Using reversed tarot cards with elemental dignities can be complicated and simple at the same time. Continue reading to get the best out of this combination of tarot reading, complete with images as visual aids.

I’m often asked whether using reversed tarot cards and elemental dignities together is complicated. While some enjoy using these two together, others find it challenging. All in all, it’s really up to you.

The Basic Rules Of Elemental Dignities

Remember to begin your reading by assessing the interaction of the elements first. That is, apply the rules of elemental dignities, then bring in your tarot card meanings.

The below is a refresher of the rulers of elemental dignities:

1. Fire and air are friendly and active
2. Water and earth are friendly and passive
3. Fire and water are enemies, they weaken each other
4. Air and earth are enemies, they weaken each other
5. Fire and earth strengthen each other but are neutral
6. Water and air strengthen each other but are neutral

These ‘rules’ are laid out by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn as a way to determine which cards are more relevant to the client’s reading. It uses the Opening of the Key tarot spread – a spread without defined positions.

Using Reversed Tarot Cards And Elemental Dignities – Example Readings

The best way to learn how to read tarot using elemental dignities is to actually apply them to a tarot reading. So, using three tarot cards for simplicity, then transpose them, we can see how the interactions may change.

Using the Thoth Tarot deck, I drew the Star, Ace of Cups and 2 of Wands.

Look at the these three cards using elemental dignities first. The Ace of Cups as the middle card is the principle card and the focus of the reading. The principle card is water – fluid and emotional.

The two cards on either side of the Ace of Cups, the Star and the 2 of Wands, are called the modifiers. This is because they affect the principle card. So, elementally speaking, we have the following:

Air – Water – Fire

If we look at the rules of elemental dignities above, we can see that the air is not really having any effect on the water. But the fire is. In a classical sense, it is weakening it. So we have a reading in the realm of emotions, which is being weakened by the dynamism of fire.

Applying Tarot Card Meanings

Now we know that the Ace of Cups is being supported by the Star but is being weakened by the 2 of Wands. Therefore, we can bring in their divinatory definitions to enrich the reading.

For simplicity’s sake, I am going to keep to keywords for the tarot cards in question. Feel free to apply further or deeper meanings to these cards as you feel more comfortable in the process. In fact, you can apply your own tarot card meanings as you see fit for each card if they differ from mine.

We have a reading about love, new love, or potential love. This expression of emotion is being supported and undermined at the same time. The Star is sitting in the wings waiting for its precious gifts to be imparted upon the maelstrom being created between the Ace of Cups and the 2 of Wands. As the 2 of Wands is modifying the Ace of cups, it is weakening it. Consequently, it is dominating and controlling it.

This control can be from another, or from the focus of the reading, assuming the Ace of Cups relates to the seeker. In other words, you are the ace and your lover is the 2 of Wands and they are controlling the whole affair. Or, you are both the ace and the 2 of Wands and you are seeking to control the love affair. However, the reasons for this are not relevant to this article.

Reversing The Cards

It’s okay if your interpretation is not the same as mine. Remain with your initial assessment of the reading and now reverse the 2 of Wands and see how that affects the reading.

As a reversed card, the 2 of Wands can indicate a loss of control. If this relates to another, then they are indicated as being a loose canon. And not trustworthy in the matters of the heart. Particularly yours. They will display inconsistent behaviors that will confuse and frustrate you. For this reason, the Star is waiting in the wings to help out.

If we put the 2 of Wands upright and reverse the Star, we may be able to say that you have given up hope of ever being free of the clutches of your lover.

By putting the Star upright and reversing the Ace of Cups, we can see that the love is lost and the control continues. But the Star is still waiting to help.

By transposing the orientation of the tarot cards in our reading, we can see how the reading changed. Although, we only did this one reversed card at a time.

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