How do you use Reversals Please?

lawguy51

I've always had two issues with using reversals, and I have recently solved both. Firstly, if you have reversed cards in your deck, which end is up, i.e., what is the top of the deck and what is the bottom? With an upright deck, you would instantly know if you had inadvertantly reversed the deck. Secondly, how long should those reversed cards stay in the deck as reversed? If you don't do some sort of maintenance, some cards will just stay reversed. Both of these issues probably don't bug most people but they both bug me. So, recently, I've done as others have suggested, I cut the deck in three and make the middle pile quite small, maybe 10 to 15 cards. Those I reverse and spread through the deck so that they comprise a minority and there can be no confusion as to which way the deck should go. The second thing I do, because I do a daily spread, is, every Monday morning I remove all of the reversed cards and re-insert new ones into the deck. Also, if a reversed card comes up during the week, I put it back into the deck upright. Am I anal or what!!! I still don't love using reversed cards but I'm trying to expand my abilities to read the cards.

Lawguy51
 

Briar Rose

I just got the deck Revelations, which shows reversals on the card. Go have a look at the review. I am so in love with this deck. It was made to have reversals blend into the card. It's an easy way to understand them, especially if you are a visual person.

They read well.
 

zach bender

I do something akin to what raeanne describes, with the result that there is an unpredicatable mix of upright and reversed cards throughout my deck at all times. and to address lawguy51's concern: when I unwrap the deck before reading, I have an imperfect idea which way was "up" in the previous reading, but I just accept the deck whichever way it presents itself.

zb
 

MysticalMoose

Well...I have always used my cards upright...have never felt the need to reverse as I feel all cards have good & negative possibilities..However as today I have committed to the ODW thread....I feel the urge to have a bash at reading with reversals as part of it...(also...I have agreed a trade for the Revelations.....:D)...so....I shuffled thoroughly, dealt 3 piles, turned the centre one round & shuffled them in... &.. then repeated the process again...&....dealt out a 6 card spread for myself....they were all UPRIGHT! :laugh:....typical!
 

kerri28

Typically I dont read with reversals. But on the odd occasion that they do turn up I then dig deep for the hidden "positive" lesson or message hidden within the cards. Reversals to me are a time to take notice!!
 

raeanne

Hi Lawguy51,
Which end is up? – The deck will present itself in the correct orientation. Your intuition will let you know which way to hold the deck. Grab the deck and if it feels right, go with it. If it doesn’t feel right, turn it around. You trust the universe to give you the correct cards in a spread, so go ahead and trust the universe to let you know which way is up.

How long should those cards stay reversed? – Until the universe turns them back around. If you reverse some cards on each shuffle (or every other shuffle, or every third shuffle, whatever pattern you want to use) those cards will get reversed. Then, on the next shuffle (or whatever your pattern is) some new cards will get reversed and some of the cards that got reversed the first time will get reversed a second time which will put them back upright. If you continue to shuffle and reverse some of the cards, you will constantly be reversing cards and then reversing the reverse. Reversed cards will get turned back around when it is time for them to be turned around.
 

lawguy51

raeanne said:
Hi Lawguy51,
If you reverse some cards on each shuffle (or every other shuffle, or every third shuffle, whatever pattern you want to use) those cards will get reversed. Then, on the next shuffle (or whatever your pattern is) some new cards will get reversed
Thanks. I've tried that. I find myself 'cheating' and taking a look to see if I've reversed upright cards, or reversed reversed cards. Like I said, I'm a bit compulsive :).
 

jmd

Must reflect the various ways people shuffle.

I tend to use principally two main methods, each of which inverts about half the cards in relation to the other (so over time, there are different ratios of inversed cards, and depending on how I pick up the deck, reverses even these).

The two methods are:
  • splitting the deck in two and sliding the two parts 'head to head'; and
  • splitting the deck in two and 'riffling' them.
In either of these, the cards reverse themselves of their own accord, and personally never 'force' them to be upright.
 

Laughing cat

I use reversals in my readings, but a big problem for me is that my favorite deck, the Morgan Greer, has a non-reversible pattern on the back (there's a small star that appears at the top of the pattern when the card is reversed). My heart tends to sink when I see that telltale small star, as it means the card will turn up reversed. In the context of the actual reading, the meaning of the card is often *more* positive when the card appears upside down, so I need to get past this negative first reaction!
 

lawguy51

Laughing cat said:
My heart tends to sink when I see that telltale small star, as it means the card will turn up reversed.
Now you see, Laughing Cat has hit upon the crux of the issue for me regarding reversals. If you have a negative expectation of turning over a reversed card, then you've already coloured your interpretation. And that's exactly what I do. I don't want to see those reversed cards. Whereas with an upright deck, if a card I would prefer not to see comes up...well...that seems more meant to be than a reversed card that I have manipulated, one way or the other, into that position. If you do want to feel dread without having to use reversals, then I would suggest the Thoth deck for you. Firstly, it is not meant to be used with reversals. Secondly, you've never felt your heart sink because of an overturned card like you will when you turn over a Thoth 7 of Disks, 7 and 8 of Cups or 9 of Swords and a host of others, all with lovely descriptions like Indolence, Debauch, Failure, Ruin, Cruelty, Futility, Disappointment...oh but I digress :) .

Lawguy51