Five of Cups

Upright

Keywords: Loss; grief; regret; sadness; dwelling on the past

Events: Suffering from emotional loss; focusing on past failures; missing out on what remains; feeling isolated and heartbroken

Personality: Self-pitying; pessimistic; regretful

Mental State: Sad; guilty; disappointed

Advice: Shift focus to what is still available; learn from mistakes; allow yourself to heal and move forward

Card Imagery: A cloaked figure mourns over three spilled cups, unaware of two upright cups behind them.

Symbolism:

• Spilled Cups – Lost happiness and disappointments
• Black Cloak – Isolation and grief
• Standing Cups – Remaining opportunities and support
• Bridge – A path forward beyond grief

Reversed

Keywords: Hope; acceptance; recovery; moving forward

Events: Emotional healing; finding hope again; learning from past experiences; seeing new opportunities

Personality: Resilient; adaptable; able to move on

Mental State: Relieved; optimistic

Advice: Accept the past and embrace the future; appreciate what you still have; do not dwell on regrets

Card Imagery: A. He turns his head and notices the other two cups, feeling surprised. B. Because he has been submerged in regret, all five cups are now lost. The ground has turned dry and lifeless.

Symbolism: Dry Ground: Represents drained resources, symbolizing despair and emotional depletion.