What is The Meaning of The Suit of Cups?
There are four Tarot suits in a deck of Tarot cards, of which one is the Suit of Cups. The suits form the Minor Arcana, also known as the pip cards in Tarot. Associated with the classical element Water, Cups deal with emotions, love, intuition, compassion and psychic abilities.
Cups represent the deepest part of our soul, the pit in our stomach where we feel highs and lows. Cups express the full range of human emotions from love to hate, positivity to negativity, and all that lies in between. They represent our ability to communicate on an emotional level, and prompt us sometimes to ignore language and reason, and trust in our instincts instead.
Cups cards show us what we feel and why we feel it. The energy of the Cups Suit in divination is feminine, reflective and adaptive.
Cups can be depicted as hearts, chalices, goblets, water and vessels in other Tarot decks. It corresponds to Hearts, in traditional playing cards. Like the other tarot suits, the Cups Suit contains 14 cards: Ace (1), 2 through to 10, Page, Knight, Queen and King.
What Does It Mean When Your Tarot Reading Is Mostly Cups Cards?
When Cup cards dominate your Tarot reading, it means emotions are high. At this time, it is less about what is happening in the world around you, but more about how you feel inside. However, feelings do not necessarily reflect the truth. In other words, the cards may be pointing out that how you feel, is not necessarily how things really are. The individual Cup cards that turn up in your reading will indicate whether your feelings are founded in reality or not. They will also indicate if your interactions with other people are pleasurable or painful.
At the same time, if there are lots of upright Cup cards in your reading, it can mean that whatever the situation, how you feel about it, will affect the outcome. In the right mood, you can conquer the world. In the wrong mood, you can swing from nothing much happening, to self-sabotage.
When there are NO Cups cards in your reading, it can sometimes indicate boredom, not feeling inspired, or the need to connect with other people. If you asked about a love relationship, for example, and no Cup card turns up, it’s not a good sign.
That said, if your focus is on career or other practical matters, the absence of Cup cards can simply mean your attentions are focused elsewhere for good reason.
Suit of Cup Cards and Intuition
Cups always encourage you to listen to your instincts and follow your feelings. They ask us to relate to other people with empathy rather than solely on logic.
Astrology Signs and Element
All cards within the Suit of Cups are associated with the element Water. In astrology, they correspond to the Water star signs Cancer, Pisces and Scorpio.
In Kabala, the Cups Tarot Suit corresponds to Briah (the Creative World). This is the world of change, where you shape yourself to the waves of time, flowing with along the lines of least resistance. It is sometimes called the Akashic fluid.
List of Suit of Cups Tarot Cards
Here is a list of all cards in the Cups Tarot Suit:
Ace of Cups
The beginning of new love or passion.
Ace of Cups Symbols: Chalice, 5 streams of water, yods, dove, hand and cloud.
Two of Cups
Taking a relationship to the next level.
Two of Cups Symbols: Chalice, Caduceus of Hermes, snakes, wings, Yin and Yang.
Three of Cups
There is cause for celebration now, or soon will be.
Three of Cups Symbols: Dancing maidens, flowers, grapes, apples and blue sky.
Four of Cups
You feel bored and are looking for something to excite you.
Four of Cups Symbols: Hand of God, tree, mountains and blue sky.
Five of Cups
Feeling disappointed or sad about a particular situation.
Five of Cups Symbols: Spilled wine, river, bridge, castle, cloak, gray sky symbolism.
Six of Cups
Blast from the past! An issue, person or opportunity from the past re-emerges.
Six of Cups Symbols: Children, white flower, village, inscription X on pillar.
Seven of Cups
Feeling confused and uncertain where to focus your attention.
Seven of Cups Symbols: Human face, laurel wreath, ghost, snake, castle, jewels, dragon and swirling clouds.
Eight of Cups
Walking away from a situation or way of living.
Eight of Cups Symbols: Mountains, moon eclipse, river and darkness symbolism.
Nine of Cups
You about to experience a run of good luck, life goes your way.
Nine of Cups Symbols: Man in red hat, cups on display, curtain, bench, yellow color.
Ten of Cups
You are about to receive your happy ever after scenario.
Ten of Cups Symbols: Family, rainbow, cottage, trees and river symbols.
Page of Cups
You receive news of a happy nature. This news may be unexpected.
Page of Cups Symbols: Cup, blue fish, ocean, lotus flowers, blue feather symbolism.
Knight of Cups
Your emotional life improves, there is movement now.
Knight of Cups Symbols: Armor, horse, wings, fish, river, mountain and trees.
Queen of Cups
Your intuition is good at this time and so you can trust your feelings.
Queen of Cups Symbols: Ornate chalice, crown, throne, angels, cherubs, cliffs, stones and sea
King of Cups
Rise up and server humanity, now is the time to live your purpose.
King of Cups Symbols: Throne in the sea, scepter, chalice, dolphin, fish, red ship and stormy sea
Related Articles Discover the meaning of Wands Suit, Pentacles Suit and the Swords Suit. Also check out my full list of Tarot Card Meanings, the 78 cards in the Tarot deck.
