Reading Tarot

In the traditional 52-card deck, this card is the equivalent of the ace of hearts. Unsurprisingly, the meaning of the ace of cups in tarot revolves around emotional and spiritual reflection — in short, thinking with the heart rather than the head.

In the illustration, an outstreched hand emerges from a white cloud and grasps a single chalice. Spilling from the cup, five streams of water pour into a body of water covered in lily pads. Nearly all interpretations of this card feature some combination of clouds, dove, water, and five objects (such as blooming flowers). Clearly, the position of the cup in the clouds symbolizes the heavenly realm. The water that flows forth from the cup nourishes the lilies growing in the water below, which symbolize the earthly realm. The movement of the water from heaven to earth is suggestive of the process of spiritual enlightenment, or the development of strong emotions that can sometimes feel divinely inspired. Love, wonderment, joy and beauty are the keywords associated with the ace of cups.

Like the ace of wands, this card is often associated with upcoming change, although this change is usually motivated by emotional energy. In a spread, the ace of cups can symbolize a new beginning motivated by feelings and emotion rather than logic. An obvious significance for this card can be the beginning of a new love affair, but there is a broad array of situations in which the card can appear. Some of the emotions that this card can convey include fulfillment, happiness, spiritual contentment, and caring for others. The ace of cups portends all of those intangible things that money can’t buy, and that so easily elude us.

In the reverse position:

In the reversed position, the Ace of Cups can suggest either a lack of feeling, a contradictory (or false) emotion, or a disappointment resulting from . In a relationship, this could signify falling out of love with someone or being deceived. In the context of a career-related question, it could symbolize stagnation or a lack of passion.

Tags: ace of cups, astrology, meaning of tarot cards, tarot

This entry was posted on Sunday, July 27th, 2008 at 11:23 pm and is filed under Card Meanings, Love and Relationships. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.