Reversable backs

[rabidwolfie]

I was just reading a review that happened to mention that a deck was perfect except that it did not have reversible backs, & that ruined the entire deck. There was a time when I would have agreed with this assessment, that knowing if a card was to be upright or reversed before I flipped it would somehow alter the reading. It really doesn't. For me, anyway. I simply lay down the cards & flip them in my usual way, regardless of whether I know the outcome of their position. Which then got me wondering, why, for those of us who use reversals, is this a bad thing? Some cards have better meanings (usually) when reversed. The three of swords, the Moon, the tower, um.... can't think of the others off paw, but I know there are more.

But aside from those, what else is wrong with knowing ahead of time that a card will be upright or reversed?

 

[afrosaxon]

Nothing is wrong, per se, with knowing about a reversal ahead of time. There really isn't a "right" and "wrong" way in Tarot. Ain't it great?

For me, I sometimes like to see reversals (when using a deck that reads with reversals) because it lets me know if I really need to be asking a particular question. Seeing a lot of reversals in one throw is a signal from my cards to try again later.

Just my $.02.

T.

 

[214red]

i agree with afrosaxon. i dont like to know which way up the cards are except for my osho deck which i dont read reversals.

the reason i dont like to see the back is i am too logical, if i can see too many cards are reversed i might turn the deck the other way...but the cards are meant to be read as they lay...expect if my intuition says otherwise

 

[Le Fanu]

With so many of these reviews, they point out that you can spot a mile off if it´s reversed, but it´s only really the case if you look closely. Sometimes (only sometimes) the detail is so slight.

What´s the difference between knowing a card is reversed when you finish shuffling or five seconds afterwards when you´ve the dealt the cards and turned them over.

Is it all part of the suspense?

 

[Silverlotus]

While I am currently reading more often without reversals, I still like to have reversible backs. The main reason is because I like the cards to be a complete mystery. Some of that mystery is taken away when I know if the card is reversed or not.

There was once a time, not too long ago, that the back of the cards could ruin a deck for me. I've gotten over it though, because if I hadn't I would be missing out on great decks, like the MerryDay.

 

[starrystarrynight]

I always flip my cards face up to begin with , so backs don't matter to me at all, even when I do use reversals.




Is nothing sacred!?!

 

[minrice]

The deck I usually read with doesn't have a reversible back to the cards, and I've stopped noticing ahead of time if they will come up reversed or not! It's like I just don't see it anymore.

 

[M-Tarot-M]

I flip cards directly off the deck using a consistent gesture. The card is already face up when in position. The back is moot. I eliminate ADHD inducing dilemmas so they do not distract from the reading.

 

[Onyx]

depending on the back . . .

I also get thrown off when I see a card is reversed before it is turned over. I don't want anything to throw off my focus from the cards in order.

So I have taken an approach that if the card backs are reversible then I will read reversals, if the card backs are not reversible then I don't read reversals. I have found that in a Rider-Waite-Smith style deck I like reversals, on a Thoth style deck I don’t and it seems that the pips in many TdM style decks you can’t tell when the card is turned over if it is reversed or not. I find that my Rider-Waite-Smith decks (Universal Waite, Original Rider-Waite, Tarot of Reflections,) tend to have reversible backs and my Thoth style decks (Thoth, Liber T, Haindl) do not so it works out for me.

Onyx.