Tarot › Blog › Reversed cards in tarot
Published 5. 7. 2026 · tarotmluvi.cz
When a card appears upside down relative to the reader during a shuffle, we refer to this as the reversed or inverted position. More myths surround reversed cards than anything else in tarot, ranging from "a reversed card means something bad" to the belief that they must be read at all costs. The truth is there are two legitimate schools of thought, and both work if used consciously and consistently.
The reversed position most often indicates a slowed, suppressed, internal or blocked version of the card's meaning. In Madman So an upright position signifies courage for a new beginning, while reversed suggests haste or fear of taking the first step. It does not mean the opposite of the card or a worse version of fate, just a different angle on the same theme. Every card in our tarotmluvi.cz database of 78 cards presents both meanings separately, precisely so that both readings can be compared without having to infer anything or look elsewhere.
A number of tarot readers treat reversed cards as a full and integral part of the reading. The advantage is finer nuance: a card may indicate that energy is present but held back, something an upright position alone would not reveal. The disadvantage is the higher demand on interpretation, especially for beginners, for whom the doubled range of possible meanings can overwhelm rather than clarify the reading.
Another equally widespread school of thought ignores reversals and reads all cards in their upright meaning. According to this approach, context: the card's position in the spread, neighbouring cards, and the question asked, is sufficient to reveal even the shadow aspects of a card. This method is simpler for beginners, and there is no need to change it if it works well for you.
The use of reversed positions in tarot only emerged in the 18th and 19th centuries, when the card game intended for entertainment evolved into a tool for divination and symbolic work. Until then, cards were usually read upright, regardless of how they landed during shuffling. This is a strong argument for both sides of the debate: reversed cards are no more "authentic" tradition than omitting them; both are legitimate layers of the same system.
If you are interpreting with a classic deck at home, reversed cards occur naturally as you rotate or shuffle the pack in a "cross" style before drawing. To deliberately exclude reversed positions, simply align all cards in the same direction before the reading and shuffle only by sliding them, not turning them over: a simple choice you make beforehand, not on the go.
Our Yes/No tool reversals are actually used: if a card falls reversed, a clear "yes" or "no" softens to "rather yes" or "rather no". For other readings, you may or may not pay attention to reversed positions: both meanings are always listed for each specific card on tarotmluvi.cz database of cards.
If you are reading reversed cards, pay attention to how many appear together in a spread. A single reversed card among three upright ones usually just adds precision. It shows where energy is blocked that would otherwise flow freely. If two or three out of three cards are reversed, this may suggest the entire situation is still in an internal, unfinished phase, rather than indicating a "negative" reading. This is not a numerical rule but rather a guide on where to focus your attention when interpreting the cards.
There is no objectively "correct" choice. We recommend deciding before the reading begins, not during it, and maintaining the same approach across sessions; otherwise, readings will cease to be comparable. If you are unsure, start without reversed cards. You can add them later once the upright meanings make sense on their own.
There are many such simplified misconceptions about tarot circulating. We address them in this article. Most common myths about tarotmluvi.czThe guide will help with the basics of the first interpretation. how to interpret tarot cards yourself and with the selection of the layout spreads for beginners.