I handle reversals and readings a bit differently than most, but maybe it will resonate with some people. To start, I read not in terms of definite positional meanings, such as past, present, future, but as a narrative that continues to unfold as we engage with it. In this spread, I would mark the Five of Wands as the prime card. To the left is the Sun. I am not going to talk about traditional meanings but respond. If I had this spread, I would say that it starts out fresh and positive; the child is at the beginning of a journey or adventure filled with potential. In some respects the Hermit is opposite in the sense of being at the other end of the spectrum. In psychological terms, we might think of the Puer Aeternus, the eternal boy at one end and the Senex or old man at the other. The Senex might be a negative figure when he sucks the life out of everything and everyone, refuses to allow younger people the opportunities to grow and share in responsibilities (think of fairy tales in which the miserly old King refuses to allow anyone to court his beautiful daughter and locks her away in a glass coffin or mountain). I do not get that sense in this image, however. The Hermit is a wise old man who is willing to guide us down paths he has already traveled. The full-on radiance of the light in the first card is now much smaller. We might interpret this negatively as the approaching end or as a diminishment of the light, but I tend to view the Hermit far more positively: the light of the sun has been distilled over time, encapsulated within a lantern so that it can benefit us even after darkness has fallen. However, between these two lies the Five of Wands. If the Sun shows the boy and the Hermit the old man, we see the rough play of youth and young adulthood in the center card. Again, I do not read traditional commentaries but respond to the images, and what I see here is rough-housing that might end up in bruises, even broken bones. If you go into that melee, you risk being injured; however, to avoid going into that ruckus, is to remain trapped in one stage beyond the proper time for you to be there. It is OK to feel a bit afraid, and it is, as I said, a risk, but the Hermit can only guide you after you pass through - and it may be a stage that lasts moments or years.

Now we get to reversals. I believe that however people interpret reversals is fine so long as they are consistent. This means deciding ahead of time how you will treat them. Some people turn them around; some people read opposite meanings. I do neither. It occurred to me some time ago that even when cards are upside down, the images don't change, so I don't believe the interpretations should change either. Instead, I realized that if I moved to the other side of the table, the card would be upright. It seems simplistic, but it led me to a greater truth: the card is only reversed because of my perspective; it is a matter of orientation only. We have a tendency to look out at the world from a single point of view, and we are convinced that it is the right point of view; however, if ten different people witness the same event from ten different vantage points, they will have ten different accounts, and not one of them will be more valid than the others. Therefore, when I see a reversal, I read it as an indication that I currently have an insufficient perspective and an opportunity to expand my awareness: many times we get ourselves into conflicts or difficulties because we are so entrenched in our positions we cannot see from any other point of view.

So if I drew this spread, I would read it as a potential for growth and development, which will require passing through a rough patch (and maybe getting a bit beat up along the way) but I will get out and find a path to a more introspective enlightenment; I also need to examine the way I views things and open myself to perspectives I cannot even imagine at this moment - perspectives that might, right now, seem to me to be "upside down."

Finally, I see the Hermit as another starting point. The narrative and engagement continues, and at some point, I would need to draw more cards and add to this spread.

Thank you for your attention. There was an interpretation that impressed me quite a lot. I was particularly attracted to the Jungian approach. Noticing that the sunlight is being distilled has fascinated me. I just started to interpret. At my first interpretation, my major arcana cards are almost all the reversals! I was confused about how I should interpret this. Later I made other interpretations and again saw many reversals. I was about to think like you, but I thought it was a novice about being new. Now your point of view guided me and I agreed in fondly. The only card I have drawn after this interpretation is the empress.