Five of Cups

Upright: loss of happiness or emotional fulfillment, sadness and withdrawal, disappointment, grief over what is gone while overlooking what still remains.

Reversed: deepened sorrow from losing all support, denial and emotional repression, or the ability to recognize what still remains and recover more quickly.

Turning away from pain, she seeks new possibility. Under a dim gray sky, a girl stands sorrowfully, mourning the three beloved conch shells that have drifted away from her. The river of emotion separates her from a distant castle that represents stability, yet a bridge — symbolizing awareness and determination — connects the two sides. Though three shells are lost to the current, two remain beside her, unnoticed. If only she would turn around, she would see that she is not alone, that not everything has been taken from her. When her mourning subsides, she can gather the two remaining shells, cross the bridge, and continue toward life and hope. The faraway house symbolizes a secure refuge — perhaps loved ones still waiting for her return.

The Five of Cups represents grief, disappointment, and emotional loss, yet it also carries the seed of renewal. It reminds you that while some things may be gone, not all is lost. Healing begins the moment you turn from what has ended to what still remains — and take that first step forward.

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