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Five of Cups

Category: Minor Arcana, Cups Court Position: 5 Keywords: Disappointment, Confusion Active element: Water 💧

The Five of Cups belongs to those cards in the Water Court that appear full of mystery and deep inner content. Similar to the Eight of Cups, it hides subtle meanings that go beyond a simple interpretation. It is a symbol of strong emotional turbulence, while also suggesting that even the most difficult experiences may serve as a prelude to a new beginning. This paradoxical force is reminiscent of a situation where the darkness is deepest before dawn. The card indicates the necessity of experiencing difficult emotions in order to eventually enter a phase of cleansing and rebirth. The upright and reversed positions of the card offer different, yet complementary, perspectives on the same experience.

Symbolism and Key Ideas of the Five of Cups

In the classic Rider-Waite deck, on the Five of Cups we see a figure in a black robe, standing above three overturned cups from which liquid has spilled. The figure is turned away from the two remaining upright vessels. The background—with its dominance of gray and cool tones, featuring a meadow, a river, and a bridge leading toward distant buildings—creates an atmosphere of melancholy and focus on loss. This image resembles a person bidding farewell to what is familiar while being unable to notice that opportunities still lie just behind. Whether it concerns broken bonds or unfulfilled expectations, the card encourages acknowledging failure and sorrow as a necessary stage for growth.

Meaning of the Five of Cups in the Upright Position

Characteristics:

A sense of loss and mourning over past events
The necessity of saying goodbye to something important
Sorrow that is essential for cleansing and liberation
A transitional phase after which new opportunities will arise

In the upright position, the Five of Cups symbolizes a moment of bitterness and disappointment. It is a time when it is hard to move forward, as thoughts keep revolving around what will never return. Nevertheless, there is potential—a step toward healing and accepting the truth of the situation. In time, after fully experiencing the grief, a glimmer of hope will emerge. To rebuild one’s world, one must first acknowledge that the previous structure has collapsed.

Love and Relationships (Upright)

Painful separations, the loss of a close relationship
Emotional disappointment and unfulfilled hopes
A period dedicated to coping with emotional wounds
The necessity of setting aside memories that prevent moving forward

In the area of emotions, the Five of Cups indicates a stage during which a relationship does not meet expectations or has already ended. There is sorrow over what has passed and difficulty in accepting that it is over. Although the pain is undeniable, experiencing it fully will eventually allow the heart to open again.

Work and Finances (Upright)

Exhaustion in the current job and lack of satisfaction with earnings
A need for change, albeit without yet having a clear vision of where to go
Failed investments or financial losses
The necessity to accept difficulties and learn from them

In professional and financial matters, the Five of Cups may reflect dissatisfaction with the current path. Perhaps previous plans did not work out, and achieving stability requires going through a phase of disappointment. The querent might feel emptiness today, but in the future they will learn to appreciate the opportunities that present themselves.

Health and Mental State (Upright)

A challenging period of recovery, perhaps following a serious operation
Emotional melancholy, tearfulness, and a search for solace in sadness
The understanding that negative emotions are only a stage on the road to balance
The need for patience and kindness toward oneself

Regarding health and mental well-being, this card can indicate a painstaking return to form, during which one must accept limitations and temporary difficulties. It is often a time for deep introspection about one’s weaknesses and wounds, paving the way for eventually creating a healthier lifestyle and a stronger psyche.

Situations and Questions (Upright)

The necessity of cutting ties with the past to move forward
Learning through suffering and gaining wisdom from losses
A vital stage of grief without which new clarity cannot emerge
Questions about the meaning, role, and direction of life

The Five of Cups suggests that transient sorrows might be the key to deeper wisdom. At this moment, the querent reaches a point where they must decide whether to close the door on the past and venture into the unknown—a necessary stage to eventually be reborn in a stronger, fuller form after difficult experiences.

Reversed Meaning of the Five of Cups

Characteristics:

Being stuck in the past and unwilling to let go of pain
Remaining in the role of the victim, drawing sustenance from one’s own suffering
Fear of taking a step toward the future
Intensifying negative feelings and demonizing the situation

In the reversed position, the Five of Cups intensifies the difficult emotions. Unlike the upright position, where pain acts as a cleansing stage, here there is a resistance to change. The querent tends to wall themselves off in misery and no longer seeks an escape. Consequently, they prolong their own suffering, overlooking the possibility of improvement.

Love and Relationships (Reversed)

Clinging to harmful patterns in love and failing to learn from past mistakes
Stubbornly maintaining a relationship that offers nothing but pain
Narrowing one’s horizons and an unwillingness to try something new
Using one’s own suffering as justification in a relationship

The reversed Five of Cups in relationships suggests that the querent is unable to break free from toxic emotions or a damaging relationship. They may willingly remain in an unsatisfactory relationship or continue to dwell on a past love. It is a period marked by stagnation and a lack of courage to acknowledge that something more constructive must be sought.

Work and Finances (Reversed)

Unsuccessful investments and a reluctance to change strategy
Inaction driven by discouragement and a lack of belief in improvement
Remaining in a job that offers neither satisfaction nor growth
Overlooking opportunities by focusing on personal disappointments

In work and financial matters, the reversed Five of Cups signals that stubbornness and inflexibility hinder progress out of a difficult situation. Instead of taking decisive action, the querent fixates on personal grievances and failures, missing the potential opportunities that might arise if the victim role were abandoned.

Health and Mental State (Reversed)

A prolonged state of low mood with little progress
Unresolved traumas and a tendency to postpone dealing with issues
Withdrawal into oneself and a reluctance to seek help
Intensifying feelings of hopelessness and resignation

The reversed Five of Cups points to a state in which it becomes exceptionally hard to move forward. Therapeutic efforts and attempts to improve the situation might be undermined by the querent’s own reluctance to leave their “safe” state of misery. At such times, professional support may be essential to break the cycle of negativity.

Situations and Questions (Reversed)

Obsessively clinging to past events and repeatedly reliving failures
An unwillingness to accept new challenges
Longing to reverse the flow of time and undo what has been done
Ignoring that life is in constant flux and always moving forward

The reversed Five of Cups implies a denial of the need to let go of old patterns. Instead of recognizing the opportunity that follows a phase of hardship, the querent stubbornly clings to past illusions. This resistance prevents the discovery of new prospects and ultimately prolongs unnecessary suffering.

Advice and Warnings for the Five of Cups Card

Upright: Advice: Allow yourself to grieve so that you can fully experience and eventually release the sorrow. Warning: Pretending that everything is fine will only delay the necessary cleansing.

Reversed: Advice: Reflect on why you are clinging to negative emotions and preventing yourself from moving on. Warning: Clinging to suffering and the victim role shuts the door to growth and a new beginning.

Five of Cups: The Card of the Day

Upright: Today may bring moments of longing for what has passed, along with the realization that there is no going back. If you feel sadness, let it resound. In time, you will come to understand that loss is an inherent part of life, and experiencing it will ultimately make you stronger.

Reversed: When the card appears reversed, it suggests that today it might be difficult to let go of old memories and wounds. You may try turning back time or fixing things that are beyond your control. Instead, try to accept the current situation, keeping in mind that lingering in negative emotions only prolongs the suffering.