Can someone please translate this into English (=D!!!!!)?
"review only from the key word to the kanji, not the other way around."
What I got was, for example, 乱, riot.
key words: "This kanji shows what happens to a rioting tongue: it gets “barbed” like a fishhook, and sets to attacking the opposition, to hook them as it were."
so in my mind I should think of it as rioting tongue gets barbed and attacks the opposition to hook them. OR is it riot is composed of a person that is angry and is in a rioting mood that wants to attack the opposition. Is it decompose the kanji into smaller parts, or compose the kanji off of the key words?
thanks!

ようこそ！

When you review the kanji, you should have the keyword on the front of your card, and the story hidden, should you need it. In this case, to take on your example, the keyword is riot which goes on the front of your flash card. On the flip-side of the card, you would have the kanji, 乱.

Embedded in the story you have "two primitive elements," rioting-tongue on the left, and barbed fishhook on the right. Now it is your task to form a clear image from the story, so that in the end you are able, to write the kanji from memory.

If the story does not suffice, take one off this website, instead of Heisig's own. Or come up with your own story, if it helps you remember it better. Just so that you are able to form a clear image in your mind.

The thing with reviewing from keyword to kanji is, that it's simply a waste of time, and does not do anything for you. If you would do it that way, you would have the kanji 乱 on the front of your card, and the keyword on the back of it, riot.

So, always go from keyword riot or whatever the keywords are, to your target kanji.

He means:
Front: riot
Back: 乱

The kanji is composed of tongue and fishhook, so you just make up a story with both those keywords so that you will remember how to write the kanji when you see the word riot. "Barbed tongue" is an expression in English meaning to verbally attack someone, so I just imagine people in a riot with barbed tongues (i.e. shouting profanities) and that's how I remember it.

I read the last sentence in your post and I understood everything! Thanks a lot for the quick reply. I appreciate it deeply. Btw, I'm on number 93!

Thank you for your advice too, Tefhel.