A Perspective Upon Reversals Part 1
This post expands upon the illustrations in the accompanying PDF (link below; note also that the PDF will probably be much easier to read then the bitmap graphic shown in your browser when you view this page). We’ll just briefly recapitulate the content here for the benefit of the web indexers. If you’ve come to this page to see the long text table with the gory details, feel free to scroll to the next section.
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. The Tarosophy Tarot Association has a nice article that provides an overview. In any case, many tarot readers avoid reading reversed cards entirely.
But reversals add perspective.
- Take the Six of Pentacles. We see the rich guy giving coins to two beggars. Upright, Waite’s divinatory meaning is presents and gifts. Reversed, it’s desire and envy. It’s obvious that we’re seeing it from the rich man’s point of view upright, and from the beggars’ point of view, reversed.
- How about the Seven of Wands, the guy with the staves on top of the hill? Upright, valor, vantage position. Reversed, perplexity, anxiety. Upright, it’s the situation from the defender’s point of view; a strong position. Reversed, the perspective of the attacking side: not an easy hill to take.
- The Three of Wands is fun: the rich merchant looks at his ships. Upright, the meaning is effort and enterprise. Reversed, the end of troubles. We can understand that as upright, the ships are going out, starting their voyage. Reversed, coming in, bearing profitable cargo… it’s sort of the objects’ perspective rather than the character’s!
As you can see, 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 look at their perspectives of each other. Where there is a single character, from the point of view of an outside observer.
Can three examples be representative of three dozen? You’ll have to judge by the table below, for now. A small amount of text and graphics—like the accompanying page—is probably the best way to present concepts like these. I won’t promise, but I may illustrate the other cards similarly; perhaps a page for the Twos, another for the Threes, etc. I’m not sure if I should “lump” them under the “One Page Guide” tag or keep them separate; we’ll have to see if I do the entire thirty six or not.
For those who will no doubt ask if the same “perspective” analysis can be done with the majors: I doubt it. They carry so much history and “baggage.” And they’re more abstract than the minor arcana. The symbols are more important than the characters there.
The Upside Down World
The table consists of four columns:
- Column one consists of the card name, its planetary ruler and sign, and its esoteric title. Though Waite doesn’t reference the latter components, given that the Golden Dawn group’s influence upon his divinatory meanings is so important, I find it helpful to include this information. (Note: if I have already done a one-page-guide, there will be a link in the card name).
- Column two indicates whether the phrases and descriptions to its right pertain to upright or reversed.
- Column three contains quotes directly cut and pasted from Waite’s The Pictorial Key to the Tarot. These are separated into rows, generally in accordance with Wait’s punctuation. I read a semi-colon or period in the original as a delimiter. If I have taken part of a phrase from a longer sentence, that is also separated.
-
Column four is my comment upon whose (or what’s) “perspective” the meanings take on. I’m sure that there will be quite a few changes, as this is very much a preliminary “draft” post. There may be cases in which you disagree with my interpretation but not the perspectives; or vice versa. In any case, this column should at a minimum communicate the “theory.” I am very open to suggestion, and expect this table to be updated extensively. Feel free to leave comments. I do not see this table as authoritative in any way, if only because reading a card is an individual effort. Although I give a very great deal of weight to the deck designers’ points-of-view, I know that isn’t the case for everyone. You will note also that the order of the table is decan order, starting with Aries. If you’re familiar with the tarot wheel, it may be a little easier to locate a particular card; or do a text search.
|
Card |
Orientation |
Phrase |
Note |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Two of Wands |
Upright |
riches, fortune, magnificence |
"riches… suffering"–the perspective of the "emperor” looking upon his subjects, as influenced by the (probably imagined) melancholia of Alexander the Great |
|
physical suffering, disease, chagrin, sadness, mortification |
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|
like the malady, the mortification, the sadness of Alexander amidst the grandeur of this world’s wealth |
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|
Reversed |
surprise, wonder, enchantment, emotion, trouble, fear |
"surprise… fear"–the perspective of the world looking back at its conquering emperor! |
|
|
Three of Wands |
Upright |
established strength, enterprise, effort, trade, commerce, discovery |
"trade,commerce"–the "perspective” of the boats, heading out at the start of the venture |
|
able co-operation inbusiness |
|||
|
Reversed |
the end of troubles, suspension or cessation of adversity, toil and disappointment |
"end of troubles"–the boats arrive back home laden with profitable cargo |
|
|
Four of Wands |
Upright |
country life, haven of refuge, a species of domestic harvest-home, repose, concord, harmony, prosperity, peace, and the perfected work of these |
"country life"–the perspective of outsiders looking at the happy townsfolk |
|
country life, haven of refuge, a species of domestic harvest-home, repose, concord, harmony, prosperity, peace, and the perfected work of these |
|||
|
Reversed |
prosperity, increase, felicity, beauty, embellishment |
"prosperity"–the same as upright, although, it could be the perspective of the townsfolk who may benefit from the presence of outsiders |
|
|
prosperity, increase, felicity, beauty, embellishment |
|||
|
Five of Pentacles |
Upright |
material trouble above all, whether in the form illustrated–that is, destitution–or otherwise |
"material trouble… love"–the self-facing-perspective of the poor couple, who, at least, take joy in having each other. Possibly in contrast to Alexander the Great’s complaint. |
|
love and lovers–wife, husband, friend, mistress |
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|
concordance, affinities |
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|
Reversed |
disorder, chaos, ruin, discord, profligacy |
"chaos, ruin"–the perspective of onlookers who see the beggers, as in "there but for the grace of god go I” |
|
|
Six of Pentacles |
Upright |
presents, gifts, gratification |
"presents, gifts"–the perspective of the rich man giving charity to the beggars |
|
attention, vigilance, now is the accepted time, present prosperity, etc |
|||
|
Reversed |
desire, cupidity, envy, jealousy, illusion |
"desire… envy"–the perspective of the beggars seeing the wealth of the rich man |
|
|
Seven of Pentacles |
Upright |
money, business, barter |
"money… altercation"–the perspective of the failing farmer, worried about how he will pay his creditors. Possibly the "ingenuity” refers to the traditional facility of the indebted to avoid the money lender. |
|
altercation, quarrels |
|||
|
innocence, ingenuity, purgation |
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|
Reversed |
cause for anxiety regarding money which it may be proposed to lend |
"anxiety regarding (lent) money"–the perspective of the creditors, who would not be repaid if the crop fails |
|
|
Eight of Swords |
Upright |
bad news, violent chagrin, crisis, censure, power in trammels, conflict, calumny |
"bad news… crisis"–the perspective of the hoodwinked person who is tied up in this problem |
|
sickness |
|||
|
Reversed |
disquiet, difficulty, opposition, accident, treachery |
"disquiet… treachery"–the self-facing perspective of the other side, who have hoodwinked her |
|
|
what is unforeseen |
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|
fatality |
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|
Nine of Swords |
Upright |
death, failure, miscarriage, delay, deception, disappointment, despair |
"miscarriage… deception"–in my view, Waite’s perspective of original sin, for which he appears to wholly blame Eve |
|
Reversed |
imprisonment, suspicion, doubt, reasonable fear, shame |
"fear, shame"–Eve’s (as imagined by Waite) perspective of the same |
|
|
Ten of Swords |
Upright |
whatsoever is intimated by the design (a body pierced by ten swords) |
"the design"–the perspective of the shish-kebab-ee. |
|
pain, affliction, tears, sadness, desolation |
|||
|
not especially a card of violent death |
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|
Reversed |
advantage, profit, success, favor, but none of these are permanent |
"power and authority"–the perspective of the killers of the body on the ground |
|
|
power and authority |
|||
|
Two of Cups |
Upright |
love, passion, friendship, affinity, union, concord, sympathy, the interrelation of the sexes |
"love… concord"–the perspective of the "innocent” couple |
|
that desire which is not in Nature, but by which Nature is sanctified. |
|||
|
Reversed |
passion |
"passion"–the perspective of someone not so innocent upon seeing the "innocent” couple |
|
|
Three of Cups |
Upright |
the conclusion of any matter in plenty, perfection and merriment |
"conclusion… plenty"–a focus upon the thing being celebrated; the cornucopia, for example |
|
happy issue, victory, fulfilment, solace, healing |
|||
|
Reversed |
expedition, dispatch, achievement, end |
"end… enjoyment"–a focus upon the celebration |
|
|
the side of excess in physical enjoyment, and the pleasures of the senses |
|||
|
Four of Cups |
Upright |
weariness, disgust, aversion, imaginary vexations, as if the wine of this world had caused satiety only |
"disgust… aversion"–a backwards-in-time perspective upon what was already had, such as the cups upon the ground |
|
no consolation |
|||
|
blended pleasure |
|||
|
Reversed |
novelty, presage, new instruction, new relations |
"novelty, presage"–a forward-in-time perspective on what more can be had and enjoyed |
|
|
Five of Wands |
Upright |
imitation, as, for example, sham fight |
"imitation" light from the planet Saturn, which some thought was the "Sun Star" in the Golden Age: the perspective from Earth |
|
the strenuous competition and struggle of the search after riches and fortune |
|||
|
the battle of life |
|||
|
gold, gain, opulence |
|||
|
Reversed |
litigation, disputes, trickery, contradiction |
"Litigation"–etymological source "litem agere" to move to law… the perspective from space, seeing Saturn’s physical movement |
|
|
Six of Wands |
Upright |
a victor triumphing |
"great news"–the perspective of the messenger bearing the king’s message |
|
great news, such as might be carried in state by the King’s courier |
|||
|
expectation crowned with its own desire, the crown of hope |
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|
Reversed |
apprehension, fear, as of a victorious enemy at the gate |
"apprehension"–perspective of the civilian population that sees a messenger/conqueror entering the city walls. “Messenger” vs. “conqueror” is possibly influenced by Waite’s nationalistic view of the British empire. |
|
|
treachery, disloyalty, as of gates being opened to the enemy |
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|
indefinite delay |
|||
|
Seven of Wands |
Upright |
valor, for, on the surface, six are attacking one, who has, however, the vantage position |
"valor"–the defender’s perspective looking down at the attackers |
|
discussion, wordy strife |
|||
|
in business–negotiations, war of trade, barter, competition |
|||
|
success, for the combatant is on the top and his enemies may be unable to reach him |
|||
|
Reversed |
perplexity, embarrassments, anxiety |
"perplexity"–the view of the attackers trying to "take the hill,” having realized they face a greater challenge than they thought |
|
|
a caution against indecision |
|||
|
Eight of Pentacles |
Upright |
work, employment, commission, craftsmanship, skill in craft and business, perhaps in the preparatory stage |
"work"–the perspective of the buyer or employer who has hired the young apprentice |
|
Reversed |
voided ambition, vanity, cupidity, exaction, usury |
"vanity"–the apprientice’s view of the one who buys the finished "trophies" |
|
|
the possession of skill, in the sense of the ingenious mind turned to cunning and intrigue |
|||
|
Nine of Pentacles |
Upright |
prudence, safety, success, accomplishment, certitude, discernment |
"prudence"–the woman’s perspective: how she appears to herself, having accumulated wealth |
|
Reversed |
roguery, deception, voided project, bad faith |
"voided project"–such an independent woman was not acceptable in Waite’s times; this is society’s perspective of her… the "voided project” is lack of family |
|
|
Ten of Pentacles |
Upright |
gain, riches |
"Gain"–the old man’s perspective of his accumulated wealth |
|
family matters, archives, extraction, the abode of a family |
|||
|
Reversed |
chance, fatality, loss, robbery, games of hazard |
"chance"–the perspective of the little boy encountering the dogs, or also, a different perspective upon the old man’s wealth |
|
|
gift, dowry, pension |
|||
|
Two of Swords |
Upright |
conformity and the equipoise which it suggests, courage, friendship, concord in a state of arms |
"conformity/equipoise"–the meditating woman’s balanced state of mind gives her a balanced perspective |
|
tenderness, affection, intimacy |
|||
|
Reversed |
imposture, falsehood, duplicity, disloyalty |
"imposture" self-perspective of the one who has hoodwinked her |
|
|
Three of Swords |
Upright |
removal, absence, delay, division, rupture, dispersion |
"removal"–the perspective of the beloved, who is in the process of leaving |
|
all that the design (pierced heart) signifies naturally, being too simple and obvious |
|||
|
Reversed |
mental alienation, error, loss, distraction, disorder, confusion |
"alienation" the perspective of the lover, abandoned |
|
|
Four of Swords |
Upright |
vigilance, retreat, solitude, hermit’s repose, exile, tomb and coffin |
"vigilance"–the perspective of the knight before battle |
|
Reversed |
wise administration, circumspection, economy, avarice, precaution, testament |
"administration" the world’s perspective of the soldier’s every day duties on behalf of the crown |
|
|
Five of Cups |
Upright |
loss, but something remains over |
"inheritance" the disappointed heir’s perspective of the inadequate legacy |
|
three have been taken, but two are left |
|||
|
inheritance, patrimony, transmission, but not corresponding to expectations; |
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|
marriage, but not without bitterness or frustration |
|||
|
Reversed |
news, alliances, affinity, consanguinity, ancestry, return, false projects |
"News" the perspective of the executor of the will who notified the disappointed legatee |
|
|
Six of Cups |
Upright |
a card of the past and of memories, looking back, as–for example–on childhood |
"past… memories"–the goddess in fall looks back at spring |
|
happiness, enjoyment, but coming rather from the past |
|||
|
things that have vanished |
|||
|
new relations, new knowledge, new environment |
|||
|
disporting in an unfamiliar precinct |
|||
|
Reversed |
the future, renewal, that which will come to pass presently |
"future, renewal"–the goddess in spring looks forward to the new harvest |
|
|
Seven of Cups |
Upright |
fairy favors, images of reflection, sentiment, imagination, things seen in the glass of contemplation |
"fairy favors"–the dreamer’s perspective on their dreams |
|
some attainment in these degrees, but nothing permanent or substantial is suggested |
|||
|
Reversed |
desire, will, determination, project |
"desire"–the real world’s perspective of the dreamer of those dreams |
|
|
Eight of Wands |
Upright |
activity in undertakings, the path of such activity, swiftness, as that of an express messenger |
"activity… undertakings"–the "target’s" perspective of its movement |
|
great haste, great hope, speed towards an end which promises assured felicity |
|||
|
that which is on the move |
|||
|
the arrows of love |
|||
|
Reversed |
arrows of jealousy, internal dispute, stingings of conscience, quarrels |
"arrows of jealousy"–the "archer’s” perspective |
|
|
domestic disputes for persons who are married. |
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|
Nine of Wands |
Upright |
strength in opposition |
"strength in opposition"–the soldier’s perspective of himself |
|
if attacked, the person will meet an onslaught boldly |
|||
|
he may prove a formidable antagonist |
|||
|
delay, suspension, adjournment |
|||
|
Reversed |
obstacles, adversity, calamity |
"obstacles"–the defender’s perspective of the threats he faces |
|
|
Ten of Wands |
Upright |
oppression |
"oppressed"–the laborer’s perspective of his social position |
|
fortune, gain, any kind of success |
|||
|
the oppression of fortune, gain, any kind of success |
|||
|
false-seeming, disguise, perfidy |
|||
|
the place which the figure is approaching may suffer from the rods that he carries |
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|
success is stultified if the Nine of Swords follows |
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|
if it is a question of a lawsuit, there will be certain loss |
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|
Reversed |
contrarieties, difficulties, intrigues, and their analogies |
"contrarieties" the land owner’s perspective of the laborer |
|
|
Two of Pentacles |
Upright |
gaiety, recreation and its connections |
"gaiety"–the jongleur as seen by his audience |
|
news and messages in writing, as obstacles, agitation, trouble, embroilment |
|||
|
Reversed |
enforced gaiety, simulated enjoyment, literal sense, handwriting, composition, letters of exchange |
"enforced gaiety"–the jongleur’s perspective of himself |
|
|
Three of Pentacles |
Upright |
métier, trade, skilled labor |
"Métier"–the stone mason’s perspective, i.e., he is good at his profession |
|
nobility, aristocracy, renown, glory |
|||
|
Reversed |
mediocrity, in work and otherwise, puerility, pettiness, weakness |
"mediocrity"–the perspective of the same stone mason in the past, when he was an apprentice (as referred to by Waite in his mention of the Eight) |
|
|
Four of Pentacles |
Upright |
the surety of possessions, cleaving to that which one has, gift, legacy, inheritance |
"surety" – the perspective of the King, clutching his wealth |
|
Reversed |
suspense, delay, opposition |
"suspense"–the perspective of the would be inheritors that would like that wealth, awaiting the King’s death |
|
|
Five of Swords |
Upright |
degradation, destruction, revocation, infamy, dishonor, loss |
"degradation"–the victor’s perspective of the losers |
|
Reversed |
degradation, destruction, revocation, infamy, dishonour, loss |
"same… burial"–the losers perspective of their utter defeat |
|
|
burial and obsequies |
|||
|
Six of Swords |
Upright |
journey by water, route, way, envoy, commissionary, expedient |
"journey by water"–the passengers’ view |
|
Reversed |
declaration, confession, publicity |
"declaration" – a perspective of the judgment awaiting at the end of the ferry ride (as in the case of Charon’s ferry in the underworld) |
|
|
a proposal of love. |
|||
|
Seven of Swords |
Upright |
design, attempt, wish, hope, confidence |
"design… that may fail"–the planner’s perspective of the mission (though I suspect Colman Smith was more optimistic!) |
|
quarrelling, a plan that may fail, annoyance |
|||
|
Reversed |
good advice, counsel, instruction, slander, babbling |
"good advice" the perspective of those who would advise him not to as regards to that plan |
|
|
Eight of Cups |
Upright |
deserting the cups of… felicity, enterprise, undertaking or previous concern |
"deserting… felicity" – the perspective of man at the crossroads, the beginning of his journey |
|
giving joy, mildness, timidity, honor, modesty |
|||
|
the decline of a matter, or that a matter which has been thought to be important is really of slight consequence–either for good or evil |
|||
|
Reversed |
great joy, happiness, feasting |
"great joy" – the perspective of those he meets at the end of his journey, as if he were the "prodigal son.” |
|
|
Nine of Cups |
Upright |
concord, contentment, physical bien-etre |
"concord"–the material perspective of the feast |
|
victory, success, advantage |
|||
|
satisfaction for the Querent or person for whom the consultation is made |
|||
|
Reversed |
truth, loyalty, liberty |
"truth" – a spiritual perspective upon the feast |
|
|
mistakes, imperfection, etc. |
|||
|
Ten of Cups |
Upright |
contentment, repose of the entire heart |
"contentment" – the perspective of the father and mother at seeing the rainbow, house, etc. |
|
the perfection of contentment, repose of the entire heart |
|||
|
perfection of human love and friendship |
|||
|
if with several picture-cards, a person who is taking charge of the Querent’s interests |
|||
|
the town, village or country inhabited by the Querent |
|||
|
Reversed |
repose of the false heart, indignation, violence |
I suspect this is either something personal on Waite’s part, or something to do with Mars. We may not have enough information to understand his meaning for this one. |
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