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The Suit of Cups

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Suit of Cups meaning


Cups, also known as chalices or flasks, are linked to the element water because of their use as vessels for liquids. They represent the idea of temperance, which is one of the four Cardinal Virtues. One reason water might represent temperance, meaning controlled actions, is because of the way it holds a constant temperature despite atmospheric fluctuations. Cups and water are linked to agriculture, to farmers who used water in a controlled way to grow their crops. Too much water would kill the crops as would too little; therefore, they must strike a balance

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The characteristics of Cups cards


The Suit of Cups are considered feminine most likely because cups “receive” liquid and women are likewise seen as accepting. Also, wetness is connected to fertility, love, emotions, sexuality and sensuality. In seeking the origins of the cup symbol, some historians link the cup to the Holy Grail, the cup Jesus drank from at the Last Supper. The Cup has also been linked to the Dagda’s Cauldron, a tale from Irish lore in which the cauldron could resuscitate the dead. In both scenarios, Cups symbolize regeneration, spiritual realization, healing, and fecundity.


Cups and water symbolize inwardness, the deep unconscious, the womb, and the soul. Water represents feelings and psychological transformation such as baptism. Water changes shape; it flows or it stands still depending on its vessel and the forces acting on it. Our daily connections to water include showering and bathing, cooking, watering a garden, swimming, rain and storms, boating, wells, and tears. Additionally, all life generated from the “primordial soup” - in water lifeforms gestate and recombine giving birth to new creatures and ways of interacting with the planet. Water can be calming, but it can also be forceful and overwhelming.


The season associated with water is winter because winter is cooling and introspective. Additionally, it is a time when animals go into hibernation; one must stock up for winter and ration goods as well as energies. Water replenishes and also calms and is linked to the lower regions of the body: sexuality, fertility, and energy. When there is an imbalance associated with cups it can come from not taking care of oneself and being foolhardy with one’s energies. For example, a person might allow herself to be overworked, ruled by fear and stress, overcome by insecurity, exhaustion from too much activity of a sexual nature, or overuse of certain dietary items such as sugars, alcohols, or other ingredients with a toxic effect. This last note connects to the idea of “temperance” which also means to abstain from alcohol.


The positive connotation of The Cup and water is growth and development, renewal, and an inner sense of agelessness. There is also a heightened sense of focus and listening associated with Cups and winter. One might imagine the sound of steam in the heating pipes, boiling water on the stove, or rain coming down on the rooftops. It is important to balance inwardness with motion otherwise a person can be overcome by fear and create obstacles to love, connection, and even experiences of joy. Too little water means drought and too much can mean a flood; balance is of utmost importance.