Usually, it’s unhealthy to have too much of a good thing. Balance is typically the most serene state for all of us in tarot, just as it is in life. Consider a card with a generally positive theme, like the six of cups. Standing upright, it might imply returning home to a warm reunion. Reversed, it could imply that the one asking the question is too caught up in the past and perhaps finds it challenging to be in the present. Although the fundamental meaning of this card remains the same, the reversed tarot card in this instance is useful in emphasizing that one can go too far and that doing so is typically bad to the circumstance. We can learn to live with our memories in a way that benefits us rather than hurts us if we just take it a little easier.
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How is a Tarot card read when it is reversed?
This method might also highlight areas that require adjustments or where action is required. You’ll know you’re dealing with outside circumstances and interpersonal interactions if the majority of the cards in your Tarot reading are upright. You know you’re dealing with yourself and that any necessary acts or adjustments must first take place within you if the majority of the cards in your Tarot reading are reversed.
Method #2: Too Much or Too Little Energy
Tarot cards that are reversed frequently indicate an energetic imbalance. In other words, there is either too much or not enough energy.
For instance, consider the Queen of Wands. She stands tall and embodies a person who appreciates social interactions. What does this, however, appear like when there is too much or not enough of this energy?
Perhaps, especially in social situations, she is arrogant and overconfident (too much of the Queen of Wands energy). Or possibly, while in a room with people, she is a wallflower or a “shrinking violet” (too little of the Queen of Wands energy).
I frequently ask a question when I read the cards in this manner for a client. For instance, “What function does social confidence serve for you? Are you overconfident or lacking in confidence?
And, I frequently add, “How can you use your confidence in social situations to your advantage? In other words, how do you rebalance and align this energy? (Really empowering, no?)
Method #3: Blocked Energy
This approach is somewhat different from the “too much or too little” energy approach.
We all experience energy in our lives, yet it frequently becomes blocked or isn’t used in the most positive ways.
For instance, the reversed Temperance card may represent your desire for balance and moderation in your life, but that there is currently a barrier preventing you from properly utilizing that energy in a beneficial way.
What prevents you from obtaining moderation and harmony, ask? Find out what is preventing the energy, in other words.
Then inquire, “How can you dissolve any obstacles to moderation and harmony? Maybe you should remind yourself to keep everything in moderation. Perhaps you could choose your battles more carefully to promote peace. Maybe you should stop expecting that everything will always be in perfect harmony.
You can just engage in an open discussion or ask the Tarot to reveal its interpretation in order to learn the answers to these questions.
Method #4: Upside-Down Imagery
When I wish to connect more intuitively with the situation, I especially enjoy using the images on the Tarot cards.
Look at the artwork of the Tarot card that is upside-down if it appears in reverse, and then just let your intuition guide you.
For instance, the swords appear to be falling out of the man’s back in the reversed Ten of Swords. Perhaps the client is now able to enter a new cycle because the anguish they have endured in the past is finally being released (especially since this is a Tenthe end of a cycle).
Or the coin appears to be about to fall out of the man’s hands in the reversed Page of Pentacles. He doesn’t appear to be paying attention, and his grip is not firm. It can be an indication that without the required attention and discipline, money is merely sliding through your fingers.
If you’re a visual person, this method for reading reversed Tarot cards is highly effective. Your conscious and unconscious minds frequently instantly connect when you see something, which enables you to access your intuition.
Here are my four personal favorites for reading reversed Tarot cards.
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How are tarot cards facing?
There is no “correct” response, as there are many questions in the Tarot. The best course of action is to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of all your options before choosing the one that feels most natural to you.
You have a choice here between dealing cards with yourself or the client facing you. This is crucial when using reversed Tarot cards since you need to be able to distinguish between the upright and the inverted cards. Therefore, be cautious to choose your strategy before you lay down the cards.
Dealing the Cards to Face You
It is simpler to read the cards if they are dealt face you. It happens frequently that an image will attract your attention and communicate a certain tale, which you can then share with your client. If the card is upright, the image will seem differently and might convey a different message than if it is inverted. Therefore, facing the cards allows you to witness the story as it is being told.
In addition, I think it’s crucial for you, the reader, to see the cards as they are being set out rather than your client because it is you who will be giving the cards their meaning. Similar like trying to read a book upside-down to a young child, it is possible, but it is more challenging!
Does the tarot card order matter?
Because so many subsequent cards drew inspiration from its iconic artwork, the Rider-Waite Tarot Deck is a fantastic starting deck. The deck is referenced in practical tarot books like 78 Degrees of Wisdom. Start with the Rider-Waite deck and then add more decks that speak to you to your collection. Although it is available online, you are welcome to visit your neighborhood occult shop to see what appeals to you there.
What does “reversed” mean?
1a: to totally reposition oneself or change course. b: to invert, or turn upside down. she caused herself to adopt the opposing stance on the matter. 2: negate, undo: for instance. A legal decision is overturned, set aside, or rendered invalid by an opposing decision.
Are tarot cards supposed to be shuffled?
Because the left side is connected to intuitive and receptive energy, traditional tarot readers used their left hand to shuffle the cards. For similar reasons, some people think you should deal and shuffle tarot cards with your nondominant hand. I’ve never done this, though, because I can’t shuffle with one hand!
Apparently, it takes seven precise shuffles to get a completely random tarot deck, although in all honesty, you don’t have to follow that rule. As they focus on their query, some people prefer to shuffle their tarot deck a few times, while others prefer to shuffle for at least a minute. Use a non-traditional shuffling technique if it works for you. The most crucial step is to simply shuffle the cards.
Do you reverse-read oracle cards?
Oracle cards that are turned over need not be interpreted as reversals. The reader’s choice in this matter is often their own. While reading reversals in tarot is common, only a few oracle decks are made specifically for this purpose. Reversals are frequently perceived as a roadblock by those who read the cards.
My Tarot deck needs to be cleaned.
There are occasions when you might want to perform something more particular and ritualized rather than simply shuffling the tarot deck to purify and clear the energy of the cards. Cleaning your deck could seem like a nice place to start if you’re just starting to understand tarot.
You might want to clean your tarot deck for a variety of reasons, including:
- beginning with a fresh deck
- readings for other people
- You think you need to recharge.
- Your card readings seem a touch “odd” or “disconnected”
- Your deck hasn’t been used recently.
- Your deck has been handled by others
- You think you’ve been utilizing your deck a lot. A LOT, especially for books with strong emotional content
Why should you cleanse or clear your tarot deck?
Tarot deck cleansing helps keep the energy flowing between you and your deck. To keep the link strong and clear, think of it as a little spiritual hygiene. It’s not necessary, but if you have any of the aforementioned symptoms, try a few of the energetic cleansing techniques listed below and note which ones seem to work the best for you.
How often should you cleanse your tarot deck?
This is another way of stating USE YOUR INTUITION: there are no hard and fast laws. Don’t worry about it if you don’t think your deck need it. Alternately, if you like to cleanse them once per week or once per month, that’s great. If it feels appropriate to you, you can even place your favorite crystal on the balcony each night.
If you frequently place crystals on your deck and store it on an altar while not in use, you might not feel the need to cleanse it frequently because this quick ritual will likely be sufficient to keep your deck feeling nice.
There are numerous ways to cleanse your cards, just as there are numerous reasons why you might desire to do so.
Different ways to cleanse your tarot deck
Use holy smoke. Light a dried rosemary, lavender, cedar, sage, or palo santo cleansing wand until it begins to smoke. Hold the smoke a safe distance below the deck while holding the burning herbs in one hand and the deck in the other so that the smoke drifts upward onto the cards. Turn the deck so that the smoke covers it from all angles. Next, safely put your deck to the ground and put out the fire.
On the deck, set a selenite stone (or a black tourmaline or a transparent quartz). Although an hour would suffice, I prefer to let it rest like this for the entire night.
Set them on display during a new moon. The New Moon is energy of a blank slate; you can purify the deck by setting it on a window sill on a new moon night. At this moment, you can also make a brand-new intention for your deck.
Place the cards in a salty dish. A strong and stabilizing cleaner is salt. My preferred choice for a thorough cleansing is this. Allow it to sit anywhere from one to eight hours in a dry area.
Shuffle in chaos. Spread the cards out on the ground, then shuffle them around like a child playing in dirt. This method’s freedom and randomization serve as an excellent reset.
the shuffle and sort. Set up the deck in rows of seven cards across, commencing with the Major Arcana numbers 0 to 22. (see photo above). Next, arrange the cards, Ace through King, one for each suit, as follows: Swords, Pentacles, Cups, and Wands. View the deck in this configuration, then mix everything up (like the chaotic!) and shuffle it thoroughly.
How about left to right tarot reading?
Tarot spreads provide you with a framework for exploring your inquiries. Consider a facet of your question for each position in the spread. They aren’t required, but they are a good place to start as you begin to know the cards. You don’t have to use them for every reading. The past, present, and future spread is one of the simplest ways to get acquainted with the cards. One by one, from left to right, reveal the cards starting with the top card of your shuffled deck.
Which way should I deal the tarot cards?
It’s time to actually lay out the cards after you’ve focused on your question, shuffled, and, if necessary, cut, the cards. On a table or other flat surface, the cards are often removed one at a moment from the top of the deck and set face-down. If you’re reading for someone else, this is unquestionably the greatest approach and most straightforward technique. Again, there is no “right” or “wrong” way to do anything, so feel free to follow your instincts and try something new. Some people prefer to spread the deck out face down and pick the cards that appeal to them the best, especially when reading for themselves. From the deck, others may choose any number of cards. But whichever approach you go with, arrange the cards face-down in the chosen spread’s pattern, one card at a time, until the spread is finished. Then place the remaining cards face-down to the side and get ready to turn them over one at a time as you start reading.
