4 of Cups as a good thing?

Cielamara

I was recently doing some soul-searching about my job (I'm a teacher) and drew some cards that have eluded translation and understanding for me. The first card I pulled was for "what are my strengths as a teacher?". For this, I got the 4 of Cups. The next card I pulled was "what can I build on within my strength?". For this, I got the 6 of Cups, which...feels right? I think of this as a card of childhood, lots of soft sunlight and feel-good moments, gentle nurturing, always having a nostalgic eye on the past and a deep awareness of innocence and sweetness, which...is appropriate, given my line of work. I'm very much in touch with my inner child in what I do.

Getting multiple Cups cards doesn't really surprise me--I'm a very water-oriented person, I'm a very sensitive, tenderhearted sort. But in reading my notes, in reading all my books, websites, etc, everyone seems to think of the 4 of Cups in a really negative light--self-absorption, detachment, disappointment, turning one's back on things. None of those things really seem like a strength, and they certainly don't seem to fit here--I put my heart and soul into the work I do. I'm having a hard time finding alternative interpretations of this card. Any thoughts?

Edited to add: the only thing I can think of that would kiiiiiinda make sense for the 4 of Cups being a strength is the idea of interpreting it as being a card of reflection. So maybe it's saying that my tendency to be very introspective and analytical is my greatest strength? That my self-awareness and effort to keep my frustration/anger/etc in check when my students are pushing my buttons are more powerful than I think?
 

rwcarter

Moderator Note

Welcome to Aeclectic, Cielamara!

Per the UTC Posting Rules, whenever asking for help with card interpretations, you are required to provide your own interpretations first before anyone else may chime in to help you. You haven't provided an interpretation for the 4C.

We have this rule because Aeclectic is a learning forum, and the best way to learn is to try. Without providing interpretations, you are seen as asking for a free reading, and that isn't allowed.

Other posters, please hold off on interpreting the 4C until Cielamara has had a chance to provide her own interpretation.

rwcarter, co-Moderator of Using Tarot Cards
 

RiverRunsDeep

ETA: Never mind, this is why I rarely post here.
 

Cielamara

I'm sorry, rwcarter, I read the rules but I didn't realize I hadn't actually interpreted the 4C. I've posted as good an interpretation of the 4C as I can come up with at this point. :)
 

violetdaisy

4c - looking for creative solutions to problems instead of the obvious, or typical. You know what's in the cups on the ground ... But the one in the air that is forming could hold anything.
Add 6c (as a specific focus within that) & perhaps the card is telling you to use the prospective of the children in your class, or get them involved. If your students are older it may be telling you that you need to remember what it was like at their age to see if the solution fits the question or problem.
 

Thirteen

Emotional Stability is a good thing for a teacher

Cielamara said:
everyone seems to think of the 4 of Cups in a really negative light--self-absorption, detachment, disappointment, turning one's back on things.
Click to expand...
Well, the thing about such interpretations is that everything is relative. The Sun seems a wonderful card, unless it means you're going to be out in the middle of the desert at the height of summer ;) Situation determines whether the card is positive or negative. This is, after all, why we use card positions. To make sure we understand what the message is really about. Let's look at this deeper.

Cups are emotions. 4's are stability. So emotions are stable. Now, this could be bad if you're in a relationship with someone, because it could mean you take them for granted. That there is no excitement, no movement or development. And *that* can most certainly lead you to disappointment, self-absorbson and turning your back on the relationship. We should add, that the underlying message is "turn your back on it when you should not" because that's how you lose a good thing.

HOWEVER, this card came up as your strengths as a teacher. This isn't how you relate to a partner, but to youngsters. And for that, this could be a really *excellent* card. In fact, one website defines the 4/Cups as maternity--as in "protection" (this as compared to the Empress' type maternity which doesn't protect so much as nurture). The 4's (IMHO) relate back to the Emperor and his aim is to make sure things stay stable and safe. That what has been gained isn't lost.

That's a really good thing for a teacher to be. Especially a sensitive/tenderhearted one. Kids are emotional rollercoasters thanks, in part, to growing up and thanks, in part, to social/familial issues outside of the classroom. Your job is to give them an emotionally safe and stable place, so they don't lose what they've gained. And, yes, even that "detached" part of the 4/Cups, the "taking it for granted" can be a good thing in this case. Feeling too much, getting in too deep, taking it personally, or letting it change you and how you teach...that would be a real weakness. The 4/Cups says you don't let your students do that to you. You know how to stay cool, stay calm, stay detached when need be...but you're still water. You never stop caring.

So. I think this is a pretty darn good card to get in "strengths" as a teacher. In this instance, you want stable emotions. Because your situation is always exciting and surprising. If your situation was boring, then "taking things for granted" could be a problem. But this is like a mom who, when her kid bursts into tears, stays calm. Even takes it for granted. That is good. Mom should not react to every burst of tears or temper as if it's never happened before or never will happen. Mom stays calm, even takes it for granted--yet is sensitive enough to know when it's serious and should be given a closer look. So 4/Cups, in this case, is good. Very good. :)
 

rwcarter

The 4C is often seen as a card of brooding and not seeing what's being offered. But as a strength, I could see turning that around and having the ability to focus on the matter(s) at hand (the 3 cups in front of you) without being distracted by other things (the fourth cup).

6C as what you can build upon in your strength suggests an understanding that children will be children and not everything is an emergency (the guard walking away in the RWS image). So, honing your teacher "spidey sense" so you don't sweat the small stuff.

Rodney
 

Barleywine

I think the Fours imply "I know what I know;" the "I know what I don't know yet" epiphany occurs at some point after that. That's probably a strong suit for teaching traditional subjects to young children: the basic building-blocks of early knowledge would seem to be fairly settled. In the normal progression, the Fives shake that up and (ideally) let a little more light in. The Sixes are the next plateau, where the revelations of the Fives are integrated into the next level of excellence. If, on the other hand, older students are involved, that static (and potentially stale) store of knowledge could be a limitation. In the best sense, the Fours should serve as a stable foundation for building the future, once you get past the daunting idea that you must "break eggs to make an (even better) omelette."
 

Cielamara

WOW. You guys have given me some really amazing, thought-provoking responses. Let's see if I can address them with as much thoughtfulness as you've given me. :)

violetdaisy: Creative solutions are definitely the name of the game with my job--I don't teach in a conventional classroom setting, but rather, outdoors. I think it's probably because of my creativity that I thrive in this setting in general, and this setting really amplifies said creativity.

I think you're probably dead right that I need to stop and remember what it was like to be a kid--I definitely do remember in the sense that I talk to them like they're adults (which is what the adults *I* respected most did when I was a kid), but I'm also really, really cautious and definitely overly protective of my students. I could let them take risks more.

Thirteen: first of all, what website did you reference for that bit about 4C being a maternal card? Not only does that really resonate with me in terms of being a more appropriate interpretation for this card than the conventional ones, it also really resonates in terms of being WHY I pulled this card. That interpretation is 100% who I am with kids--I'm very watchful, very protective, and I'm calm. This past week I had a student who REALLY tried to push my buttons, and was utterly confounded when I remained calm and cool and collected. She eventually settled into being really sweet to me once she realized I wasn't going to let her rattle me.

rwcarter I definitely need to work on my "spidey sense." We generally have a ratio of 1-12; keeping track of all 12 can be daunting, and I frequently fuss over them more than is probably necessary because I'm anxious about losing one or someone getting bullied or hurt on my watch. There are times I definitely need to loosen up.

Barleywine: do you think, in that context, that the 4 of Cups refers to the strong foundation I've got with certain areas of science (certain branches of biology and chemistry, not so hot with like...any kind of identification classes) and the 6 of Cups refers to needing to branch out and continually work on teaching new information?

Thank you all so much for your input. :) I really appreciate the thoughts!
 
Death and King of pentacles as feelings Biddy's Finding Love spread