Cups
Cups belong to the element of water. They stand for feeling, relationships, intuition and the inner life. In a reading, this suit speaks to love, friendship, family, mood and creativity. The cards move from the overflowing joy of the Ace to the settled contentment of the Ten, with every shade of longing, loss and hope between them.
Cups often show how you feel about something more than what is happening. When several appear together, the emotional side of the question is the main subject. Take them as an invitation to be honest about what you feel and to let that honesty guide the next step.
- AceAce of CupsRoot of wateropen heart, new feeling, compassion
- 2Two of CupsVenus in Cancer, 0–10°partnership, mutual attraction, connection
- 3Three of CupsMercury in Cancer, 10–20°friendship, celebration, community
- 4Four of CupsMoon in Cancer, 20–30°apathy, contemplation, reevaluation
- 5Five of CupsMars in Scorpio, 0–10°grief, loss, regret
- 6Six of CupsSun in Scorpio, 10–20°nostalgia, childhood, kindness
- 7Seven of CupsVenus in Scorpio, 20–30°choices, fantasy, imagination
- 8Eight of CupsSaturn in Pisces, 0–10°walking away, seeking more, letting go
- 9Nine of CupsJupiter in Pisces, 10–20°contentment, wish fulfilled, satisfaction
- 10Ten of CupsMars in Pisces, 20–30°harmony, family, belonging
- PageEarth of waterPage of CupsEarth of watertender message, curiosity, imagination
- KnightFire of waterKnight of CupsFire of waterromance, offer, idealism
- QueenWater of waterQueen of CupsWater of waterintuition, compassion, empathy
- KingAir of waterKing of CupsAir of wateremotional balance, calm, compassion
The other groups
Questions about tarot
Each court card is one element within the element of its suit. This site follows the common Rider Waite reading of the Golden Dawn courts: knights are fire, queens water, kings air and pages earth. So the Queen of Cups is water of water and the Knight of Pentacles fire of earth.