The Ace of Cups is the first card in the deck that we’re going to go over.
Pictured below is the Rider-Waite Ace of Cups. Different decks may take artistic liberties and draw the cards in the style of their own particular deck.
There are many ways to interpret this card and every card. According to the Little White Book that came in my deck, this card can represent:
Joy, Contentment, Abundance, Fertility
When I look at this card, I see all the elements differently. Traditionally, the Ace of Cups represents beginnings, as any Ace in Tarot does. (which ties into the numerology of Tarot) I see the Ace of Cups as a cup literally overflowing. I feel this card represents:
Brightness, Hope, Peace, Abundance
So there is some overlap, see? While I appreciate the LWB as being a great guide for helping memorize the cards, I feel that sometimes you have to read the vibe of the card within the context of the question/reading to really get an answer.
Reversed, this card should represent:
Revolution, instability, mutation
When I see the Ace of Cups reversed, I see:
Loss of hope (or hope being taken away), divine intervention, difficulties, loss of abundance
So if this card is showing up in a drawing, remember some of the key points behind the Ace of Cups:
- Cups relate to emotions and relationships
- Cups relate to the element of water
- Aces (ones) in Tarot signify the start of a journey or story
- Cups, in relation to time questions, relate to months (think about how the tide ebbs with moon phases, which occur over a monthly period)