Do reversals provide richer readings?

[Reverie]

I have been getting very good readings using non reversals, but I wonder if I would get more accurate and layered readings if I used reversals. Do you find it to make a difference?

When I did tarot for years, I got to a point where I was using reversals, but I'm less confident with them now. Also read someone saying it doesn't feel right visually, and I agree with them. I am very much an intuitive reader, and my intuition gets derailed if I'm looking at images upside down, LOL.

What do you think?

 

[Teheuti]

You can always turn reversals upright (I leave them canted slightly to the side). Consider their regular meaning and then look to see if that energy is blocked, delayed, denied or how the situation is "not" that. For instance, a reversed Queen can be saying that I'm uncomfortable with these feminine characteristics or that I refuse to act like my mother. I characterize reversals as being red flagged. It says "look closer, I'm not acting quite like usual."

There's lots of other ways to work with reversals - see The Complete Book of Tarot Reversals (by me) .

 

[Amanda]

As I said in the other reversal thread floating around here somewhere, I pretty much grew up on reversals because I was none the wiser in knowing that everyone didn't do it like that. It certainly helped me to learn different layers of the cards, but if you're going to go professional and are getting good readings with uprights, I'd stick to those and perhaps learn a thing or two about your basic elemental interactions so you know something is a little "off" with a card that might need to be read another way. Reading elements really helps to strengthen your "depth perception" into a situation.

If you do use reversals again, body language and the direction of things is still helpful visually (but don't mix reversals with elements, just do one or the other, it's too confusing to do both).

 

[Owl Song]

I don't use reversals "technically" but I don't read all the cards in a one-note fashion. Every card has a spectrum for me. Positional placement is one aspect of how I read a card. I use my intuition, see what cards are around the one I'm reading, tap into the energy of the spread as a whole.

For me, readings flow much better this way. Plus I don't have to worry about how the cards are shuffled to ensure reversals. I just find it "works" for me. I used to read with reversals -- many years ago. I haven't used them in a long time and I've never missed it.

I think it's definitely a personal choice.

 

[Michael Sternbach]

I don't use reversals. In my opinion, the cards upright have more than enough ways to show me what's up (pun unintended). So for me, reversals would introduce unnecessary ambiguity into a reading.

 

[3ill.yazi]

I was going to recommend the book I always do when this question comes up, but the author beat me to it.

 

[Zephyros]

I use them sometimes, depending on the reading or situation. In some readings rather than reversed the card seems heightened in importance, a big exclamation mark. Although I usually turn them right side up, I don't have a set rule and I just wing it. In some cases it seems important while in others it has no significance whatsoever.

For big readings I usually do a kind of modular Tree of Life spread in which reversals tend to have minimal importance, and all the cards are connected to all the others anyway and change accordingly, so it isn't a big issue.

 

[Chimera Dust]

I think it just depends on the reader. Personally, I find the lack of reversals richer, since it makes me pay attention to the different sides of the same card.

 

[moon_light]

Reversals make things more clear to me, but I know others find it confusing. Personally, I like the "hint" about which meanings to look at. But like has been said, the only thing that matters is what works for you. Don't feel any pressure.

 

[GotH]

I've never quite understood what the debate about reading with or without them has been about. I have decks that I read with reversals and I have decks that I don't. To me reading with and without reversals is like being bilingual. You just do it when necessary.