Tarot card reversals can be quite perplexing at times.  Especially if there are a lot in one reading.  If the reversals are throwing you, it’s perfectly okay to ignore them.  Trust me, it won’t invalidate or “ruin” the reading.

If you choose not to ignore reversals, here’s some help to navigate them.

As Alfie speaks to Lonette, he hears a baby cry.  He asks Lonette if she and Marlon had a baby.  She says no.  He realizes the baby is his. (From the movie Alfie, with Jude Law)

Reversal.

 

Tarot card reversals are a bump in the road, an unexpected twist in the story.

Alfie was expecting to get some emotional support from his old friends who had moved away.  What he got was the realization he had a son with Lonette and they had been hiding it from him.

Sometimes you think you got it in the bag, but it doesn’t turn out that way.

Sometimes you think all hope is lost and a miracle happens.

These are all reversals from the way things appeared to be going.

Reversed cards in a reading can work the same way.  The other cards appear to tell a story heading one way, but bump, reversed card, maybe things aren’t quite as they seem.

 Guidelines to Tarot Card Reversals

Reversed cards can indicate how the querent feels about the situation they are asking about.  Reversed cards can be a counter flow of energy that isn’t readily seen by others.

I once read for a woman whose mother had recently become disabled.  Her day to day life was no longer possible without help from others.  The woman thought her mother was okay with the situation, but I could see via reversed cards that her mother was despondent.  She put on the face of I’m okay with this, but underneath she was grasping for hope.

Here are a few keyword type guidelines to reversals for you to explore when they come up:

• latent energy, energy that isn’t being used
• a seed beneath the surface that is just about to break through
• internalized feelings or perspectives

Reversed Cards as Exclamation Points

Another way to look at reversals is in terms of a spectrum of expression of the card.  Every card has a polarity of expression, positive and negative if you will.  And of course there are all the greys in between.  A reversed card could indicate energy at one of the polarity points.

For example, the 10 of swords is about endings.  Something, a relationship, a thought process, a job, a struggle, has come to an end.

Now the end can be a joyful completion or a big fat surprise that is perceived as a betrayal or a tragic loss.

In between the 2 poles we have:

• it’s over but…
• it’s over and I’m afraid to move forward
• it’s over and I can’t see what’s next
• it’s over and I am moving forward and it hurts
• it’s over and I’m having a hard time believing it’s over, is it really over?

I hope I’m not causing more confusion here.  I’m not talking about the circumstances, I’m describing (or attempting to describe) the reaction to the circumstances.

The10 of swords reversed could mean, “Whew!  I”m glad that’s over!”

The card describes an ending but the reaction is overwhelmingly positive.  It’s a big exclamation point.

As with all other aspects of Tarot, reversed cards are something you will need to explore and develop yourself.  There is not one pat answer for what reversed tarot cards mean.  Next time you come across reversed cards, try out some scenarios and see what sticks.

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