gregory
If I ever use them (in exercises here and the like) that's always how I read them. The coins are falling out of pockets; the wine is falling from the cups - the hanged man - ISN'T ! (which has implications when I use Druidcraft
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Reversals - Do you use them? Why or Why not?
)Kat Moon
Most of my oracle decks only have 30-50 cards. So in a deck of 32 cards even with reversals there are only 64 meanings. Still way less then a tarot deck. For me those reversed meanings help give a deeper meaning.
That's all
Jessi Huntenburg
Sometimes I use reversals, and sometimes I don't. It all depends on the question that's being asked and the flow of the reading itself. I've adopted the view that when a card is reversed, its traditional meaning applies, but there is a warning attached to it. For example, if I were to draw the ten of cups reversed, I would still interpret it as familial/community harmony, but that the querent take care to continue nurturing relationships rather than resting on his/her laurels.
Puffette
Unless a card falls in my hands while shuffling in reversed mode then i dont use them in reversed otherwise. I preffer for the moment the upright cards with their usual meanings. Of course a reading with reversals is much more profound because it digs deep into the root of the situation and u can see even the hidden elements behind the courtain,feelings and emotions that could not be described by a card in upright.
Example: Emperor upright is the perfect man,husband,the guy that knows how to respect himself,the man that govern's a womans thought. But what about a guy that its totally the oposite.. how do i find out that the guy is actually a moron and a man that makes women run away or a man that has lost his authority in the house.. If i dont get the card in reversed i might not find out.
So i suppose that who knows how to read in reversals its a great fellow and gets to squeeze interesting readings. Im actually planning for the future to change the way i read and use the reversals as well because i want more from my cards.. i know they can do more then that.
FLizarraga
If I ever use them (in exercises here and the like) that's always how I read them. The coins are falling out of pockets; the wine is falling from the cups - the hanged man - ISN'T ! (which has implications when I use Druidcraft
I hadn't read this, and now I'm cracking up.... [emoji23]
Nemia
I didn't read reversals for a long time, I found that the card and the position and the context coloured the cards for me anyway. I like to see a card the way it was painted by the artist, i.e., upright.
But John Ballantrae said something that made me think again. In Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, there are exercises where you reverse an art work to look at it "objectively" and it's much easier to draw it that way. You have to look differently, and you discover things you didn't see before. And that made sense.
https://agilewarrior.wordpress.com/...rawing-an-exercise-to-reduce-mental-conflict/
Then I remembered that proof readers often read the text upside down. In that "alienated" position, they work harder to identify each letter and thus discover mistakes more easily.
So I started to take notice of reversed cards. I still turn them upside down but I take the reversal as little highlight telling me to widen the scope of meanings for this card.
In which way? I found the most useful idea for reversals is Benebell Wen's acronym WIND. I use it a bit differently from she does, but it's easy to remember. This is the original explanation:
The "inverted" meaning for me is influenced by something I read here on AT, was it Grizabella, Nisaba or another fount of wisdom? Reversed cards can mean that the energy is inverted - instead of feeling bad, you make someone feel bad; instead of feeling disappointed or surprised, you disappoint or surprise somebody.
So the card's energy is either weakened or its flow is inverted, its effect is negative or delayed.
But these aspects of the cards co-exist in each and every card. I still feel that card position and interaction with other cards are more important than whether the card was reversed or not. And I see the flow from card to card better when they're all right side up. So I'll always turn the reversed cards around sooner or later in the reading. The potential meanings of reversed cards are always present anyway.
But John Ballantrae said something that made me think again. In Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, there are exercises where you reverse an art work to look at it "objectively" and it's much easier to draw it that way. You have to look differently, and you discover things you didn't see before. And that made sense.
https://agilewarrior.wordpress.com/...rawing-an-exercise-to-reduce-mental-conflict/
Then I remembered that proof readers often read the text upside down. In that "alienated" position, they work harder to identify each letter and thus discover mistakes more easily.
So I started to take notice of reversed cards. I still turn them upside down but I take the reversal as little highlight telling me to widen the scope of meanings for this card.
In which way? I found the most useful idea for reversals is Benebell Wen's acronym WIND. I use it a bit differently from she does, but it's easy to remember. This is the original explanation:
Mnemonic for remembering card reversals: WIND.
W Weakened energy of card meaning due to being overpowered by other forces.
I Inverted meaning of card, i.e., the opposite of what the card would mean upright.
N Negative influence on Seeker (most notably in court cards; think N for nobility).
D Delay before outcome will materialize. Not all factors have fully matured yet.
Wen, Benebell (2015-01-20). Holistic Tarot: An Integrative Approach to Using Tarot for Personal Growth (Kindle Locations 6016-6022). North Atlantic Books. Kindle Edition. W Weakened energy of card meaning due to being overpowered by other forces.
I Inverted meaning of card, i.e., the opposite of what the card would mean upright.
N Negative influence on Seeker (most notably in court cards; think N for nobility).
D Delay before outcome will materialize. Not all factors have fully matured yet.
The "inverted" meaning for me is influenced by something I read here on AT, was it Grizabella, Nisaba or another fount of wisdom? Reversed cards can mean that the energy is inverted - instead of feeling bad, you make someone feel bad; instead of feeling disappointed or surprised, you disappoint or surprise somebody.
So the card's energy is either weakened or its flow is inverted, its effect is negative or delayed.
But these aspects of the cards co-exist in each and every card. I still feel that card position and interaction with other cards are more important than whether the card was reversed or not. And I see the flow from card to card better when they're all right side up. So I'll always turn the reversed cards around sooner or later in the reading. The potential meanings of reversed cards are always present anyway.
Michellehihi
If I ever use them (in exercises here and the like) that's always how I read them. The coins are falling out of pockets; the wine is falling from the cups - the hanged man - ISN'T ! (which has implications when I use Druidcraft
I went and checked that card...haha this is hilarious! A very "happy" reversed hanged man!
IndigoWaves
An exercise in frustration.
The RWS, at least, has 78 very visual cards, plenty of words available to tell the story of a reading... So when I see folks applying reversals to these already "chatty" images, it just induces my "GAH!" reflex.
...Especially when half or even more of the cards in a spread come out reversed: "OK, OK, I get it! Blocked energies!!!" But what the heck are the cards all saying besides that!? It's like they've been muzzled and skewed, rendered useless to the reading -- a knotted, irritatingly indirect mess to unravel.
Why induce confusion that way? If certain energies are being "blocked" or "reversed" or what have you, surely one or more of these 78 cards could describe it while 'standing'upright. It's not always easy to decipher readings as it is; why not let the cards be as clear and straightforward as possible?
(Blaaaa! Arrrrgh!
*off to take a pill*)
The RWS, at least, has 78 very visual cards, plenty of words available to tell the story of a reading... So when I see folks applying reversals to these already "chatty" images, it just induces my "GAH!" reflex.
...Especially when half or even more of the cards in a spread come out reversed: "OK, OK, I get it! Blocked energies!!!" But what the heck are the cards all saying besides that!? It's like they've been muzzled and skewed, rendered useless to the reading -- a knotted, irritatingly indirect mess to unravel.
Why induce confusion that way? If certain energies are being "blocked" or "reversed" or what have you, surely one or more of these 78 cards could describe it while 'standing'upright. It's not always easy to decipher readings as it is; why not let the cards be as clear and straightforward as possible?
(Blaaaa! Arrrrgh!
*off to take a pill*)ana luisa
I use reversals with almost all my decks. Some, for some reason do not "jive" well with rxs. Messages come all blurry.
How do I use them? As too little or too much energy. And as energy that is doing bad instead of good. I like to compare it to the flow of a water in a pipe. Too much water, pipe bursts; not enough water, no water to use.
I also like reversals because I read using directional cues. And gregory, yes, The HM in Druidcraft is truly a piece of art !
How do I use them? As too little or too much energy. And as energy that is doing bad instead of good. I like to compare it to the flow of a water in a pipe. Too much water, pipe bursts; not enough water, no water to use.
I also like reversals because I read using directional cues. And gregory, yes, The HM in Druidcraft is truly a piece of art !
oceana15
I do intentionally reverse about 10-20% of the cards when shuffling. I find that incorporating reversals makes my readings more interesting and complex, and adds to the overall story. I did learn the "traditional" reversed meanings in the beginning, but now I basically go with my intuition to determine if a reversal indicates blocked energy, or resistance, or imbalance, or a suggestion to work with the energy of the card in a particular way. Works for me!
