Reversed tarot cards: what they mean and whether you have to read them
Reversed cards are not always bad. Three common ways to read them, one card shown upright and reversed, and when beginners should start using them.
5 min read
A reversed tarot card is one that comes up upside down. Plenty of people feel a small drop in the stomach when they see one, assuming it means bad news. It does not. Reversed cards are not automatically negative, and readers disagree about how to handle them. This guide covers the most common approaches and when a beginner should start using them.
Three main ways to read a reversed card
- Blocked or slower than expected: whatever the card describes has not arrived yet, needs more time, or something is in the way.
- Happening inside rather than outside: you feel it but have not shown it, or it is something to sort out with yourself first.
- Too much or too little: confidence that has turned into stubbornness, caution that has turned into hesitation.
Some books treat a reversed card as the plain opposite of the upright meaning. That is fine as a starting point, but the three approaches above give you a more detailed reading and more useful advice.
The same card, upright and reversed
Strength, reversed
Question: Why have I been so short-tempered with my family lately?
Cards: Strength (reversed), position Answer to the question
Sample answer: Upright, Strength shows a woman calmly stroking a lion, strength that comes from gentleness. Reversed, that calm is running low. You may have been putting up with small things for a long time and now you are tired. Try to find an hour a day that is just yours, and tell the people at home plainly what you need right now, before the irritation comes out as sharp words.
Reading it as "calm running low" rather than "weak" gives advice that actually helps.
Weaker answer: The Sun reversed means bad luck and no happiness.
Stronger answer: The Sun reversed: the happiness is still there, just not fully lit. Maybe you are tired, or you have not let yourself enjoy something you achieved.
The Sun is a very good card. Even reversed it is still good news, only incomplete. Reading it as the opposite misses that.
When should a beginner start using reversals?
- At first, reading upright cards only is perfectly fine. Get the core of each card solid.
- Once upright cards feel comfortable, add reversals using the three approaches above.
- Decide before you shuffle whether this reading uses reversals, then stick with that choice for the whole reading.
Tip: If several cards in a spread are reversed, the matter is often stuck or not ready yet. Look at that overall impression first, then read the cards one by one.
Summary
- A reversed card is not automatically bad.
- Read it as blocked energy, something inward, or too much or too little.
- Beginners can add reversals once upright cards feel comfortable.
Frequently asked questions
- Is a reversed card just the opposite meaning?
- Some books read it that way. Reading it as blocked or irregular energy usually gives a more detailed reading and does not scare the person asking more than necessary.
- Can I skip reversals completely?
- Yes. Many readers use upright cards only and take extra meaning from the neighboring cards. Pick one approach and use it consistently.
- What does Death reversed mean?
- Death is about an ending that makes room for a beginning. Reversed, it often points to a change you are not ready to let go of, or an ending that is not clean. See the Death card page for more.
- Where can I practice reversed cards at Redar Tarot Master?
- Practice mode includes reversed cards from level 3 questions onward (level 3 and above is available on Plus and higher). On the card table, Plus and Pro members can turn reversed cards on. Readings with Redar use upright cards only, so the reading stays clear and does not cause worry. Where caution is called for, Redar reads it from the card's own meaning.