What Do Reversed Tarot Cards Mean?
A reversed tarot card is simply a card that appears upside-down from the reader's point of view. There are three common ways to read it: as the opposite of the upright meaning, as the card's energy being blocked or delayed, or as that energy turned inward rather than expressed outwardly. Whether to use reversals at all is a style choice, not a rule — many skilled readers work with upright meanings only.
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What is actually debated here
Let's be plain about the disagreement before anything else: there is no universal rule about reversals. Some readers shuffle so cards can turn, and read reversals carefully. Others always set every card upright and find all the nuance they need in card combinations and position. Both approaches have long track records.
Historically, tarot began as a 15th-century Italian card game (tarocchi) and only became a divination tool between the 18th and 20th centuries. Reversal meanings appear in some early divinatory lists, including A. E. Waite's The Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1910), which gives a short "reversed" line for each card. But Waite's reversed notes are brief and sometimes feel tacked on, which is part of why later readers treat them as optional.
NPC Code's position: learn upright meanings thoroughly first. Add reversals later, if they help you ask better questions.
Method 1: The opposite meaning
The simplest approach. If upright The Sun (a child on a white horse under a huge radiant sun) suggests clarity and open joy, reversed it might point to a dimmer mood or a delay in that clarity.
The risk: used lazily, this turns half your deck into "bad cards", which is neither accurate nor useful. A reversal is not a punishment. If you use this method, keep the reversal as a question: "Where is the brightness not reaching right now?"
Method 2: Blocked, delayed, or not yet available
Here the card's energy is real but stuck — like a tap that's on with nothing coming through.
Reversed Eight of Wands (eight staffs flying through open air) can suggest messages that haven't landed, momentum that keeps stalling. Reversed Two of Cups (two figures exchanging cups) can suggest a connection that wants to form but hasn't found its conditions.
This reading is gentle and practical, because it points at obstacles rather than verdicts.
Method 3: Turned inward
The same energy, but private rather than public. Reversed Strength (VIII in the RWS deck — a woman calmly closing a lion's jaw, an infinity symbol above her head) might be courage that exists but hasn't been shown to anyone yet, or self-compassion that needs practice before it goes outward.
Note the numbering: in RWS, Strength is VIII and Justice is XI. Some other traditions, including Marseille, place Justice at VIII. That's a deck-tradition difference, not an error.
| Method | Core question it raises |
|---|---|
| Opposite | What is missing or inverted here? |
| Blocked | What is in the way? |
| Inward | Is this happening privately rather than publicly? |
Love, work and personal growth
Love: Reversals often read best as "not yet" or "inside, not spoken" rather than "it will fail". Tarot cannot tell you another person's private thoughts; it can help you notice your own hopes and hesitations.
Work: The blocked reading is usually the most useful — look for missing information, unclear ownership, or a timeline nobody agreed on.
Growth: The inward reading shines here. A reversed card can mark the part of a process you're doing quietly, which outsiders can't see yet.
A short worked example
Question: "What's making my new project feel heavy?"
Cards drawn: Reversed Eight of Wands, upright Four of Pentacles.
Reading: The reversed Eight suggests speed that isn't arriving — things sent out, nothing coming back. The Four of Pentacles (a figure holding coins tightly) adds a holding pattern: perhaps information or decisions are being kept close rather than shared.
Better question it produces: "What am I holding onto that would move faster if I let someone else see it?" That's the point — not a forecast, but a sharper question.
Common myths
- Myth: reversals mean bad news. They don't. They are a shading, not a verdict.
- Myth: readers who skip reversals are beginners. Many experienced readers deliberately read upright-only.
- Myth: you must use the same method every time. You may, and consistency helps, but the three methods above are interpretive lenses, not laws.
- Myth: tarot predicts fixed outcomes. It doesn't. It's a mirror for reflection and decision-making.
Key takeaways
- A reversed card is one that appears upside-down; reading reversals is optional, not required.
- Three common lenses: opposite meaning, blocked energy, or energy turned inward.
- Whether to read reversals is a school/style difference — both approaches are legitimate.
- Reversals are shadings, not bad news or guaranteed outcomes.
- In RWS, Strength is VIII and Justice is XI; Marseille often differs.
Questions & answers
Should beginners use reversals?
Usually not at first. Learn the 78 upright meanings well, then add reversals when you want more nuance.
How do I get reversals if I want them?
Shuffle so cards can rotate — for example, split the deck and turn one half before shuffling. Some readers simply decide in advance to read upright-only.
Can I mix the three methods in one reading?
Yes, but state your choice out loud or in your journal so you can review later whether that lens actually helped.
Does a reversed card cancel the upright meaning?
No. The card's core theme stays the same; the reversal changes how, where, or whether that theme is currently expressed.