All Reversed Tarot Cards: What It Means When Everything Is Upside Down

Why Are All My Cards Reversed? Understanding All-Reversal Readings

You pull a tarot spread and every single card—or nearly every card—is reversed. All upside down. All blocked, internalized, or delayed. You stare at the reading, feeling overwhelmed by the sea of reversals, wondering: what does this mean? Is everything in my life blocked? Am I doing something wrong? Is this a bad omen? Why are all my tarot cards reversed?

An all-reversal reading (or mostly reversals) is one of the most striking and meaningful patterns in tarot. While it can feel alarming or negative, it's rarely as dire as it appears. Reversed cards carry specific messages about internalization, blocks, delays, or things not yet manifested—and when they dominate a reading, they're telling you something important about your current state and what needs attention.

What Reversed Cards Mean

Before understanding all-reversal readings, let's clarify what reversed cards represent:

Common interpretations of reversals:

• Blocked or delayed energy: The card's energy is present but not flowing freely
• Internalized: The energy is happening internally rather than externally
• Opposite or shadow: The inverse or shadow aspect of the upright meaning
• Resistance: You're resisting or avoiding the card's lesson
• Not yet manifested: The energy is building but hasn't appeared in physical reality yet
• Weakened or excessive: Too little or too much of the card's energy
• Personal vs. external: The issue is about you, not outside circumstances

Reversals aren't inherently negative—they're nuanced. They show where energy is stuck, hidden, or in process.

Why All Your Cards Are Reversed

1. You're in a Period of Internalization or Inner Work

The most common reason for all-reversal readings is that you're in a phase of internal processing, reflection, or inner work rather than external action or manifestation.

Signs of internalization phase:

• You're doing a lot of self-reflection, therapy, or inner healing
• You're processing emotions, trauma, or life experiences
• You're in a period of rest, retreat, or withdrawal from the world
• Things are happening inside you that haven't manifested externally yet
• You're preparing for action but not yet taking it

What it means: The reversals reflect that your energy is turned inward. This isn't bad—it's a necessary phase of growth. External manifestation will come later.

2. Everything Is Blocked or Delayed

Sometimes all-reversal readings indicate that multiple areas of your life are experiencing blocks, delays, or obstacles. Energy is stuck and not flowing freely.

Signs of widespread blockage:

• You feel stuck in multiple areas of life (career, relationships, health, finances)
• Nothing seems to be moving forward despite your efforts
• You're experiencing frustration, stagnation, or feeling trapped
• Opportunities keep falling through or getting delayed
• You feel like you're pushing against a wall in every direction

What it means: The universe is saying "not yet" or "something needs to shift before things can move." Look for what's causing the blocks.

3. You're Resisting or Avoiding Something

Reversed cards can indicate resistance. If all your cards are reversed, you may be resisting change, truth, or action across multiple areas of your life.

Signs of resistance:

• You know what you need to do but aren't doing it
• You're avoiding difficult conversations, decisions, or changes
• You're in denial about something important
• You're procrastinating or making excuses
• You feel defensive when reading the cards

What it means: The reversals are showing you where you're blocking your own progress. The cards are asking: "What are you avoiding?"

4. You're Not Ready for External Manifestation Yet

Reversals can indicate that energy is building but not yet ready to manifest in the physical world. You're in the gestation period before birth.

Signs of pre-manifestation:

• You're working on goals but haven't seen results yet
• You're planting seeds but they haven't sprouted
• You're in the planning or preparation phase
• You feel like you're "almost there" but not quite
• You're developing skills, knowledge, or resources needed for the next phase

What it means: The reversals say "not yet, but soon." Keep doing the inner work. External results will follow when the time is right.

5. You're Shuffling or Reading Incorrectly

Sometimes all-reversal readings are simply the result of how you're shuffling or handling the cards.

Technical causes:

• You're not shuffling thoroughly enough to mix upright and reversed cards
• You're always pulling from the same part of the deck
• The deck is new and all cards are oriented the same way
• You're unconsciously pulling reversed cards (confirmation bias)
• You're reading reversals when you don't usually, creating confusion

Solution: Shuffle more thoroughly, rotate some cards intentionally, or check if you're inadvertently creating the pattern.

6. You're in Shadow Work or Dark Night of the Soul

All-reversal readings are common during intense shadow work, spiritual crisis, or dark night of the soul experiences. The reversals reflect the descent into darkness necessary for transformation.

Signs of shadow/dark night:

• You're going through a spiritual crisis or existential questioning
• You're confronting your shadow, trauma, or repressed aspects
• Everything feels dark, heavy, or difficult
• You're in a period of deconstruction before reconstruction
• You feel lost, confused, or disconnected from your path

What it means: The reversals reflect the inward, downward journey of shadow work. This is temporary but necessary. Light will return.

7. Your Energy Is Depleted or You're Burned Out

When you're exhausted, depleted, or burned out, your energy can't flow freely—and this shows up as reversals.

Signs of depletion:

• You're physically, emotionally, or spiritually exhausted
• You have no energy for action or manifestation
• You're running on empty
• You feel numb, disconnected, or shut down
• You're in survival mode, not thriving mode

What it means: The reversals are showing you that you need rest, restoration, and replenishment before you can move forward.

8. The Situation Is Complex or Unclear

Sometimes all-reversal readings indicate that the situation is complicated, unclear, or still forming. Nothing is straightforward right now.

Signs of complexity:

• The situation has many moving parts or unknown variables
• You don't have all the information yet
• Things are in flux or transition
• Multiple timelines or possibilities exist
• Clarity hasn't emerged yet

What it means: The reversals say "it's complicated" or "wait for more clarity." Don't force decisions or action yet.

Reversed Card Overload Meaning: What to Do

Step 1: Don't Panic

All-reversal readings aren't curses or disasters. They're information. Take a breath and approach the reading with curiosity, not fear.

Step 2: Look for Patterns

Instead of reading each reversed card individually, look at the overall pattern:

• Suit dominance: Are most reversals in one suit? (Cups = emotional blocks, Swords = mental blocks, Wands = creative/passion blocks, Pentacles = material/physical blocks)
• Major vs. Minor: Mostly major arcana reversals = spiritual/soul-level blocks. Mostly minor = day-to-day blocks
• Number patterns: Lots of reversed aces = blocked new beginnings. Lots of reversed tens = difficulty completing cycles
• Court cards: Reversed courts = people (including yourself) not showing up authentically or maturely

The pattern reveals the core issue.

Step 3: Ask Clarifying Questions

Pull additional cards (upright and reversed) to understand the reversals:

• "What is causing all these blocks?"
• "What do I need to do to get energy flowing again?"
• "What am I resisting or avoiding?"
• "What inner work is required right now?"
• "When will things start moving forward?"

Step 4: Interpret Reversals as Internalization

Read the reversed cards as describing your inner world rather than external circumstances:

Example:

• Three of Swords reversed: Not "heartbreak is coming" but "you're healing from heartbreak internally"
• Ace of Wands reversed: Not "no new opportunities" but "creative energy is building inside you, not yet expressed"
• The Tower reversed: Not "disaster" but "internal transformation, avoiding external breakdown"

This reframe often makes all-reversal readings make sense.

Step 5: Identify What Needs to Shift

All-reversal readings are calls to action. Ask yourself:

• What am I avoiding that I need to face?
• Where am I blocking my own progress?
• What inner work needs to happen before external change can occur?
• What do I need to release, heal, or transform?
• Where do I need to rest, restore, or replenish?

Step 6: Take Appropriate Action

Based on what the reversals reveal:

If you're in internalization: Honor the inner work. Don't force external action yet.

If you're blocked: Identify and address the blocks. Seek help if needed.

If you're resisting: Face what you're avoiding. Take the scary step.

If you're depleted: Rest. Restore. Replenish before trying to move forward.

If you're in shadow work: Continue the descent. Trust the process.

Step 7: Re-Read After Taking Action

After you've addressed what the reversals revealed, pull a new reading. If you've done the work, you'll likely see more upright cards appearing.

How to Prevent All-Reversal Readings (If You Want To)

If you find all-reversal readings overwhelming and want more balance:

Shuffle more thoroughly: Make sure cards are truly randomized, not clumped by orientation

Intentionally rotate cards: Periodically flip sections of your deck to ensure mix of upright and reversed

Don't read reversals: Some readers choose not to read reversals at all, reading all cards upright and getting nuance from card combinations instead

Use a different deck: Some decks seem to give more reversals than others. Try a different deck if one consistently gives all reversals

Check your energy: If you're consistently getting all reversals across multiple decks, the issue is your energy state, not the cards

Should You Read Reversals at All?

This is a personal choice. Some readers swear by reversals; others never use them.

Reasons to read reversals:

• Adds nuance and depth to readings
• Shows blocks, delays, and internalization
• Provides more specific guidance
• Reflects the complexity of real life

Reasons not to read reversals:

• Can be overwhelming or confusing, especially for beginners
• Upright cards already contain shadow meanings in context
• Simplifies readings and makes them more accessible
• Some readers find they get clearer messages without reversals

There's no right answer. Do what works for you.

Famous All-Reversal Reading Meanings

All Major Arcana Reversed

Meaning: Major spiritual blocks, soul-level resistance, or not living your authentic path. Big picture issues need addressing.

All Court Cards Reversed

Meaning: People (including you) are not showing up maturely or authentically. Immaturity, manipulation, or lack of integrity in relationships.

All Cups Reversed

Meaning: Emotional blocks, repressed feelings, or difficulty with intimacy and connection. Heart needs healing.

All Swords Reversed

Meaning: Mental blocks, confusion, or difficulty with communication and clarity. Mind needs clearing.

All Wands Reversed

Meaning: Creative blocks, lack of passion or motivation, or difficulty taking action. Fire needs rekindling.

All Pentacles Reversed

Meaning: Material or physical blocks, financial struggles, or difficulty manifesting in the physical world. Grounding needed.

FAQs About All-Reversal Readings

Is an all-reversal reading bad luck or a bad omen?

No. It's information about your current state—usually that you're in an internal, preparatory, or blocked phase. It's not a curse.

Should I re-shuffle if all cards are reversed?

No. The all-reversal pattern is the message. Re-shuffling is avoiding what the cards are trying to tell you.

How long will the reversal phase last?

It depends on what's causing it. Inner work phases can last weeks to months. Temporary blocks might resolve in days. The cards will show more upright energy when you're ready.

Can I flip reversed cards to make them upright?

Physically, yes, but that doesn't change the energy. The reversals are showing you reality. Flipping them is denial.

What if I get all reversals multiple times in a row?

The message is urgent and you're not hearing it. Stop reading and focus on addressing what the reversals are showing you. The pattern will break when you do the work.

The Bottom Line

When all your tarot cards are reversed, the universe isn't punishing you—it's showing you that you're in a phase of internalization, blockage, or preparation. Energy is moving inward, not outward. Things are processing beneath the surface, not manifesting externally yet.

This isn't permanent. It's a phase. And it's often a necessary phase—the quiet before action, the inner work before outer change, the gestation before birth.

Don't fight the reversals. Listen to them. They're telling you where to focus your attention, what needs healing, and what's not yet ready to emerge. Honor the inward journey. Do the inner work. Address the blocks.

And trust that when the time is right, the cards will turn upright again—and so will your life.