Reading Tarot

One of the most common reasons people choose to consult the tarot is for guidance in their romantic relationships. Everyone wants to know whether destiny has a passionate romance in store for them, or whether that person they have a crush on thinks about them too. You would be surprised how many tarot readings I have been asked to perform that center around the question of love and relationships. But how accurate are the cards in predicting our romantic futures? In my experience, the usefulness of tarot cards is not in predicting exactly when a ‘tall mysterious stranger’ will appear to sweep us off our feet. Rather, we can use the cards to think deeply about what it is that we want and need in a potential relationship. Armed with this knowledge, any future romance has a better chance of being successful.

Read more about three cards that are essential to understanding our romantic predicaments and guiding ourselves toward happiness and fulfillment in love.

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The two of cups in tarot is a positive card that is connected to romance, love and relationships. Overall, the card portends a pairing between two individuals, along with all of the emotions, compromise and happiness that such connection can bring.

In the card, two figures stand face to face, each holding a cup. The female figure wears a crown of grape leaves, a symbol of virginity and virtue. The male figure wears a crown of red flowers, a symbol of lust. As with the Ace of Cups, the two chalices here symbolize inner emotions (all Cups cards are about emotions). Rising from the two cups is an image of a lion’s head, supported by two intertwined snakes, one standing for good and the other for evil. The lion’s face signifies strength, passion, and even lust, while its wings give it a sublime, almost angelic quality. This imagery depicts all of the positive — and negative — consequences of entering into a partnership with another person.

Like The Lovers card, the two of cups is primarily about human relationships. Its appearance in a spread can be a surprise, particularly when the question is not about love. Often, the two of cups can alert the reader to a potential romantic relationship or love interest, even when they did not know such an interest existed. It can also tell the querent about inner qualities that he or she may have, such as the ability to attract others, or a supportive role played towards another. In other contexts, the card can also signify the beginning of a fruitful friendship, business partnership or other kind of pairing between two individuals. When the card appears in the blocking position, for example in the celtic cross, it can suggest that romantic difficulties are at the heart of the problem for the querent.

In the reversed position:

In the upside-down position, the two of cups can signify hurt or disappointment arising from a failed relationship, or from the failure to open oneself up to new partnerships. It can symbolize misunderstandings, both temporary and longer term inability to see eye to eye. A querent who draws the two of cups may feel emotionally withdrawn, and may find it difficult to enter into a new romantic relationship, perhaps because of a previous betrayal.

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.

My name is Zora Divine, and this is my first blog. I started this site to share my love and knowledge of Tarot with other online seekers. I hope that this site will become a useful resource for those looking for information about reading tarot cards, the different tarot layouts (spreads) and the history of this rewarding practice.

I am going to begin my blogging journey by going through the meaning of each individual card in the deck. These will be organized in a list of meanings as I write each description. Hopefully within a few months I will be able to cover the significance of each of the 78 cards in detail.

My partner and I are also working on developing some advanced tarot software, which will allow users to do their own readings and learning from home in a fun and interactive way. Check back often to find out about the progress of this program. We hope to have it ready by June of 2009.
Thank you for visiting. I welcome any and all feedback in the comments section.

Peace and love,

Zora