Do you reverse cards?

[Twilightlo]

Hi All,

 

I've read that if you do not read tarot (specifically the RWS) with reversals, that you are missing out on a true reading and other levels. However I have a question about how this works. Let's say a card accidentally gets reversed. At what point does it get back up? Or do you just forever keep it reversed? Or do you put it back upright once you've pulled it? And also, it is absolutely necessary to read with reversals?

[DevonCarter]

I personally don't, yet. I'm still learning, and while I feel like I have the upright cards quite well, I haven't tried reversing them. If one accidentally gets reversed, I read it that way, but put it back upright.

I'm also wondering about reversals. It seems like it would be useful, and maybe helpful in figuring out which of the many meanings is intended by the cards, but I don't know. I like them upright!

I'm thinking that reversals may be something I need to start looking at, to try out and see if I like working with them.

[Wanderer]

I think it depends on how you treat the meanings of the cards: if you're being strict about the standard meanings rather than being intuitive, then missing the reversals does remove half of the possible indications. If you can see the meanings as enveloping concepts, which have multiple perspectives and subtleties depending on context, then probably they're no longer necessary.

 

Some decks are meant to be read without reversals, like the Wildwood, in which the traditional reversals are to some extent incorporated into the possible range of meanings of each card. As a result, I have them all the right way up by default. Sometimes, though, one somehow gets reversed during shuffling (no idea how!), and turns up in a reading. At that point I let intuition take over, and assume that the meaning has been twisted in a way hinted at by the darker aspects of the card. Usually something leaps out. It's along the lines of, "Standard meaning, but..." What other visible influences might interfere with the normal meaning? Is this something that is lacking, rather than present? And so on - context is all.

 

As for worrying about deliberately reversing cards for the shuffling, I wouldn't do anything deliberately - just shuffle, rotate half the deck, and shuffle. If you're using reversals, then the reversed card will be picked if the reversed card is the relevant one.

 

Of course, you're not really missing half the options for a reading if you don't use reversals, because in every deck at any one time there are still only 78 cards. Every reversed card present means that you lose an upright card from the potential draws.

[Twilightlo]

I think it depends on how you treat the meanings of the cards: if you're being strict about the standard meanings rather than being intuitive, then missing the reversals does remove half of the possible indications. If you can see the meanings as enveloping concepts, which have multiple perspectives and subtleties depending on context, then probably they're no longer necessary.

 

Some decks are meant to be read without reversals, like the Wildwood, in which the traditional reversals are to some extent incorporated into the possible range of meanings of each card. As a result, I have them all the right way up by default. Sometimes, though, one somehow gets reversed during shuffling (no idea how!), and turns up in a reading. At that point I let intuition take over, and assume that the meaning has been twisted in a way hinted at by the darker aspects of the card. Usually something leaps out. It's along the lines of, "Standard meaning, but..." What other visible influences might interfere with the normal meaning? Is this something that is lacking, rather than present? And so on - context is all.

 

As for worrying about deliberately reversing cards for the shuffling, I wouldn't do anything deliberately - just shuffle, rotate half the deck, and shuffle. If you're using reversals, then the reversed card will be picked if the reversed card is the relevant one.

 

Of course, you're not really missing half the options for a reading if you don't use reversals, because in every deck at any one time there are still only 78 cards. Every reversed card present means that you lose an upright card from the potential draws.

 

Oh! That is an excellent point that even if reversed there are still only 78 cards haha. In thinking about it like that and as you said using more intuition than strict interpretations....then I do believe I will keep my cards upright.  Your explanation of how to work with reversals if very helpful though and so I may try that just to see how I feel. Honestly I've been doing so much searching on this topic online and you have given me such a great clear answer!

 

I haven't heard of the Wildwood  deck....I will check that out.

 

Thank you Wanderer[/member] !

[Twilightlo]

I personally don't, yet. I'm still learning, and while I feel like I have the upright cards quite well, I haven't tried reversing them. If one accidentally gets reversed, I read it that way, but put it back upright.

I'm also wondering about reversals. It seems like it would be useful, and maybe helpful in figuring out which of the many meanings is intended by the cards, but I don't know. I like them upright!

I'm thinking that reversals may be something I need to start looking at, to try out and see if I like working with them.

 

Hi DevonCarter[/member]  I like them upright too! I feel that each card can be negative or positive even in upright. Wanderer[/member] gave some great advice on this topic too that you may want to read 😎

[Wanderer]

Glad that made sense to you, Twilightlo[/member] !  :)

 

Have a look at the study group on this forum, if you want to see how I'm dealing with the Wildwood - it's a fascinating deck, and for me it just clicks. Others sometimes find that it's unwelcoming and hard to use... but it takes all sorts.

[AJ-ish/Sharyn]

I don't because I have a pretty cynical view of life to start with...no need to start thinking something is twice as bad

[GreatDane]

No, I don't reverse cards. 

[Grizabella]

I don't use reversals. I do give names to positions that will allow for a card to be read as reversed, though. In addition to the original question, I name the positions of the cards in the spread, too, and that makes spreads that are much easier to read than if I just made a "puddle" of cards without a precise question and/or named positions.

 

[Arabella]

I do read reversals. I am fairly new to tarot, only been a year since I first started. A few months in I felt I needed more guidance from the cards on what they were trying to tell me. I researched a lot of stuff online about reversals and if it was a road I wanted to travel down.

I'm so glad I did. For me reversals are the but ... in the equation. Sometimes it means the meaning of the card is just not quite there yet as something is stopping it or that the meaning of the card has been taken within. It's never been for me the opposite of a meaning or a extra helping of a meaning. For example the Tower RX is not double trouble, it's more like thinking the worst is going to happen when it's not (internalizing) or that the worst has been avoided (blocking) and a new outlook is needed because that lookout tower fell down.

It's been the extra thing I needed to read my cards better. I get  plenty of them in both reading for myself and for others. It's that extra layer.

As I read intuitively I can take a reversal and really let it speak to me. They really want to be noticed. That means sometimes the same as an upright meaning with extra oomph.

Having said all that, I read my La Loteria oracle cards upright. They don't seem to want to be reversed so I don't.

There's some great info out there on reversals if you're thinking of stepping into it. Go check that out first and if that's what you want to do go for or if it doesn't resonate with you, don't reverse.

Just my thoughts on a subject I thought about too when I was new and seeking.

<3

[Day Soleil]

I highly recommend Mary K. Greer's "The Complete Book of Tarot Reversals." Really interesting insights on reversals as well as traditional upright meanings of the RWS.

 

I reverse about a third of my deck. When I do a new reading for someone, I usually go through my deck and turn all the cards upright as I mentally cleanse it. Then I shuffle and somewhere as I'm shuffling and contemplating the new issue/querent, I will reverse a chunk and continue shuffling. This process works quite well for me.

[Amaya]

Rarely i read reverse cards. I am doing some readings with them but not so often..I dont know i think it is a bit complicating to give a right and trustworthy answer because

  i think that each card can be negative or positive even in upright so no makes sense the reverse cards for me.  May i like too much upright xoxo :thumbsup:

[sjc87]

I take a note of the reversed cards, but if the majority of cards are reversed in a reading, I generally flip them around.  Hope this helps!

[Mayvon]

i started out using them so i kinda don't know if i should take them out at this point. boop

[Thoughtful]

Have never used reversals, l am of the school of thought that the 78 cards upright can do all the work needed in a reading.  l personally see reversals as unnecessary complication.  l read intuitively so upright cards for me can take a positive or negative aspect regardless of their general meanings,

But each to their own, if it works for you go with it  :))

[sandrang123]

I cleanse my cards and put any reversals upright, so if I am reading someone and get a reversal, I do tend to pay attention to that. But I am fairly intuitive with my readings, too, in that sometimes I read a reversal as such, and sometimes I view a reversal as a delay of or in the energy/situation presented. It depends. I never ignore them, though.

[moonglow]

My intent has been to read without reversals, so far, but I did a spread the other day and still ended up with a reversed card. I kept it, as it was the only card that ended up reversed in the whole deck. Must have been a jumper I put back in upside down. I tried just putting it upright, but seemed to fit best with a reversed meaning, so I kept it. I'd probably do the same, if it happened again. I may consider (intentionally) using reversals in the future, but I don't know how I feel about it yet. I'm not keen on just reversing half the deck, for some reason. ???

[TheLittleJackal]

Most of my decks are designed not to include reversals, so I don't, although I may read them as "reversed" or leaning that way if they appear in certain positions or otherwise seem like they're supposed to be reversed.

 

I started to consider whether to include reversals a short while back and suddenly the decks I was buying started showing up designed for reversals! So that's a thing that's happened. I'm still figuring out how to go about including them though. Right now I just half and swap the deck, a couple of times, shuffling in between (and leave it mixed in between uses). But I like the idea of righting them at the start, then reversing a third of them.

[Grandma]

I obsessively make sure the cards are all upright because even glancing at an upside-down card makes me dizzy.

 

But sometimes I read cards as reversed, if that's what I get from them.

[Guest D76]

Never. And I really do not understand : why do tarologists do this ...

[Saturn Celeste]

Never. And I really do not understand : why do tarologists do this ...

I don't do it all the the time, but there are situations where I have to do it.  If I'm doing a 3 card reading and looking into what is blocking my client, a reversal stands out and if it's a Major Arcana, it's really pointing out the block.  I tend to use them with intuitive readings that don't use a lot of cards.  I also do a yes/no reading with reversals.  I do a different way of yes/no also but the one that uses reversals give me the reply plus a message.  Reversals have their place but I don't use them all the time.  It depends on the question and what the client is seeking.

[Tromdle]

Im using a Marseille deck so I dont do reversals since it is my understanding that wasnt a common practice for that time period. It also seems to confuse my intuition when the cards look unnatural upside down. The Marseille pip cards also don't really have an up or down. I think I would be more inclined with Thoth since the design can flip flop and be read fluently.

[Raggydoll]

I actually feel like there is a bit of a trend going on where people are less inclined to use reversals- much like how people now are more interested in Lenormand, Marseille and cartomancy styled decks. I used to read reversals in the past, now I rarely do. But I believe it’s very possible that I’ll start doing things differently in the future. I went through a long phase where I did not use any spreads, but now I’m finding that inventing spreads is fun and stimulating. So I’m definitely in a constant flux as far as tarot goes. Some weeks I only reach for oracle decks, other weeks I want nothing more than pure tarot readings- and sometimes I really like to combine multiple decks and systems. It’s all good  :love:

[Saturn Celeste]

I actually feel like there is a bit of a trend going on where people are less inclined to use reversals- much like how people now are more interested in Lenormand, Marseille and cartomancy styled decks. I used to read reversals in the past, now I rarely do. But I believe it’s very possible that I’ll start doing things differently in the future. I went through a long phase where I did not use any spreads, but now I’m finding that inventing spreads is fun and stimulating. So I’m definitely in a constant flux as far as tarot goes. Some weeks I only reach for oracle decks, other weeks I want nothing more than pure tarot readings- and sometimes I really like to combine multiple decks and systems. It’s all good  :love:

Oh I totally agree Raggydoll!  There defiantly are tarot and oracle trends.  Also staying with tarot long enough to see trends!  ^-^

[Twilightlo]

Thank you all for your insight! I feel less like I'm doing something wrong to see I'm not alone in my resistance/reluctance to working with reversals. I also like that some have gone through phases which reminds again that it is important to focus on how the cards speak to your intuition rather than trying to follow certain rules.... So maybe in the future I will work with them maybe not and that's okay!