Reversals were NOT designed in original tarot

[sunstallion]

A psychic told me that she doesnt read tarot up-side-down at all just because tarot was not originally designed to read up-side-down. Although no one knows exactly the original root of tarot, but the cards were not invented to read up-side-down.

I then did the research on this, but found out nothing to prove her, and nothing to disprove her. All the sources that I found on tarot, they dont say anything about tarot was also invented to read up-side-down.

But how come some people read reverals on some decks like the Raider Waite Smith deck ? and some decks are not designed to read reversal at all like the Thoth deck.

So, anyone has any knowledges about this. Please share.

Thanks

[Gavriela]

As far as we know, tarot was invented to play card games with. So I don't think the 'reading with reversals' thing was an issue.

Ettiella invented a deck sometime in the late 1700s that used reversals, but it wasn't exactly a standard gaming tarot, he used it to read with. Maybe that's how the reversals-in-tarot thing got started - but lots of people still don't use them. Lots do.

Your call, in the end.

[firemaiden]

l don't really use reversals. I don't like when people use them on me. It usually makes the reading come out super negative, unecessarily negative. I don't find that productive.

[Nocturnal Lure]

The images are (usually) one side up, so I use them as the artist intended...one side up.

I don't use reversals, I believe a reversal meaning should be taken into account always, no matter what side is pointing what way. The place in the spread and the influences of other cards help determine the meaning, be it right or reversed meaning, or perhaps both. I personally feel reversals have a limiting effect on me.

How it was meant historically.... who knows? Well no one, and I doubt anyone will ever be able to give a sure answer, so it is all speculation and educated or uneducated guessing. You can however always take into account what the deck's creator had in mind, if that information is availlable, which is usually only the case with newer decks in which reversals may have allready been included during the creation.

-my two cents

[closrapexa]

It makes no difference how the cards were "designed" to be used. Most of the things that we do with them are contrary to their "design." I suppose everyone makes up the rules as they go along...

[Nocturnal Lure]

Originally Posted by closrapexa

It makes no difference how the cards were "designed" to be used. Most of the things that we do with them are contrary to their "design." I suppose everyone makes up the rules as they go along...

With "modern" decks the creator often has a certain method in mind, wether traditional or not. Some decks are even created in an unusual way to be used in alternative spreads. The Da Vinci deck for instance, where the cards' backsides have a specific spread function

Like I said, you "can" follow that concept... one may also choose not to, of course.

It's not law, but it does make a difference to some extend. How big that diference can be or if it matters at all probably differs between each individual.

[sleepingcat]

I like reversals- usually if you look at art work upside down, or mirror the image it looks diffrent. (try it! this is actually somthing I learned in high school art class to find your mistakes)

So I see somthing stand out. Not always negative. Just, taking the hanged man approach as needed. X 3

I wonder if reversals didnt start just because even if you try to keep a deck without reverals, cards love to wedge themselves in upside down. x.x;

[Aladdin]

When i attended the tarot evening class back in 2000 the lady in charge seemed to place great stock in reversed meanings but these wern't covered as the course would have been at least twice as long, so said she.
For what it's worth i shuffle cards upright, inverted, then upright again before spreading them in a straight line from right to left. I always endeavour to keep cards upright. If any turn up reversed then i do consider them to be trying to confer an extra meaning.
For instance on the 15th of May i did a simple four card spread asking "who has taken little Madeleine Mc Cann. The only major card was a reversed Sun which to me primarily means she is being held where the sun doesn't easily reach. As secondary meanings there will be delay in finding here and it also could be that a Leo man abducted her.
Do hope this may be of interest and even better, useful.