Taro Cards - The Minor Arcanas


  Minor Arcana - The Siut of Cups

 * The names of suites and cards differ slightly in the various decks
   the suit of Cauldrons, Vessels, Hearts, Goblets, Chalices etc
In general The suit of Cups is associated with an essential part of life itself. The emotional aspect of daily life. Romantic, heart-centered, love and happiness, eroticism, and affairs. Can indicate marriage and friendships.

The positive aspect /Upright/ associated with the Cups is represent emotions, abundance, personal possessions, fertility, emotions, psychic and intuitive arts, fantasy and illusion, spirituality, sacred sexuality, grace and serenity.

The negative aspect /Reversed/ associated with the Cups is the tendency towards moodiness and susceptibility to addictions. (self pity, sadness, melancholia, anger, rage, jealousy, envy, callousness)

Appearance - Haircolor: Fair-haired people



The Ace of Cups

The Root of the Powers of Water

This is a primordial card in the essential form of the Holy Grail. This card symbolises a possibility for deep feelings, intimacy, atonement, compassion and love to appear in your life. In fact all this feeling are already there in your life although you may not yet recognize it. When this flower bursts out it can take any form. It might be an attraction, strong feeling or sympathetic reaction. If you see this Ace stop for a while and check if there is such feeling as love in your life. This card often means that love is the essence of the situation. It doesn't mean love in only romantic sense. Do you have someone to forgive? Are you ready to set aside your anger and find peace? This card shows that the time of yours is coming.

Upright: Productiveness, faithfulness, beauty, fertility, joy, love, pleasure and happiness. The positive powers of the unconscious mind.

Reversed: changes for the worst, failure of love, stagnation, despair and possibly loss of faith

Card Number: 36
Numerical Value: 5
Season: Summer
Direction: West
The start of sth new.
The heart of the element of water and love.

Card Number: 37
Numerical Value: 2
Venus in Cancer
Partnership matters

The Two of Cups

The Lord of Love

This card has a very deep meaning. If two people have run into each other, there is the potential for bonding. This card indicates the union of two entities - people, ideas, or talents. If you see this card it means that you should look for connections in your life and remember that this is not the time to stay apart. If you are in conflict, look for abilities to forgive or be forgiven.

Upright: The harmonious union of male and female. Affection, joyous harmony, love, partnership, warm friendship, sympathy, pleasure, joy and ecstasy.

Reversed: Folly, separation, dissent, divorce, dissipation, unfaithfulness in a personal relationship. Waste, misunderstandings and quarrels.


The Three of Cups

The Lord of Abundance

This card symbolises a friend or the feelings associated with friendship. It can also be associated with community, brotherhood and support created while we interacting with others. When you see this card you should think if there is a group in your life which you attach to from an emotional point of view. Decide if there is someone who needs your help,or maybe you need some support from the others. This card is also expresses joy and high spirits.

Upright: Shows the happy fruition of love. Spiritual basis of fertility. A birth possibly, hospitality, sensuality, kindness, new project, great happiness, passive success, bounty, trust harmony, maternity and the healing of ills.

Reversed: Selfishness, loss of happiness, loveless sex, unbridled passion, famine, illness possibly.

Card Number: 38
Numerical Value: 3
Mercury in Cancer
New projects

Card Number: 39
Numerical Value: 4
Moon in Water, Moon in Cancer
Stability & security

The Four of Cups

The Lord of Blended Pleasure

This card usually represents periods of self-absorption. If you see this card it indicates that you are engrossed in in your own world at this moment. Sometimes it is necessary to focus on yourself. Life can be is too stressful and you need the time and energy to gain an understanding of your problems. The Four of Cups can represent a positive period of self-reflection and self-rehabilitation. Take your time, think everything over and restore your emotional balance. Sometimes this card can also be a sign of apathy. You may be too tired and so everything seems stale and flat. You're not motivated to make much of an effort in any direction. At such times, the Four of Cups can show that you're stuck emotionally. You need something to focus on that will so engage your mind and heart that your path down river becomes clear again.

Upright: Luxury, apathy, dwelling, weakness, abandonment to desire, dissatisfaction and boredom. Pleasure mixed with anxiety. Happiness that has reached its peak, blended success and pleasure possibly approaching their end.

Reversed: Injustice. The seeds of decay in the fruits of pleasure. Rapid change resulting in new anxieties, ill health or fatigue as a result of over indulgence. Excitement that brings little pleasure.


The Five of Cups

The Lord of Loss in Pleasure

This card indicates a kind of loss. It tries to warn you about the possibility of a loss and its associated emotions - sorrow, regret, denial. The loss can be either big or small. Try to listen to this card's advice and it will help you avoid a loss, or at least reduce its toll. The positive side of this card is that every loss means change, and change means growth in any meaning of this word.

Upright: Symbolise the triumph of matter over spirit. Disappointment, worry and regret, misfortune, end of pleasure, disappointment in love, unkindness from friends, loss of friendship, treachery and emotional letdowns. A need to re-order and re-evaluate priorities.

Reversed: Disturbance when least expected. The overturning of a way of life, sadness, false starts, unexpected worries, anxieties, ill will, vain regret.

Card Number: 40
Numerical Value: 5
Mars in Scorpio
Loss and regret

Card Number: 41
Numerical Value: 6
Sun in Scorpio
Moving forward

The Six of Cups

The Lord of Pleasure

This card is a simple goodness, that encourages you to be kind, generous and forgiving. The Six of Cups is associated with innocence a word with many shapes of demonstration.

Upright: Harmony of natural forces without effort or strain. Success, well-being, happiness that results from past efforts. Pleasure, ease, satisfaction, fulfillment of sexual will. Beginning of steady increase.

Reversed: Vanity, presumptuousness, thanklessness, nostalgia. A Clinging to the past and outdated habits and customs.


The Seven of Cups

The Lord of Illusionary Success

This card provide balance between order in all its forms and all that is sloppy, impractical and lax. When you see this card it means you should to look carefully at how disordered your situation is. Is everything under the closest control? Maybe you should let things run itself. On the other hand if everything is in a chaotic situation, some tightening may be necessary. No one can be happy or productive enough living too long in a crazy environment. In general this card tells you to hold to the happy medium. Another meaning of this card is when you see it make sure that you are backing up your plans with work and effort, because it is very easy to wish for something, but but not so easy to make that wish come true.

Upright: Shows external splendour, internal corruption. A variety of choices, which need careful consideration. Debauch, delusion, illusory success, drug addiction, mystical experience, intoxication, guilt.

Reversed: Loss of opportunity, self-delusion and indecision. Lying, deceit, promises unfulfilled, fornication, vanity. Dissipation in love and friendship.

Card Number: 42
Numerical Value: 7
Venus in Scorpio
Working out priorities and values

Card Number: 43
Numerical Value: 8
Saturn in Pisces
Expanding horizons

The Eight of Cups

The Lord of Abandoned Success

The meaning of this card is to remind of the fact that once and for all, that the past is gone. What was important is not so important anymore and it is time to move, because there are a lot of things and people waiting for us. Moving on can mean both a physical change such as leaving a job, location and an inner change - releasing old patterns, especially those that have dominated our thoughts and emotions. Sometime moving on may mean searching for the true or dipper self-understanding. The inner emptiness is a good sign of a readiness to change your life. When you feel tired and dispirited, you know that something is wrong, and it's time for a new direction. Think for a while, try to look deeper and you will find where in your life you need to move on.

Upright: Indolence, temporary success but without further result, instability, misery and repining. Decline of interest in anything. Security and attachment.

Reversed: Abandoned success in order to pursue an ideal, leaving material success for something higher. Fantasy, risk, restlessness and recklessness.


The Nine of Cups

The Lord of Material Happiness

This card is a sign of delight in general. Sights, sounds, tastes, feelings. This card encourages you to seek out pleasure and enjoy your life in every way. It can be wonderful to sit back and do nothing for some time, but there is another side of this medal. There is a big temptation to pamper yourself at the cost of someone else. Pursuit of pleasure without regard to consequences is never satisfying in the long run. This card also tells that your secret wish will come true. If you are sure, that you are ready to accept the responsibilities that go with your wish enjoy your fortune!

Upright: Happiness, complete success, assured future, pleasure and happiness, satisfaction, physical well-being. Emotional stability and happiness almost perfect but perhaps temporary. Liberality, generosity of spirit and feelings.

Reversed: Danger of vanity, errors, complacency, self-praise, conceit and overindulgence. Shortage of money due to spending or loss.

Card Number: 44
Numerical Value: 9
Jupiter in Pisces
Satisfaction and security

Card Number: 45
Numerical Value: 10
Mars in Pisces
Finding completion or experiencing rejection

The Ten of Cups

The Lord of Perfected Success

This card symbolises joy, happiness, contentment, enjoyment. It is not so common feeling, unfortunately. There are too many problems, challenges and trials in this life. But no matter what joy exists and makes our life brighter. Another meaning of this card is a peace. Peace can be inner or outer and they both depend on each other. If you live in harmony with yourself, you are in harmony with the whole world. So, if you see this card, know that if you are fighting with yourself or at war with someone else, you may find peace soon.

Upright: Satiety, lasting happiness, success and security. Pursuit of pleasure crowned with perfect success, good reputation, honour, friendship and happy family life. Peacemaking and secure environment.

Reversed: Dissipation, sudden violent, debauchery, quarrels, pity, waste, stagnation. Loss of friendship caused by manipulations for personal gain and anti-social actions..


The Page of Cups

The Princess of the Waters
The Lotus of the Palace of the Floods

This card shows you that there are some new opportunities for love appearing. The Page of Cups gives you chance to experience romance or some deep feelings. This card also remindes of someone whose cooperation with you gives rise to emotional needs, moodiness, love, intimacy or spirituality. It means that you can freely express your thoughts and feelings.

Upright: Represents the earthy part of water, a symbol of creation (imagination). A young person, infinitely gracious, poetic, artistic, all sweetness, voluptuousness, gentleness, kindness, reflective, quiet, romantic and dreamy. A time for quiet reflection.

Reversed: Indolent, lazy, scheming, selfish and luxurious person who given to lies and harmful gossip. A failure to make meaningful commitments. A deception that will be revealed.


Card Number: 46
Numerical Value: 7
Elemental Name: Earth of Water
Princess of Cups. Here is snow. Symbolises the power of creation.
Children or young women. Information

Card Number: 47
Numerical Value: 4
Elemental Name: Fire of Water
He is the strength and energy of the ocean.
Young men. Movement forward and challenges

The Knight of Cups

The Lord of the Waves and the Waters
The King of the Hosts of the Sea

This card is associated with a sensitive soul whose situation is similar with yours, and you need to ask if the energy of this card is helping or hurting. You should listen to yourself and try to understand such things as: if your home life ruled by emotion rather than common sense, or if someone's moodiness is driving you crazy. If it is so, maybe you have to change something? On the other hand if your life lookes like a perfect mirror-like surface without a single wave, a dose of poetry should be called for. Take some time to look within and think about your life. Let the Knight of Cups introduce you to his world of romance and beauty.

Upright: Represents the fiery part of water. Change and new excitements, invitations, opportunities, and offers. A man who is a graceful dilettante, constantly bored, amiable in a passive way, exceedingly sensitive, he can be easily led or discouraged.

Reversed: Sensual and idle man, untruthful, congenital liar, prone to melancholy and drug abuse. Fraud, unreliability, recklessness, false promises and trickery.


The Queen of Cups

Queen of the Thrones of the Waters

This card personifies the positive water energy. This Queen has a sweet, loving and sensitive nature and never reacts with anger or impatience. She is like no one able to compassionate and forgive. She listens to her feelings and acts according to it. She is never moody, but understands other people and their characters. She is often moved by the beauty and tragedy of life and her love includes everyone and everything. She is much affected by surrounding influences, therefore more dependent than most other cards on good or ill dignity. If you see this card it means that you should try to think and feel like the Queen of Cups. If you've ever been moved by another people's pain or if you've been in love you will understand the meaning of this card's message.

Upright: Represents the watery part of water, the positive water energy. Indicates balance and harmony, also high achievements. A woman who reflects the nature of the observer, who is and artistically gifted, highly imaginative and intuitive, tranquil, poetic, imaginative, kind yet not willing to take much trouble for another, but other people and events can easily influence her.

Reversed: She is perverse, hysterical, unreliable and swift to change her opinions without reason, so may even lead others to destruction.

Card Number: 48
Numerical Value: 4
Elemental Name: Water of Water
The passive and receptive quality of water.
Mature women. Comfort, nurturing, and satisfaction

Card Number: 49
Numerical Value: 4
Elemental Name: Air of Water
Shows elasticity or steam of water.
Mature men. Worldly success, achievements and assertion

The King of Cups

The Prince of the Chariot of the Waters

This card symbolises wiseness and understanding of the world that comes from the heart. This King is a teacher who guides his students, cares about them sincerely and always responds to their needs with compassion. He is always patient and ready to help everyone. He is calm and relaxed in any situation and there is always peacefulness around him. He is very tolerant and let others grow and develop in their own ways without interference. If you see this card it is a sign to be more tolerant towards other people and try to accept their point of view without irritation.

Upright: Represents the airy part of air. A man of business or law, purely intellectual, ambitious, skilled negotiator, full of ideas and designs, domineering, intensely clever but unstable of purpose, with hidden motives and an elusive, elastic mind supporting contradictory opinions.

Reversed: Harsh, violent, malicious, plotting, a fanatic, unreliable man without moral sense who is likely to be involved in double dealing.



  Next Minor Arcana Cards The Siut of Swords