Five of Cups

[WalesWoman]

I was looking at this card and the colors of what spilled from the three cups. I was wondering if the green would be physical/material loss(Pentacles), the red for loss of desires/energy(Wands) and the purple for integrity/moral/higher self (Swords). The cups themselves representing the emotional stakes that held them.
Any one else have any thoughts about this?

[Dasani]

Haven't thought about it & never noticed it either.

Maybe one cup could represent extreme emotions because of the cups with the emotions & the last cup could be clear meaning the persons spirit.

I thought maybe the 5 cups were the 4 elements & Spirit.

I really don't know, can you tell? lol

[WalesWoman]

LOL, me neither or I wouldn't have brought it up. That first cup's contents appear such a bilious green, who would regret spilling something so poisonous looking?

[cartarum]

the five of cups to me, means not up to expectations. it can also be tarots way of saying "not what you think". reversed, its you cant go there, so you must go here. having no choice is a good phrase for this card reversed.

[Fulgour]

Red Blue Yellow are Primary Colours

Green Orange Purple are Secondary Colours

Secondary Colours are created by mixing 2 Primary Colours

Green = Blue & Yellow

*

So we are seeing a very unique blending here! :)

[Fulgour]

5 of Cups

"The Crossroads Card"


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[katie_here]

In one of my decks, the five cups are on the floor, four of them are upturned, their contents spilled, but one remains.

I like to look at this card a bit like the Star... Hope. Four cups may be tipped over, but there is still something left, not much, but something to go on.


Sorry I've just realised I should have spoke about the Rider-Waite Tarot.!!!

Ooops.

[psychic sue]

5 of Cups

"The Crossroads Card"


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Yes, the five of cups is crossroads or Gate. Take your experience with you, but learn from it.

[Skydancer]

I have never thought of this card as being a 'crossroads card'. Guess I should read one of those little ol' white books once in a while, eh? ;)

I think of this card as signifying that although 3 are gone (or more in other decks - I'm looking at the Universal Waite here) there are 2 left. The figures seems to have forgotten this, and is coveting those lost.

Bridge over water in background - cross walk over the unconscience? That would be the cross roads? Or, you are now at the cross roads as to what you will concentrate on - that which is gone or that which remains.

my 2¢
*S*

[Earthly Virgo]

Hi Wales
You know how I always go on about the close connection to the energy of cards and the chakra energies.....well here I go again.

This crossroad card sometimes feels like the red spilled (1st Chakra- Tribal connection/Family Connection) indicates that you are somehow leaving behind the tribal (family) beliefs and the green is the healing energy..the heart energy.

I love this card because it feels to me when I get it in a reading that even though things are emotionally a bit tough there is "back up" there so you may be choosing to change somethings but there is the security of knowing some things remain in place....to build on and grow with.

[rainwolf]

Wow Earthly Virgo~youre posting! Usually it takes forever to have new people post....

I never noticed the colors either, i think they could all represent emotion in different ways. Green could be grounded, family love; red could be passionate love; purple could be deep and unconditional love-like one for a soulmate. The tipping of all these cups could be like losing a loved one-you lose your passion, ground, and depth of love.

[Kilted Kat]

I'm not sure if Smith had the color of the chakras in mind when she did this one...

I see that this is the one of two figures who are not facing forward to the querent. The other one in the Three of Wands. The hope the figure feels in the latter, one of passionate anticipation, is the flip side of the hope this figure would feel, which is a feeling of anguished hope, or angst.

KK

[job]

Is this the only card with a bridge?

[HoneyBea]

I was looking at this card and the colors of what spilled from the three cups. I was wondering if the green would be physical/material loss(Pentacles), the red for loss of desires/energy(Wands) and the purple for integrity/moral/higher self (Swords). The cups themselves representing the emotional stakes that held them.
Any one else have any thoughts about this?


Hello WW! remembering that the 5 cups is a card that leans towards mourning a loss, its about regrets from the past and staying in that sense of loss rather than being able to move forward, when you look at the cup with the green spilling from it, green can more often than not symbolise, growth, adaptability, balance, potential and renewal, this has now all be spilled from his cup and therefore he has halted his growth, he cannot at this point adapt, has lost his balance and therefore the potential for renewal.

Red as you rightly say can represent desire/energy but also willpower and self confidence - these too he has lost and while he remains in this sense of loss he cannot of course notice the two full cups behind him which could be said to stand for creativity and inspiration - they are blocked to him at the moment, he is empty as indicated by his black cloak, a colour that can symbolise here for us lack of light, and insight.

But notice the bridge in the background of the card this can mark the gateway between two states, - between one emotional state and another -showing that the transition can be made in the future which will enable him to see those remaining two cups.

Look as I might I do not see purple on the original Rider Waite 5 cups - was it the original you were looking at?

Just some thoughts on how the colour could relate to this RW 5 cups :)

[Teheuti]

Is this the only card with a bridge?
The Four of Wands also has a bridge and could be taken as the same landscape from a different perspective.

The Hierophant (another 5) is sometimes called the "Pontifex" which means "bridgemaker," just as the number 5 can be seen as a bridge from the lower to the higher numbered cards.

Mary

[re-pete-a]

The colour green represents the ETHERIC,from this plane all things are changed from inert to cellular activity,it's also the colour of higher learning,even envy is a gateway to self examination.The bridge has three arches,representing the three golden apples (three attendants of landon ,check the atalanta story)Three chalices?Envy, pride,passion.These are the VEILS of landon,veils can be blockages or filters,either way they slow the pace of mind.River reps emotions tears,these can be salty or fresh water,dependant on the level of evolvement.Sorrow and confusion is black ,5 is the level of growth,judgment makes it good or bad.

[re-pete-a]

The above blurb is based on the Hermetic application,,,,also we need to correct ourselves,,,there are only 2 arches under the bridge,and the water does seem to be flowing swiftly for a small river.

[rcb30872]

LOL, just reading this stuff about the bridge and crossroads immediately made me think of two phrases I hear quite often in regards to bridges:
*We'll cross that bridge when we get to it*
*It's water under the bridge*

The first one, I tend to use a lot, well, in regards to someone who gives me a what if this, or what if that question. In other words, no need to worry about it right now, it might not even happen, and if it happens, well, take one day at a time, think of something when it does., blah, blah, blah

It's water under the bridge has been mentioned to me by someone, yeah, easy enough for him to say, he can bugger off and leave me with the burden! Grrr! (if you know me, you would know what that is in relation to ;) and who said it). Sort of similar to "no point crying over spilt milk", "what is done, is done!"

I'm sorry to say this, but when I look at the green puddle in the card, it reminds me a puddle of urine. Something that needs to be excreted, to help to get rid of toxins, and any unnecessary substances in the body, which might there be an excess of. But, I tend to see that in relation to toxins, more than the chakra sense. Detoxification, removal of unwanted and unneeded stuff, basically.

[Teheuti]

The color green was used often in Victorian paintings to indicate poison or sinfulness. Witches and prostitutes were dressed in green to show they were evil. Absinthe was green and was known as 'the poisonous muse.' In Celtic lore green was associated with misfortune and death.

[HoneyBea]

Well it seems that green can obviously represent good and bad. :)

[re-pete-a]

Thats the beauty of tarot,it can be either,G or B,thats also where one learns to listen to ones inner voice, feel the energy of the client.But then isn't 5 the power of emotions,it's in the blood.

[HoneyBea]

Thats the beauty of tarot,it can be either,G or B,thats also where one learns to listen to ones inner voice, feel the energy of the client.But then isn't 5 the power of emotions,it's in the blood.


Yes I see what you are saying , but I guess it all depends on what system you follow how you consider the No.5 - in my own system I have come to see the fives as representing loss, conflict, challenge, opportunity for change and more often than not a turning point - so they can suggest a change or shift in direction or in struggles and do seem to indicate a freedom of choice.

So 5's can symbolise for me change, expansion, freedom and exploration.

They may just represent that turning point in life, and they show us that it is how we handle our freedom of choice in the way we respond to the changing patterns of life whether or not we respond well and rise to the challenge that indicates if the situation results in stress, conflict or regret.

The Major Arcana Card that responds to this No. is of course The Hierophant, he is a Leader/teacher and one of his guiding lights is to help us find our own truth in order to live our life in a meaningful way.

So as you say perhaps 5 is part of the power of emotions, but it is how you handle those emotions that brings you the results of success or stress.

Just some thoughts on the number 5 :)

~ HoneyBea ~

[Teheuti]

isn't 5 the power of emotions,it's in the blood.
The question is, which emotions?

Are 5s about feeling welcoming, caring, appreciative, festive? Or bored, stubborn, or perplexed? These are all emotions. Are these the emotions of the 5s? Almost all the cards can be described via their emotions. Which ones, in particular, work most strongly with the 5s?

Mary

[Gazel]

The Hierophant (another 5) is sometimes called the "Pontifex" which means "bridgemaker," just as the number 5 can be seen as a bridge from the lower to the higher numbered cards.

Mary

Very interesting. Now I'm wondering if the Hierophant could be some kind of mediator or negotiator, if he popped up in a reading about someones job or qualities? Or is that too far fetched?

Gazel.

[re-pete-a]

Could be that the Hierophant is the reminder that there are standard ways to handle loss,OR,hermetically speaking 5 is the time of decisions,5 represents the etheric(spirit)one can go the normal or understand that it's the time to see how strong ones beliefs are,spirit says there's 2 left ,alls not as it seems,OR,one can focus on the loss,and fail to see the larger picture...So one could say as was suggested earlier its the"cross roads".....but one is cautioned to feel all there is to feel in the situation,wear the cloak of sorrow,,,,for a while ,use up that energy,then ....been there ,done that,tick that box,move on.(EN)lightened!

[rcb30872]

Makes a load of sense. Go through the loss, and whatever else, gain from the experience, so you can recognise the same thing in a different situation and from hindsight you would know what to do, and use that experience to advise others. Very easily can be linked to The Hierophant! :D