Sonja addressed an excellent question regarding the upside down (reversed) meanings of the Zigeuner fortune telling cards. I think that a post in response to this comment would be helpful to others who are wondering the same thing.
“Hi, I just have a question on the zigeuner wahrsagekarten deck. I find they are a simple deck to read but doesnt it have different meanings when the cards come up upside down. Like for example, the death card if its right side up it could mean the death of a person but if its upside down could mean the death of a relationship. I am just a little confused on how it works if they are the wrong way and I cant find a link to tell me.
thanks Sonja”
Card readers have different thoughts on reversed meanings. Many do not use them. I have been studying the reversal in conjunction with the upright positions because I think it is important to understand the “energy” of the card.
In the Tarot cards most of the reversals mean the opposite and some mean a worsening condition.
What I like to do is turn over at least half a dozen cards while shuffling the deck. Sometimes the reversed cards come up when I need to analyze or address the theme that goes along with the meaning that perhaps I am avoiding.
DEATH card – in the Zigeuner Wahrsagekarten deck the death card does suggest a definite ending, completion and in some cases a physical death (contributing cards must be present).
In the example below I used the LOVE and DEATH cards
Looking at these 2 cards one get the sense that an emotional or love situation has come to an end or can not progress any further the way it is going. Changes are coming which will transform the love relationship by taking it in a new direction. Within the DEATH card is renewal. For example, even if the love affair or partnership is over, a fresh start will occur. Also, look to the card falling after or beneath the DEATH card. Is it a positive card like MERRIMENT or a negative card like SADNESS?
In some cases, people are actually relieved when there is an ending especially if the person is suffering.
The example below are the same two cards except DEATH is reversed.
We know this situation or theme is related to the sentimental field, love relationships etc. When the DEATH card is reversed the “energy” of the card is not in it’s full strength. What this means is that what should have ended or came to a conclusion – didn’t. It is just lingering on.
To me the Zigeuner Wahrsagekarten DEATH reversed means that it is not over (yet). Eventually it will be. But first there will be a slower dissolvement which is not always healthy. Are you holding on to a losing situation or relationship?
When this situation does finally end, it may be more painful. If the MERRIMENT card follows DEATH reversed then there needed to be a weening process to make way for happiness. If the SADNESS card follows DEATH reversed the suggestion is that a clean cut would have saved you lots of grief. It would have been better to accept the inevitable and to have “let it end”.
Holding on to emotional hurt will only prevent the opportunity for a new beginning.
I have read many suggestions on how to deal with rewersed cards and there is particulary one way I have found useful.
Positive cards rewersed means delay of some sort, you’re not “quite” there yet. Sometimes it means that you have to do a final effort before the card show its full potential.
Negative cards rewersed often means that the situation is not so bad as it looks. As we know each card has both positive and negative sides, a negative card rewersed suggests that the positive energy balances the negative.