King of Cups in my readings.

[Citrin]

Yesterday I drew a card for the night (just something to think about while falling asleep) and I got the king of cups. Just a few minutes ago I asked the cards how I can help my boyfriend cope with the stress in school, and poff! There he was again... Then I asked the cards how I can feel better about going to school (I'm so sick of it right now) and once again he was there! This is *not* a coincidence...

Now, I'm not very experienced (been reading tarot for a year), and I find the court cards a bit tricky most of the time... So please help me, what are my cards (Waite) trying to tell me?

Do I need to focus on someone around me who "is the king"? Or are they telling me I should be more like him? I'm really lost here.

 

[Little Baron]

As much as I love the courts in my deck, I do struggle with them at times, if I don't see an instant connection. I do try, a lot of the time, unless directed otherwise by intuition, to see them as 'people'. Is there a teacher at school that maybe inspires you and your boyfriend creativly that may be of some help to you both; someone that may inspire you both a little.

I will be, like you, very intersted in following what other readers say about this card, as the thread continues.

Best,
LB

 

[shandar]

Hi Citrin

Umm, This guy can flummox the best of us. He certainly does me.

First, the Cups are all about intuition, creativity, life on a motorcycle with the wind screaming in your ears at 110 mph, living in the Rue de whatever, as the lover of a great artist, or being the great artist, etc., etc., etc.

On the negative side, the Cups can mean passivity (4, cups), fantasy (KN, 7cups).

With this as our background, let's consider what the Grand Dame of the Tarot has to say, namely, Rachael Pollack. In her "Seventy Eight Degrees of Wisdom," she tells us that the King of Cups is very much like the king/wands. both kings have put their essential personalities on the back burner in order to fulfill their responsibilities. The King/Cups has had to put his intuition and creativity aside in order to get down and attend to business, the business at hand (whatever that is) instead of going after his dreams.

This doesn't mean that he always has to do this; just right now. So, in terms of your boyfriend and yourself, your King is telling you, yes, he understands, but right now you have to discipline yourselves and accept your social and personal responsibilities. Indeed, the reason you see or conjure this king is because you implicitly understand this as the case. You just need to be tipped in the right direction.

Personally, socially, and culturally, we have responsibilities. We have a responsibility to ourselves to grow, to become educated, to become, the best we can be. Socially and culturally there is an imperative that we work toward this end. If not you, whom? The fact that you are tired and bored by the process speaks to the King of Cups. He understands you, but he says..."Sorry m'dear, been there, done that. Just dig your heels in and get on with it."

Citrin, please excuse my American shorthand.

Intuitively, you understand this. You know this is what you have to do. You just have to carry the load, no matter how long the road, or high the mountain you are scaling.

One point I wish to make. You can do absolutely nothing to aid your friend. It's kind of like, trying to make me, Shandar, laugh. You can't do it. Only I choose what I will or will not do. However, he may be as open to the King of Cups as you seemingly are.

Stay here in the Aeclectic. Keep asking questions, keep growing!

Maybe this will help for now. The great Chinese philosopher, Mencius, said

Filling with food,
Warming with clothes,
Living leisurely without learning,
It is little short of animals.

kisses and hugs, Shandar

 

[squeakmo9]

Citrin,
The King of Cups could indicate that the stress you and your boyfriend are experiencing is almost at an end. There's much turmoil and confusion which should be looked at in a more detached/objective mode. The both of you should find support among friends and family as well as each other to get through this period of time. Perhaps you could find counsel with a trusted teacher, advisor, or someone "outside" of your situation but not so far removed that they cannot relate a solution.
Blessings,
Squeakmo9

 

[Julien]

I admit, he's my least favorite King in some ways, but I also admit to liking his constancy -- I mean, look how he's sticking with you. (Very bad attempt at humor).

I think some of the books that tell us court cards are either a person or something that we need to emulate more of can miss the fact that we may already be projecting that energy described in the card or maybe resisting that side of ourselves that the card is describing. Your description of school (which, my students here would share on the beautiful sunny days we've been having) sounds like this is the case: you're trying hard to be responsible, and maybe you really want to kick up your heels for a minute.

I'm curious to know what other cards came up, especially when you asked them about your boyfriend? I'm wondering if the card isn't telling you that you're overdoing your responsibilities on that particular issue. Thirteen reminded me recently in a discussion we had about the King of Pents and the King of Wands (which is somewhere on this board) that kingly energy can sometimes represent an over-developed sense of responsibility in some areas, or an underdeveloped sense in others. In my case, it was a person the cards were probably representing -- I had to do a spread to clarify a recurring card (which I found in past threads) to help me get there though, and then I sought Aeclectic out to make sure that I was seeing what I thought I was seeing. So, that's one idea: throw a spread to see what's up with this King.

Shandar has a point though -- you can't help some things at all (except by being generally supportive and listening -- but you can't fix other people's lives, only they can do that). So, depending upon the cards around it, it might just be telling you that this is an energy manifesting in your life that you need to take account of differently in different contexts. You have to stick with school and get through the spring session; but maybe you don't need to worry about helping him beyond the smile and kindness that we all need during tough times.

Just my two cents.

Best,
Julien

 

[Citrin]

Wow Shandar and Julien, that is dead on! Thank you so much! Yeah, I thought of it a bit more, and now I read your replies, and I'm really understanding what my king is trying to say.

A girl in my class recently quit, to take a year off, and I'm sure everyone in my class is envious hehe. I'm a very responsible person though, so even though I might dream of saying 'bye bye' to school, I definitely see it from the kings point of view. Such a good interpretation, shandar!

Julien, I pulled a clarification card for the question about helping my boyfriend, but I honestly cannot remember what it was. =/ But I think you might be right, I always give a little bit *too much* of myself, so I've heard.
And I think you're right about the energies and traits the court cards hold, instead of reading them as persons all the time. That's how I always thought of them too.

Once again, thank you! I think I got it all right now. =)