Victorian Romantic 4 of Cups

I removed a daily advice card for the day and got the 4 of Cups. I was quite stumped as usually the 4 of Cups would mean boredom, nothing happening, stagnant life, etc.. But this card is totally different. There seem to be a party going on here. Could it mean that the man in the card is quite bored of all the women around him. He does not look very happy here. What do you think? This card is quite interesting.

Okay, I just took out the 4 of cups....I haven't looked at this card closely yet. I do see the celebration around him, but it is around him not within the man featured in this card. The women have full cups of drink, one even looks like she is trying to offer him one. The man however, has an empty class which he has set on the table. His expression is in contrast to the others around him. He looks unhappy. He is not feeling the celebration going on around him. He is stepping back and withdrawing into himself.
To me this card is looking at the feelings of withdrawing and maybe even focusing on what is 'empty' in our life rather than looking at what is full. Maybe feelings of despondency over an area in our lives. Having trouble seeing what is positive. Feelings of wanting to be alone. But this card is a reminder to me that there are things worth celebrating despite the difficulties and the need to take recognition of that. In the end, we have the choice to see the glass full or the glass empty. This man right now is seeing his glass empty. I am interested to hear other perceptions on this card!

Fours are about stability, boundaries, solidity, earth, structure.

Cups are about relationships, emotions, feelings.

Put the two together and what do you get?
Emotional stability
Stability in a relationship.
Feeling OK - not wonderful, but OK.

With the RWS image the stability has been taken too far. Water needs to flow so it doesn't sit too well with the confining number 4.
Too much sitting with water and you get stagnation and boredom.

With the Victorian Romantic card there is a sense of 'too much of a good thing'.
This guy is surrounded by ladies and jollity yet he seems as if he can take it or leave it.
He has too much of a good thing and that often results in a feeling of stagnation, of drawing within and of ignoring the good things around him. He's retreated to his own little world and nothing is going to bring him back to the party around him (a little like the RWS guy who sits under his tree and just can't see that hand offereing him something).

I have had this card come up in several readings and have always found it to be very interesting. In addition to descriptions already posted in this thread I have also seen this card come up in the context of someone feeling somwhat alienated (attending the party, being supposedly included, but feeling it all to be very fake), going through the motions without much emotion, as well as trying to hard to include someone in somthing that they just don't feel (the ladies trying to entice the guy into having a good time and wanting to stay, when he just does not want to be there).

I have also seen this card as my querent needing to force themselves to get socially involved after having been withdrawn for some time, letting them know that it will feel strange and a little uncomfortable, but something they need to do. As they get back into socializing (over time) then they will go from being the guy feeling a little awkward or out of place, to being being one of the elegant ladies enjoying the party. So a theme of social re-integration.

A_Shikhs, in terms of this being your advice card - have you been socially withdrawn lately? like a Hermit phase?, or, is there some function or obligation you need to attend to that you are too excited about?

You know the Deep Purple song "Knocking at your back door"?

the chorus line goes

"I can't deny it with that smile on her face
Oh it's not the kill, it's the thrill of the chase"

Thats what this card reminds me of just by virtue of that look on his face. I dont know if I would call it unhappy...more like smug, or arrogant. But definitely withdrawn.

Those are quite a few interesting responses regarding the 4 of Cups. I love this card as compared to the other decks. Its quite different and yet it has that original 4 of Cups meaning.

I recently got this card for a friend when she asked about her relationship with her man and I remember telling her even though she was happy with her bf and was having a good time, there was still something missing which made her feel quite confused and distant in her relationship.

Jewel said:

A_Shikhs, in terms of this being your advice card - have you been socially withdrawn lately? like a Hermit phase?, or, is there some function or obligation you need to attend to that you are too excited about?

Click to expand...

Jewel, I was just thinking how this card connected to today as advice. Infact yesterday I went to this really really boring party and got highly bored. lol.. But yes, I havent been socialising lately as my exams got over this tuesday and Ive been quite busy sleeping and chilling. But now to think of it, I was out with friends the whole day and when I came home, I felt quite bored as if it were a daily routine going out with them to the same old places. Nothing new. Now this makes a lot of sense. I love this deck.

a_shikhs said:

Those are quite a few interesting responses regarding the 4 of Cups. I love this card as compared to the other decks. Its quite different and yet it has that original 4 of Cups meaning.

Click to expand...

That is what I have found as a common thread to many MR decks and what I love so about them. You have traditional meanings that at the same time expand adding so much depth and further understanding to each card, yet the esoteric elements are not there. It is pure tarot. Hard to explain.

I am glad my questions resonated with you. Glad I could help out.

Picture.

http://i072.radikal.ru/0908/5b/79973fffa284.gif

There is allegory of Lancelot of Lake and his 4 Queens.

The girl behind man's shoulders has a dress with sleeves in the form of wings. She is like Angel. Another girl who is in frond of this man taking the glass with wine just in front of his heart. It means that Amour Arrow got to his heart, he fall in love the girl who is sitting on the chair in green dress.
He knows that this love can be fatal (5 lights = 5 of coins), they can be lovers and have a sex. He tries to refuse he does not want his heart fulfilled with fillings (his hand is closing empty glass on the table).

May be he just want to be firm, to put his feelings under his control in order not to be fooled and to stay the "Master of the situation". Because his Passion is very strong to this green girl. Big black branch of the tree with DEVIL horns goes across the yellow round light. Yellow light is the symbol of the SUN and human's consciousness. Passion shut, blurred consciousness. He wants to keep control over his mind. He does to want to fill this glass of fillings and does not want to give the way to them. He stands firm on his position.

Two red Chinese lights are the symbol of hospitality, joy. It means that these lonely girls are happy this man is in their circle. They invite him to share their celebration.
There are 3 glasses in girls hands = 3 of CUPS. If you remember from cards described before, this is the card of the COMPETITION.
Each of them try to show herself from the best side in order to draw attention of this man.

But is it 4 of cups card it means that CHOICE IS MADE. His attention is fully given to the girl in green dress. Position of the man's hand over the glass edge means that decision is made and the last word is belonged to him.
It looks like the situation in the family when husband is firm and if he want to confirm his authority position in family disputes he can hit the table with his fist or hand saying: "I SAID AND MY WORD IS THE LAST" and everyone sits still.

What about this green girl.

She is in green dress, she is Queen of Coins. She is bright and practical, she is experienced in love and sex. She knows who to draw and keep attention of the man. There is Snake bracelet on the forearm. it is the sign of "Lunar Node", Lunar Eclipse.
She has overshadowed her girl-friends for her beauty and bright personality. She knew her own worth, she sits on a chair and looks at this man from top to bottom.


IN PRACTICAL READING:

For lonely man this card means that he has come to decision. The girl he has chosen should be his wife. He is stable man who is ready himself to be joined with "chains of marriage".

If there is any opposition from the side of the girl, this card means that the man do not want to stop and be on the last position. He will fight and will not stop till he gets this girl. He is stay on his position firm.

For long time relationships and marriage couples this card means that they are tired from these relationships, their family life has become poor and not interesting. They are bothering been together. They can not be separated but at the same time it is difficult to them live together.
Like an advise to make their relationships more fresh, may be the time to be involved to short-time love intrigue in order to understand what to do the next - to come back to the last life or being separated.

And the last. Any happened in your life, stay brief and strong, do not make step back, try to confirm your point of view in disputes because you are rightful.