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The issue
of reversed cards and their meanings is a perennial one for Tarotists.
It's up there with the 8/11 Controversy and Court Cards: Actual
People or Aspects of Personality. Most readers develop their
own answer to the question of whether a card's orientation is
an important vehicle for meaning. You might say that having your
own answer to this question advances you among the ranks of Tarot
Readers from Novice to Rather More Experienced. If so, then questioning
your answer moves you even further.
Why is there such an issue over reversed cards? As readers, we
are taught to observe the behavior of the cards in detail, noting
position, suit and what other cards are nearby. If a card flips
out of the deck while shuffling, that card is considered important.
It makes sense that an upside-down card must mean something.
But there are many Tarotists who don't use reversals. Some reasons
for not using reversals are that they are hard to read. The upside-down
images convey nothing to the reader. And some people feel that
the purpose to the Tarot is to better yourself, and how can you
better yourself if you wallow in negativity. In this school of
thought, it is better to set your sights on the highest possible
good and let the other meanings go. And finally, some readers
use other systems - such as elemental dignities - which interfere
with reversals or simply add too much information.
Other Tarotists feel that it is possible to read cards reversed
in the same way that we read upright. In this method, symbols
that appear in the top or spirit area of the card when upright,
are in the foot or subconscious part of the card when reversed.
In this type of reading, the placement of symbols to each other
becomes very important since their relationships invert along
with the card.
As a Tarot reader I understand all these points of view and have
at one time or another tried them out. All felt valid and yet,
every time a card came up reversed I felt I was at the very least
cheating by turning it over. Worse, I felt I was ignoring an
important message from the cards. So, with my interested in Taoism
firmly in hand, I developed my own system of reading reversals.
In this method, the meanings of the cards are seen in a spectrum
going from very Yin (inner, subconscious, dark, feminine, hidden)
to very Yang (outer, conscious, light, masculine, apparent.)
The card, by itself, holds this entire spectrum of meaning. A
card's meaning within this spectrum at a particular time depends
on its position in the layout, its environment (the cards that
appear around it), the initial psychic reaction of the reader
and querent and whether the card is reversed or not. Through
all of these indications, the reader can determine where along
the spectrum the card is operating in each reading. The reader
can also interpret how the querent can move the energy from one
end to the other, if that is desired.
What I like about this method is that it takes the best of other
methods and adds a depth to the meaning of reversed cards. Because
the reversal is an indication of how the card can be interpreted,
it isn't necessary to read the card upside down. Simply note
the reversal and turn the card around. (I note reversals in my
tarot journal by putting a dot under the name of the card.)
An important part of this method is that reversed cards are no
more negative than upright cards. A reversed card may indicate
that work is going on internally. It may indicate that the work
is going on subconsciously. Neither of these situations indicates
whether this is good or bad for the querent. That is determined
by other factors such as placement and the desires of the querent.
Finally, reversed or upright, the card still holds the full spectrum
of meaning. It only shows how the energy is being used and what
forms it might be coming in. It is then up to the reader and
the querent to determine where problems and challenges may lie.
Here are some meanings for cards using the system Yin/Yang. Yin
is contracting, passive, cold or occluded. Yang is expanding,
active, warm and visible. A card is more Yang when upright and
more Yin when reversed.
|
Upright |
Reverse |
| Energies
moving outward. They are being put out (something started) or
are moving outward to interact with others (being public or interrelational). |
Energies
are contracting. They are returning back (finishing) or are being
brought inward (absorbed or repressed). They may also be working
inwardly within the aspects of the querent's inner being. |
| An
upright card is more active. The querent is actively using these
energies. The querent is initiating these energies. Others are
reacting to her. |
Reversed,
the querent is passively experiencing the energies or is reacting
to them. |
| An
upright card is warmer, the querent is warmed to the energies.
She is drawn to them (for good or ill) and is ready to use them
consciously. |
Reversed
the energies are cold. The querent might not want to use them
(again for good or ill.) |
| An upright card is visible.
The energies are more consciously used or are known to be available
in some form. The card is giving its meaning forthrightly. |
Reversed,
the energies are occluded. The querent might not realize she
as these energies available. She might have repressed them for
some reasons or the energies might be working subconsciously. |
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