 Seven of Cups is the fantasy, the daydream. For some tarot readers, it represents a drug-induced trip; For others, it is a set of options to choose from.
A precise interpretation of the Seven may be less important than how the querent themself imagines the meaning to be. Is it a fantasy? A dream? An actual choice between a disembodied head and a laurel wreath (two of the cards depicted in the Rider-Waite?) Or is it something that is completely unknowable to you at this time? Questions answered by Seven of Cups: Who? The dreamer What? A dream Where? In a fantasy world; in a place you can picture but cannot touch - yet When? The middle of November; In your dreams; Seven hours or days from now (A short amount of time) Why? "The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams"6 Yes or No? Probably not Seven of Cups Before any card: A fantasy about (card) After any card: fantasies, daydreams The Seven of Cups as: ...an action?
...a place in your house?
...a place in your city?
...a place in the world?
...something to eat?
...something to clean?
...where to find the missing item?
...a color? blue ...a movie theme? fantasy, dreaming
...a new career?
Seven of Cups combinations With Empress: The dream of having a baby; A baby sleeps; The Natural world. With Four of Wands: Someone searches for a new home or community. With Three of Cups: A dream about a friend; Hoping for the best for a loved one. With Three of Swords: Too much fantasy leads to heartbreak in the real world. (If the 3 leads, a dream of a better tomorrow.) With Eight of Pentacles: A student imagines his life after graduation; A dream of going back to school. 6 Oprah Winfrey
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In my interpretation of the six of cups, the cupcakes represent the pure childhood joy of a birthday party, but the precariousness of the toppled cups and flames indicates that there is a fine line between carefree memories and irresponsibility. When you get the Six of Cups, watch out for dwelling too much in the past.  In its simplest form, the Six of Cups is about childhood. It could mean literal children, or it might represent a nostalgia for those moments where we were at our most innocent.
Take a deeper look at the meaning, and you may find you are stuck in the past or clinging to memories that are no longer realistic. The playfulness depicted in the Six represents a type of joy that adults find hard to obtain - that of innocence and purity. Questions answered by Six of Cups: Who? A child What? A toy Where? In a child's space When? The first week of November; In the distant past; When a child is a little older Why? The past is the past Yes or No? Yes Six of Cups Before any card: Nostalgia or memories about (card) After any card: childhood, memories The Six of Cups as: ...an action?
...a place in your house?
...a place in your city?
...a place in the world?
...something to eat?
...something to clean?
...where to find the missing item?
...a color? yellow, red ...a movie theme? childhood, nostalgia
...a new career?
Six of Cups combinations With High Priestess: Trust your inner child - what would you have done way back then? With Seven of Wands: Something related to children has you on the defensive. Find a way to persevere without compromising your values. With Four of Cups: You are wallowing about something in the past. With Five of Swords: You may be fighting a losing battle - Are you repeating past mistakes? With King of Pentacles: A successful matriarch or patriarch leaves a legacy to many children. I had a great weekend on Whidbey Island. I got some writing and reading done, soaked my muscle aches away in a hot tub, and refreshed my will to live. But while I was away I learned our state would be going into lockdown again immediately upon my return. You're welcome, State. I feel responsible for that. So after a refreshing weekend, why am I so blue about it? The Five of Cups is this blue-ness. It could be regret or grief about something that happened in the past, or a mild and temporary depression about something that is occurring at present. But the card is also a reminder to look for the good. In classic decks, a forlorn person stares at three spilled cups, but he need only to turn around and see that two cups still remain upright. In my interpretation, Santa is sad because the cups in front of him are overturned. He's not seeing that his elves have created entire place settings just behind him. What a miserable boss he is right now. I should also be grateful for the weekend I had - so what if I need to stay home now? I got away before it all happened! I'm pretty lucky to have gotten away when I did, and I should enjoy that feeling.  If we imagine pulling cup cards in succession, it is highly likely that the laziness we felt during the four of cups turned into a deep regret about our inactivity.
That's the five of cups. It is the regret or grief about something that happened in the past. However, it also reminds us to look for the good. In classic decks, a forlorn person stares at three overturned cups, but he need only to turn around and see that two still remain upright. The five of cups is an instruction to lift your chin up and look around you, there may be no need for this much despair. Questions answered by Five of Cups: Who? Someone with a lot of regret. What? Disappointment Where? Behind you When? The last week of October; 5 years ago; 5 units of time from now Why? with loss comes change Yes or No? No Five of Cups Before any card: Disappointment in (card) After any card: Grief, regret, sadness The Five of Cups as: ...an action?
...a place in your house?
...a place in your city?
...a place in the world?
...something to eat?
...something to clean?
...where to find the missing item?
...a color? black, grey ...a movie theme? disappointment
...a new career?
Five of Cups combinations With Magician: A miserable person does not realize they have the tools needed to recover. With Knight of Wands: (before 5) a bold and fearless person dives into something they later regret, or (after 5) a sad person takes a chance on a new adventure. With Two of Cups: Two people are feeling a loss. (2 before 5) Going through a divorce, or (5 before 2) Divorce brings you closer to your ex - you are better as friends. With Six of Swords: The transition through grief is a terrible journey, but the right one. A journey is difficult but short. With Nine of Pentacles: You've done things you regret to make it to the top. It is time to look back and repair the damage.  dFours are stable cards. The best way to describe fours is to picture them as the four corners of a table. Three legs and it may topple, five legs is superfluous, but four is a solid base.
However, with the stability of the number four comes a bit of boredom and apathy, too. The four of cups is that apathy, when we tell ourselves "Everything is fine, so why bother?” In common depictions of this card, a person sits alone, indifferent to the cup of joy being directly handed to them. It is boring. Questions answered by Four of Cups: Who? Someone with a boring job, such as an accountant or security guard What? A dull moment Where? Under a tree; right in front of you When? The middle of July; 4 months; When you stop daydreaming and start doing. Why? Opportunities are available if you look up Yes or No? Meh Four of Cups Before any card: Boredom toward (card) After any card: Indifference or Apathy The Four of Cups as: ...an action?
...a place in your house?
...a place in your city?
...a place in the world?
...something to eat?
...something to clean?
...where to find the missing item?
...a color? Green ...a movie theme? Apathy
...a new career?
Four of Cups combinations With Fool: After a moment of contemplation, inspiration will strike. With King of Wands: A powerful leader needs a minute to disconnect. With Ace of Cups: Boredom is a great time to listen to your intuition; meditate. With Seven of Swords: Someone is using "I need downtime" as an excuse to be lazy. With Ten of Pentacles: The kids are watching - be careful not to complain about how boring life is. You may create a legacy of apathetic persons. Every November I engage in a fun, free, international writing "competition," called NaNoWriMo, for National Novel Writing Month. It's a creative writing program where participants attempt to write a 50,000 word Novel in 30 days. The only real competitor is oneself. If you fail to write 50k, it's totally fine - the gift you've given yourself is that you started something interesting and artistic. If you win, even better. You will have written something that has never been written before - your own story in your own words. This is something like my 13th year and 25th project in NaNo (there are smaller events throughout the year, called "camps") One of those projects wound up as Applied Tarot. The rest of them have been shelved in my grand bookcase of fiction known as my Onedrive, but I always feel accomplished when I think of them. They're work that I did with my own hands. This year I'm attempting a dystopian mystery novel. I don't have any idea where it's going nor whodunnit, but I'm having a blast trying to figure everything out alongside my protagonist. What does any of this have to do with the Three of Cups, you ask. A lot of writing is done in a vacuum. It's a solitary exercise, but it's one that I could not do without the support and pep talks from my writing friends. Ever weekday morning, my friend Tammy hosts a write-in over Zoom (Tammy is author of the queer romance Tam Lin and forthcoming suburban fantasy, Eastside Hedgewitch.) Her meetups are attended by maybe 3 or 4 people, but it's those writers, authoring their novels in relative silence, that keep me writing, too. We cheer each other on when one of us comes up with a great plot twist, we encourage each other when we've failed to meet our word quota for the day, but for the most part we sit together, all on mute, writing away. Our faces are on the screen for all to see, but we write in our own personal vacuums, together. That's the essence of the three of cups - the friendship and community that everyone needs every day, even if they otherwise work a very quiet and solitary job. ...Or, say, they're at home alone during a pandemic.  Where the two is about romantic love or a bonding partnership, the three is about platonic love, community, and friendship.
The immense joy and the feeling of togetherness is at the same scale in both cards. Where the two is about a couple or two people, the three is about the entire team, or a group of friends who love and need each other. Questions answered by Three of Cups: Who? A group of friends; The team What? A toast; A party Where? A hangout spot When? The first week in July; 3 months. Why? There is always time for friends. Yes or No? Yes Three of Cups Before any card: A collaborative (card) After any card: Friendship or community The Three of Cups as: ...an action?
...a place in your house?
...a place in your city?
...a place in the world?
...something to eat?
...something to clean?
...where to find the missing item?
...a color? yellow, orange, red ...a movie theme? Friendship
...a new career?
Three of Cups combinations With Magician: A group of friends create magic together. With Queen of Wands: An older, wiser female-presenting individual becomes a great companion and resource. With Five of Cups: The potential loss of a friendship unless something is fixed soon. With Eight of Swords: You may feel trapped or stifled by your friends, but you have the power to break free of them and choose your own path. With Page of Pentacles: A message from a friend arrives. For more information on National Novel Writing Month, visit their website. If you need a buddy, search for my username, empapel.  The Two of Cups is the real Lovers card. While the Major Arcana Lovers represents more of a melding of the head and the heart, the Two of Cups is true companionship. It is the Yin and Yang.
The couple represented by the two are nothing without each other, and the blending of their two hearts will lead to success in relationship, companionship, business, or friendship. Questions answered by Two of Cups: Who? A lover, a best friend, or a business partner What? A date, or a meeting of two minds Where? A romantic location When? The last week of June; 2 units of time. Why? Equality and respect is key Yes or No? Yes The Two of Cups Before any card: Harmony within (card) After any card: Partnership or relationship The Two of Cups as: ...an action?
...a place in your house?
...a place in your city?
...a place in the world?
...something to eat?
...something to clean?
...where to find the missing item?
...a color? blue, red ...a movie theme? True love, partnership
...a new career?
Two of Cups combinations With High Priestess: A meeting of the minds. With Page of Wands: An exciting new partnership, possibly with a younger person. With Six of Cups: Happy memories about family and love; Possibly a pregnancy on the horizon. With Nine of Swords: Mutual anxiety; Trauma about a partnership or relationship With Knight of Pentacles: Everyone must put equal amounts of hard work into the business to keep it going.
In the Rider-Waite deck, a giant hand reaches out from the clouds, holding a cup that runneth over, indicating that the querant is surrounded by copious amounts of love, joy, and happiness. In my card, the child drips water over a statue of the Buddha, in a moment of emotional peace, stability, and tranquility. No matter the appearance of the card, when the Ace of Cups appears it is love, and a message to trust your emotional value and open yourself to messages from the Universe.
The Ace of Cups is the beginning of one's social or emotional journey. A giant hand reaches out from the clouds, holding a cup that runneth over, indicating that the querant is surrounded by copious amounts of love, joy, and happiness.
When the Ace of Cups appears, trust your emotional value, and open yourself to messages from the Universe. The Ace of Cups Before any card: A divinely inspired (card) After any card: Emotional fulfillment. Questions answered by Ace of Cups: Who? Someone who has just fallen in love; a new friend What? A cup; A bottle of wine Where? At a waterfall When? Now; The entire season of Fall (Northern Hemisphere) or Spring (Southern Hemisphere) Why? Make a fresh start in romance or friendship Yes or No? Yes The Ace of Cups as: ....an action?
...a place in your house?
...a place in your city?
...a place in the world?
...something to clean?
...where to find the missing item?
...something to eat?
...a color? Blue, yellow, white ...a movie theme? New passion
...a new career?
Ace of Cups combinations With Emperor: A Dad's heart melts; an authority figure softens their mood. With Two of Wands: Listen closely to your intuition. With Seven of Cups: A daydream about love. With Page of Swords: A young, passionate person brings important news. With Queen of Pentacles: Someone is pregnant or is a new Mom.
If you're looking for a loving message from the Universe, here's one: my divination book, Applied Runes, is available for free on Kindle Unlimited!
 The King of Swords is the professional authority on whatever matter you are dealing with. An authentic and intelligent leader, the King is kind and helpful, but the motivation is not a friendly one - The King is here to get business done and that is it.
The King of Swords can be dominating and assertive, but they know what they are talking about. Listen. Questions answered by King of Swords: Who? A lawyer What? An important piece of paper Where? Grad school; A government office When? Mid May to early June; During a legal battle; In a few years Why? A superior intellect guides us through opposition Yes or No? No clear answer; consult an authority King of Swords Before any card: Do hard work for (card) After any card: Business, leadership The King of Swords as: ...an action?
...a place in your house?
...a place in your city?
...a place in the world?
...something to eat?
...a color? Purple, white ...a movie theme? Wisdom, cold-heartedness
...a new career?
What should I clean?
Where are my keys?
King of Swords combinations With Star: The truth will come out after a period of respite and rejuvenation. With Three of Wands: A startup business is on the verge of rapid growth, seek help from a lawyer or other authority. With Seven of Cups: Someone is daydreaming about being in power. With Three of Swords: The truth is discovered at the edge of despair. With Eight of Pentacles: A student learns all he can from a professor and may one day be the professor themself.  The Queen of Swords is an independent, sharp-witted person, but possibly so much so that they appear distant and cold-hearted.
At the Queen's core, however, is a clear and truthful communicator, who is very self-aware, fiercely individual, and unique. This perfectionism may be a cause of pain or sorrow, however. If not representative of yourself, then the Queen is a powerful ally to have on your side. Questions answered by Queen of Swords: Who? A wise lady What? A packet of educational materials Where? College or University When? Mid-September to early October; College; When you have learned enough Why? Great clarity of mind will help you pursue your goals Yes or No? Maybe Queen of Swords Before any card: Being direct about (card) After any card: Independence, a quick wit The Queen of Swords as: ...an action?
...a place in your house?
...a place in your city?
...a place in the world?
...something to eat?
...something to clean?
...where to find the missing item?
...a color? white, grey ...a movie theme? A sharp-witted woman
...a new career?
Queen of Swords combinations With Tower: A sudden disaster leads to a clear head and rational planning. With Five of Wands: A debate or conflict is on the horizon - study as much as you can before you go head to head. With Eight of Cups: Be prepared to walk away if you cannot get through to someone logically. With King of Swords: A powerful and ambitious couple rule with their head instead of their heart. Possibly no love in the pairing, but a marriage of convenience. With Nine of Pentacles: A practical and logical mind leads to a luxurious and rewarding future.  This Knight charges into battle with focus and purpose. While this person is confident and well spoken, they may also be foolhardy and impetuous.
When this card appears, there is a force on the horizon - either generated by you or coming for you. Either way, be prepared for turbulence. When the storm comes, make decisive action. Questions answered by Knight of Swords: Who? A teenager What? A bold new idea Where? A startup company; A high school When? Mid-January to Early February; The middle of the school year; Soon Why? "Impatience can cause wise people to do foolish things" ~Janette Oke Yes or No? Probably not Knight of Swords Before any card: Jumping boldly into (card) without considering the consequences After any card: Ambition, or a bold new idea The Knight of Swords as: ...an action?
...a place in your house?
...a place in your city?
...a place in the world?
...something to eat?
...something to clean?
...where to find the missing item?
...a color? White, red ...a movie theme? Courage, exploration
...a new career?
Knight of Swords combinations With Devil: Impulsivity causes one to fall into dangerous situations or addiction. With Six of Wands: Charging in headfirst results in a victory, this time. With Nine of Cups: Take action to defend what is important to you. With Ace of Swords: Jump boldly into your new idea and you will gain clarity as you go. With Ten of Pentacles: A bold adventure reaches its exciting culmination. |
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