3 / 6 · Upright and reversed
3 / 6
Upright and reversed
Reversals are optional and do not automatically mean something bad. For a beginner, knowing which approach you use matters more than memorizing twice as many keywords.
Start with the distinction
Upright and reversed describe how an image is placed. Traditions and readers handle reversals differently: some omit them, while others consider obstruction, inward experience or a change of degree. You can begin upright-only while building a steady observation practice.
If you use reversals, state your convention before drawing. Do not change methods because you dislike an answer, or treat every reversal as misfortune. A convention should make your reasoning possible to review.
Three steps to try
Decide before drawing
‘I will read upright-only this time’ is a clear choice. If the deck has a guidebook, check how its approach relates to the tradition you are using.
Observe the visual change first
What happens to figures, objects and directions when the image turns? This describes its placement; it does not establish that a real situation is obstructed.
Choose a perspective and state its basis
If you use ‘difficulty expressing something,’ describe how it relates to the situation while leaving other possibilities open. It is not a factual diagnosis.
Compare two approaches
A reversed card means this situation must turn out badly.
A consistent convention makes interpretations easier to compare. Orientation offers a perspective, not a substitute for real information.
Turn the cup image, change the perspective
Upright, you may associate the image with receiving feelings. With an agreed reversal convention, you could explore ‘Have I not yet found a way to express these feelings?’ Check what is actually missing: time, words or clarity about your needs. This is more useful than declaring that a relationship will fail.
Try it for yourself
Use the image rotation button. Note one visible change and your chosen interpretive convention. If unsure, choose upright-only and practise with the same question.
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Choose the convention before the result; orientation does not decide for you.
Return to the card library →Exercises and interpretations are for learning and reflection and do not constitute professional advice.