The five of cups tarot card meaning is about where to put our attention and focus. If we choose to concentrate of the loss it will send us to negative paths of sadness and pessimism. But if we will focus on what we still have it will open our eyes to new positive opportunities. The five of cups tarot card suggest balancing the point of views and not completely ignoring the bad influences to a degree of being delusional.
Five of cups tarot card upright card keywords: focal point, center of attention, tolerance, forgiveness, bad choice, misunderstanding, sorrow, despair, loss, regret, grief and melancholy.
Five of cups tarot card reversed keywords: improvement, healing, denial, disapproval, small obstacle, minor issue, maturity, acceptance, good news, positive feelings, end of suffering and healing.
Table of Contents
- Five of cups tarot card meaning and symbolism guide
- Five of cups tarot card upright card keywords meaning
- Five of cups tarot card reversed keywords meaning
- Five of cups yes or no – tarot card meaning (upright & reversed)
- Five of cups tarot card meaning in love and relationship (upright & reversed)
- Five of cups tarot card: Career work and finances meaning (upright & reversed)
- Five of cups tarot card: Health meaning (upright & reversed)
- Five of cups tarot card as feelings (upright & reversed)
- Five of cups tarot card zodiac sign astrology meaning
- Five of cups tarot card number and numerology meaning
- Five of cups tarot card meaning: past, present and future
- Five of cups tarot card as a person
- Five of cups tarot card combinations guide
Five of cups tarot card meaning and symbolism guide
What is the meaning of the five of cups tarot card? The symbolism of all the elements in the five of cups tarot card guide us to interpret the feelings as depression after break up, divorce or any other awful event we have experienced. It has grief element so what we lost is vastly significant for us like a member of family, our home or a job. On the other side we have optimism because we didn’t lose everything.
The man: the main feature of the five of cups tarot card is a figure on the man. He is standing with his back towards us, while he is facing the distant nature. The clothing is long black cloak spreading from the neck to the shoes. Black color symbolism is about death, loss, ending, sadness and in general hugely negative omen. However like many other tarot cards in the deck, black is also a new beginning, a hope that someday will be fulfilled.
The man is looking down to the ground and specifically in the three cups that has fall and spilled the liquid. Therefore the symbolism is expressing a loss in his physical appearance but also with feelings.
Castle: far away after the river and the green grass we notice a grey castle. The heavy fortress is a symbol of protection, stability, home and family. Another interpretation if a castle is accomplishing our mission in life because it is something big. The triumph is emphasizes by the tower at the top of the structure which denotes high aspirations and the desire to be successful.
Trees: the trees appear close to the building because they symbolize being a seer, having visions, happiness and general good feelings. They are actually living and interacting with us, so they serve a spiritual meaning as well. Although they are tall and related to the connection with the divine up in heaven, the castle is much taller and hence a desired place to be in.
River: reaching to the castle is not easy because there is a long river between it and the man. The stream is fast and dangerous because we see the water flowing and floats rapidly. There is a realization, a moment of facing the truth of the situation: the man wants to be in the castle but he knows he can’t get there because of the river.
Bridge: on the right side of the five of cups tarot card we see a strong and grey bridge. The location is not chosen by mistake and the reason for the two arches is not by chance, it is related to the two standing cups. If the man will focus on the two cups, meaning be happy with what he still have, than he will see the bridge and will be able to cross the river in a simple way. From there he would conveniently walk to the fortress and make his dream come true.
Five cups: in this tarot card we see three cups spilled and two cups are still standing. There is a division between the two groups. Furthermore the man is looking at the gilded cups that fall and turning his back to the cups that are still on the ground. There are many symbolism for that event or situation:
Firstly, he lost more than he has right now, while this could be a bad thing, it is also positive because he still has something left. However he is focusing on what is gone so overall he is not optimistic.
Secondly it is an artistic way to remind us the meanings of the two of cups tarot card which is cooperation or even love between two people, and the three of cups which is celebration and community. Hence, in this card there is no happiness, no friends and no party. But there is still a connection to other people but it is not expressed at the moment.
The lesson we should learn from this tarot card is to do the opposite. We should turn our back to the loss, meaning forget about it and move on with our life, sometimes finding a guidance can be helpful. A second lesson is to be grateful for what we do have, to face the positive aspects in life that will push us further to our victories.
Colors: the grey elements in the card are sky, castle and bridge. These symbols are positive because grey color don’t symbolize only gloom mood but also balance. So we are not encouraged to forget completely the bad event, just to let go a little bit so it won’t sabotage other efforts. When we are positive in our soul and mind we can spot new opportunities.
Black color is also about higher power and strength so the man in the picture might be someone successful or important it underlines the fact that he had lots of assets or any other sort of possession before the misfortune incident.
Green hue is the bright future we expect to have or at least see in our vision. The road to the tower is full with grass and should be very pleasant although we have some obstacles in a form of dangerous canal.
Red in this card is not a sign of desire or passion, it symbolizes anger because the liquid that spilled on the ground is red. It is probably fine wine which supposed to make us happy, but unfortunately not at this scenario.
The yellow color is dark and therefore gives us the sense of melancholy and fear. It creates self doubts and prevents us from having a crystal clear vision, decide what we ought to do and take further action in order to raise again like the sun.
Five of cups tarot card upright card keywords meaning
Five of cups tarot card upright card keywords: focal point, center of attention, tolerance, forgiveness, bad choice, misunderstanding, sorrow, despair, loss, regret, grief and melancholy.
Focal point and center of attention upright card keywords: the five of cups dealing with a dilemma after a bad event has occurred. What are we going to do now, cry over the loss or be more motivated to move on? The main keyword is where to put our center of attention, the answer is on things that serves us well so we will not be stagnating and wasting our time and energy on doing nothing and suffering.
Tolerance and forgiveness upright card keywords: the five of cups teach us what forgiveness truly is. The point is that you don’t need to forgive the people who hurt you, but to forgive yourself. The meaning behind this lesson is to forget about the past, don’t scrutinize it too much as it will only hold you back in a negative circle of feelings. Be more tolerant to misfortunes because it happens in life whether we wished for it or not.
Bad choice and misunderstanding upright card keywords: you made bad choices in life and now you are sorry. It can also suggest a situation of misunderstanding or misinterpreting something to the point that you make a huge mistake. What have been done can’t be redeemed withal if you had good intentions somehow everything went wrong.
Sorrow and despair upright card keywords: the negative chapter in your life has put an emotional burden on the shoulders. This is why you feel sorrow and despair, the feel is still fresh and doesn’t go away. So it is propound to give yourself a break, be more occupied to it will distract your mind from the negative feelings. As time goes by the healing will be completed and you will feel much better.
Loss and regret upright card keywords: the five of cups tarot card meaning is mainly about losing something. However it is also dealing with the feeling of disappointment and more important how to recover from this state. The loss is a misfortune event which has a huge external influence on us. But after a while the impact is becoming less strong and here lies the chance to recover.
Grief and melancholy upright card keywords: the energy of the specific tarot card is very sad and depressing. However you need to listen to your heart and let those feelings come out. Don’t hold them inside of you and do nothing because it will lead to permanent melancholy. Feel them, talk to someone and have some way to process them, don’t completely ignore them since you can’t run away from yourself. Grieving by definition is being sad for a while understanding the feeling and than continue with life.
Five of cups tarot card reversed keywords meaning
Five of cups tarot card reversed keywords: improvement, healing, denial, disapproval, small obstacle, minor issue, maturity, acceptance, good news, positive feelings, end of suffering and healing.
Improvement and healing reversed keywords: the five of cups tarot card acknowledged the fact you have devastating events in the past. But there is signs supporting the idea that you are recovering from the best influences. The success depends on keep going forward and not minding too much about the problems in the road.
Denial and disapproval revered keyword: a different approach to the interpretation of the five of cups tarot card is being denial. It is the opposite of moving on, you might resist to change or to feel better. You want too much to be the victim who is always sorry for himself or herself. You are feeling comfortable in uncomfortable situation and the end doesn’t looks promising. So if you can’t get out of it alone, find someone who will help and guide you.
Small obstacle and minor issue reversed keywords: when the card is upside down or inverted (rx) the divination signs are much positive. Consequently the problem might not be a big or as frightening as we thought before. It is just a little and temporary inconvenient, soon it will be over and you are going back to the right track.
Maturity and acceptance reversed keywords: the feelings that are associated with the reversed position are positive and symbolize growth. Yes, you had some issues but you accepted what happened, you are more mature and able to deal with such occurrence much better.
Good news and positive feelings reversed keywords: the general energy of the reversed card is more pleasant than the upright. It is a sign of good news, opportunities, prosperity and basically choosing the suitable life path. This is also due to the changes and decision you made lately. For example now you have a different point of view on life and able to maneuver the laborious phases.
End of suffering and healing reversed keywords: you have more serenity, the troubles of the past looks very distant to the point where you actually have been able to forget them. If you were sad or grieved than now you are starting to go into another direction which is more practical. The process is still slow and the issue is not entirely over.
Five of cups yes or no – tarot card meaning (upright & reversed)
Is the five of cups yes or no tarot card? In the upright position the answer is “no” because the card meaning is loss and more crucial the inability to vision a different perspective. Basically you are fixated too much on the negative than the positive aspect.
However when the five of cups tarot card is reversed, than the energy is changed and you are willing to pay attention to what you still have and be positive. So in the reversed case the answer is “yes”.
The answer to the question “yes” or “no” can often be “maybe” because the card’s time frame is slow and depended on many other factors. Sometime you might feel stagnation but actually your are having the correct procedure although it seems so slow and somewhat stagnating.
Five of cups tarot card meaning in love and relationship (upright & reversed)
The five of cups tarot card in the upright position is often a bad omen to love and relationships, but keep in mind that it doesn’t have to be like this all the time.
In general it foretells break up, divorce and broken heart similar to the three of swords tarot card meaning. However it doesn’t definite and there is still hope to save the situation with your soulmate. If you have done everything to save this marriage or relationship and still can’t solve it than it is time to end it.
Overcoming the break up will be vastly tough because you will not be over it soon. It will take months for the healing of the heart from ex lover. Knowing this piece of information might ease the pain, since now you know what to expect. Don’t try to rush thing and jump on the next relationship just because you don’t want to be alone. Your twin flame will come but only after you will get over the emotional turmoil.
A further explanation is inner problems of your spouse. He or she is going through hell and it has affect on the relationship. You want to help them but it not easy and it takes time. On the other hand you might discovered that your soulmate is actually not as you thought personally wise.
Single man and women are not ready to go on dates because they still haven’t get over ex lovers from the past.
The reversed five of cups tarot card is more positive when it comes to the meaning. It denotes the idea of being deserved to feel loved and have healthy relationship with a special person. You know what your needs are and won’t compromise on less than being fully happy.
Now you have learnt the real value of compatibility, there is no rationale in being with someone who is manipulative or doesn’t treat you well. In general you should be happy and enjoying the connection although not every relationship is perfect.
Five of cups tarot card: Career work and finances meaning (upright & reversed)
The five of cups tarot card in the upright position might predict the preset and future of topics that related to career, occupation, work money and finances.
For those who are working and have steady jobs, the card reveals unsatisfactory. This feeling or sense is usually occur when we are in the wrong job or had enough of it to the point we are bored or suffering. The sign you are getting from the cosmos is telling you to search for a new occupation. Don’t make drastic changes, instead start small grow from there day by day. It is also advised not to leave what you already got for unknown proposal without checking first all the details.
If you are unemployed and looking for new job offers or opportunities, you have to be prepared for the option that it will take longer time than what you have expected. Things will go slow because this is how the cosmic energy is flowing into your direction. Don’t try to fight it and expedite the timing, it will happen in the near time frame.
For those who are lack of money, don’t worry too much about it as it will only create bad feelings and stress. In this position the energy is blocked and will prevent more money to come in your way. While you still looking for new environment to make money and cutting the expense to bare minimum, it means a lot to give money as well. By doing it you are breaking the hermetic energy.
The five of cups tarot card in reversed is about regaining control at work. No matter what was the case before, you can count on yourself to act right, when the time has come to make a decision or to do certain tasks. It’s true that other people might help you but they will not do it as efficient as you. So even if you consult a guide or any other professional, sooner or later you will rely on yourself only.
Regarding money and finances the reversed position is a premonition of positive balance in your bank account and might even signify a huge amount coming in your direction. This potentially happen because you know what kind of value to provide. Being sufficient and needed by people is high quality trait, so if you learn how to use the skill in order to earn more money than you will be blessed with money and prosperity in the near future.
Five of cups tarot card: Health meaning (upright & reversed)
The upright five of cups tarot card meaning is about keep the positive attitude in life. When we are depressed it might effect negatively on our health. The immune system of our body is getting weaker and we are more pron to catch illness.
In the reversed position the card has the same meaning as in the upright position because the same energy is still there. However it signifies a process of recovery and recuperation, you are starting to feel much better with reference to the health situation.
Five of cups tarot card as feelings (upright & reversed)
The five of cups tarot card as feelings is mostly about feeling bad because something didn’t went the way we imagine. So when we pull the card on the upright position we are very sad and in emotional pain. You have an empty space inside your heart and soul and you don’t know how to heal it. For example when you are missing someone who used to be your lover, twin flame or soulmate. Or when you made a mistake and want to undo it but you cant because it is belonged to the past.
When the 5 of cups tarot card is reversed the meaning is much more uplifting. It signifies that you chose the right path, you let go of the bad feelings and now the good once will take over.
Five of cups tarot card zodiac sign astrology meaning
The five of cups tarot card zodiac sign can be Cancer. This is the most well known star sign in the suits of cups because the water element that symbolized emotions and feelings. It denotes being very sensitive, creative and possessing psychic powers. They also like gratification and prefer to get it fast. However with the described situation of the five of cups imagery that joy will be delayed and most likely won’t come at all as it deals with despondency.
The energies are of a struggle and dissatisfaction, it goes against nature and the cosmic order. People who associated with Cancer astrological zodiac sign tend to break all rules when they are angry, their temper is very unstable when they are having this kind of mood and it usually makes things worse. It is very hard for them to calm down and see clearly without impulsive actions.
Some psychics and astrologers relate the five of cups tarot card with other signs like Aries, Leo and Scorpio. Aries because the aspect of family which suggests taking care of the close people in out lives. Leo because they like to be the center of the attention and have too much fun. In this case they are going after the wrong goals just to find sorrow at the finish line. Scorpio because of the mixing and blending good and bad feelings, a confusing scenario that we can not figure out logically, until we relax and let the crisis to pass away. In some ancient decks the card is also called five of hearts tarot, because the meaning for emotions.
Five of cups tarot card number and numerology meaning
Five of cups tarot card number is 5. In the suits of cups the numerology meaning is emotional imbalance. On the one hand there is loss and regrets which are bad influences on the mood. But on the other hand there is still hope because the stagnation is not fatal, the destiny is yet to be doomed, you can still save yourself from misfortune.
There is also unnecessary magnification of the tragedy, you are amplifying the bad final outcome too much and making a huge scene out of it. The concept of non duality teach us that when negative vibrations are involved in our lives, there are positive energies near by and we have to find them in order to gain some balance.
Number five is also about challenges being curious and taking risks as well. So although the general energy of the five of cup tarot card is gloomy, good things will happen as well as long as you are still on a journey. It denotes exploring new direction and being creative in a manner that most of the people will be too terrified to do.
Five of cups tarot card meaning: past, present and future
Past position: your mind is still occupied with past events. You have bad things and find it hard to let go. This occurred recently or few years back and the memories are still fresh and hurting. Continuing in this path will only lead you to misfortunes in the future as well. Realize that the past is dead and will not resurrect unless you will want it to come back to life.
It is time to wake up and change how you view life and especially how to make it more positive. Through the challenges we gain experience and knowledge so it does matter whether we succeed or fail. Because as long as we are in the game, we can always find new solutions to the problems.
Present position: the five of cups tarot card is a sign which predicts contemporary unfortunate at the present moment as well. The conditions are aggravated due to the fact that you are thinking only about the negative implications. It creates fear, doubts and negative feelings. In any occasion there are good aspects even if we fail to see them right away, try to focus on them and not just about unlucky outcomes.
What you can do right now is being more fluid and not so gloomy and heavy, because good days will come eventually, the obstacles at the present time will not last forever, this is only temporary.
Future position: the future will be wonderful only if you will decide to make things differently. Repeating the same patterns over and over again will lock you in the same loop like endless prison. In order to break the cycle, you must be creative and think out of the box. The future will be devastating and you are going to rue if you will not have the courage at the present time frame to take a different action.
Five of cups tarot card as a person
The five of cups tarot card as a person might seems weak, someone who is not dealing very well in negative situations and having emotional break down on every little thing. However, if we take a closer look at this personality, we truly see that they can be strong as well. If we fail many times and never give up, always landing back on two feet, no matter what curse life has in store for us, it build a strong character.
However in most instants it’s about being pessimistic, gloom and losing fate or hope. It is like they are giving away too soon or don’t realize that life can be experienced on a different level. For sure it is not a comfortable place to be in, but if we understand it correctly we can grow in many ways including the spiritual journey.
People who has the five of cups energy are extra discrete, they don’t share too much information and it doesn’t matter if its colleagues, friends, lovers or family. In this manner they are all strangers to them. However when they are in pain they will share it and let everyone know about it.
As a person they jump to final conclusions very fast even if they are wrong. They don’t tend to realize that things are not as they seems to be. They expect the worst scenario of all so in the end it might manifest even if they didn’t wanted to have these results. The negative energy and bad karma around followed them because of this approach.
Understanding the personality characteristic of the five of cups tarot card, will shed a light on a tarot reading when we are asking questions like: how someone sees you? what someone thinks of you? what someone wants? how someone feels about you? does he miss me?
Five of cups tarot card combinations guide
The moon and the five of cups tarot card combinations denote focusing on the topics that will not result substantial benefits. You are wasting time on illusion and it will not happen.
The star symbolizes the goal you have in mind or heart. It is an amplification of the long distance castle at the background image of the five of cups.
The tower explained in this combination as bad feeling happened recently and caused by a bad surprise. It usually something you didn’t expected but you still have the responsibility for what happen because you went on the wrong path in the distance past.
The sun advice is about being optimistic in moments of sadness. The sun encourages you to be more cheerful because it means you are going to step into new direction very soon. The wall is behind you and a fresh start is right over the corner. Sometimes the physical appearance of a baby in the card might predict pregnancy.
The wheel of fortune is correlated with the five of cups tarot card message. In life they are many ups and downs and it affects on our feelings or mood. Sometimes it can dictate if we will be happy or sad, but being resilient to these changes can create strong character and perform well in any situation.
Justice is about balance and harmony, it is the fair and neutral energy of life. However now you are not in balance because you feel sorrow and grief over the things or people you have lost. The combination hints you should get back on track.
The hierophant is card number 5 at the major Arcana of the Rider Waite deck, hence the message of this combination is really crucial. It suggests that you are seeking reconciliation with a person or even a self closure. However you struggle to do it by yourself and you need a guide or oracle – someone who can truly be trusted.
The hermit is about taking some time off to process the sad feelings represented by the five of cups tarot card. The meaning is that you need to re-evaluate the next steps.
The high priestess denotes hidden emotions. It results not being truth to what you believe in and pretending that everything is fine when it is not.
The empress is a good omen when you feel sorrow, it gives us hope but it also indicates that there is a lot of work to put into it. Sometime it symbolizes infertility or the inability to think straight and clearly.
The emperor is the person who will teach you how to win. He will show you the right road to success. Therefore you need to find a mentor or a guide who understands the issues you are handling right now.
Temperance meaning is about balance and testing numerous options. However the outcomes weren’t satisfying and now you need to recalculate the moves.
The world is usually being happy because the circle is closed or mission complete. However the five of cups tarot card change the meaning to being disappointment.
Death is the bad end, it belongs to the past and you don’t have anything else you can do about it. So the situation is that you are unhappy but it doesn’t take you to a better place. Lift the head up, look at the sky and move forward.
The devil clarified by five of cups on Thoth, de Marseille and Rider Waite decks means that you know the situation is bad for you and don’t feel good about it. However you are not doing enough to save yourself and you might enjoy the self pity.
Four of cups is about being rejected so it mess up the interaction between you and another person in relationship, family, work or any other place. Another prediction is that you are going to regret for declining an offer.
Six of cups suppose to be a wonderful memory of the past. Yet when it is clarified by the five of cups it reveals terrible events like trauma.
Seven of cups represent the problem of making the right decision. The secret is that there is no such a thing. Good and bad is just a point of view, so prepare for good outcomes and you more like to get good news. Be depressed and you will soon discover that the whole world is against you.
Page of cups is the symbol of honesty and truth. A pure intention that has a wonderful message but you fail to see it.
Queen of cups meaning in this combination is being over flooded with emotions. It suggests the possibility of bad feelings but it doesn’t necessarily have to be like this. Still the five of cups reveals that it is going to be unpleasant,
Queen of swords definition is smart woman who knows a lot about life, she is coming from a different perspective, a logical one. Although you are dealing with loss and sadness she offers another kind of help for you to consider.
Queen of wands committed to her passion in life, even though the circumstances are not very friendly right now, it will not stop her.
Eight of cups is a card of action meaning going away. Five of cups is more about ideals and view point that haven’t matured into decision and initiative.
Eight of wands is about getting somewhere straightforward and at a quick time frame. However the five of cups is holding you back. This is why you will never achieve dreams and desires with the current attitude.
Page of swords represent new idea. This is a good process to get out of misery especially if you have been in that phase for a long time.
Six of wands meaning in the combination is simply success that will follow after you will practice self control. The more you will be strong like a rock the more victorious you will be.
Four of swords is thinking but from neutral perspective. The five of cups is more personal and often negative. So you are having negative thoughts and your mission is to clear them. By doing it, you are welcoming positive energy in the near future.
Five of swords in the spread is double the number 5. In this context it is about losing the battle, someone else outranked you. It is natural to feel despondent. But there is still hope for a better day.
Five of wands is a change after a struggle or disagreement with people. It might suggest an inner conflict as well. All in all it is a clear form of action which is good because this is the only way to participate in life.
Knight of cups is representing an emotional challenge for you. You are in turbulence and need to separate the non important things from the crucial element in life.
Knight of wands is someone who is much lighter and flexible. He or she can easily shift the course of action to another place. With the five of cups tarot card it shows inability to choose the right direction.
Knight of swords is someone with a lot of courage and ambition. He will guide you through the right decision making in life. However you have to have lots of motivation and in great spirit.
King of cups is the master of emotions he knows how to repress the bad feelings and don’t let them interfere with the daily routine.
King of swords is usually a strong man, but with the five of cups tarot card combination it means temporary losing control and getting off the road. This is not a typical situation with this kind of personality and it need to be solved
King of pentacles is a hard worker, someone who is set to be very wealthy. To reach there you will have to look on the positive side of life.
Nine of swords is a negative tarot card related to thoughts, while the five of cups is negativity related to feelings. You are getting out of options and it start to impact you in the form of anxiety and nightmares.
Nine of wands explained as the good think you have in life. It is correlated with the meaning of the five of cups related to the fact that not all is lost and you still have a chance for getting better outcomes on a different road.
Nine of cups is being inactive or alone but from good reasons, it is sense of achievement. But with the five of cups it might be an indicator that you don’t feel 100% satisfied with the final outturn.
Two of cups is a beautiful omen of choosing the positive route. Instead of focusing on the problems you decided to pay attention to the solution or new possibilities.
Ten of cups is living the perfect dream especially when we are talking about marriage, kids, family and a house. However there are issues under the surface which are bothering you. Treat these issues soon or they will grow big and threaten the joy of life.
Three of cups is a celebration that you are not participate in because you are in a situation where you look only about the negative things in life. The five of cups also open the door to come back and have fun like the good all days so don’t miss it.