December 2019 – IsleVue

Tarot Reversals – The Sixes

December 21, 2019February 7, 2020 John Iacovelli Reversals, Sixes

In the first post in this series, we introduced the idea that relationships between the divinatory meanings (as defined by Waite in the Pictorial Key to the Tarot) of the upright vs. reversed minor arcana in the RWS can be interpreted as a change of perspective. In the thirty six cards corresponding to the decans, we can find visual clues to understand reversals by looking at the characters’ points of view. Where there is more than one character, we look at their perspectives of each other. Where there is a single character, from the point of view of an outside observer. In this post, we look at the sixes.

Tarot

A Perspective Upon Reversals Part 1

December 6, 2019February 18, 2020 John Iacovelli Reversals

Tarot reversals don’t have a rigid consistency. They can increase, decrease, negate, or make the upright meaning its opposite. If you go by the book, it’s twice the memorization. But if you think of it this way: reversals add perspective, it might help. In the RWS minor arcana, we see characters in various situations. We can use these as visual clues to understand reversals by looking at the characters’ points of view. Where there is more than one character, we can look at their perspectives of each other. Where there is a single character, from the point of view of an outside observer. A simple one page graphic showing a few examples, and a full table for the 36 minors might make you think a little differently about reversals.