Reversed Tarot Cards: What They Actually Mean

Reversals aren't simply "the opposite." They're modifiers — and they're optional.

A reversed card is one that appears upside-down in a reading — the top of the image is pointing toward the bottom of the table. This happens naturally when you shuffle: roughly half the cards in your deck are upside-down at any given time, and if you don't deliberately rotate them upright, some will appear reversed when you lay them out.

Whether to read reversals at all is a matter of personal preference. Many experienced readers never read them. Many others find them essential. This article covers the four main approaches to interpreting reversals, helps you decide whether to use them, and explains what each approach means in practice.

The four interpretation methods

Mary K. Greer's The Complete Book of Tarot Reversals (2002) is the definitive reference on this topic. Greer identifies four primary ways to interpret reversed cards. Understanding all four gives you the flexibility to choose the approach that fits each reading.

1. The opposing meaning

The most common beginner approach: a reversed card means the opposite or shadow of its upright meaning. The Sun upright means joy and success; reversed, it means diminished joy or temporary sadness. The Three of Swords upright means heartbreak; reversed, it means recovery from heartbreak. The Magician upright means skilled manifestation; reversed, it means manipulation or wasted talent.

This approach is intuitive and easy to learn, but it has limitations. Not every card has a clear "opposite." What's the opposite of The Hermit? Of the Wheel of Fortune? Forcing every reversal into an opposite meaning can produce strained interpretations.

2. Blocked or delayed energy

In this approach, a reversed card represents the same energy as the upright card, but something is preventing it from flowing freely. The energy is present but obstructed, delayed, or incomplete. The Ace of Wands reversed isn't a lack of creative energy — it's creative energy that can't find an outlet. The Two of Cups reversed isn't absence of connection — it's a connection being blocked by fear, timing, or external circumstances.

This method is subtler than the opposing-meaning approach and often produces more nuanced readings. It's particularly useful when the querent recognizes the energy of the card but feels stuck in expressing it.

3. Internal rather than external

Some readers interpret a reversal as a shift from external to internal. The upright Emperor represents external authority — a boss, a father, an institution. The reversed Emperor represents the querent's own relationship with authority and structure — internalized rules, self-discipline, or a need to examine how they wield control.

This approach draws on Jungian psychology and treats reversals as indicators of inner process. Rachel Pollack uses this method frequently in Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom (1980), reading reversals as "the energy turned inward, working on the self rather than expressing outward."

4. Intensification

A less common but powerful approach: the reversed card represents an intensification of the upright meaning — energy that has gone to excess. The Nine of Cups upright is contentment; reversed, it's self-indulgence. The Eight of Pentacles upright is focused work; reversed, it's workaholism. The Emperor upright is structure; reversed, it's rigidity and control.

This method works well when the upright meaning is already strong and the reversal pushes it to an extreme. It's less useful for cards whose upright meaning is neutral or negative, where intensification doesn't add much interpretive value.

Should you read reversals?

This is a genuine question, and the answer is: it's up to you. Both approaches work.

Arguments for reading reversals:

• Doubles the number of distinct card meanings from 78 to 156, adding interpretive range
• Provides natural nuance — energy is blocked, internal, or excessive, not just present or absent
• Gives more information per reading, especially in large spreads
• Forces deeper engagement with each card's full spectrum of meaning

Arguments against reading reversals:

• Doubles the number of meanings you need to learn — overwhelming for beginners
• Can lead to "reversal anxiety" — beginners see a reversed card and assume the worst
• Many excellent readers never use them and give readings of equal depth
• The positional meaning in a spread already provides enough nuance for most readings

The pragmatic advice: don't read reversals until you're solid on all 78 upright meanings. That usually takes three to six months of regular practice. Once upright meanings are second nature, add reversals using whichever method resonates most. You can always switch methods or drop reversals entirely.

If you choose not to read reversals

If you decide reversals aren't for you, that's completely legitimate. To ignore reversals, simply rotate any upside-down cards to upright when you lay them out. Some readers deliberately shuffle in a way that keeps all cards oriented the same direction. Either approach works.

Alejandro Jodorowsky, in The Way of Tarot (2004), argues against reading reversals entirely. He writes that "every card already contains its own reversal within its image" — that the symbolic complexity of each card already encompasses the range of meaning that reversals attempt to add. Whether you agree with this or not, it's a position held by serious practitioners.

Reversals for specific cards

Some cards change meaning dramatically when reversed, while others barely shift. Here's a quick reference for commonly confusing reversals:

Note how the same reversal can mean opposite things depending on which method you use. The Tower reversed can be positive (averted disaster) or negative (slow-motion decline). The card doesn't tell you which interpretation is correct — the question, the context, and the surrounding cards do.

The practical bottom line

Reversals are a tool, not a requirement. If they deepen your readings, use them. If they add confusion, drop them. The quality of a reading comes from the reader's interpretive skill, their connection to the cards, and their ability to connect the cards to the querent's situation. Reversals can enhance all three, but they can't substitute for any of them.

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