AUTHOR’S NOTE: In my rereading of Paul Fenton-Smith’s Tarot Master-Class, I frequently encounter his assumption that a reversed card points back to the previous upright card of the suit to suggest unfinished business relevant to its nature. Most recently, he described the reversed 5 of Cups as showing a need to go inward and retreat to the stable composure of the upright 4 of Cups in search of emotional healing. Although I find this premise a bit unlikely, it led me to conclude that, depending on the element associated with the card, we may want to rethink our strategy in order to step back from the brink of something that isn’t in our best interests: in Fire it would be imprudent actions; in Water, inappropriate feelings; in Swords, unproductive ideas or attitudes; and in Pentacles, inadvisable commitments.

As I see it, introspection and introversion are “two different animals.” One is intellectually reflective and the other more emotionally exclusive. Introspection is a focused attempt to organize one’s cognitive priorities, while introversion can be an unconscious or automatic avoidance tactic. The formal definitions help to make this clear, in that one deals with processes and the other with natural inclinations:

Introspection: The examination or observation of one’s own mental and emotional processes.

Introversion: The state of being turned inward or upon oneself,

When an unfortunate card is reversed, the second of these comes into play. Unlike the traditional assumption that reversal can somehow “make a bad card better,” it merely brings the adverse influence in “under the radar” in a way that can be psychologically disruptive. The querent is self-absorbed and facing away from the dilemma that is bearing down on the situation, whether by willfully “turning a blind eye” to it or being completely oblivious to the potential threat. The advice in such cases would be to “watch your back.”

When a fortunate card is reversed, the querent has more say in the matter and can decide how much or how little to rely on the positive thrust. It creates some philosophical distance between stimulus and response that allows for cautiously backing down from what may seem too good to be true. The card still “is what it is” in terms of its benevolent impulse, but the querent’s uptake may be more measured or judicious. There is the luxury of choice in that there is little chance for a totally negative outcome, so it depends on whether the best course is to go “all-in” on the opportunity or to just approach it discreetly and pursue the most rewarding angle.

By refusing to engage, even if unconsciously, the avoidant personality tries to insulate itself from the kinds of external impact that reversed cards can convey, while the more tolerant type recognizes that there is almost always a little good with the bad and vice-versa, and takes it all in stride. The “artful dodger,” in trying to evade the consequences of a tough call, can miss out on the hidden benefits of a challenging situation that the more accepting character enjoys as a matter of course.