Reading Tarot Reversals

#Tarot  #Reversal  #TarotReading  #TarotInterpretation 

Reading tarot cards in reversal is a more advanced form of tarot practice. It goes beyond memorizing card definitions and requires a deeper engagement with intuition, pattern recognition, and context. Reversals invite nuance—they ask you to read between the meanings rather than rely on fixed interpretations.

In many cases, reversals can soften or reframe cards traditionally perceived as negative influences, such as The Devil, Three of Swords, The Tower, or Death. Instead of signaling catastrophe, these cards may point toward release, internal processing, or avoidance of harm.

Over the last decade of reading the oracle I’ve come to gather that there are a few

Over more than a decade of reading tarot, I’ve found several reliable ways to interpret reversed cards. With overwhelmingly positive cards—such as The Sun or Ace of Pentacles—a reversal may indicate a delay, reduction, or internalization of their energy. Ultimately, however, interpretation depends on the surrounding cards, their benefic or malefic nature, and whether they too appear upright or reversed.

Reading reversals is a “level up” from reading upright cards for this reason. It requires releasing rigid judgment of individual cards and instead observing the spread as an interconnected whole.

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1. The Opposite of the Upright Meaning

One common method of interpreting reversed tarot cards is to view them as the opposite—or inversion—of their upright meaning. In some cases, this can feel like a cancellation or redirection of the card’s influence.

For example, the Eight of Cups upright traditionally represents walking away from a situation, relationship, or shared dream. When reversed, it may indicate a return to that dream, a rekindling of purpose, or a realignment with a path you previously invested deeply in.

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2. Court Cards in Reverse

Court cards behave differently when reversed, often revealing the shadow or imbalanced aspects of the personality they represent.

• Wands:

• King: Tyrannical or domineering leadership

• Queen: Oppressive, controlling, or creatively blocked

• Knight: Chaotic, reckless, or misdirected energy

• Page: Difficulty focusing, immaturity, or inability to bring ideas into action

Rather than external events, reversed court cards frequently describe people, attitudes, or internal states influencing the situation.

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3. Unseen or Subtle Influences

Some reversed cards exert influence so quietly that their effects are only recognized in hindsight. When read this way, the reversal represents something operating beneath the surface—an underlying cause shaping the rest of the spread.

For example, The Star reversed may indicate a loss of faith or quiet doubt that is contributing to stagnation. Conversely, if The Magician appears alongside it, that same loss of faith could paradoxically fuel determination and result in successful manifestation.

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4. Influences That Require Timing

Timing is another important lens for reversals. If you’re operating at your best and draw The Towerreversed, it may suggest that you narrowly avoided disaster—you dodged a bullet.

On the other hand, it could also indicate that a Tower moment is delayed but inevitable. Some structures must collapse in order to rebuild stronger foundations. In these cases, the reversal doesn’t prevent the fall—it postpones it.

5. Influences That Don’t Affect You Directly

A less commonly discussed interpretation occurs when a court card appears surrounded by multiple reversed cards. In these situations, the message may be simple: this isn’t your circus, and these aren’t your monkeys.

For instance, if the King of Pentacles appears amid several reversed cards, it may suggest that someone else’s authority, mood, or instability is influencing the outcome. Your success—or failure—may hinge on factors outside your direct control, such as a boss’s temperament or another party’s poor judgment.

6. How you or your motivations are being perceived

7. Your own Inaccurate Perceptions

Final Thoughts on Tarot Reversals

Ultimately, a reversed tarot card can represent one—or several—of these interpretations at once. This is what makes reading reversals an advanced tarot skill. It requires discernment, flexibility, and a willingness to speculate before settling on meaning.

When a spread contains many reversed cards and clarity feels elusive, err on the side of the beneficial. After all, the line between manifestation and failure is often belief itself. Fake it until you make it.

Above all, trust your intuition. If your gut strongly signals a particular interpretation, don’t dismiss it. Over time, by journaling your readings and reflecting on their outcomes, you’ll develop a personal understanding of what reversals mean for you—and that understanding will become one of your greatest tools as a reader.