What does the Suit of Cups mean in Tarot?

Astrological signs: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
Planets: Moon, Pluto, Neptune
Temperament: Melancholic
Movement, demeanor: Free
Motto: “I feel!”. Reach a higher level of development
Suit Release: Water

Cups are the third oldest and most powerful suit in the deck of Tarot cards. The symbol of the suit is the Golden Cup, filled with nectar, richly decorated with gold and stones. A wide bowl on a thin leg, while standing steadily on the surface, gives the impression of wealth, success and stability. In fortune-telling, spreads and predictions, Cups symbolize the sphere of emotions, feelings and experiences of a person. Tarot cards of the Suit of Cups, being symbols of love and happiness, describe generally favorable situations, or at least speak of an improvement in unfortunate circumstances. By revealing the course of events, the Cups demonstrate aspects that will work for the querent’s benefit.

The Cups correspond to the Water element, soul, “inner world” and the unconscious. The world of Cups is a world of sensations, feelings, moods, desires, premonitions and intuition. This suit is inner perception and inner knowledge, meaning and significance, joy and grief, loss and fulfillment. Experiences and impressions leave an imprint on the soul. They shape your inner worldview. The opposites and differences of being are revealed and united. Knowledge ennobles a person internally. The soul is the source of intuition and inner voice, power and energy flowing gently.

… Soft moving water destroys even the stone over time …

The Suit of Cups is primarily associated with the emotional sphere of a person’s life. And this is not only love, but also any other strong emotions: excitement, joy, sadness, sincerity, disappointment, fear, which are reflected in the Suit of Cups.

The Suit of Cups is more strongly associated with experiences and feelings than with facts. When a lot of cards of the Suit of Cups appear in fortune-telling or a spread, this suggests that we are talking about the emotional side, as it is the most important and significant aspect at the moment in the life of the querent.

Tarot Cups personify love in all its manifestations, indicates the manifestation of sincere care and participation in the life of the questioner. This Suit means the best spiritual qualities that a person has. It indicates service to people, divine protection and favor.

Previously, the Cups represented the clergy. The cup symbol is used in many religions. In the Middle Ages, high roles at the church were held by representatives of the nobility, so the priests were not alien to all worldly feelings, from envy to self-interest. But the Cups are not high ranks, but parish priests who carried the word of God to the masses.

Cups represent compassionate people, charitable foundations, humanitarian aid groups, the Red Cross. They point to close people, relatives who take care of the questioner disinterestedly. The Cups are a selfless service to people for the good of peace and good on the planet.

They indicate a kind and generous person. You can always rely on him and hope in difficult times, but even such a person can be angry. His anger is righteous and protects those who cannot stand up for themselves. But at the same time, the Cups can indicate a person who, with his love, interferes with life, strangles and does not allow making independent decisions.

Cups symbolize the good in life: love, happiness, health, favorable circumstances. The Suit indicates a softening of evil hearts and a change for the better in a difficult situation, the appearance of a good person in fate.

The questioner is capable of great and strong feelings and manifestations in relation to others. He is royally majestic and kind to everyone around him. Other cards in the spread will show how much his kindness will help him or destroy him.

Cups personify the emotional part of life, indicate that the questioner devotes a lot of time to his feelings, emotions interfere with solving the situation. A person’s great desire to meet love and start a relationship, but at the same time he is very afraid and cannot decide on anything. Cups advise to let go of fears. The person will be happy when he realizes this.

The Suit of Cups, as a whole, carries a good meaning, predicts successful circumstances, strong alliances and true love. If there are negative cards in the spread, then they weaken their value. There is also a bad meaning of the Suit: love can turn out to be a delusion, and the offered help is a deception and a set-up, but at the same time the Cups weaken the meaning of negative situations.

The Cups in astrology coincide with the elements of water and Pisces, Cancers and Scorpions, they personify the emotional component of a person. Hypersensitivity, vulnerability. Cups reflect the whole spectrum of feelings and emotions, but the main one among them is love. Selfless service to people, great feelings, family nest, strong union.

Value in the spread

If the Cups prevail in the spread, then emotions guide you and influence the outcome of the situation. The Tarot Suit of Cups personifies the goodwill and favor of good people towards you.

The meaning and interpretation of numerical cards of the Suit of Cups in the Tarot

Ace of Cups
Two Cups
Three of Cups
Four of Cups
Five of Cups
Six of Cups
Seven of Cups
Eight of Cups
Nine of Cups
Ten of Cups

The meaning and interpretation of the cards of the court Suit of Cups in the Tarot

Page of Cups
Knight of Cups
Queen of Cups
King of Cups