Five of Cups
Five of Cups Tarot Card Meanings
UPRIGHT: Regret, failure, disappointment, pessimism.
Upright Five Of Cups
The Five of Cups often appears in a Tarot reading when a situation hasn’t turned out the way you expected, and you are sad, regretful, and disappointed. Instead of moving on with your life, you are choosing to wallow in your self-pity. All you can focus on right now is what went wrong and how you failed. Sweetheart, it’s time to get over it! Sure, feel the feels, but set yourself a time limit for your self-pity and then pull yourself together and move on.
The Five of Cups suggests you’re stuck in the past and can’t let go. Old wounds and bitter memories flood your mind as you think about what happened. You may blame yourself or believe you’re a victim of life’s circumstances. These negative emotions are holding you back from your fullest potential – release them so you can move on and create positive change.
Forgiveness is vital with the Five of Cups, both of yourself and others. If someone has disappointed you, find it within your heart to forgive that person, releasing yourself from the disappointment. And if you are frustrated with yourself, know that you did the best you could under the circumstances and have now learned from your mistakes.
Remember, too, that hindsight is much clearer than foresight and wisdom in the present moment comes from the mistakes of the past. Reflect on what led you to this point and understand what valuable lessons you can take from the experience. Even when things go pear-shaped, you can always take away something positive by reflecting on the lessons learned.
The Five of Cups shows you that, even though things aren’t going your way, new opportunities and possibilities are waiting for you – but only when you are ready. It’s time to shift your mindset and focus on what can go right from this point onwards. Be open to the brighter side of life and know many blessings are in disguise right now. Instead of giving in to a ‘glass is half empty’ perspective, look at it as the ‘glass is half full’.
Upright Love Meaning:
Grieving break up, time of tension and sadness in relationship
You may be going through a period of mourning right now; there is perhaps much to grieve over. You perhaps are going through a break up of some sort, or if not that, a time of tension and arguments with your partner. It is helpful however, to understand that not all is lost. The 5 of Cups tarot love meaning signals emotional loss, but also that you may be overlooking what is still salvageable, and what has survived. Oftentimes, these bring the seed of hope. Did an argument teach you about something in your relationship? Did it help foster communication that would have otherwise remained silent? Did the break up bring you freedom to explore your individuality beyond your past relationship? As much as there are things to mourn over, the 5 of Cups tarot love meaning also suggests that there are things to look forward to.
Upright Career Meaning:
Taking a step backward in your career, job loss, business loss
The five of cups signifies loss and grief. In the context of your career, this can take place in the form of a loss of a job, business, a coveted project, or partnership. Perhaps you are being forced to take a step backwards in your career. Or it may be that someone with whom you work might abandon the projects you shared, or you may choose to walk away instead. This may be a period of sadness and transformation. These changes are hard, but they offer a learning opportunity. There may be more to salvage than what you initially thought. Try to maintain positive relationships with old coworkers outside of the office. Stay connected to the best elements of what you lost.
Upright Finances Meaning:
Financial loss, still things left to salvage
The five of cups in a financial tarot reading can signify a lack of resources. You might be suffering a substantial economic loss. There may be lots of stress at the moment, and you may have to make sure that you are not spending wastefully in order to build up your financial security once again. It is important now more than ever to remain positive about your situation. Luckily, this card generally always suggests that there are many things that you can still salvage about this situation, so look towards what you already have, as well as your skillset to see what you can use to make up for the loss.
Reversed Five of Cups Tarot Card Meanings
REVERSED: Personal setbacks, self-forgiveness, moving on.
Reversed Five Of Cups
The reversed Five of Cups suggests that you have recently suffered a personal setback or disappointment. You may worry that you are a ‘failure’ and don’t want to let others know you’ve taken the wrong path. Or you may not be ready to admit it to others and are choosing to keep your feelings to yourself instead. However, now might be the time to open up. People around you may not see how much pain you're in right now, so don’t be afraid to ask for help or talk with someone you trust; you may find it lessens the emotional pain. You’ll find that by sharing your feelings with others, you’ll realise that you can overcome this temporary setback.
If you feel guilty or ashamed about what happened, blaming yourself for the mistakes you made, the reversed Five of Cups encourages you to forgive yourself and move on. Know that you did the best you could. This may be the perfect opportunity for you to practice the Hawaiian forgiveness ritual, Ho’oponopono, where you say sorry, ask for forgiveness, express gratitude and move into love.
When this card turns up in a Tarot reading, you are realising the full implications of the past, and you appreciate the lessons learned from the experience. You may even recognise the value of the painful experience in the broader scheme of things.
The Five of Cups reversed serves as a reminder that you cannot undo the past – what has happened, has happened. It is now time to let go of what no longer serves you emotionally, and open to the new opportunities available to you. You are discovering how to be open and take risks again, especially those of the heart. If you have suffered setbacks, you will find that you will be more hopeful about the future and engage with the exciting, creative side of life again.
Reversed Love Meaning:
Moving on from past relationship, healing from old wounds
It is time to stop living in the past, when the reversed 5 of Cups appears in a love tarot reading. This really is the card of moving on, of letting go of past grief and suffering. If you’ve recently gone through a break up, this card can be a welcome sight to help motivate you to accept what has happened, and make peace with it. As this chapter closes in your life, you are making room for new love to appear, one where truly live in the present, and are not comparing current potential romances with your past. If you’re still healing, it’s only natural. Give yourself time, and be gentle; you will find happiness again. If you’re already in a relationship, you may have just gone through a tense period. Hopefully, you and your partner will have had all the discussions you needed in order to feel like you are both understood and heard. Try not to dwell on past hurts and resentments; look towards the future and what the two of you can change, instead of what you cannot.
Reversed Career Meaning:
Job loss leading to better position, healing from career misstep
The reversed five of cups is a sign of recovery. When it comes to your career, if you’ve recently suffered a setback like a loss of a job, a layoff, or had a business go underwater, the reversed five of cups suggests that you have what you need to in order to move past these terrible times. You are able to recoup some of your losses now. Healing is on the way; you may realize that despite the suffering that you experienced, these losses allowed you to find a position that was much better suited to you. It is also likely that the stress and pain you have been experiencing as a result of these troubles will start to weigh on you less heavily.
Reversed Finances Meaning:
Relief from financial loss, rebuilding financial security
If you’ve recently experienced some financial loss or turmoil, the reversed five of cups can signify relief and an end to this period. You may be finding new paths to financial stability by overcoming the losses that you experienced. Maybe you salvaged the remainder of your resources to invest in something worthwhile, like a business or a side-gig that is helping you build your financial cushion. Be proud of what you have overcome.