Tarot Reversals Aren’t Scary: My 3-Step Cheat Sheet for Beginners
Tarot reversals get a bad reputation — but they don’t have to be scary, negative, or confusing. In fact, reading reversed cards can add more depth, nuance, and honesty to your readings. If you’ve ever flipped a card and felt unsure what it “means backward,” this post is for you.
Whether you’re just starting out or have avoided reversals for years, I’ll walk you through a simple, 3-step approach that makes reading reversed tarot cards feel natural — and even exciting.
🌀 Step 1: Stop Thinking "Good" vs "Bad"
One of the biggest misconceptions is that upright = good, reversed = bad. That’s simply not true. A reversed card might point to:
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Internalized energy
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Delays or blocks
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A lesson you’ve already learned
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A pattern ready to release
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A call for integration or healing
When you shift your mindset away from punishment and toward process, the reversed meanings start to make more sense — and feel more compassionate.
🪞 Step 2: Look for the Echo, Not the Opposite
Reversals don’t have to mean the exact opposite of the upright meaning. Instead, think of them as echoes, distortions, or shadows of the upright message. For example:
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The Star upright: hope, inspiration, renewal
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The Star reversed: a search for hope, difficulty trusting the light, or healing from disappointment
Using a tool like the Tarot Cheat Sheet gives you a quick reference for upright meanings. Pair that with the Reversals Cheat Sheet to explore common interpretations and prompts for each reversed card.
🔄 Step 3: Ask What Needs to Be Released or Reclaimed
Reversals often point to something ready to shift. When you see a reversed card, ask:
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What am I resisting or avoiding?
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What energy here wants to be acknowledged?
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What truth is upside-down or hidden?
Sometimes a reversed card is a mirror — showing you what you’ve buried. Other times it’s a teacher, inviting you to take your power back. Let your intuition, not fear, lead the way.
💡 Bonus Tip: You Don’t Have to Use Reversals
If you’re not ready for reversals yet, that’s okay. Some readers simply flip the card upright and read its energy in context. Others shuffle reversals in with intention. The key is to find the method that keeps you connected to your inner voice. Actually I don't read reversals.
When you are ready, start with a single reversed card in a 3-card pull — or practice with your cheat sheets by pulling one card a day and reading both upright and reversed interpretations to build your fluency.
🌟 Ready to Explore Reversals Without Fear?
Grab both cheat sheets and build confidence in your tarot readings:
If you’d like personalized help decoding a reversed card in your reading, you can always book a reading with me. I offer honest guidance — no fear tactics, just clarity.
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Also in News
How a Tarot Reading Can Help You Make Decisions
Can Tarot Really Help Me Make a Decision?
Yes — but not by telling you what to do.
A tarot reading won’t say “Take the job” or “Leave the relationship.” Instead, it shows you:
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What’s influencing you
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What fears or desires are present
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What energy surrounds each option
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What you’re not seeing clearly
The goal isn’t control — it’s clarity.
Why Is It So Hard to Decide?
Because decisions are rarely just logical.
They’re emotional. Energetic. Tied to identity and fear. Sometimes you're not choosing between Option A and B — you're choosing between comfort and growth, fear and freedom.
Tarot helps you name the real decision behind the surface one.
What Kinds of Questions Can I Ask?
Instead of asking:
Should I do this or not?
Try:
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What is the energy surrounding this opportunity?
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What lesson is present in this decision?
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What will I learn if I choose this path?
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What am I avoiding in making this choice?
These open questions give the cards space to speak honestly.
What Will the Cards Show?
The cards reflect what’s already happening inside you — your resistance, your longing, your truth. A good reading won’t push you. It will help you recognize the path you already feel but haven’t fully claimed.
Sometimes, you’ll hear what you already knew. That’s confirmation. And that’s powerful.
Want Help Seeing Clearly?
✨ I offer intuitive, honest tarot readings designed to help you cut through confusion, reconnect to your intuition, and make decisions with confidence.
📘 Want to start decoding the cards yourself?
Explore the Tarot Cheat Sheet and Reversals Guide
📺 Watch sample readings and decision spreads here:
👉 Ripecolor Tarot Channel
📌 Share or revisit this blog:
👉 Ripecolor on Pinterest
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Jeffrey Goldstein
Author