8 or 9 of Cups?
resa said:
I was wondering how you all read the Eight of Cups Reversed.
I believe it's supposed to mean "great joy, happiness, feasting," but I was wondering if there was anything else I was missing. It's shown up in a few of my readings, and it doesn't make much sense to me right now.
Are you sure you mean 8 (EIGHT?) of cups? This is sounds like the meaning for the 9 (NINE) of cups.
8/Cups is a man leaving 8 cups behind to follow the moon--and it usually indicates leaving behind all you love (i.e, all you're familiar with, home, family, friends) to follow a dream--a wise or foolish move depending on what the rest of the spread tells you.
Reversed, the 8/Cups would indicate some impediment or block keeping you from leaving to follow your dreams; this impediment might be guilt or just a lack of courge on your part--excuses that keep you with the familiar rather than packing your bags and seeking the unknown.
9/Cups, on the other hand, is the innkeeper with 9/cups on the table--as you defined it, joy, happiness, feasting. This is the bar where everyone knows your name, where the innkeeper has set out the cups for your and your friends, and the wine is already uncorked and ready to flow when you arrive...free of charge!
Reversed is actually easy--imagine all those cups empty and turned upside-down upon the table. Ever gone with friends to a favorite restaurant or bar to celebrate...only to find it's closed? Or worse, gone out of business! That's what we're talking about. Your anticpated celebration, joyful evening with friends and family has been shut down.