Riffing on Reversals: An Instructive Reading
AUTHOR’S NOTE: I recently performed a reading that provided excellent insights into how reversed cards can alter the thrust of a prediction. The client graciously allowed me to post this narrative as long as anonymity is preserved.
The question involved the long-range consequences that might result if the client continues taking the medications she has been on for the better part of a year. I generally don’t do “health” readings, but this one is not so much diagnostic or prescriptive as it is a study of an ongoing situation to look for any potential shift in emphasis. It was not about what might transpire health-wise if she stops but whether her condition will remain favorably stable if she continues. The woman has responded well to the drug, with no adverse side effects, so there was nothing driving the question beyond her aversion to long-term therapeutic regimes involving medication.
The drug is a cutting-edge blood thinner that the individual was prescribed after suffering a blood clot in the upper thigh (and another in the calf) following unrelated surgery. This caused an episode of “deep vein thrombosis” (DVT) and significant swelling of the leg. Through an exploratory scan the vascular surgeon discovered that the veins in the upper region of the thigh are extremely narrow in diameter (a congenital condition) and prone to blockage, although nothing like that had ever happened before. (The earlier surgery that was performed without blood thinners seems to have been the culprit.) The initial solution was to place a stent at the location of the upper clot and let the lower (and smaller) one go, then continue the drug therapy.
But the initiative failed when the stent also clogged, becoming more of a “plug” than a flow-path. Then an amazing thing occurred, one the surgeon didn’t expect: another dye scan showed that the network of veins surrounding the stent almost immediately rerouted the blood flow at full capacity so that there was no recurrence of swelling, either at that time or since. It’s known that the brain can rewire itself after a stroke, but the spontaneous rerouting of venous blood is apparently not as well-understood.
At any rate, the doctor said everything was fine, that she should stay on the blood thinner for the time being, and that she should talk to him in six months. At the six-month mark they discussed getting her off the medication, which the doctor originally seemed to support, but she was leaving on vacation for a month and she wanted to be in the local area and within reach of the hospital when she made the change. Upon returning she began to have second thoughts so she called him again, and this time he was more inclined to continue on the original course of treatment since she had responded so well to it and there had been nothing to indicate that the situation will change any time soon. Still skeptical of extended drug use, she asked for a tarot reading to explore her future circumstances. Here are the cards:
The three-card line is intended to show the development of the situation as a Present (far left); Near Future (middle) and Distant Future (far right) timeline, with “Distant Future” concluding at the time of her next annual consultation with the surgeon. The upper card (“Outside Advice”) suggests the professional opinion of the doctor, and the lower card the querent’s personal point-of-view or “gut feel” about the matter.
In my own experience, the Hanged Man reversed is in a much better condition than the same card upright. Its normal orientation implies being “stuck” or “stalled,” with no progress in sight, and all one can do is wait to see what happens; while this may be desirable in circumstances where “no change” is perceived as the best outcome, it describes a tense state of unknowing. Reversed, there is upward movement with the figure rising to the surface in a kind of liberation that is perfectly expressed by the outstretched arms of the emerging man in the Thoth card. This is the card of Primal Water, which can be easily equated to the blood coursing through the circulatory system, and when it is reversed the crossed legs form the emblem for astrological Jupiter, known as the “Greater Benefic” (aka “very, very good”) in classical astrology. Jupiter is expansive in nature, and connected with blood-flow it would seem to promote healthy circulation. (In contrast, when it is upright the planetary emblem produced is that of Saturn, which is restrictive and obstructive; as I said, I much prefer this card to appear reversed in my readings.) The conclusion is that, if anything, the Hanged Man reversed bolsters the well-being thus far promoted by her use of the medication.
The Knight of Swords is “Fire of Air;” upright, it is a card of logical inevitability, but reversed it is more one of reserving judgment. There seems to be no reason to jump to conclusions. While it could augur more investigative surgery in the near future, I think it is merely showing that the rapid, aggressive rerouting of the venous blood that occurred at the beginning of this adventure has moved into the background and no further systemic adaptation is going to be necessary. In its reversed orientation, the mounted figure is moving briskly to the right, suggesting that this situation will abide until the Knight of Cups takes over the watch.
The Knight of Cups is another potent Water card, representing “Fire of Water,” and it carries that stimulating energy strongly into the future. I think it echoes the testimony of the reversed Hanged Man in that continued movement in the right direction can be anticipated; the channel is clear and there is nothing to impede the current. Moreover, while ramping up the flow of blood might have adverse consequences for blood pressure, the Knight of Cups signifies a gentle, steady flux rather than a gusher. The querent indicates that her blood pressure, which was wildly variable due to other drugs since discontinued, now fluctuates within the normal range.
The Prince of Disks (“Air of Earth”) at the top depicts the cautious conservatism of the vascular surgeon, who has decided to recommend sticking with the plan rather than pushing the envelope. This Prince is a stickler for detail, so it might be wise to trust his judgment.
The Queen of Swords (“Water of Air”) at the bottom just happens to be the Significator that we have always used for this client, and its reversal implies that she has elected to back away from the move she was considering and not take things into her own hands. Although the suit of Swords is elementally hostile to the Prince of Disks’ suit of Earth, she has chosen to accept his advice and not make an issue of it. Reversal somewhat blunts the impatient urge to act decisively, a signature of this card, and it perfectly depicts “having second thoughts.”
Overall, the “story” cards indicate controlled movement to the right (toward the future) that is not precipitous in nature, with the Water and Earth cards setting the tone. There is a clear but nuanced and not entirely straightforward indication that the querent should “stay the course” and not venture off the path at this point in time. This may change at her next annual consultation, but for the moment she should stand fast.
Originally published at http://parsifalswheeldivination.wordpress.com on March 14, 2024.
