Reversals

Gel pens, Five Star notebooks, and my tarot deck with the very small guidebook filled my babysitting bag on Friday nights.

I made the mac and cheese, put the kids in their pajamas, made them laugh, hugged them when they cried, and said goodnight.

Then, I dove in.

If only I had studied as hard for my AP History class as I did to learn Tarot I would’ve actually passed the AP exam.

“Back in the day” we didn’t have the internet to scour as a resource to learn tarot like we do now. There weren’t YouTube videos and websites telling us exactly what to do. We had a deck of cards and MAYBE a little book to go with those cards. As a teenager I did not live in a town with a local witch community or a metaphysical shop so it was just me and that one tarot deck to sort things out.

The question of reversals wasn’t even something that crossed my mind at the time because it wasn’t mentioned in my guidebook. In fact, even as the internet grew and online communities became a thing…as I grew and had a car and could seek information in new ways, I still didn’t think too much into reversals.

I can’t imagine trying to memorize all 78 cards AND separate reversal meanings for all 78 cards.

My inner Sagittarius is getting anxious just thinking about it.

You know the saying, what would you tell your younger self?

Well, in this case, I wish my younger self could tell everyone learning tarot today with masses of resources at their fingertips to step back, worry less, and practice more.

Somewhere along the way in my twenty years of reading tarot I did develop a few different ways to read reversed tarot cards and I’m going to tell you about one of those today!

If you’ve been in our community for some time then you know that we offer this life-changing program called Holistic Witchery. One of the topics that I dive into in that program is the difference between lunar intentions and solar goals.

While we aren’t going to get into that subject today, if you’re in Holistic Witchery then you already have a clue as to how I read reversed tarot cards!

Lunar energy is an inward energy. It’s a feeling, a knowing, and often subconscious. It is very emotional, very deep, and very personal.

Solar energy is an outward energy. It is seen, felt by others outside of you, and easily recognized. It is very conscious, very tangible, and very present.

When a tarot cards is in it’s upright position, it is in it’s standard energy. This is very solar. The message that is presented should (generally) be of no real surprise to the person receiving it. Maybe it’s something that wasn’t necessarily top of mind but generally speaking when working with the tarot for guidance or personal development, and upright cards brings with it a message that applies to life as we know it.

This is very solar. It is in it’s typically seen and recognized form. We can apply the message to our day to day lives and our own solar nature.

When a tart card is reversed, it is in it’s lunar energy. The message presented will generally be one that the querent (or yourself if you are reading for yourself) has to dig deeper to understand. This is an energy that is more subconscious. It is hidden within the depths of self. We might not believe it to be true about ourselves or simply can’t make sense of the card.

I often wonder if this is why reversals are so challenging for people to read…because the messages themselves are challenging! We don’t see it so we can’t relate to it.

Shadow work at it’s finest.

Grab your gel pens (or whatever your fave school supply was when you were a ball of teenage energy) and take some notes:

Let’s look at a few examples.

The Three of Pentacles is a card about teamwork. In it’s solar and upright form we know that teamwork is necessary to really get anything done in this world. One can only do so much on one’s own. The thing about teamwork is that it doesn’t always happen in a way that we like. Sometimes there is discomfort, sometimes there are disagreements, and sometimes it’s just an overall painful experience. Pulling the Three of Pentacles in the upright position is often a very clear indicator that we need to call in support or re-engage our support system. It’s pretty obvious that we all need support! Just like the sun in the sky can’t exactly be missed.

The Three of Pentacles in it’s lunar and reversed form is trickier. What if YOU are the one who is causing trouble on the team? What if YOU are the one who is self-sabotaging by not asking for support or routinely asking for support that someone is not able or willing to give?

That’s a harder pill to swallow. And, that’s what reversals do.

They literally turn what you know to be true upside down.

Next time you sit down to ask the internet how to read reversed tarot cards, try the solar and lunar method.

If you’re wondering if you SHOULD read reversed tarot cards, remember that your tarot practice is YOUR tarot practice. You do you.

Reversals or no reversals, there is no wrong way to read tarot.

Unless you’re trying to be super shady and give fake advice for loads of cash, of course. In which case, cut it out, no one likes mean people.

Now go sling some cards!