Tarot Reversals: A Different Way to Read Them
- Julie Miller
- Jul 19
- 6 min read
Why I don't read every upside-down card the same way.
One of the first questions people ask when they begin reading Tarot is:
"What does it mean when a card comes out upside down?"
Some readers ignore reversals entirely. Others believe every reversed card has a fixed meaning that must be memorized.
I don't believe either approach is wrong.
I simply read them differently.
To me, a reversal isn't the opposite of the upright card. It isn't automatically "bad," blocked, or delayed. More often than not, it's an invitation to look beneath the surface.
It's the Tarot asking us to turn the mirror toward ourselves.
Because that's the thing about Tarot: it isn't trying to predict your future. It's helping you understand your present.
Reversals ask us to look a little deeper.
You Don't Have to Read Tarot Reversals
This usually surprises new readers.
Many experienced Tarot readers never use reversals. They turn every card upright and allow the surrounding cards to provide nuance and context.
Others, myself included, welcome reversals because they add another layer to the conversation.
Neither approach is more "correct."
Tarot isn't about rigid rules.
It's about building a relationship with your deck and learning how it communicates with you.
Not Every Reversal Speaks the Same Language
This is where my approach differs from many traditional interpretations.
I don't believe every reversed card should be read through the same lens.
A reversed Five of Pentacles isn't asking the same question as a reversed Queen of Pentacles.
Neither carries the same message as a reversed Hermit.
That's because the Tarot isn't one story.
It's three conversations happening at the same time.
The Minor Arcana teaches us about everyday life.
The Court Cards explore who we're becoming.
The Major Arcana reflects the deeper lessons our soul is learning.
So naturally, their reversals ask different questions.
Minor Arcana: Daily Choices and Actions
The Minor Arcana reflects the texture of everyday life.
Our habits.
Our conversations.
Our reactions.
Our choices.
When a Minor Arcana card appears reversed, I ask:
"What in my daily life needs my attention?"
Am I avoiding something?
Repeating an old pattern?
Reacting instead of responding?
Holding on too tightly?
Trying to force something before it's ready?
These cards often invite us to adjust our behavior before expecting our circumstances to change.
Court Cards: Who Am I Being?
Court Cards aren't just descriptions of other people.
They're energetic archetypes that already live within us.
The Queen of Pentacles nurtures.
The Knight of Swords pursues.
The King of Cups leads with emotional steadiness.
When a Court Card appears reversed, I become less interested in what's happening and more interested in who I'm being.
Am I embodying this energy?
Am I overexpressing it?
Am I withholding it?
Where have I forgotten that this archetype already exists within me?
Court Card reversals often become invitations to realign with the version of ourselves we're growing into.
The Major Arcana speaks differently.
These aren't Tuesday afternoon cards.
They're life cards.
They represent seasons.
Transformations.
Thresholds.
Identity.
When one appears reversed, I rarely interpret it as something being blocked.
Instead I ask:
"What lesson am I resisting?"
or
"What truth am I not quite ready to see?"
Major Arcana reversals often arrive when life is asking us to evolve before we're entirely comfortable doing so.
The lesson isn't absent.
It's waiting for our willingness.
Five Questions I Ask Every Reversal
Rather than memorizing dozens of reversed definitions, I begin with curiosity.
I ask:
Is this energy asking me to turn inward?
Am I looking outside myself for an answer that already exists within me?
Sometimes the reversal isn't changing the archetype.
It's changing the direction of the work.
Is this energy blocked?
What's preventing this card from expressing itself naturally?
Fear?
Timing?
Old beliefs?
Unhealed experiences?
Where is this energy out of balance?
Too much?
Too little?
The Emperor becomes rigid.
Temperance loses moderation.
The Queen of Pentacles forgets to nurture herself while caring for everyone else.
What story came before this?
This is one of my favorite ways to work with reversals.
When a reversed card appears, I sometimes look at the card that comes immediately before it in the Tarot sequence - not the card next to it in the spread, but the card that precedes it in the deck itself.
Every archetype has a history.
Sometimes that previous card offers a clue about how we arrived here.
The Star follows The Tower.
Hope often feels difficult after everything has fallen apart.
The Queen of Pentacles follows the Knight of Pentacles.
Have we become so focused on doing that we've forgotten how to receive?
The Five of Pentacles follows the Four of Pentacles.
What happens when holding on too tightly eventually creates the very scarcity we fear?
I don't treat these as fixed meanings.
I treat them as invitations into the story.
Is this card asking me to pause instead of push?
Sometimes the next right step isn't action.
It's observation.
Rest.
Reflection.
Perspective.
Sometimes a reversal isn't asking us to do more.
It's asking us to notice more.
Reversals Aren't Meant to Be Feared
I've noticed something over the years.
The cards people fear the most often become gentler when reversed.
Death.
The Tower.
Ten of Swords.
Sometimes the reversal signals that healing has already begun.
That the storm is passing.
That the ending is finally becoming a beginning.
Context will always matter more than memorization.
Tiny Ritual
The next time a reversed card appears, don't reach for the guidebook immediately.
Instead, ask yourself:
Is this inviting me inward?
Am I looking for answers outside myself?
Is this a lesson, an archetype, or a daily action?
What story came before this card?
What feels ready to shift?
Then sit quietly with the card for another minute before turning it upright.
Notice what changes.
Sometimes the reversal isn't asking you to flip the card.
It's asking you to shift your perspective.
Every card in the Tarot has something to teach us.
Turning one upside down doesn't erase its wisdom.
It simply asks us to approach that wisdom from another angle.
For me, reversals aren't warnings.
They're invitations.
Invitations to become more curious.
More honest.
More reflective.
Because some of life's most meaningful lessons don't arrive when everything is perfectly upright.
Sometimes they begin the moment we're willing to turn the mirror toward ourselves.
What's Next
Reading Tarot isn't just about understanding the cards - it's also about asking better questions.
The quality of your reading is often shaped by the quality of the question you bring to the deck. A simple shift in how you ask can transform a vague reading into one filled with clarity, insight, and meaningful action.
In my next post, we'll explore how to ask better Tarot questions, why yes-or-no questions often leave us feeling stuck, and how to create spreads that invite reflection instead of prediction.
Until then, the next time a card appears reversed, don't rush to turn it upright.
Pause.
Turn the mirror inward.
The conversation may be waiting there.
If you'd like a little guidance to begin your week, I share a free Caffeinated Tarot reading every Monday on Substack.
Each reading explores the collective energy of the week ahead through three Tarot cards, reflective prompts, and a tiny ritual to help you move through the days with greater clarity and intention.
Follow along on Substack
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Tarot isn't about predicting what will happen next. It's about uncovering the wisdom available right now.
Whether you're navigating change, feeling stuck, or simply curious about what your cards are saying, each reading is a thoughtful, one-on-one conversation designed to help you move forward with clarity.
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New to Tarot? Start here. Tarot and Oracle Decks - The difference between them Tarot or Oracle Deck - Choosing the right one for you Cleansing your deck
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