Nine of Cups - Looking for additional keywords

[nisaba]

I know this is the "wish card", or the 'yes', to a 'yes or no' question.

A wish just means you'll wish for something - doesn't mean you'll get it. You can spend your whole life wishing for things you don't have - and missing the pleasure in what you do actually have.

It's worth actually looking closely at the card. If you are working with the RW deck or a close clone, you'll see a flushed, slightly overweight man sitting in front of a row of cups, his arms folded across his chest.

His body-language says: you can't pass me. All this is mine and I'm not sharing.

His actual physical appearance talks of over-indulgence: his gaining weight, his flushed face.

I read the card as someone who *thinks* they have what they want because they have what they asked for - but who is smug and self-satisfied rather than actually happy. Few smug people are happy: what you THINK you want is not often what you actually want.

(I could say I want lots of money, but actually I want to be happy, and just think money might make me happy, is a nice example. I know a lot of rich unhappy folks.)

 

[Padma]

A wish just means you'll wish for something - doesn't mean you'll get it.

That was part of what I felt about this card.

It's worth actually looking closely at the card. If you are working with the RW deck or a close clone, you'll see a flushed, slightly overweight man sitting in front of a row of cups, his arms folded across his chest.

His body-language says: you can't pass me. All this is mine and I'm not sharing.

His actual physical appearance talks of over-indulgence: his gaining weight, his flushed face.

See? This is the sticking point with me and this card! I have very few decks with a truly pleasant image for the 9 of Cups! So, why is meant to be such a darned good card? And why is the cup-keeper usually so unpleasant looking...? Why the dichotomy?

what you THINK you want is not often what you actually want

A good point - often pointed out in fairy tales...!

 

[nisaba]

See? This is the sticking point with me and this card! I have very few decks with a truly pleasant image for the 9 of Cups! So, why is meant to be such a darned good card? And why is the cup-keeper usually so unpleasant looking...? Why the dichotomy?

It isn't "meant to be". It's just a whole heap of readers only in the last decade or so saying it is. I've been reading since the 1970s and been on spiritual computer networks since 1989 - I never heard the term "the wish card" until five or six years into this century.

A good point - often pointed out in fairy tales...!

The cup-keeper is so unpleasant-looking because he is like the little boy in the fairy story of the Snow Queen, whose heart has been frozen. He lives for his Turkish Delight, and cares nothing for the misery he causes his sister and his parents.

Now, you may see this card as a good card, if your goal is more Turkish Delight for you and you alone. But what if you actually care about someone out there? Is it such a great card then, with all its selfishness?

 

[Padma]

It isn't "meant to be". It's just a whole heap of readers only in the last decade or so saying it is. I've been reading since the 1970s and been on spiritual computer networks since 1989 - I never heard the term "the wish card" until five or six years into this century.

That is interesting. I've seen it all over the place, but did not realise it was so new...

The cup-keeper is so unpleasant-looking because he is like the little boy in the fairy story of the Snow Queen, whose heart has been frozen. He lives for his Turkish Delight, and cares nothing for the misery he causes his sister and his parents.

Now, you may see this card as a good card, if your goal is more Turkish Delight for you and you alone. But what if you actually care about someone out there? Is it such a great card then, with all its selfishness?

That is an interesting metaphor, and I can relate that to the images I see in my cards...and I can see how that inn-keeper is selfish. That was why the card was bending my head. How can something so "good" be so bad? It is like the Ice Queen - "have what you want! I know it tastes soooo good! I know how bad you want it! But I want a soul in exchange!" It rivals the Devil card...

 

[Padma]

Do a google search on Tarot Numerology and read about what the nines represent, then apply that to the suit of cups (I'd link a couple of nice sites but I'm on my phone). Personally, I see all the nines as the epitome of the individual completion of the goals of the suit. So the nine of cups would stand for complete personal emotional gratification. It is being completely satisfied by your emotional state. You've come out of the creative energies of the 1-3s, the struggles of the 4-5s, and the endurance of the 6-8s and now you can sit back and reflect on what you've learned.

that was great advice, about the numerology, thanks, GlitterNova. I went and looked up some numerology sites. I know the 9's relate to the Hermit card as well...

 

[leoniemonsta]

The nines are about almost enough, not complete abundance such as the tens. Have you noticed the nine of pentacles? She has enough but only for herself. Pentacles are material gains but cups are of emotions.
The nine of cups is about being happy not about selfishness or greed, nor is it about an excess. it would need to combine with a more selfish card to show that and selfishness is based in thought processes so I would expect it to be a sword card combined with nine of cups.
And what a telling aspect of a personality if you dislike a person just for being happy.
The card depicts one person because it is about personal happiness or one persons wish for happiness.
When in your well earned personal growth or with the luck of your fate you achieve this state of happiness in yourself only then will you be able to provide the happiness for others depicted in the ten of cups.
Have you not heard - you must learn to love yourself before you can love others.
The reason why the man in the rw tarot card is chubby is to show he is not starving if you remember the era in which the picture was created this was once considered a good thing.

 

[Padma]

And what a telling aspect of a personality if you dislike a person just for being happy.

Could you please expand on this? I didn't understand in in the context of my questions of why the card is supposed to be a happy conclusion, but is often illustrated in tarot decks as slightly withholding - or selfish - or guarding the cups...?

The card depicts one person because it is about personal happiness or one persons wish for happiness.

THAT was very interesting! Awesome observation

When in your well earned personal growth or with the luck of your fate you achieve this state of happiness in yourself only then will you be able to provide the happiness for others depicted in the ten of cups. Have you not heard - you must learn to love yourself before you can love others.

So, it has to be first within the self - before others - that makes sense. Especially with the Ten Cups looming ahead.

The reason why the man in the rw tarot card is chubby is to show he is not starving if you remember the era in which the picture was created this was once considered a good thing.

Have no issue with chubbiness That bothers me not at all! it is the fact that in most decks, the cups are kept behind a person, who does not want to seem to share them - so I cannot see why it is meant to be so happy.

 

[leoniemonsta]

Hello lotus padma,
I'm sorry if you felt my previous post was directed to you personally. I was simply posting my thoughts and feelings for 9 of cups.
I mis-understood I thought that, that was what this thread was for?
I don't agree with the idea that the person is looking smug, selfish or guarding the cups. But some tarot readers do feel that way about this card. It just doesn't look that way to me.
Maybe just try and get a deck that shows the picture showing what it's meant to(emotional happiness) to you?
I'm also just saying I feel that the fact that the man in the picture is chubby is not a sign of selfishness.
I do not agree that this card means a conclusion. That would depend on the position in the spread.
And yes I see by the emoticon used in your response you felt it funny that I stated the obvious- the man is on his own because it is about personal happiness.
So please explain why it struck you and that it was telling that the man is on his own in the card when it seems so obvious to you now?

 

[leoniemonsta]

Look I am really confused lotus padma,
Is this your thread? I had posted to a thread by runningwild that asked for anyone's insites and keywords pertaining to 9 of cups. Why did you feel my first post was personally directed toward you?

 

[Padma]

Hello lotus padma,
I'm sorry if you felt my previous post was directed to you personally. I was simply posting my thoughts and feelings for 9 of cups.

My bad - It's just because I renewed this older thread, and had some pointed questions about the card. Of course, you should just say what you think! I hijacked the thread somewhat...

Maybe just try and get a deck that shows the picture showing what it's meant to(emotional happiness) to you?

That is a great idea...

I'm also just saying that the fact that the man in the picture is chubby is not a sign of selfishness.
I do not agree that this card means a conclusion. That would depend on the position in the spread.

What if it was the last card, the outcome card? What are your views about that...? I am so interested on everyone's take...

And yes I see by the emoticon used in your response you felt it funny that I stated the obvious- the man is on his own because it is about personal happiness.
So please explain why it struck you and that it was telling that the man is on his own in the card when it seems so obvious to you now?

No, sorry for the misunderstanding, I was using the emoticon because what you said shed light on things for me, so I was pleased and excited to learn something new hence the big grin! I never saw it as just "personal happiness" - and hence why 9 cards have "alone" people on them - and you helped me to understand why that is, and so thank you!