How to Read Reversed Tarot Cards: 3 Approaches and How to Choose

BY NICOLE LAU

Reversed tarot cards—cards that appear upside-down when drawn—are one of the most debated topics in tarot. Should you read them? If so, how? Do they mean the opposite of the upright meaning? Something blocked? Something internal? The honest answer is that there is no single correct approach—but there are three well-developed methods, each with genuine strengths, and understanding them helps you make an informed choice about your own practice.

First: Do You Have to Read Reversals?

No. Many experienced, skilled tarot readers do not read reversals at all—and their readings are no less accurate or insightful for it. Reading reversals is a choice, not a requirement. If you are a beginner, there is a strong argument for starting without reversals: learning 78 card meanings is already a significant undertaking, and adding reversed meanings doubles the complexity. Master the upright meanings first, then decide whether to add reversals.

Approach 1: No Reversals

How it works: You shuffle in a way that keeps all cards upright (or turn any reversed cards upright before reading). All cards are read in their upright orientation.

Pros: Simpler; allows full focus on the 78 upright meanings; avoids the interpretive complexity of reversals; many experienced readers use this approach successfully.

Cons: Loses the nuance that reversals can add; some practitioners feel the deck is less expressive without reversals.

Best for: Beginners; practitioners who prefer simplicity; those who find reversals confusing or distracting.

Approach 2: Blocked or Internalized Energy

How it works: A reversed card indicates that the card's energy is blocked, delayed, internalized, or expressing in a more subtle or unconscious way. The reversed card is not the opposite of the upright—it is the same energy, but not flowing freely.

Examples:

• The Sun reversed: Joy and vitality are present but blocked or not yet fully expressed; inner sunshine that hasn't reached the surface
• The Chariot reversed: Drive and will are present but stalled; difficulty moving forward despite having the capacity
• Ace of Cups reversed: Emotional potential is present but blocked; difficulty accessing or expressing feelings

Pros: Nuanced; avoids the oversimplification of "reversed = bad"; allows for a more sophisticated reading of the card's energy.

Cons: Requires more interpretive skill; can be harder to apply consistently.

Best for: Intermediate to advanced practitioners; psychological and inner-work focused readings.

Approach 3: Shadow or Challenging Expression

How it works: A reversed card indicates the shadow or challenging expression of that card's energy—the way the card's themes manifest when they are out of balance, excessive, or distorted.

Examples:

• The Emperor reversed: Authority becomes control; structure becomes rigidity; leadership becomes tyranny
• The Star reversed: Hope becomes wishful thinking; healing becomes avoidance; inspiration becomes escapism
• Two of Cups reversed: Connection becomes codependency; partnership becomes enmeshment

Pros: Adds significant depth and nuance; particularly useful for shadow work readings; helps identify where energy is out of balance.

Cons: Can feel heavy if many reversals appear; requires familiarity with the shadow side of each card.

Best for: Shadow work readings; experienced practitioners; readings focused on identifying patterns and blocks.

How to Choose Your Approach

• If you are a beginner: Start without reversals. Add them when you feel confident with the upright meanings.
• If you want nuance without complexity: Use the blocked/internalized energy approach—it adds depth without requiring you to learn entirely separate meanings.
• If you do shadow work: The shadow expression approach is particularly powerful for inner-work focused readings.
• If you are inconsistent: Choose one approach and apply it consistently. Switching between approaches mid-reading or mid-practice undermines the coherence of your interpretive system.

The Most Important Rule

Whatever approach you choose, apply it consistently. The worst approach to reversals is an inconsistent one—reading some reversals as opposites, some as blocked energy, and some as shadow expressions depending on what seems to fit. Consistency is what allows your interpretive system to develop coherence and accuracy over time.

Deepening Your Tarot Practice

For practitioners building a complete tarot practice that includes a consistent approach to reversals, the 30-Day Tarot Practice Workbook provides a structured 30-day progression that helps you develop and apply a consistent interpretive system—including your approach to reversals.

For practitioners drawn to working with the shadow dimension of tarot—where reversed cards often point—Shadow Work Tarot: Internal Locus Practice Guide provides a complete framework for using tarot's shadow expressions as tools for genuine psychological insight and inner transformation.

When I work with tarot and the inner landscapes it reveals, I find myself returning to a few trusted companions that align with these very themes. The 30-Day Tarot Practice Workbook is one I turn to when I want to anchor my practice in daily, consistent study, while the Shadow Work Tarot: Internal Locus Practice Guide offers a structured yet deeply reflective way to explore the shadow expressions that appear in readings. For those who want to incorporate journaling as part of their process, the Tarot Journaling Prompts provide a gentle, probing set of questions. The 52-Week Tarot Journey is a year-long companion that mirrors the gradual deepening of understanding that comes from consistent practice. And finally, the Jung and the Archetype resource speaks directly to the psychological and archetypal dimensions that make tarot such a powerful mirror for the unconscious.