversed. That gives me more details to look at in the answer. One exception: I think reversals mess up the Elemental Tarot's system, and don't fit at all with the paradoxical quotes in the margins of the Major Arcana, so I never use them with that deck. Any other deck is fair game for reversals, whatever the deck's book says.
Thanks to those who mentioned Greer's book. I have it, but haven't looked at it recently. I'm going to in the next few minutes.

Regards,
"Numbers"
 

blackroseivy

Yep, have for many years now. It's just the way I learned, I guess - it's automatic habit. I did get the book - I felt suddenly like I didn't know what I was doing, anybody else ever get that feeling?? It helped tremendously, & now I am doing far better than ever before with them! :D (MY copy is a SIGNED one!!)

Oh - 1 thing, though. If all the cards - or only short 1 card - come out reversed, I read them with NONE. It makes sense to me that way. NOTHING can be THAT negative/blocked/befuddled/what-have-you! I have had the odd deck that doesn't cooperate very well with reversals (such as the "Enchanted"), but in general, I feel funny not reading with - as though I'm cheating!!
 

NightWing

Short on Reversals

Tried 'em. Didn't like 'em. Don't use 'em. Don't need 'em. May try again someday.
 

amaretta

NightWing said:
Tried 'em. Didn't like 'em. Don't use 'em. Don't need 'em. May try again someday.
Same here.