Reversals, Dignities and the Continuum of a Card

I’m blog-hopping with the Tarot Rebels again. This month, our meaty topic is reversals, about which I have much to say.

To read what other bloggers have to say on the topic, follow the link in the graphic at the end of this post!

I’m excited for the opportunity to share why I use reversals, how I interpret reversals, and why dignities matter, even if a reader chooses not to honor reversals.

Some decks, most significantly the Crowley-Harris-Thoth, specifically are not designed to work with reversals.

Rebel that I am, I will consider reversed cards even when reading with such a deck.

I love the energy, magick, possibilities and nuances of reversals so much that, secretly, I feel like readers who don’t honor reversals might be missing an opportunity.

There. That’s my dirty secret.

I absolutely honor each reader’s unique reading style, and recognize that reversals are not mandatory to give a great reading or deliver a sacred message. BUT, deep in my heart, I always secretly wonder if a refusal to use reversals might limit the scope and breadth of the reading.

That’s because reversals add so much to my readings. Truth is, we have other ways of adding texture to our stories. Card dignities and aspects are real, whether we use reversed cards to denote them, or not.

Dignities, or “aspects”, describe the energy with which a card should be read. A “well-dignified” or
“well-aspected” card’s energy is interpreted as directly as possible. If a card is poorly aspected, or ill-dignified, we might see a delay, a resistance, an opposite, or a release. The poor aspect might advise us not to take the action the well-dignified card would advise. The ill-dignity might put the event or action of the card in the past.

I use card orientation (reversals) as a primary way of determining dignity. If one doesn’t honor reversals, dignity is determined using the rigorous system of Elemental Dignities, or by more fluid and intuitive methods.

We might consider the context of the question and the surrounding cards when determining the directness with which we will interpret a card.  The nature of the position within a spread plays, too. For instance, a “crossing” or “challenge” position always requires us to look for the shadow side of the card that appears within it.

Some readers use only intuition to decide if they are seeing the gift within a card, or its shadow; whether the card should be read directly, or in a more nuanced way. I would argue that we all do this, regardless of any more mechanical means we might use to denote dignity in a reading.

You can tell a reversals enthusiast by the way we shuffle. Readers who don’t use reversals shuffle in ways that try to avoid reversing cards. I riffle, and purposely turn half the deck around before each riffle, to make sure the Universe has the opportunity to add reversals to the language of tarot when needed.

My love of reversals may have begun with my second tarot deck, the Motherpeace Round Tarot.  Since the cards are round, they are read on the tilt. Tilting in one direction indicates a resistance of the energy. The other direction indicates forcing. The depth of the tilt indicates he amount of resistance or force.

At the same time that I was learning to read with Motherpeace (some thirty years ago), I was mastering my very first deck, the trusty old RWS in the yellow box. I was using Eden Gray’s Complete Guide to the Tarot, and she had some very specific ideas of how to interpret reversals. To this day I remember that her Hierophant reversed is a “hippie”, and her High Priestess reversed is a “woman of low virtue”.

It was that combination of tilted round cards and Gray’s specific references that melded together to form my early vision of reversals.

Over time, my vocabulary for interpreting reversals has increased, primarily through the function of seeing so many reversals over the years, and understanding the specific ways they can speak to me.

One of the reasons I like reversals is that they can be a call to action. When I see a card like the Ace of Wands reversed, for example, I might see that my client is not in their full enthusiasm or vitality. I might specifically say that we need to “turn that around”. I might even physically turn the card right side up on the table. The righting of a reversal, or the reversing of a difficult upright card, is what Rachel Pollack calls a “magical act”. I agree.

When I see the Sun reversed, righting it might allow my client to really shine, or to truly embrace happiness. When I see the Devil upright, reversing it might allow my client the strength to release an addiction.

My understanding of reversals increased, ironically, when I studied a deck that specifically doesn’t honor reversals, World Spirit Tarot. The deck authors share that each card is a continuum; each card has gifts and shadows. They feel that we need to consider the gifts and shadows of each card every time it appears.

I loved that concept when I first heard it, and I love it still. However, for me, the reversal helps me find the gift in a difficult card, or the shadow in a usually-welcome card.

If you are new to reversals and want to give them a try, or if your current method of working with reversals isn’t working for you, try this.

When you see a reversed card, first allow yourself to feel it intuitively. Sometimes that is all you need. What does the card feel like in the moment? To process further, think about what you see visually. How does the reversal affect the picture? Might the reversal allow something good to happen, or might it make a Knight fall off his horse?

Then, think about the direct energy of the card, and the way that energy might be diminished. In my experience, reversals very often do at least one of the following:

•   Indicate delay (event will not happen quickly)
• Indicate resistance (querent doesn’t like/want the energy of the card)
• Indicate an opposite
• Indicate a slight lessening
• Advise that an action not be taken
• Make a less desirable component of the card more predominant (Emperor becomes overlord, Magician becomes trickster, for example)
• Indicate a change to whatever the card implies (Four of Wands, when reversed, could indicate divorce, for example. Three of Swords reversed could indicate healing)
•  Place a particular event in the past.

In my reading style, reversals have a special power when it comes to Court Cards. For me, all sixteen Court Cards will indicate people who are expressing the most positive aspects of their elements. When reversed, these people are reflecting the less positive aspects of their elements.

For example, Wands people are active, warm and creative. When reversed, they become dull, boring and lazy.

Speaking of lazy, I used to think that readers who don’t honor reversals make that choice out of laziness.

Upon further reflection, I think I may be the lazy one. For me, the reversal is such a simple way of adding clarity to a single card, a spread or an entire reading.

The Four of Swords reversed is a bitch-slap from the Universe for me, telling me to get off my butt and get busy.

The Ace of Wands reversed may nudge me to gently ask my client about problems in the bedroom.

The Ace of Swords reversed may tell me to turn up the intensity and volume in a marketing campaign.

When we go to the cards for magick rather than divination, we can dramatically turn a card on our altar to create a release or needed change. I wouldn’t send the Three of Swords to my sick friend, but I would use the Three of Swords reversed in a healing spell.

For me, an understanding of reversals forces a greater understanding of each card’s many voices, and offers an enhanced opportunity to receive specific messages, and to manifest specific energies.

Thanks for sharing this exploration of reversals with me! Now, follow the link in the graphic below, and hop over to read the other contributions on this topic.

Learning to Love

I’ve been invited to join a new Tarot Blog Hop! The Tarot Rebels Blog Hop works with non-traditional decks – that’s what makes them rebels. This is a good stretching exercise for me. I’m a Waite girl through and through.

I do have an extensive deck collection. I’m excited to dust off my tarot shelves and reach for the decks that I don’t tend to use in professional readings.

In honor of Valentine’s Day, our assignment this month is to contemplate Major Arcana 6, the Lovers. To see what other bloggers did with this topic, click on the badge on the bottom of this post.

The Lovers card examples I am picturing here are, from left to right, The Hermetic Tarot by Godfrey Dowson, Celestial Tarot by Kay Steventon and Brian Clark, Chrysalis Tarot by Holy Sierra and Toney Brooks and Ancestral Path Tarot by Julie Cuccia-Watts. (All are published by US Games Systems, Inc.)

Each of these four Lovers departs from the Waite image of the man gazing longingly at the woman while the woman seems to long instead for the angel.

The Hermetic Tarot Lovers is based on the “Esoteric Workings of the Secret Order of the Golden Dawn”. The card pictures Andromeda tied to the rock, while Perseus comes to her rescue. The card’s Esoteric Title is “Children of the Voice Divine”.  This title highlights the concept of communication that is so important to this card.

In the top middle of the card we see a bow and arrow that reminds us to study the card of Temperance, related to Sagittarius, as we study the Lovers. I have often contemplated the similarities between Gemini-Lovers and Sagittarius-Temperance, but had never before seen anyone else draw this connection. Perhaps I need to study the Golden Dawn tarot traditions more seriously!

Celestial Tarot is based on astrology. Here we see the Lovers simply illustrated as the Gemini Twins.

Chrysalis Tarot pictures a couple in nature, surrounded by animals. At the center of this card is Cernunnos, the Celtic God of fertility and animals. Of the four, this is my favorite illustration.  I love the art of Holly Sierra, yet I often struggle with the rebellious nature of Chrysalis Tarot. I honor Cernunnos and understand his symbolic place here. Nonetheless, I bristle at illustrating the airy Lovers with earthy Cernunnos. 

Finally, Ancestral Path Tarot shows a nude couple embracing. It has only been within the past four decades that we commonly see decks with the Lovers card bearing obviously sexual images. We can see the Great Rite in this card. In divination, a card with such a romantic and sexual image easily speaks to the passion and romance that is so often ironically missing in more traditional versions of the Lovers.

Other modern decks that depict the Lovers in a sensual pose include Ciro Marchetti’s Gilded Tarot, Kay Steventon's Spiral Tarot and the Morgan-Greer Tarot.

Now that we have seen a variety of depictions, we have to ask, what can this card actually signify?

As Key 6 of the Major Arcana, the archetype of the Lovers is the syzygy, or “Divine Couple”. That lends credence to the decks, readers and authors who depict and describe romance, sex and marriage in this card.

For me, Major Arcana cards all teach us specific, significant, unavoidable lessons along life’s path. Every tarot reader knows that questions about love and romance are top of list for many of our clients. What can we learn about love from the Lovers?

 To me, the deeper lessons of the Lovers can be found in its numerology and astrology.

I see Six as the number of service, glory and success. When thinking about the Lovers, I put an emphasis on “service”.  All truly functional long-term couples know that the success and glory of a relationship can happen only when each partner is truly dedicated to serving the other.

The Lovers as Gemini, so artfully illustrated in Celestial Tarot, speak to us of balance and integration, of yin and yang and the union of opposites. Here we can clearly see why The Hermetic Tarot would have us look to Key 14, Temperance, and its process of sacred alchemy. When properly blended, the product is greater than the sum of its parts. A divine relationship, whether of love, business or collaboration, can feel like that. We are each better with each other than we are without.

Related to Gemini, the elemental association of the Lovers is mutable Air. When I was a much younger tarot student, this was my first clue that the Lovers card cannot always be interpreted simply as a predictor of romance (which would be more of a Water thing) or of hot passionate sex (definitely a fire thing).

Air relates to the powers of the mind – to integrity, communication and decisions.

Here is where the real lesson of the Lovers lies for me. Whatever relationship you might be working on, or whatever you might be trying to integrate or balance within your life, you will never get far without honest communication and wise decisions.

Finally, there’s the name of the card “The Lovers”. Lover is an interesting word. In the days before marriage equality, “Lover” was often used in the LBGT community to describe your same-sex partner, whether it was a casual hookup or a lifelong partnership.

Recently, I’ve been struggling to learn to play the Pete Seeger song “Old Devil Time” on my guitar. (I’m a wiz at tarot, marginal at music.)

In this song, each verse ends with the words “My lovers gather ‘round and help me rise to fight you one more time.” The devils being fought are time, fear, pain and hate.

I don’t think Pete Seeger was referring to a polyamorous pod when he sang of his lovers gathering ‘round.

In this context, I see “lovers” as the opposite of “haters”, and as synonymous with “loving community”.

Can Major Arcana 6, the Lovers, teach us a lesson about agape – our love for Spirit, and Spirit’s love for us, or philia, which is brotherly and sisterly love?

Of course it can, and the directive is the same. When we, like the twins of Gemini, see ourselves in the people around us, no matter how different we may be one from another, we find our commonality and community.

Forget Valentine’s Day; for me this card teaches more than romance, it teaches peace. At a time when our world is polarized and divided, the Lovers can help us find a way to unite and live and work together in harmony.

That way is not the sweetness of romance, nor the heat of passion. That way comes from the logical decision to communicate with each other and trust each other.

It is only from that place of commitment, communication and trust that we can ever hope to truly love one another.

When There's a Shadow on the Queen's Throne

I’ve noticed an unfortunate social phenomenon in the world of local-level pro diviners.

That I’ve only seen this phenomenon amongst local readers in metaphysical shops and psychic fairs in various cities, versus readers with national and international businesses, may be significant. It’s possible that, without mitigation, the condition I see may preclude many readers’ ability to rise to the top of their game, even if their skills are remarkable.

I have to describe this phenomenon in a way that is gender-biased and heteronormative. I apologize for this, and recognize that the circumstance I am going to describe could potentially happen between people of any gender.

I think there is a reason my experience of this phenomenon is limited to the husband-and-wife gender dynamic, and that reason isn’t pretty – it’s a reflection of our current social norms that still reflect age-old traditions of misogyny.

What I want to discuss is a certain disrespectful and unsupportive tone I have seen the husbands of female professional diviners take in regards to their wives’ psychic work.

This is in sharp contrast to the many spouses (including my own), who support their partner’s careers and good naturedly put up with the many unusual inconveniences that come with the territory.

I’m not talking about a husband’s strong religious objection to their wife’s tarot reading. In cases like that, a woman almost always ultimately has to choose between honoring her marriage and honoring her own spiritual nature.

What I’m talking about is the husband who makes no obvious impediment to his wife’s work, but also does nothing to help, nor to show support.

Worse, these otherwise-good-guys subtly ridicule their beloveds’ aspirations, goals and skills.

Sometimes even seemingly supportive husbands can manage to marginalize their divining wives by confusing a career with a hobby, being patronizing toward clients and students, or de-prioritizing her important career responsibilities.

Professional divination is a difficult (though rewarding) career. To be successful you must be talented, studied, diligent and fearless. You must believe in yourself and your calling one hundred percent. Having your most intimate partner whispering their lack of belief in you and lack of support for what you are doing makes it harder to believe in yourself, and to muster the courage you need to successfully market yourself.

Sales and marketing is perhaps the hardest part of a professional diviner’s career. I often joke that if we had wanted to be sales execs we would have studied marketing in college and would be a lot wealthier now.

Typically, professional mystics don’t have the budget to hire an agent, or a PR person, or a marketing person. We have to do these tasks ourselves, even though marketing is usually not in our comfort zone.

So much of marketing and sales is tonal. Typically, women who experience disrespect and mockery (even good-natured) at home take a somewhat apologetic and self-deprecating tone when they talk about their work. Even when the words are perfect, their tone communicates that they do not believe in themselves fully.

Psychic work, by its very nature, requires a certain amount of belief. It is hard to get a client to believe in you if your tone says you don’t believe in yourself.

Why do these otherwise decent husbands disrespect their wives’ choices, skills and beliefs so often, and so easily?

It may be fear of being outside the social norm. It may be concern for the stressors of an entrepreneurial career. It may simply be a lack of imagination.

In some cases, it seems to me that what really scares non-metaphysical husbands of witchy wives is the possibility that their wives might know too much about them. Poo-pooing the wisdom of an oracle wife may be an act of self-protection.

Years ago, men feared that their wives might be witches, and often blamed their impotence, illnesses and infidelity on sorcery.

I wonder if, on some subconscious level, this fear continues in our culture. I wonder if less-than- supportive husbands of female diviners really do, on some level, fear that their wives may have some knowledge or power that they do not. Perhaps their mockery and dismissal of their wives’ abilities and interests is borne of that archaic fear of witchcraft.

What can you do if this is your story – if you want to expand as a professional diviner but are married to a decent guy who marginalizes your skills and your calling, and thereby, you?

If you want to keep your marriage, you need to start by agreeing to love him anyway, and to appreciate all the things that work in your partnership.

However, if you want to keep and grow your tarot career, you need to shield yourself against the subtle-but-constant assault on your character and intelligence.

You need to recognize how unintentionally damaging your husband’s attitude can be to your own self-confidence, and thereby your ability to market yourself effectively.

You might try calmly explaining to your husband that his behavior is, in fact, an attack on your character and a demonstrated lack of respect, and you are sure he doesn’t intend that.

Whether or not that is effective, there are things you can do to mitigate the damage.

First, don’t take the things he says, or his energy toward your divination, personally.

Secondly, you must marginalize his views on this topic in the same way he marginalizes yours.

Even itoday, there is something in western society that says that in a male-female partnership, the opinion of the man is more valid the opinion of the woman. Somehow, in many castles, the king is still more important than the queen. Whatever the gender dynamic of your marriage may be, in the arena of your psychic work, you cannot let that happen. You must not let yourself feel marginalized, and you must yourself marginalize his dismissive attitudes toward your work.

Third, you must surround yourself with supportive people.

At many conferences, classes and events we get to meet the supportive spouses of our most successful diviners. Many of us are lucky to have partners who coach us, drive us, and act as our chefs, roadies, tech support and homemakers as we build our careers.

Single diviners, those with busy spouses, and those with unsupportive partners have to learn to ask for help. That’s harder to do if you have already been taught by your unsupportive partner that what you are doing isn’t valuable.

This is probably the most important step to mitigate your situation if you are a diviner with career aspirations and a husband who just doesn’t get it.

Know the value of your work, and surround yourself with others who know the value of your work. Don’t let your husband’s devaluing of what you do into your own field of vision.

As you become more successful, you might earn your husband’s respect because money talks, hard work is impressive, and what we do really is admired by many people.   If that happens, it’s a good thing. Don’t expect his change of heart, and don’t be disappointed if it doesn’t happen. As long as you respect yourself and your work, you can be successful without his cheerleading.

Women constantly need to remind the world that we are powerful, and that we cannot, and will not, be dismissed or sidelined.

If you are a divining woman married to a man who marginalizes your skills and abilities, you must find your own internal source of inner support, faith and confidence.

Perhaps, to be the diviners we want to be, we must all find the strength to stand in our own power, no matter what exists in our lives to make that difficult.

Five Reasons Not To Be a Full-Time Tarot Professional

I’ve been a full-time tarot professional for more than twenty years. In fact, I literally wrote the book on professional tarot reading (Fortune Stellar is currently OOP, look for a second edition in 2017.)

One of my favorite job responsibilities is mentoring new and aspiring tarot professionals. Why, then, would I write about reasons a person wouldn’t want to make tarot their primary job?

There are a lot of business mentors available to coach you, inspire you, teach you and hold you accountable. Unfortunately, it is in their best financial interest to encourage everyone, regardless of temperament and talent.

I always cringe when I see business mentors online encouraging would-be pros to hang their shingles, when it is evident to me from the students’ posts that they are clearly not ready, or not suited, for the challenges of full-time reading.

I take a different approach. I don’t want to waste anyone’s time and money, and I don’t want to clutter the field with a bunch of disappointed and mediocre pro readers.

That said, I want to be clear that I do believe tarot is for everyone. We can all benefit from its wisdom and inspiration. Tarot informs our growth and helps us form special bonds with one another.

There is a difference, though, between being a tarot enthusiast, readings professionally part-time, and being a full-time tarot professional. I mentor all tarot lovers, but challenges are very different depending on the goals.

If you think you would like to make tarot your full-time job, or if you want to make sure pro reading is truly your path, please think long and hard on the following reasons you might decide to do something else.

1. Bias Against Tarot Readers is Real, and Legal.

It is perfectly legal for towns to charge you exorbitant fees that are higher than other businesses pay for the right to do business. It is also legal for merchant payment platforms to refuse to service you, or to charge extra fees.

Amongst family, friends and community, there will always be people who assume you are a huckster, a criminal, or simply delusional.

2. “Witch Wars” are Real, Too.

You haven’t lived until you’ve had a competitor spread vile untrue rumors about you, pretend to be you in order to steal your gigs, pirate your publications, or make public claims about doing magick against you.

The sad part is very often these pathetic haters used to be your friends.

3. Many of Your Hardest Hours Are Non-Billable.

Tarot readings aren’t cheap, so you might think we tarot readers make a bunch of easy money. Nothing could be further from the truth. For every paid hour, there are countless hours spent marketing, volunteering, writing, accounting, networking, traveling and creating.

4. Money and Recognition Sometimes Go to the Unscrupulous and Inexperienced.

Who’s making big money in tarot? It’s not your neighborhood tarot reader. Typically, big money goes to the neon storefront psychics who bilk their clients by using scare tactics to offer magical cures for imagined problems, and to the corporations that run pay-by-the-minute on-line and phone psychic services.

In the field of tarot publication, sometimes the best-selling  and most recognized books are written by the people who have time to write books – meaning that many tarot authors aren’t writing from a place of operational experience, because they themselves aren’t actually reading full-time.

 5. We Work When Others Play.

I’ve attended more fireworks displays than the average person, but I have actually seen fewer fireworks. That’s because I’m usually under my EZup doing reading during the show.

Likewise, I’ve often worked Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. My husband’s screen name is “Tarot Widower”. That pretty much says it all.

Are you scared yet?

If you love reading tarot but find these possible constraints a bit daunting, please remember that a career in tarot can be very flexible. Many of these problems can be avoided simply by choosing to read tarot as a part time job, or a side job, rather than as your only source of income.

It might be, too, that you are a tarot hobbyist rather that a tarot pro. Don’t let that discourage you – tarot is a field where hobbyists are skilled and respected. Sometimes hobbyists write blogs and books that truly contribute to the field.

On the other hand, if you, like me, feel a little jittery when you don’t have a deck in your hands, if you love reading for people more than you fear hard work and ridicule, and if you can’t imagine doing anything other than working with tarot, you might find that full-time tarot is your calling!

If you would like to deepen your tarot practice, consider a mentorship program with me. Email me for details!

2017: Embrace Your Power, Manifest Your Goals

An Easy  and Insightful Program for Real Change in the New Year

Why waste another year struggling with boredom, loneliness, frustration, unclear goals or unlaunched projects?

Why let fear, uncertainty and doubt keep you from living the life you want?

2017 can be different!

Instead of making resolutions, here’s an opportunity to make true change in your life!

Ready or not, 2017 will be here soon. We can’t choose what awaits us, or what has brought us here.

We can choose to discover and honor our unique highest purpose. We can choose to embrace our own power, and work to manifest our goals, without fear. We do this when we chose to learn to make the best of our situation, understand our tools, talents and skills, and develop practical strategies supported by spiritual practice. 2017: Embrace Your Power, Manifest your Goals will give you a personalized script to do all of that, and more.

We all face demons like fear, self-doubt and anxiety. When we give our fears more attention than we give our talents, we block our own happiness and success. The path to discovering talents, releasing fears and setting a course toward success is different for each person. We all must walk a unique and individual journey. Happily, we can help each other along the way.

In a special process, which I have developed over the past 25 years of offering creative coaching and mentoring with tarot, I will connect you with your greatest purpose, your higher self and your spiritual Source. We will develop a simple custom practice that you will begin to easily incorporate into your daily life.

Change is hard, but stagnation is harder.

With this program, you will discover new transformative insights and develop new helpful habits. You will find your inner strength and power, and learn to harness the universal flow of energy on your behalf.

Whether you struggle with your personal, professional or creative direction, this one-time program could make the difference you’ve been praying for.

Your 2017: Embrace Your Power, Manifest your Goals program will take you in to tyour New Year with new perspective, new insight, new energy and a clear action plan for your success!

Your package begins with a 45 -minute private recorded session with me, by phone, Skype or FaceTime. This session will take place by appointment at your convenience during the last week of December or first two weeks of January. In this session, we will determine your goals, and identify the challenges that have been getting in the way of your success. Together, we will develop a custom action plan to set you on your course toward success. You action plan will include specific homework designed to help you understand your skills, remove your barriers and move forward toward your goals. That homework may include specific practical tasks, reading, study, journaling, meditation, art, exercise, research, ceremony, self-talk or any other helpful activity, as determined during your session.

Your homework will require your commitment, but will not overwhelm you. Throughout the program I will be reviewing your homework by email, and offering my suggestions for further exploration.

In mid-January, you will have the opportunity to participate and/or listen to an hour-long recorded group call. The call will be accessible by phone or computer, and will include peer support and a helpful exchange of ideas. During the call, I will conduct a short workshop and meditation designed to support your transformative process.

Near the end of January, you and I will meet privately, again by phone, FaceTime or Skype, for a 15-minute check-in. We’ll see what’s working, and adjust your activities as needed. At that time, we will schedule a final half-hour private session to take place in February. In that session, we will track your progress, and set goals to continue your positive trajectory into 2017 and beyond.

2017: Embrace Your Power, Manifest your Goals is a great gift for yourself, or someone you love.

The entire package is yours for $199.

Bring a friend on the journey! Buy an additional package as a gift for only $99 more!

Deadline to purchase is December 25.

Pay by phone by calling me, Christiana, at 561-655-1160 using any major credit or debit card. We can schedule your opening session when you call! You can also email me at tarot@christianagaudet.com to arrange your purchase via PayPal, and schedule your opening session.

Don't wait! Participation is limited in order to give each participant the best experience possible, so call or email today to reserve your seat for this life-changing program!