Reversed positions in Tarot, there is not a “negative power” in reversed position cards, for me, these representations denote the “other roads” to follow.
These positions describe sometimes the other sense of way, the moment when the client’s needs are more analytical about all his expectations and desires, “fight against your fears”, blame and “ghosts from the past”, and also indicates the specific cycle in life when it is necessary to develop patience, tenacity and learn more about their limits.
When the reversed position cards appear, in my readings, I analyze all the other cards involved, mainly those that are the Major Arcana, with close attention, because these influences make me able to give better advice to my client.
I explain to my clients how it is possible to improve their self confidence and also “judgement” about their limits and situations involved in their question, in addition to that I help my clients to understand, and even overcome the fear of the moment which is obstructing their development.
I would like to mention, another explanation in relation reversed position cards, it says that around 1800, an occultist named Etteila from Paris, who taught that tarot left mystic schools to reach anyone interested (at that time the esoteric sciences only belonged to secret societies), practically all Paris took the course with him, since there was not any other type of entertainment, like us at the present time, Monsieur Etteila, threw the techniques of the reversed position cards as form to know who took courses directly with him and who only read his books.
In the XIX century, the Sacred Order Golden Dawn, also adopted that system, having several works that tell the use of the reversed cards, as for example, Arthur Edward Waite, Paul Foster Case and Aleister Crowley.
This page was created on November 13, 2002.