Alright, let’s talk about reversed tarot cards. For the longest time, I honestly just ignored them. If a card came out upside down in a shuffle, I’d just politely flip it right side up and carry on. Seemed easier, you know? Less complicated.
Why did I do that? Well, early on, I got this idea that reversed cards were just the “bad” versions of the upright meanings. The Devil reversed? Must be extra bad, right? It felt kinda scary and negative, and I wasn’t really looking for that when I was learning.
Getting Curious
But after a while, my readings started to feel a bit… one-dimensional. Like something was missing. I’d pull cards that seemed mostly positive, but the situation I was asking about definitely had some blockages or internal struggles going on. The upright cards alone weren’t quite capturing the full picture.
So, I decided, okay, maybe it’s time to actually figure out these reversed cards. I didn’t jump into some heavy academic study, though. That’s not really my style.
My Messy Learning Process
First, I just started allowing them to be reversed. When I shuffled and laid out cards, if one was upside down, I left it that way. Simple step, but it felt big at the time!
Then, I’d look at the reversed card and think about the upright meaning. My first go-to thought was: is this energy blocked? So, Temperance upright is about balance and moderation. Reversed? Maybe I felt an imbalance, an inability to find that middle ground.
I tried a few different ways to think about them:
- Blocked Energy: Like I said, the upright energy just isn’t flowing right.
- Internalized Energy: Sometimes, especially with court cards, it felt like the energy was directed inwards, maybe something I was feeling but not expressing.
- Too Much/Too Little: Is the energy excessive (like, Strength reversed being about forcing things instead of gentle control) or is it lacking (like The Empress reversed suggesting a block in creativity or nurturing)?
- Delayed Energy: Maybe the upright meaning is still relevant, but it’s just slowed down or facing obstacles.
Honestly, I didn’t stick to one single rule. I started keeping a little notebook. When a reversed card came up, I’d jot down the card, the question, the surrounding cards, and just write my gut feelings about what that reversal meant in that specific context. Sometimes it aligned with a “blocked energy” idea, sometimes it felt more like an internal struggle.
Seeing the Nuance
What really clicked was realizing reversed cards weren’t automatically “bad” or “negative.” Seriously, this was key for me. A reversed Nine of Pentacles, for example. Upright it’s about satisfaction, independence, enjoying the fruits of your labor. Reversed? It didn’t always mean losing everything. Sometimes it pointed towards feeling dissatisfied despite outward success, or maybe focusing too much on material stuff and forgetting inner peace. It added layers, not just doom.
I started doing daily draws where I’d intentionally pull one card and spend time thinking about both its upright and reversed potential meanings, even if I pulled it upright. This helped me get familiar with the spectrum of each card.
How I Read Them Now
These days, reversed cards are just a normal part of my readings. I don’t freak out when they appear. When one shows up, I pause. I look at the upright meaning first, then consider how that energy might be twisted, blocked, internalized, delayed, or needing special attention in the context of the reading and the question asked. The surrounding cards give huge clues.
Sometimes, if a reading feels overwhelmingly complex or confusing with reversals, I might consciously decide to read only uprights for clarity, but that’s rare now. Usually, I find the reversals add necessary depth and honesty to the reading. They point to the tricky bits, the internal work, or the areas needing a gentle nudge.
So yeah, that’s been my journey with reversed cards. Went from avoiding them to finding them pretty essential for a fuller understanding. It wasn’t about memorizing lists; it was about sitting with them and letting my intuition, guided by the basics, figure out the message. It’s still a practice, always learning!
