The Suit of Cups
The Suit of Cups
The Suit of Cups is the second of the four suits of the Minor Arcana containing 14 cards proceeding from the Ace (1) through Ten (10), Page, Knight, Queen and King. Cups are also known as hearts, chalices, goblets, grails, cauldrons or vessels.
Cups are all about your emotions, your intuition and your relationships. This suit is associated with the element of Water which is the second lightest element, after Fire, because water always flows downward. Water can be forceful or gentle, like emotion, and flows through the world shaping all it touches as the water of life.
The Cups concern connection to your own heart and to others. The Suit of Cups concerns your emotions, your love life, your sexuality and your response to the world. Cups are associated with drinking vessels, pitchers, fountains and all bodies of water. This suit comes up frequently in readings concerning strong emotions whether conscious or subconscious.
| Property | Correspondences |
| Attributes | Receptive, Passive, Feminine, Wet, Cold |
| Element | Water |
| Direction | West |
| Season | Summer |
| Self | Emotion, Feelings, Intuition, Relationships |
| Astrological Sign | Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces |
| Jungian Function | Feeling |
Ace of Cups
The Ace of Cups depicts the hand of God holding a communion chalice with fountains flowing from it and a dove flying overhead. The streams represent a baptism fountain and the five senses. The dove represents the Holy Spirit and traditionally it has a communion wafer in its beak. The lotus blossom represents enlightenment. This card indicates emotional and spiritual fulfillment, joy, happiness and one’s cup overflowing with emotional energy. This card invites you to listen to your heart.
The Two of Cups
The Two of Cups show two women holding one another each holding a chalice. One woman has a winged lion necklace (symbol of passion) while the other is wearing a caduceus pendant (symbol of exchange). These two could seen as kindred spirits, lovers, platonic friends or business partners who share a deep connection. This card indicates a flow of energy that is mutually empowering and beneficial. This union shares all the trimmings of strong mutual respect, balance, equality and compatibility.
The Three of Cups
The Three of Cups depicts the three goddesses known as the Three Graces which are also known as the Three Charities. Their names are Euphrosyne, Aglaea and Thalia. Europhrosyne is in red and represents delight. Aglaea is in white and represents bright splendor. Thalia in the golden orange and white represents blossoming. Three women dancing in a circle celebrating in a richly fruitful vineyard representing celebrating and pumpkin patch represents pregnancy. This card symbolizes charisma, friendship, community and can represent celebrations, parties, graduations, baby showers and any social occasion whose purpose is joy. It’s a card focused on the social bonds of community and agape.
The Four of Cups
The Four of Cups depicts a hooded figure sitting on a stump lost in one’s own thoughts as a hand of God offers a forth cup in addition to the three others in front of the protagonist. The blue robe represents the internalized blue mood. This card depicts being self-absorbed, disillusioned, apathetic and depressed (represented by the viper). This card shows how you can get in your own way by being in your head too much to the point that you discount opportunities available to you. This card can also represent fantasies, daydreams and nostalgia.
The Five of Cups
The Five of Cups shows a defeated figure sitting on a rock focused on three spilt cups although two full chalices sit untouched behind him. An empty temple stands behind the protagonist symbolizing his rejection of the comfort in faith. The young man’s dark blue clothing represents his turbulent emotional state. This card shows a protagonist feeling remorse, regret, despair, loss and sadness. This can symbolize being obsessed with mistakes you made, losses you suffered and unwanted changes that have happened to the point of ignoring the blessings that remain. This card can also represent grief, bereavement, isolation, sadness, separation, divorce or abandonment.
The Six of Cups
The Six of Cups depicts two young Peruvian children with their baby alpacas having a picnic with an idyllic farmstead behind them. A white flower representing purity rests in their chalice with more flowers in the picnic basket. This card represents nostalgia, happiness, joy, familiarity and reconnection to the past. It can refer to a journey home either in their memories or in actuality. This is a card of warmth after the disappointment of the Five of Cups. This card symbolizes healing from the past but also reminds us we cannot live in the past.
The Seven of Cups
The Seven of Cups depicts seven golden chalices each over-flowing with opportunities, imagination, thoughts, wishes and choices. The woman raises her arms considering her choices. There is a chalice with a serpent and one with a dragon, generally curses. There is one with jewels and a castle, generally material gain. There is one with a lover’s face offering companionship, and one with a shrouded person offering enlightenment. Finally there is a laurel with a cup marked with a skull. The clouds represent dreams, imagination and aspirations. This card advises you to separate wishes from goals and to avoid the seduction of things which are too good to be true.
The Eight of Cups
The Eight of Cups depicts a cloaked figure dressed in the desaturated colors of twilight abandoning 8 golden chalices. The protagonist is climbing up a mountain under the light of the moon. The river behind the figure represents the figure’s emotions and the mountains represent the awareness that this process will take hard work. The moon in the sky represents the illumination of the path. This card represents abandoning something that was once precious to you in search of a better situation. Representing disillusionment, abandonment, separation, divorce and walking away from everything in search of growth, self-improvement and new opportunities.
The Nine of Cups
The Nine of Cups shows a happy couple smiling at one another attending a bountiful feast inviting all to indulge in the sweetest moments of life. The card represents all your wishes coming true abundantly. This card depicts having all you need financially, romantically and spiritually. The protagonists are contented, dressed elegantly in deep blue which symbolizes emotion, loyalty and fidelity. They are surrounded by the physical expression of success having fulfilled all their wildest dreams and this card invites you to taste the good life.
The Ten of Cups
The Ten of Cups represents a happy, well-dressed family in front of a beautiful Russian church. This card symbolizes love, health, wealth, happiness, harmony and positivity. It represents strong family bonds, togetherness, fortune and all good things. It is set on a beautiful bright day (traditionally the rainbow is overhead but I used the rainbow arches on the church instead). The dress shows the family lives abundantly, securely and very joyfully.
The Page of Cups
The Page of Cups shows a young lady holding a chalice with a curious turquoise fish looking up at her as if trying to communicate. She is at the seashore with a large wave rolling behind her. The Page of Cups is dressed in cornflower blue with sea pearls around her neck and in her long flowing pink hair. Like all Pages, this is a card is a messenger. This card represents creativity, intuition and inspiration. It invites the querent to embrace the unexpected. It whispers that you should chase your dreams with determination and persistence.
The Knight of Cups
The Knight of Cups rides a white horse while holding a golden chalice. The Knight is dressed in silks embroidered with fish and leopard furs {historically associated with Polish hussar}. The scene is barren save for the flowing river the white horse has stepped in. The river represents life force, intuition, subconscious and understanding one’s emotions. This card symbolizes a loving, romantic individual who is open to big ideas, deep callings and fanciful dreams. It is a card of romance, altruism, compassion, beauty and imagination.
The Queen of Cups
The Queen of Cups, or Grail Queen, sits in an intricate carved throne adorned with golden undines, seashells and fish. Her bare feet rest on multicolored pebbles just outside the reach of the surf. Her deep blue ropes represent Water and relationships. A covered blue glass chalice floats beside her (traditionally adorned with wings). Her crown has nine circles representing the nine months of human gestation. She is virtuous, loyal, psychic, loving, sensitive and nurturing. This woman represents kindness, caring, affection, empathy, warmth and imagination. The chalice is covered to symbolize that she has control over her deepest emotions. She combines her power to look inward and focus her intentions to connect to others. Her feet are bare to ground her to the earth and the sea. This card represents the feminine mystery.