Nine (9) of Cups

Demon Goddess

For me there is sometimes a "careful what you wish for, you just might get it" aspect to this card.
 

WalesWoman

Druidcraft is almost melancholy, since it shows an old man at a fully set table and to me it seems like he's raising a toast to those friends who are absent... something we do at all our parties, remembering the ones who have died and still miss badly. Almost like he's just waiting to join them or acknowledging their importance to him.

"To friends,
to the ones here
and the one's that would be if they could."

It also reminds me of how some people always set an extra place at the table, just in case someone shows up, that there is always enough for one more.

It could also be about the emotional investment you put into something like this, and waiting for the rsvp's ... wondering who will actually show up.

It keeps reminding me of that one story about the person who held their own wedding party, but hadn't had the wedding yet and wanted everyone to contribute to the plasma TV they wanted and would leave before the bill showed up at some expensive restaurant... after the second round since she tried to do that again, everyone suddenly had other things to do and didn't show up.
 

Mellifluous

In my experience, when the card has actually come up in a reading for me, it just means getting something you really wanted. It's a happy card.

Lots of cards only have one person on them... I don't really follow why there's a discussion about selfishness and smugness for this one. I suspect my decks' illustrations must be much different from the ones other people use. lol
 

.traveller.

I was looking at the 9 of Cups from the Grail Tarot: ATV and it really helped me look at the card from a whole new perspective. It is the only cup card that does not show the Grail, the main figure is standing with his hand over his heart. The grail or fulfillment is within his heart. He cannot help but share what he possesses because it is a part of who he is.
 

Nova

the 9 of Hearts recently and accurately described my boy friend after he got his slick new car, with which he got slicker and slicker.

the 9 of Hearts also recently and accurately came into play for me. His flying ego on a kite string got cut. So another placing, the Crown one on a Celtic Cross, was the power of goodbye, and with that I hark back to Madonna's rendition of the Power of Good-bye. It is really something, it is full of autonomy.
 

nisaba

It is a bit of a smug card. He has plenty of everything, and enjoys it thoroughly, but it's not selfish as such in my opinion (there are other cards that do selfish far better). He's more thoughtless: assuming that he will forever have plenty.
 

Thirteen

You know what? There are times in our lives where we can, with a clear conscience, be smug.

Like when a mother or father has the whole family over, and they're all seated at the table, and all doing well, and all expressing their love and joy for each other and for you. You look at them all and think, "I did good! They turned out well, and this is an awesome family, and I'm partially responsible for that!"

Why not feel a bit smug at that moment?

That's what I see in this card. This isn't about selfishly wanting to win the lottery--it's never been about that. It's about throwing a party and knowing people will come because they like you. Whether those be friends or family, they want to celebrate you because you did something right with your feelngs and emotions. You filled all those cups up with your love and generosity and handed them out. And in handing them out to others, other come back and hand back to you in return.

You're allowed to feel good about that. You're allowed to be pleased, even smug, that you have people who want to celebrate you because you're a likable, lovable and good person.

Saints are eternally humble. This man is not a saint. This is the "9's" and they're about earthly things. What is here and now and real. "10's" are the spirit part, what goes beyond the here and now. So, it won't last forever this wish, but it's here and it's now and you can be pleased. Because you're a human being living in that here and now. Not a saint thinking about what happens after it all ends.

Is it a wise, if smug soul, who finds all they could wish or want for in being surrounded by loved ones, in having 9 cups to fill with love to give out to those he loves, and knowing that those cups will be returned to him filled with love.
 

WalesWoman

9 Cups is Thanksgiving! Sort of a repeat of what Thirteen just said, but it is sharing our joy and bounty because we are thankful for everything that life has brought us, similar to 9 Pents, it's things we may have worked hard to get, or just been lucky, but for whatever reason, we don't want to horde our good fortune, but share it.

This card came up a lot when I kept asking about what would happen if I told my now husband how much I wanted to be married. I knew we'd have a nice gathering and would have much to celebrate... it also meant I was going to have to be the one planning and putting it all together since he was out fishing and couldn't make any arrangements.
 

nisaba

Thirteen said:
You know what? There are times in our lives where we can, with a clear conscience, be smug.

Like when a mother or father has the whole family over, and they're all seated at the table, and all doing well, and all expressing their love and joy for each other and for you. You look at them all and think, "I did good! They turned out well, and this is an awesome family, and I'm partially responsible for that!"

Why not feel a bit smug at that moment?
Of course: but the thoughtlessness I referred to cuts in anyway.

The rest of the year most of the kids are too busy to see you as often as you'd like, and some of them shout at their partners. One of the grandkids, at twelve, steals a car and runs over a dog.

It is smugness rather than satisfaction because it is ephemeral.
 

Thirteen

nisaba said:
It is smugness rather than satisfaction because it is ephemeral.
Um, yeah, but so what? I mean, aren't you being a little "bah! Humbug!" about this? ;) Why turn this card into a downer?

Apropos for this time of year, there's a scene in A Christmas Carol where the ghost of Xmas past takes Scrooge to a party thrown by his former employeer. The Ghost asks Scrooge, "What's the big deal? The man spent a pound or two and threw a party!" And Scrooge answers that it wasn't what the man spent, but that the man had the power to make others happy, and he used that power to do just that. And that is why the man, in turn, got back love and appreciation from those to whom he gave happiness.

So this man is throwing a party, and it's ephemeral, and he's smug about throwing it and having everyone there enjoying themselves for that short time. But it can still have a lasting impression beyond that short time when it brings people happiness. They might well remember it for their entire life, and they might well do the same themselves.

We never know what ripples we send out when we smugly create those ephemeral moments of enjoyment for ourselves and others. Fleeting as they may seem to us, they may not be so to those who came to the party, and they might, on remembering those parties, have the ability to change their minds and their hearts later in life.

Just because people do not remember year round how to enjoy or love or be good to each other is no reason to "bah! humbug!" those moments when they do remember.