Lv3 · Conflicting cards and reversals
Synthesise cards that point different ways, and read reversed cards without simply flipping the meaning.
6 min read
By the end you'll
- Combine cards that point different ways into one answer
- Read reversed cards as more than "the opposite meaning"
- Compare two options fairly
Level 3 uses 5–6 cards, and cards can now come up reversed. New readers tend to read card by card and then can't reach a conclusion. This lesson shows how to bring every card together into a single answer.
When the cards point different ways
- Find the strongest card first (a Major Arcana card, or the one closest to the question) and use it as the backbone of the story
- Read the conflicting cards as conditions, e.g. "it will work out if you deal with..."
- In a choice spread, compare Path A and Path B point by point, then let the "Querent now" card decide what the querent really wants
Three ways to read a reversed card
- Energy that is blocked or not yet here: it exists but can't be used fully
- Energy turned inward: more about what is going on inside than about outside events
- Too much or too little: e.g. Strength reversed can mean holding your feelings down too hard
A 5-card choice spread with a reversed card
Question: Should I stay at my current company (Path A) or move to a new one that pays more (Path B)?
Cards: Eight of Cups, position Querent now; Four of Pentacles, position Path A; Ten of Wands (reversed), position Outcome of A; Knight of Wands, position Path B; Six of Wands, position Outcome of B
Sample answer: You (Eight of Cups) want to walk away from something that no longer fulfils you. Path A, staying (Four of Pentacles), gives security, but you would be holding on out of fear of loss. Its outcome is the Ten of Wands reversed: the load you carry reaches a point you can't bear. Path B, moving (Knight of Wands), means charging ahead and adapting fast. Its outcome is the Six of Wands: recognition. Set against your own card, Path B fits what your heart wants better, but build up some savings before you move.
The "Querent now" card is the deciding card. Always tell the querent which cards are reversed.
Weaker answer: The Ten of Wands reversed means you have no more burdens.
Stronger answer: The Ten of Wands reversed as the outcome of Path A says the load will get too heavy to carry, or you will have to choose to put something down.
Don't flip the meaning automatically. Look at the position and the cards around it.
Summary
- Strongest card is the backbone, conflicting cards are conditions
- Reversed = blocked / turned inward / too much or too little
- The "Querent now" card decides the choice