Reversal or not? This is the question...

Hi!

While browsing around in the forums, i noticed that many (most of, i'd say) people here work with reversals. And i...well, i simply don't. Never did, for me reversals were always result of messy shuffling.
I'm not throwing rocks in people who work with reversals - quite the opposite, actually. I'm reviewing *my* ways of doing things and all...i wonder if i do it wrong. Perhaps i should consider working with reversals but truth to be told, i'm kinda stubborn to change that since it has always worked fine with me.

If you ask me, i always saw the negaive/positive meaning of a card based on it's position in the spread. If the card is in a 'negative' position (a, hum, 'what is lacking in the situation' position) then i'll look at it 'reversed' attributes. Geez, i hope i'm not too confusing.

I wish to know if anyone else here also doesn't work with reversals and for those who do...well, what you think. Which way is better in your opinion.

Some thoughts, that's it

Love,

Yuko

This question is one that seems to be asked every six or eight weeks. The keyword search will probably bring you more answers than you can read but they will mostly fall into two broad groups with a few variations:

NO, I don't use reversals.

YES, I do use reversals.

SOMETIMES I use reversals, it depends upon . . .
a) The question
b) The deck I choose to use

And, you will get lots of answers to this post. Enjoy. Dave.

Hi Miss Yuko,

I'm a relative beginner to tarot and I started out using reversals.

As a beginner I kind of wished that I hadn't ... because it just makes things a little more complicated.

I just started using reversals because I just thought that everyone did and then I came onto the forum and realised that alot of people don't.

I guess that it's just a personal preference. In the future I think that I might stop using them though.

autumn

I used reversals but my mentor pointed out that the meanings of the reversals can be found else where in the tarot.

dadsnook2000 wrote:This question is one that seems to be asked every six or eight weeks.

Oops...sorry, i didn't mean to repeat - my bad. If i made a mistake, i didn't mean to.

Love,

Yuko

Well...

One thing I had been taught is basically what is kind of like there is no night without day and no day without night. I think the reversals are needed to balance out the reading, but it depends on really the person's interpretations of the tarot I guess.

Unless its an oracle or a deck that is made to have no reversals, I always read reversals.

That's just my cup of tea. I've seen people give very good readings without using reversals and I have done some and seen some excellent readings with using them.

Everyone works differently.

To reverse or not to reverse is such a personal question and each person has a reason To or Not To.

I am a lover of reversals and I know and respect many readers who do not reverse and will not under any circumstances.

Everyone's reading style is different and non-reversers can get just as much info out of the cards as reversers...

So the choice lies with you. I would think it would be an even 50-50 mix of people here and their preferences

x FF

It doesn't seem like you actually want to start using reversals. Seriously, if you don't think you're missing out on anything, you're probably not!

I have never learnt/used reversals and I think I can get just as much from the cards as someone who does. Something comes to mind... I asked my RWS about a certain person in my class a few days ago, I got the 10 of Cups, among other cards. And instead of reading it as such a happy card as it is at first glance, I considered what the other cards in the spread were saying, and I picked up a vibe from the cup-card that told me "This is a person who really dislikes too much positivity/sillyness" (which later on turned out to be true!). So it's all good.

As a rule, I never use reversals. But I do read them sometimes in the "my readings" section or when giving input on readings others have made.

I could also consider using reversals if the deck, situation or question called for it, so I suppose I feel comfortable enough with them to not shun them entierly.
Still, the depth and feel I get from non-reversal-readings seems to give me most of the answers I need. A card can give a positive or negative feel depending on the situation, surrounding cards etc. and it does not need to be physically reversed for the "hindered energy" to shine through.


Basically, personal preference is the way to go.

I learned with reversals, so I use them. However, I don't INTENTIONALLY reverse any cards, as this seems to me like manipulation (there's a thread on this somewhere) - having said that, every now and again a reversal pops up anyway, so I suppose they are there when they need to be.

I think you will get the same message overall (but with different cards) if you don't use reversals, but to me, the reversal "cuts to the chase" and clarifies the situation for me.

Its a personal thing.

Sue x