Opposite v reversed

[browneyes]

I've just been reading Thirteen's Reversals in the Learning Section and I must say - It's sooooooooo good!!
But I have one teeny weeny question-
When do you read the opposite meaning of a card instead of the reversed meaning?

 

[Miss Divine]

Reversed cards are cards which are upside down in a reading.

 

[browneyes]

I understand that, but some people read them as reversed when they're upright. So when do you read them as having the opposite meaning as opposed to having a reversed meaning?
Thirteen's explanations are in three sections - Opposite, Blocked and Reversed.

 

[Grizabella]

I don't use reversed cards. I leave them upright. Sometimes, if I'm using a spread, I'll just know from card positions which are the reversed positions, but I don't usually use a spread and then I go by "intuition", as some call it, which cards indicate what you might call the negative meaning of the cards.

After you get more experienced, you just know these things. I know that sounds evasive or something but it's not meant to be. It's just that Tarot is a very hard thing to pin down in some ways. Kind of like trying to nail jello to the wall. I remember seeing this kind of answers when I wasn't very accomplished yet and feeling frustrated but I don't mean to sound evasive. That's just the best I can do.

 

[pasara]

I think Thirteen breaks it down into 3 main categories of ways to approach reading a reversal:

1. Opposite: As the opposite of the card's upright meaning
2. Blocked: that the energy of the card is the same, but it is blocked at this time, in other words not available or accessible to you
3. Upside-down: look at the image of the card upside down and interpret that, so for example in the 4 of Swords the figure would be tossed out of bed, therefore no rest.

It appears you are mixing up the idea of reversed with upside-down. Upside-down is one way of reading a reversal. Hope this helps.

 

[willowfox]

I usually take reversed as also being opposite and therefore negative.

Reversed and opposite are on the same page. Like matter is plus and anti matter is negative.

 

[SunChariot]

Just to confuse thongs more, LOL, I have 3 or 4 reversals methods I can use and generally alternate between them. And none of them changes a meaning to its opposite..

Actually, in the way I read nothing changes a meaning to its opposite. BUT for me a card can at times represent the absensr of something as the presence if. Eg The Lovers is about love but it van day either that there IS love there or that there ISN'T. As to which the card us saying...intuition tells you that and, for me, the card image.

Babs

 

[browneyes]

Thank you all, but I'm even more confused now!
No one could accuse me of being a wand or sword. More like a double pentacle - very very slowwwwww! But I shall think about what you've all said, re-read Thirteen's guide and try and understand it all, but be prepared, I may have to come back to you!!!

 

[pasara]

Good luck, browneyes. I think Thirteen does do a very clear explanation so a re-reading of her guide isn't a bad idea. You can also go go to the Table of Contents in this forum (sticky at top of page) and there are many threads on reading reversals that you could browse through. Good luck!

 

[browneyes]

I'm baaack!!!

OK, so upside-down cards are cards literally placed on their heads, and you read the UPSIDE-DOWN meaning.
So, as Grizabella says, opposite/blocked meanings kick in when a card falls in a "obstacles/blockage" position in a spread, or "fears" position in, say, the CC spread. Am I getting there?

I also noticed that it's only the Major Arcana that have 3 types of reversals. Why is that?

The one thing I'm finding a real problem with is trying to figure out whether or not to use a reversed meaning if the spread doesn't have a position warranting it. For instance a simple 3 card spread of Past, Present, Future. I know you're all going to say "ah, that's when you use your intuition"! but as a beginner intuition can take a long time to surface, and until then, all the interpretations can be too rosy.
So, would you say that beginners should look to practising simple spreads that have some sort of reversed position and not just concentrate on normal upright meanings?

Does all this make sense?