Thoughts on 5/Cups as behaviour/action (in a cat)

[upawell]

Five/Cups was originally part of a 3-card spread I did a couple weeks ago about my friend's cat:

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=208020

After spending some more time with my friend's cat, we now get on like two peas in a pod. It's now at the point where he focuses all his attention on me when I'm over, ignoring his owners. Once I leave he has a respectable moment of glumness and waits for me at the door, hoping I'll come back in. But when I don't, he gets back to his life and remembers his loving owners. We all find it very amusing. I've become the fun, kooky aunt to this cat. I'm the one that indulges him.

When my friends told me about his temporary glumness, I immediately thought of 5/Cups:

-- When I'm there, his attention is on the three spilled cups, ignoring the two standing cups behind him (his owners - LOL!)
-- When I'm not there, his attention is positively focused on the two standing cups

So I got to thinking more about how to read the card as behaviour. In a cat, anyway. There is a brief flash of 'grief' when I leave, but ultimately, he soon notices his owners again.

An example for comparison: If I drew the 8/Cups for this cat, then I'd say he wants to live with me.

Any thoughts? I wanted to share this little tiny insight as I was quite excited to glean a more concise understanding of how cards can represent behaviour. It doesn't seem all that momentous or insightful now that it's typed out, but I still wanted to share in hopes of eliciting some discussion.

As an action or behaviour, does the scenario above ring true?

 

[nisaba]

That's quite realistic, I'd say (not knowing the cat or the people).

You're a change from the normal routine.

 

[upawell]

That's quite realistic, I'd say (not knowing the cat or the people).

You're a change from the normal routine.

That is how it is. My friends had no idea they were adopting such an energetic, playful cat, as their last cat was more of a lovable layabout. This new guy is a bit more like a puppy.

A part of me does feel like it's a bit of a mismatch of people and cat. He LOVES to play and needs and wants a lot of attention. My feelings for him are very Two/Cups so I tune into his nature easily. I get the sense that he's bored most of the time with his owners/my friends. It makes me feel quite sad that he gets glum when I leave, even if it's only temporary, because it's not like I leave and his owners continue the fun adventures, you know? So I wonder if that's another perspective on the 5/Cups: somehow I elicit some form of grief in him when I leave because he knows what he's missing.

Hmm, now all the other cards in my original spread are starting to make sense.

 

[MaineGirl117]

Any thoughts? I wanted to share this little tiny insight as I was quite excited to glean a more concise understanding of how cards can represent behaviour. It doesn't seem all that momentous or insightful now that it's typed out, but I still wanted to share in hopes of eliciting some discussion.

My Teacher would say that what you've done here is called "scrying the card". You've found a real world scenario that echo's the image of the card. It's taking your reading skills beyond the usual/normal interpretations and you've applied it to real life. You may not think that it's all that "momentous or insightful" but it's actually a huge step! These card images are somewhat static. What you've done here, is set that image in motion.

I started using this kind of technique over a year ago. I use a great many cards in my readings. The first thing I do is read on a visual level - how does the image of one card interact with the image of another? If these cards were set in motion, how would the scene play itself out? You may find that the next time you draw that particular card, you'll think of this example. You may then see that same scenario play itself out again, but with different characters - like a friend reacting to the departure of their spouse, or something along those lines. I think that the cards/deck has a memory. The story that you've created here will be retained with that card and will apply to it in some way from time to time.

I have a great many cards that are like that. For example: when the 6 of cups comes up reversed - someone is going to offer or receive an apology. The 7 of Cups - someone will be watching something or someone out of the corner of their eye. 7 of Swords rx- someone will turn their back on another and walk away - they'll choose not to engage that person in conversation.

Or my most recent favorite! 10 of Wands - pushing my coworker's car out of a snow/ice drift because she was stuck!!

I remember several years ago when I did a reading about traveling with my cat in the car, and how she would handle it. The card that came up was the 2 of Swords. After the trip, I realized that the card was telling me that she would be just fine traveling in the car, as long as she couldn't see outside. When a big truck drove by and she could see it above the window, she would start to cry. On the trip home, I decided to try driving at night where she couldn't see anything. We had a smooth, uneventful ride.

 

[upawell]

My Teacher would say that what you've done here is called "scrying the card". You've found a real world scenario that echo's the image of the card. It's taking your reading skills beyond the usual/normal interpretations and you've applied it to real life. You may not think that it's all that "momentous or insightful" but it's actually a huge step! These card images are somewhat static. What you've done here, is set that image in motion.

I started using this kind of technique over a year ago. I use a great many cards in my readings. The first thing I do is read on a visual level - how does the image of one card interact with the image of another? If these cards were set in motion, how would the scene play itself out? You may find that the next time you draw that particular card, you'll think of this example. You may then see that same scenario play itself out again, but with different characters - like a friend reacting to the departure of their spouse, or something along those lines. I think that the cards/deck has a memory. The story that you've created here will be retained with that card and will apply to it in some way from time to time.

I have a great many cards that are like that. For example: when the 6 of cups comes up reversed - someone is going to offer or receive an apology. The 7 of Cups - someone will be watching something or someone out of the corner of their eye. 7 of Swords rx- someone will turn their back on another and walk away - they'll choose not to engage that person in conversation.

Or my most recent favorite! 10 of Wands - pushing my coworker's car out of a snow/ice drift because she was stuck!!

I remember several years ago when I did a reading about traveling with my cat in the car, and how she would handle it. The card that came up was the 2 of Swords. After the trip, I realized that the card was telling me that she would be just fine traveling in the car, as long as she couldn't see outside. When a big truck drove by and she could see it above the window, she would start to cry. On the trip home, I decided to try driving at night where she couldn't see anything. We had a smooth, uneventful ride.

Wow, thank you for your incredibly encouraging words, MaineGirl. I will now look at this as a momentous occasion!

I like that: "scrying the card". That's gonna stick with me in a good way.

Your take on 7/Cups ... How spooky and timely. It came up in a spread I did a few weeks ago and what you said about it just rang a big, loud bell. Also, I adore your 10/Wands and 2/Swords stories. Especially the latter; that's quite brilliant, actually.

Thanks again so much for your comment and the encouraging, entertaining education therein.