Herein find described the possible meanings for the Inverted Triumph Cards of the Taro:
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0 – The Fool
Upright card indicates freedom, openness to new experience, “Devil-may-care” attitude, innocence, no-mind, potentiality in motion, release of ego, humor as the best medicine, a wink and a smile; inversion highlights a lack of attention to consequences, mindless wandering in circles, childish stubbornness; also lack of practical decision-making, unwillingness to self-reflect, acting like an idiot
I – The Magician
Upright card speaks to the process of conscious transformation, the will to change, malleability of perception & “reality,” personal choice, Focus & Activity, adaptation; inversion indicates deception, living in denial, stagnation, inability to concentrate, obsession with permanence, “The Charlatan,” prestidigitation
II – The High Priestess
Upright card indicates movement towards personal evolution, bringing what is hidden to light; the contemplative/meditative life, facing difficult understandings, meeting the unconscious; inversion may indicate choosing a non-functional path, not moving in a growthful manner, lack of attention to inner process, refusing to look in the mirror; also premature timing, unreadiness to hear the music, not ready for prime-time
III – The Empress
Upright card speaks to all things feminine, supportive and nurturing, the Earth Mother, also growth, connectivity in relationship, being held and cared for; inversion indicates a need for support and care, disconnection in relationship, a harsh reality needing to be faced, standing on one’s own feet, taking matters into one’s own hands
IIII – The Emperor
Upright card connotes the masculinity of power and organization, reason and logic, the uses of control, self-discipline, the protection of necessities, the Sky Father; inversion can imply focus upon the letter of the law rather than ITs spirit, the will to dominate, power for power’s sake, rigidity of structure, disownment; also giving up control and domination
V – The High Priest
Upright card indicates mentorship, lessons to be learned, teaching/education involved in the situation (begging assessment of who is doing the teaching, what their biases might be, and their motives for teaching), a guiding samaritan, roles & structures; inversion can indicate encountering a teacher that doesn’t seem like a teacher (difficult lessons to be learned); lessons to be learned in the negative (learning by not acting on current options), manipulation by self or other, no need to teach someone a lesson (“Preaching to the choir”); pretension to influence through appearances, spiritual materialism
VI – The Lovers
Upright card depicts the Human Drama in full swing, doubts/duties /desires, decisions to be made, guidance found in love, one’s own truths; inversion points to an undue emphasis on external circumstances guiding our choices, rather than internal truths; also unhelpful waffling, emotional walls and isolation, disloyalty
VII – The Chariot
Upright card indicates assured movement, success over a struggle, victory, guidance in the right direction, the Inner Journey, co-creation, maverick action; inversion describes stillness, megalomania, being on the wrong track, blindness of the ego, low self-esteem; also obsession with goals, “Stop and smell the roses,” lack of “checking in,” acting without proper authorization, Off the rails
VIII – Justice
Upright card alludes to objective observation and lucid decision-making, doing what’s right (and not easiest) in a situation, adapting and adjusting circumstances to achieve balance, an even keel, holding accountable, laying down the law; inversion indicates the presence of bias or prejudice which clouds the judgment, losing sight of what’s appropriate; also getting away scot-free, karma seeming to turn a blind eye (but IT always comes back around), imbalance in the Cosmic Scales, Travesty, Vendetta, Mistrial, Nemesis
VIIII – The Hermit
Upright card indicates solitary wisdom, the experience of a lifetime, finding the way through the darkness, taking time and space apart, introversion; inversion speaks to the energy of youth, stubborn ignorance of experience, morass of desires; also letting go of being the guru, coming back to society, returning to studenthood, extraversion, peer pressure, immaturity
X – The Wheel Of Fortune
Upright card indicates the mechanics of karma, passage of time, what goes around comes around, alternation, venturing a gamble; inversion indicates immobility awaiting the force that will set IT in motion, denial of present circumstances, imminent unpredictability, forcing change before ITs time; also taking a risk with too much at stake, Non-linear perception, “From the bottom, the only way to go is up,” Delaying the inevitable
XI – Force
Upright card displays confrontation with the Dark Side, facing one’s fears, breaking through duality, intimacy with the Alien Other, Courage and Warriorship, strength of compassion, the Art of Delicacy; inversion may indicate difficult inner conflict, giving ground, consumption by the darkness; also fears getting the better of one, unconditional surrender, brute excess
XII – The Hanged Man
Upright card indicates motionless observation, immobility, alternative perspective, need for sweeping change, the point of no return, response inability, staying the course (hang in there!); inversion may say, “Don’t just hang there – do something!”, taking a stand, too much attention to the head and not enough to the heart, empowerment through adaptation
XIII – The Nameless
Upright card indicates inevitable radical transition, the definitive end and the imminent beginning, necessary awareness of finality, last rites, surrender; inversion can indicate lack of awareness surrounding impermanence, stubborn ignorance of necessary change, call to experience fully in the present moment (“Live a little!”), a new lease on life, attention called to a new birth, letting the past be the past, haunting, legacy, rebirth, Mercy-killing
XIIII – Temperance
Upright card indicates balance and the search for harmony and acceptance, the art of compromise, flexibility, willingness, facilitation of functionality; inversion can indicate difficulties with charitable respect and relation, maintaining boundaries; also being “off-kilter” or out of balance, unwillingess to give (or to receive), inability to find the right mix, going to extremes, flaring passion
XV – The Devil
Upright card indicates conflict between one’s desires and surrounding social circumstances, repression or the state of being held down/back, basic primal instinct, fixation on ego-based experience, doing what feels good as opposed to what’s right, disguise, branding; inversion can indicate release from bondage/non-functional temptation, rehabilitating addiction, not enough attention to one’s gut feeling, overcoming dysfunction, conquering one’s demons, redemption, “Giving the devil his due,” Brutal Honesty
XVI – The Tower
Upright card warns of the illusions of security, the eventual downfall of arrogance, the emptiness of expectations, return to nature; inversion may indicate forseeing of consequences, not being taken in by appearances, sitting tight in a burning building; also a fortified stronghold, imprisonment, “Slow down! The building’s not on fire….”
XVII – The Star
Upright card represents hope, rejuvenation, promise, guidance through the darkness, the naked truth, abundance; inversion may indicate mendication, ignorance of signs & omens, veiled truth or half-truths, unanswered wishes
XVIII – The Moon
Upright card indicates an entrance to the Underworld of the subconscious, the inner life of fantasy and connection with archetypal energies, Nightwalking, therapeutic submergence; inversion can indicate disconnection with one’s own inner motivations and landscape, allowing darkness and mystery to overtake inner exploration; also need to separate from obsession with one’s fantasies, “Darkest before the dawn”
XVIIII – The Sun
Upright card bears omens of good tidings, growth, clarity, cooperation and progressive evolution; inversion can indicate obscuration of broad view or clear vision; temporarily cloud-covered positivity may go unappreciated for ITs unseen brilliance; also withering from lack, “Sol Niger” or the inexorability of the Black Hole
XX – Judgement
Upright card indicates imminent transition, revelation, situational climax, new beginnings, a hands-off approach, awareness of one’s place in the Big Picture, the Writing On The Wall; inversion can indicate an unheeded call, admonition to let things take their natural course; also waiting for a sign, letting the dead rest in peace (“When you’re dead, you stay dead”), head in the sand
XXI – The World
Upright card indicates totality, fullness, fulfillment, truth, perfect placement, coming full circle, the connectedness between things; inversion may describe more to come, more work to be done, not the end, the trap of considering the material world to be the only definitive reality, difficulty with the big picture, still not getting IT
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