Straight-Up Talk About Tarot Reversals
There's a lot of misinformation out there about tarot reversals, how they work, and why we use them. Here's what's true for me.
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There's a lot of misinformation out there about tarot reversals, how they work, and why we use them. Here's what's true for me.
Read MoreThere is so much controversy and misunderstanding around reversed cards in tarot. The quandary is this. Since it is the reader’s choice whether to honor reversals, we must acknowledge that one can conduct a perfectly good reading without them. That being the case, then, why do some tarotists find reversals so integral to their reading process? One answer might be this.
Read MoreIn tarot, a card is considered “reversed” if it appears in a tarot spread upside down. Not ever tarot deck, tarot tradition or tarot reader honors reversals.
For me, reversals add a great deal more nuance and texture to a reading. I encourage my students to pay attention to reversals and consider them in their interpretations.
Some readers choose not to honor reversals because the practice just doesn’t resonate for them. That’s fine. Part of becoming a great tarot reader is to figure out what really works and doesn’t work for you.
I suspect that a lot of tarot students would prefer to take advantage of the extra information reversals can give them, but have a hard time with the actual interpretations.
Some readers, and teachers, have a hard-and-fast approach to reversals, claiming that reversals will always denote a specific thing. In my experience this has not been true.
Some readers and teachers believe that reversals are always negative, or always an opposite, of the card’s original energy. For me, there is no “always” when it comes to reversals.
I find that reversals are most helpful when we give them some wiggle remove. Rather than saying that a reversal will always be a particular thing, it is better to say that a reversal changes the energy of the card in some way.
Here are five ways a reversal can affect the interpretation of a card.
Too Much
A reversal can indicate an over-abundance of the card’s energy. For instance, the Queen of Cups reversed may be over-emotional or depressed. The Three of Cups reversed could indicate too much partying.
Too Little
Sometimes a reversal can indicate a lack of the card’s energy. For instance, the Four of Swords reversed could indicate a busy period, and the need for rest and retreat.
Opposite
Yes, sometimes a reversal can be an opposite. The Hermit reversed could indicate social activity, for instance.
Avoidance
Sometimes the reversal indicates a tendency to avoid the energy of the card. For instance, the Five of Wands reversed might indicate a person who tries to avoid conflict.
Relief/Release
Sometimes a reversal (especially of a difficult card) can put the energy of the card in the past. This may indicate a recovery or release from the energy of the card. For example, the Devil reversed might come up for a person who has quit smoking.
The next time you see a reversed card in your tarot spread, consider which of these possibilities might bring more clarity to your reading.
Our question comes from Ben.
Hi Christiana,
I've just discovered your YouTube channel and I'm finding the answers to questions videos really helpful so thank you!
I am VERY new to tarot, I purchased by Rider-Waite deck 6 months ago and am loving it.
I was wondering whether you could do a video about whether you take into account reversed cards in readings. I know some people don't. From the off I've read cards reversed if they come up but I do have to say it is incredibly challenging sometimes to decifer what the cards mean (especially court cards)! From reading books and seeing what other people say online it's clear that everyone has their own opinion.
What do you think? Do you take into account reversed cards? And if so do you have any tips on how to decipher the meaning? I particularly find the Page of Swords a little elusive...
Hope you are well and thank you so much again for your videos!
Thanks for a great question, Ben. I hope you enjoy the video!
Not everyone honors reversals, but everyone honors dignities.
I do encourage my students who use a deck in the RWS (Rider-Waite- Smith) tradition to consider working with reversals. I think reversals give us more detail, more nuance and more ability to give a really specific reading.
I almost always honor reversals in my personal and professonal readings.
Each card has a spectrum, or continuum of possible energies and meanings. The reversal can give a clear sense of where on the continuum the card best fits the situation.
A reversal changes the energy of the card; perhaps introducing a resistance, a delay or an opposite.
My system for dealing with reversed Court Cards, when I think they represent people, is simple.
Upright Court Cards’ personalities are determined by their element and rank. All upright Court Cards are well-intentioned and basically good people.
Reversed Court Cards are people with problems. They may not be well-intentioned, or may be dealing with issues.
Please watch the video, which includes my take on the Page of Swords, both upright and reversed.
If you have a question about tarot, please email me.
Video of Answers to you Questions about Tarot: Reversals and Court Cards
Linda had a question about tarot reversals. She performed a reading where every card in the spread was reversed. She wondered how I would handle that.
First, let me say something about reversals. While there is no tradition that requires the honoring of reversals I do encourage my students to honor reversals, and I always honor reversals.
I feel honoring reversals gives the reading more nuance and more information.
Some people erroneously feel that reversals are always negative, or are always interpreted as the opposite of the upright card. The truth as I see it is that reversals change the energy of the card.
The reversal may indicate an opposite, a delay, a lessening of the card’s energy or an increase in the card’s energy. The reversal may indicate the client is resistant to the card’s energy.
When I see a spread with a majority of reversals, or all cards reversed, I will interpret each card according to its orientation, so I will definitely read the reversals.
I will also interpret the trend of reversals. A trend of reversals in a spread may indicate that the client is feeling upside down, or the client doesn’t know what to do, or the client is contemplating a course of action that may not be beneficial.
Thanks for a great question, Linda.
If you have a question about tarot, please email me.
Enjoy the video.
Video of Christiana Answers a Question about Tarot Reversals