The cards you draw in a tarot spread have different meanings. While each card has an individual significance, its meaning might change according to the cards around it and their positions in the spread.

The drawn position of the card itself is also significant. For example, sometimes cards turn over in a reversed position. What is a reversed tarot card and why is this position so important?

What is a reversed tarot card?

Some tarot cards turn over in an upright position. For example, if you turn over the Fool card in this position, the figure would be standing the right way up.

However, if the card turns over in a reversed position, it is upside down. Here, the Fool would have his feet at the top of the card and his head at the bottom.

What do reversed tarot cards mean?

A tarot card has a different meaning if it turns over in reverse than it does in an upright position. These meanings usually relate to the overall theme of the card, but they give a different message.

On a basic level, a reversed card has an opposite meaning to an upright one. For example, an upright Strength card highlights things like strength, confidence and focus. If your reader turns over this card in a reversed position, it is more likely to denote weakness, insecurity and indecision.

This mirror imaging is often seen as a light/dark difference. If the card turns over one way, then you get a positive meaning; if it turns over the other way, you get a negative.

However, this interpretation doesn’t work for all cards in the same position. You don’t get positives from all upright cards and negatives from all reversed ones. The meaning varies depending on the card itself. For example, the Devil is usually more positive in reverse than it is the right way up.

Why are reversed tarot cards important?

If you get a reversed card, then the tarot is trying to tell you something important. If the card is out of position, you’re getting a strong message that you should take notice of. This is an out-of-the-ordinary experience that could give you some valuable insights.

While a reversed card might show you a darker message than an upright one, this doesn’t have to be anything to worry about. Even things that feel negative here can have a positive purpose in either an obvious or subtle way.

The card could give you a deeper insight into a problem. It could give you more information about a situation you’re in at the moment. Working in tandem with other cards in your spread, it could help you spot obstacles and actions you need to take to make things better.

For example, a reversed Sun is often a sign of sadness or depression. However, in the broader picture of your reading, this card might be telling you that you can’t see the sunny part of life, or the card in an upright position, right now because something is clouding your view. Once you deal with that obstacle, things will look brighter.

If you have a gifted and experienced reader, then they can look beyond the surface of a reversal. They can dig deeper to explore more complex meanings behind the card’s position within the wider context of your spread. These positions add depth, clarity and insight to your reading.

Bear in mind that not all tarot readers use reversals in their readings. You need strong skills and experience to understand the meaning of reversed cards and to weave them into the context of a broader spread.

To learn more, contact Grace’s Psychics. Our talented readers can help you understand the meanings of your cards whichever way they fall.