MISSIVE 23
A More General Model of Reading Reversed Cards
In mathematics, there is an interesting and unfortunately named concept known as the “degenerate case.” Generally speaking, this is a thing that is missing an aspect of itself so fundamental to its definition, that it is actually something else entirely.
For example, a circle of radius zero is, in fact, a point. Two parallel lines can be thought of as a parabola that never curves. A cube of height zero is just a square.
It reminds of the old riddle: when is a door not a door? When it’s a/jar.
When is something not itself?
In Tarot, there’s quite a large toolbox for how to deal with reversed cards (for the uninitiated, this is just when they’re drawn upside-down). While some readers choose to ignore them entirely, there’s something to be said for offering the cards a wider grammar with which to express themselves. The three most common ways to interpret reversals that I’ve seen in the wild are as follows:
1) Strict definitions. Since nearly everyone starts by the book, it makes sense to memorize keywords. Nevertheless, many of these were derived from Waite’s Pictorial Guide to the Tarot, in which he presents numerous convoluted reversal definitions with virtually no explanation. Pomposity bleeds from his prose, yet there’s little reason to interrogate his certitude while learning. Most readers do eventually depart from the book based on learned experiences.
2) The negative form. In this method, the reversal of a card is understood as its dark side, or shadow. The Hermit reversed is loneliness and isolation, rather than quiet wisdom. The Ten of Coins upturned is the end of a long search for fortune that comes to nothing. This is the harshest way to read reversals, and demands a certain degree of pessimism. Waite’s methods often, but not always, use this heuristic.
3) The negation. Otherwise known as “blockage.” For those who operate within an energy model, this is a standard approach, and probably the one I see used most commonly today. What is indicated by the card is a force stayed, or withheld. While “not this” is a way to temper the expectations of a querent, it isn’t necessarily actionable information about what will happen- just a statement of one of many things that could, yet probably won’t.
Consider adding this to your toolbox: a reversal is a “degenerate case” (but don’t call it that). When a card is reversed in a spread position, something critical to the meaning of that card is missing, to the point that it’s actually something else. It’s on the tip of your deck’s tongue: “sort of like this, but not quite.” A clarifier card, then, can be drawn to understand how it differs from the card’s typical definition.
This method is system agnostic. Given the historical weight of the word “degenerate” outside mathematics, we can probably call this something nicer, like wayfinding. The reader can pull a reversed card, then use a second to locate a more nuanced meaning within the deck’s possibility space.
Let’s take a look at some examples using the Fountain Tarot:
With the Four of Wands reversed, here, we see something interesting about this deck: what appears to just be some kind of haphazard rave on a beach actually forms a sturdy pyramid when seen upside-down. This is the card of established foundations of conviction and belief, consecrated by what is often a wedding or other rite of passage. But reversed, we learn that this is not quite where we are, as informed by the Five of Coins, the card of material loss and seeking shelter. This combination, then, paints a new picture: a joyful moment of respite and rekindling despite dark times. We could all use a little more of that right now.
What if we drew a different clarifier?
Here, I would be inclined to say that this is a celebration too soon: ground has been broken for an idea that is already overburdened and on its last legs. The Ten of Wands is the card of carrying too much due to passion and needing to let go. The key term here is scope creep. This is a commitment being made to something that may already be doomed by its ambitious scale, or a lack of common vision.
Let’s do one more:
This is a harder call. What does it mean to be a King of Swords distance away from the Four of Wands? These are two different categories of arcana altogether! Well, the King of Swords contradicts the celebratory- he is a cold and severe character, rational to the bone. But both this Four and King reinforce each other’s idea of an established position on some matter (observe similar shapes in the art). This suggests an ideological foundation formed by rational certitude. The person indicated is self-assured and self-congratulatory due to their intellectual strengths. Maybe their outlook is correct in certain contexts, but they probably aren’t so great at parties.
When one considers the fact that each reversal can be reconsidered through the lens of any of the other seventy-seven cards, the language of Tarot expands drastically. If you’re a reader, consider taking this method for a test drive.
Given you can do all of this with a reversal, why not just always pull two cards?
Actually, I generally do.
My feeling is that clarifiers are good practice, and should be used early and often, regardless of the presence of reversals. There is no shame in pulling more cards to interpret the meaning of a spread position, especially for arcana where there is grounds for ambiguity. Consider the ever-vexing court cards- are they indicating the querent, someone else, or something else entirely? Why leave your querent hanging if you can triangulate that information with just a bit more data?
I tend to pull two cards for each position from the start because the nuance allows for sharper targeting and stronger oracle-to-human communication. Making precise calls with the cards can be anxiety-provoking, but is a skill worth pursuing. Trust Tarot to lead you to surprising places, and it will. Hold back, and you will often find that what you have left unspoken is verified later.
For upright cards, I tend to think of a clarified position as “this, informed by this.”
For reversals, I tend to think: “not quite this, as informed by this.”
When majors and minors are crossed, think about how significant transformations are informed by direct experiences. When courts end up in the mix, think about how personality informs the position. And when two cards crossing another seem to be indicating the same thing, Tarot is likely doubling down. A Knight of Cups crossed by a Page of Cups probably means “Yeah, I meant what I said about him.”