CUPS
ACE OF CUPS
Divinatory Meaning:
House of the true heart, joy, content, nourishment, abundance, fertility, and felicity
Upright:
The Ace of Cups in this position advises you to challenge yourself and discover what is good about every relationship. Practice looking at the world through the eyes of the Divine. Allow your imagination to perceive the spiritual or evolutionary potential in every person and experience.
It's time to learn unconditional acceptance. You will attract more and more loving people into your life as this practice becomes second nature to you.
Reverse:
The Ace of Cups reversed warns of a loss of self-esteem, optimism, and faith inthe universe. Stop to examine what it is that is causing you to feel down. It might be what you're choosing to expose yourself to.
It could be that you are putting too much attention on the outer circumstances and not enough on the nurturing energy that is available to you. Retreat and become harmonious within yourself, until you feel love and trust returning. Reclaim your faith in the universe and make no moves or decisions until you have cleansed yourself of all the pessimism and negativity that has been haunting you.
TWO OF CUPS
Divinatory Meaning:
Love, passion, friendship, affinity, union, concord, and sympathy
Upright:
The Two of Cups in this position advises you to speak your heart. It may be likely that the person you are trying to connect with feels the same.
This card advises that you pledge yourself to this friendship and put your heart on the line. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Life is a relationship game. It's a great privilege to share with others who are so complementary and compatible.
Reverse:
The Two of Cups reversed indicates that you may be investing too much in a relationship. Sometimes this is a signal that you must stop seeking so much validation from others.
It may be that your attentiveness to those around you has overtaxed your psyche, and you have started neglecting yourself as a result. Stop conforming to the demands or narrow criteria of your partner or partners. When you undermine yourself in this way, you undermine your relationships too. You may think you are working extra hard to take care of others, but you are actually abandoning yourself. Eventually, that will lead to alienation and resentment.
THREE OF CUPS
Divinatory Meaning:
Success, abundance. Good luck, fortune, victory, hospitality, and pleasure.
Upright:
The Three of Cups in this position advises that you tune in with your family and fully inform them about what's going on with you. Let them add substance to your ideas with their talent and imagination. Think of this occasion as a celebration, where their support helps you find success in your work. There may be something here for everyone to contribute. Put yourself in the loving hands of your family and friends and your trust will be well rewarded. The synergy could enhance each individual's talent and creativity. You will love the results!
Reverse:
The Three of Cups reversed indicates that you may be denying the best efforts of those who love you the most. You need to ask yourself what is so important that you would place it above the bonds of love and mutual support.
Try to find a way to let in some of the love and care that comes to you. Don't turn away the possibility of harmony and enjoyable contact.
FOUR OF CUPS
Divinatory Meaning:
Dreams, imagination, sentiment, and contemplation
Upright:
The Four of Cups in this position advises that you relax your mind and be open to the dreams and imagination of your inner child. Allow yourself to imagine a truly positive outcome for this situation. Perform an exercise in creative visualization by relaxing your guard and letting go of your fears.
As the dreamscape unfolds, your electro-magnetic chemistry is stimulated to achieve greater confidence in yourself and in what you are doing. Even if it's only a temporary break from your fears, this is a helpful exercise because it gives your psyche and body a dose of unlimited thinking and optimism. Think positively -- the results could truly be amazing.
Reverse:
The Four of Cups reversed reminds you to be playful, joyful, and curious. Perhaps a lack of purpose is having a deadening effect. It's almost as if it is saying that you have forgotten how to dream. As a result, your mind and imagination can become dry. In such a case, there is no golden glow, there is no higher purpose or magic spark.
This is a state of mind that no one should tolerate for long. Find something that revitalizes your endorphins. Perhaps art, exercise, or meditation. Take that first step and you can start to relieve yourself of the deadening flatness.
FIVE OF CUPS
Divinatory Meaning:
disappointment, delusions of love, divorce, and lost friendships
Upright:
The Five of Cups in this position advises you to tighten your belt, make do with less and show more appreciation for the things you do have. If something is truly yours, it cannot be lost. When you are experiencing feelings of loss, it may be because of an inappropriate emotional attachment. If you promise things that you cannot deliver, then you might be setting yourself up for disappointment to follow. In overestimating our abilities, we are forced to face our limits. Do not cling to your setbacks though. Try to focus on your potential.
Reverse:
The Five of Cups reversed represents a paradoxical situation wherein what seems like the worst thing that could happen actually creates a better circumstance.
Any fear once expressed and faced, can be transformed into a manageable issue. Then you are liberated from the dread of negative anticipation, wondering if the situation will blow up in your face. You are freer to act authentically as a result of this energy turn.
SIX OF CUPS
Divinatory Meaning:
Happiness, nostalgia, memories, new friendships, romantic gifts, knowledge, and new opportunities.
Upright:
When the Six of Cups is in this position, take a look at what is repetitive or cyclical in your life; what links the present situation to the last such experience. A new beginning requires new energy and concentration. Until you analyze the past, you will continue to drift with its current.
Distill everything that is worthwhile from your memories and get as much value from it as you can. Then use this as motivation for change. Make the very best use of hindsight, employing new strategies and trying new angles on these recurring issues.
Reverse:
With the Six of Cups reversed, you can finally close accounts with the emotional undertow that has been part of your life. You can now revisit those wounded places calmly, without the fear that you will be drawn back in.
There is no lingering emotional residue or entrenched nostalgia remaining. You have finally digested those past experiences. They can now be put to rest.
SEVEN OF CUPS
Divinatory Meaning:
Weariness, disgust, aversion, dissatisfaction, reevaluation, and kindness from others.
Upright:
The Seven of Cups in this position wants you to take a clear look at how stalled or distracted you have become. You may have been bogged down by negativity, hopelessness, or a sense of limitation. It is not to your advantage, however, to see the world through such a narrow lens. Cut through some of the forces that undermine you, causing you to feel incapable. Sometimes you have to define what you are "for" by defining what you are "against." this discovery may constitute liberation from the circumstances that may have brought you here.
Reverse:
The Seven of Cups reversed indicates that you may not be moving forward due to some reluctance you are feeling. Some part of you is resisting the flow of events, but you are not admitting your own part in this.
It may be manifesting as a sort of foot-dragging or unmotivated, passive-aggressive stalling. Recognize this mood as a symptom of a deeper dissatisfaction and come clean to yourself about your real feelings. There is something to be learned.
EIGHT OF CUPS
Divinatory Meaning:
Wandering, misery, romantic disappointment, and desiring something higher
Upright:
With the Eight of Cups in this position, look inside and recognize the part of you that still nurses an old grudge from a past injury or trauma. For the most part, your forward-looking self has gotten up and moved along. You are getting on with your life. There may still be a part of you, however, that holds out and resists the healing.
See if you are still being influenced by the part of yourself that hurts. Do not deny this pessimistic tendency. Failing to recognize the truth only causes repression that flares up in another part of our psyche. Instead, seek to understand and accept the hesitation and the fear you may feel, and come to terms with them. Then you can put some old emotions in their rightful place--out of the way.
Reverse:
The Eight of Cups reversed suggests that you may have experienced a terrible event, yet you have somehow not allowed it to ruin your life. You don't indulge in the kind of emotional agony this card generally represents, which may be a sign that you are more resilient than others; you bounce back from setbacks.
Under the circumstances, you are doing fine. You are learning to transform disappointments into a will to change. Your resilience converts adversity into positive accomplishment.
NINE OF CUPS
Divinatory Meaning:
Contentment, victory, success, advantage, and satisfaction
Upright:
The Nine of Cups in this position advises that you open yourself to circumstances around you. There may be no need to manage a situation that does not require a lot of control or leadership. The tone of the moment is heartfelt and bonded. It is nurturing. Open up and choose to be receptive. listen to your heart, and rely on your intuition. This is your truest source of information right now.
Allow yourself to be attracted to what feels supportive. Avoid what feels harsh, critical, and judgmental. If this requires that you change your style, so be it. The results of being intuitive are generally far superior to the results of being emotionally guarded and overly rational.
Reverse:
The Nine of Cups reversed suggests that you are getting what you thought you wanted, but it's not what you really want at all. The defect may not be in the thing itself, but in the surprise of discovering that your "dream come true" doesn't make you feel as good as you thought it would.
This is an essential lesson in life. When you set a goal, specify how you want it to feel in your life, not just what you want to be, do, or have. You will get much more fulfillment from your manifestations if you go about it in this way.
10 OF CUPS
Divinatory Meaning:
Contentment, love, and friendship
Upright:
With the Ten of Cups in this position, prioritize teamwork over your personal goals. Everyone needs to feel they made a contribution. The crew needs to feel they are all in this together, and everyone needs to be rewarded when the ship comes in.
It's essential to follow a teamwork approach in order to maximize the benefits for yourself. The goodwill that will emerge from such an approach will last long after the project is over. You will be generously rewarded later if you take a selfless approach at this time.
Reverse:
The Ten of Cups reversed suggests that a group's collective good will is damaged and its safety net is fraying. Personal judgments and rejection abound. Things are being said and done that will be regretted later.
Someone has to make the first move in a more positive direction, leaving judgment and criticism behind. Mediation is needed to re-establish some mutual trust and support. Be an example for others to follow -- or the team endeavor will dissolve.
PAGE OF CUPS
Divinatory Meaning:
Melancholy, passion, imagination, generosity, and youth
Upright:
The Page of Cups in this position advises you to study the best ways to be of service. Strive to discern what would give more pleasure, comfort, and emotional security. Then, provide it. Understand that what is happening has little or nothing to do with you personally. The best you can do is to offer support and listen closely.
Make sure you understand what is needed and serve the situation with loyalty. Look at individuals around you as the embodiment of the Divine, and try to fulfill each one's needs. Be unconcerned with the outcome. Later you will understand why you needed to be in this position.
Reverse:
When the Page of Cups card is reversed it suggests that those around you, have been tolerant of your self-indulgent feelings. In reality, they don't owe you this service.
If you impinge upon their good nature too much, you may be unpleasantly surprised by the results. Be sure you start making their desires and well-being a higher priority.
KNIGHT OF WANDS
Divinatory Meaning:
dreamer, messenger, proposition, advancement, and incitement.
Upright:
The Knight of Cups in this position advises that you jump into your new situation with both feet. Get involved with what is happening. Think more about the route you had to travel to get here. There is no need to be cavalier about what seems familiar.
Look deeply at the underlying values. You may find that they represent something you mistakenly rejected in the past. Be humble enough to look at things through new eyes. At a deep level, your heart and soul are being nourished. Don't be tempted to run away again -- this is where you belong. Your entire journey was designed to bring you here.
Reverse:
The Knight of Cups reversed continually looks for excuses or a way to blame problems on someone else. It is time to mature and take personal responsibility for the way things are in your life. If you don't, you will continue to add to conflict rather than exercising your natural helping and healing powers.
QUEEN OF CUPS
Divinatory Meaning:
beauty, success, happiness, pleasure, wisdom, divinity, and motherhood
Upright:
The Queen of Cups in this position encourages you to be generous, kind, and forgiving. Support the ability of others to get what they want. But remember, as a caretaker, you have a fine line to walk. You do not want your loved ones or teammates to become complacent or dependent as if they can take your support for granted with little or no consideration for your needs.
Cultivate an awareness of love that is freely given and received. In the process, help clarify the important difference between receiving energy and taking it. Do not allow your generosity to become abused as if it were a weakness.
Reverse:
The Queen of Cups reversed suggests that you stop all efforts to dull your pain or distract yourself from it. Looking the other way is not going to help you anymore. Neither is trying to rationalize or control the situation.
Be honest with yourself, and others who may be involved in what you are going through. If you continue to anesthetize the hurt, it won't be able to rise to the surface and be healed. Coping strategies that rely on distracting yourself from reality only serve to entrench the problem.
KING OF CUPS
Divinatory Meaning:
business, law, divinity
Upright:
The King of Cups in this position advises that you closely examine your conscience and bring your personal mission into alignment with what is best for everyone. You can then step into your community or situation with integrity and an ability to communicate with wisdom.
As this sweetens the environment, others will be inspired to raise their own motives and intentions to match yours. You will be providing an important kind of leadership that uses strong reassurance to help everyone work together. The most persuasive thing about you though is the example of generous behavior that you exhibit.
Reverse:
The King of Cups reversed is either bitterly holding onto a grudge or possibly some hatred. This card indicates that you are withholding forgiveness. This reversal creates an emotional vacuum around you and deprives you of serenity.
Your powers of empathy and compassion are wasted in favor of rehashing the past and feeling sorry for yourself. Dispel the storm clouds, admit that you are hurting, and begin to forgive. Let the sunshine of peace and benevolence back in.