Five of Cups

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 21 Jun 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

BoPeep	21 Jun 2004
I was trying out Kahlie's "What's in your heart " spread for a friend of mine. I quite enjoyed the spread, pretty clear and easy to read. BUT: In the 'What kind of person would make you happiest' position the V cups appeared. Does he want someone that morose? or could it mean that he is looking for someone who isn't all wrapped up in their emotions? I am having a tough time with this one. Thanks, BoPeep

Kahlie	21 Jun 2004
Thanks for the nice compliment BoPeep.... I didn't know people would enjoy this Spread so much... I'd doubt much people would wish to be with a morose person though =) I'd interpret it as somebody who has been through a lot, but still sees the positive side of life. Depending on what her 10 and 1/2/3 cards where, it might also indicate, somebody who would help your friend see the positive sides of life, or helping your friend coping with a loss... Since it's a Cups Card.. I'd interpret it also as a caring kind person who is in touch which his emotions.

cartarum	21 Jun 2004
honestly, this looks like the card of someone who will take anything they get, as long as its better than what they got.

BoPeep	21 Jun 2004
Quote: Originally posted by cartarum honestly, this looks like the card of someone who will take anything they get, as long as its better than what they got. That does make some sense. My friend, who is male, is living in a very peculiar situation with a woman and her parents...and wants out... but doesn't seem to be being terribly 'successful' at getting out. Is it possible that there is an element of complacency?

Sillanza	22 Jun 2004
BoPeep said: Is it possible that there is an element of complacency? Since the 5 of Cups can be said to represent someone so sad about what they don't have that they don't see what they do have ... maybe it indicates that your friend would be happiest if he could have what he doesn't completely have right now: a relationship with his s/o independent of her parents! Or, to restate: it would make him happiest to have what he wants, the way he wants it! Does that make some sense?

hedgecub	22 Jun 2004
Perhaps he needs someone who is rational about things, not unreasonably optimistic; someone who will keep his feet on the ground even if his head is in the clouds. I think :T5C can mean not only people who are obsessed with negative things and overly pessimistic, it can also mean people who acknowledge negativity and accept losses, rather than focusing on the sunshine and ignoring the darkness perhaps in the hopes that it will go away.

BoPeep	23 Jun 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Sillanza Maybe it indicates that your friend would be happiest if he could have what he doesn't completely have right now: a relationship with his s/o independent of her parents! I like this insight, but according to him they are no longer together... too many personal differences, etc etc... Quote: Or, to restate: it would make him happiest to have what he wants, the way he wants it! This, however sounds EXACTLY like him. Quote: Originally posted by Cartarum honestly, this looks like the card of someone who will take anything they get, as long as its better than what they got. So would it be fair to say that he wants to get away from this environment so badly that he will take whatever he can get? Becoming less confused now.. BoPeep

cartarum	24 Jun 2004
ya know? it just occured to me that this card may indicate that he might go back to a former relationship with a girl from the past. since it indicates loss, with something left over. ~A~

BoPeep	24 Jun 2004
Quote: Originally posted by cartarum ya know? it just occured to me that this card may indicate that he might go back to a former relationship with a girl from the past. since it indicates loss, with something left over. ~A~ Ho Boy! I am a girl from the past. We have discussed that possiblity.

cartarum	30 Jun 2004
sorry, i get ahead of myself. sometimes i dodnt pay enough attention to whats going on.... ~A~

BoPeep	05 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by cartarum sorry, i get ahead of myself. sometimes i dont pay enough attention to whats going on.... ~A~ No.. you were paying attention... I wasn't clear. I purposely left out the fact that he and I were involved because I wondered if that was the answer. I wasn't clear in my post when I said that 'we had discussed...' I meant that he and I had discussed the possibility of getting back together. I seem to have forgotten to put in ALL the words... Sorry to confuse you. Are you more cnfused than ever now? Bo

tmgrl2	05 Jul 2004
BoPeep...I was thinking much of what Kahlie said. Since I often use the Tarot de Marseille, I use the number reference as well. Fives being order and disorder...the duality of two's and the completion of the three. That opens several directions for interpretation. You could play with those numbers. Two's can be a union, but can also be decisions and choices. The threes are often considered as the three being "born" of the two. As in the trinity..or mind, body, spirit. If you use Rider Waite, maybe look at the threes then as the empty cups and the two standing as not yet tapped... As order and disorder...five could also be someone who likes a relationship that has its ups and downs, is passionate, can be draining at times, but also a fullness and joy in the union that evolves... just thoughts. terri

Kahlie	05 Jul 2004
While I agree with most people's interpretation of the 5 of Cups, the postion meant: "The kind of person who makes you the happiest". Meaning it would not point towards the Querent, but a kind of personality trait in somebody you would like to be with. I did the Spread twice for other people, and only once did I get a Court Card there, the other was the 9 of Wands, which I interpreted as somebody who had a lot of stamina, and was willing to go for the long haul. And the Court Card was a Knight while the Querent was male and definatly not gay. So I think this position might be difficult to interpret, especially since this is a rather large spread and I have seen a lot of Court Cards appear in both the Readings I did with it. It might be that a Court Card is already needed in another position, and that is why you get a different card.

tmgrl2	05 Jul 2004
Thanks, Kahlie...I just went back and searched to find your spread again. I remember thinking when I first started that it would be too hard for me. I really like it as I look again at it now. I have printed it out to study and learn. Thanks for clarifying Position #10. When I get court cards...especially in this position, my first instinct would be if I were reading for a male, e.g., and I got a Queen, would be to think that the Querent may need someone who is sensitive to his needs...i.e. bring forth the feminine from the card as a characteristic for a male. My macho husband asked me for a reading about his blindness. It's interesting that he got some "feminine"cards as I recall. They jumped out at me because at the age of 70, I felt he was getting in touch with being able to empathize in a way he never did before he became blind. Thanks for this thread, BoBeep. And thanks again for this great spread Kahlie! terri I'm adding the link for it here again, since I am probably not the only one who will want to revisit it: http://tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27814

BoPeep	05 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by tmgrl2 As order and disorder...five could also be someone who likes a relationship that has its ups and downs, is passionate, can be draining at times, but also a fullness and joy in the union that evolves... just thoughts. This is an interesting way to look at it. The imagery in the RWS version really doesn't convey passion [at least not to me]. It seems more filled with regret and melancholy - making the interpretation below seem a bit more sensible. Quote: Originally posted by cartarum ya know? it just occured to me that this card may indicate that he might go back to a former relationship with a girl from the past. since it indicates loss, with something left over. This card came up again today in a relationship spread, in a seeminly strange position - again - and I remembered this post. It was most accurate. Thanks cartarum. I am now starting to wonder if there is something I am supposed to learn from this card ... Bo

tmgrl2	05 Jul 2004
That's the beauty of Tarot, Bo...If it fits, it works! I find the RW a bit dark for 5 Cups now that I have some other decks I look at. I do like that it has split the cups into three and two...some empty, some maybe not... tmgrl

The Five of Cups thread was originally posted on 21 Jun 2004 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.