A Reversed Card Isn’t Always Bad NewsThe energy is still there. It’s just finding a different way out.

When a reversed card appears, it’s easy to feel a little uneasy. Many beginners are taught to see upright cards as positive and reversed cards as negative, so that reaction is understandable.

There’s some truth to that way of reading, and it can be useful when you’re starting out. But it only scratches the surface of what a reversed card can tell you.

Take a look at The Moon reversed in The 22 Keys. You’ll notice something interesting: its yes/no indicator says no, but its keywords include truth revealed and release of fear.

The Moon upright often points to confusion, uncertainty, or not being able to see things clearly. While reversed, it can suggest that the fog is beginning to lift.

The imagery has been turned upside down, but the energy hasn’t disappeared. It’s still there; it’s simply expressing itself differently.

In my course, I teach three ways to understand this shift.

1. Blocked energy

The energy is there, but something is stopping it from moving forward.

Take the Ace of Wands reversed. Someone may know exactly what they want to do but still be unable to take that first step.

Instead of asking, “Are they just being lazy?”, ask, “What’s getting in their way?”

That question takes you beyond judging someone’s behaviour and towards understanding what might be happening underneath it.

2. Energy turned inward

Sometimes, energy that would normally be expressed outwardly gets directed inward instead.

Strength reversed doesn’t necessarily mean weakness. It could describe someone who seems easygoing on the outside but is constantly fighting an internal battle — swallowing their anger and hurt, trying desperately to keep themselves from losing control.

The strength is still there. It’s just being used against themselves rather than directed outwards.

3. Energy in excess

Sometimes, the energy becomes excessive and throws things out of balance.

Take the Four of Pentacles reversed. The desire to hold on to what you have can turn into hoarding. You hold on so tightly that you leave yourself no room to breathe.

What began as a need for security has become something that feels suffocating.

The same reversed card can tell very different stories depending on which of these three patterns you’re seeing.

So how do you know which one applies?

I look at two things: whether the question is about an external situation or an internal state, and the direction the energy seems to be taking in the surrounding cards.

The surrounding cards matter because a reversed card doesn’t exist in isolation. Its meaning becomes clearer when you look at how it relates to the rest of the spread.

I walk through this in detail in my course. Using the Five of Pentacles reversed, I demonstrate all three ways of reading the same card. Then I take a real relationship question — “Why do I always feel so insecure in relationships?” — and work through the cards one by one, showing you how I arrive at my interpretation.

You can watch the full lesson for free here:

The next time you draw a reversed card, don’t rush to a conclusion. Ask yourself: Where is this energy going right now?

This lesson is from Module 7 of my course, The Method, taught in Mandarin. Across 69 lessons, the course takes you through all 78 cards, teaches you how to read cards together and work with timing, and guides you through a complete real-life reading, step by step.