Five of Cups: Modern RWS Tarot Card Meanings
‘Five of Cups’, Rider Waite Smith tarot deck.
Upright Five of Cups Meanings
Keywords
Loss, Grief, Regret, Disappointment, Sadness, Dwelling on the Past
Generally
The Five of Cups signifies a period of grief, loss, and regret. It represents a state of being so focused on what has been lost that you are unable to see the positive things that still remain. This can manifest as mourning a past failure, dwelling on a mistake you made, feeling a deep sense of disappointment with how things have turned out, or a period of sadness and pessimism.
In a Love Context
In matters of love, this card often points to a painful breakup, a bereavement, or dwelling on the end of a past relationship. It can represent the grief and regret that follows a separation, an inability to move on from a lost love, or a current relationship that is being soured by a focus on its negative aspects. It is the energy of a broken heart.
In a Money/Career Context
This card can represent a significant financial loss, a failed business venture, or being made redundant. It might be regretting a poor investment, dwelling on a career path you did not take, or a general feeling of disappointment with your professional life. It can be a sign that you are too focused on your failures to see new opportunities.
In a Spiritual Context
This can signify a period of spiritual crisis or a "dark night of the soul" where you feel abandoned or disconnected from the Divine. It may represent a loss of faith, grieving a spiritual path that no longer serves you, or a meditation practice that is filled with sadness and regret. It is the energy of spiritual mourning.
In Common Spread Positions
As Advice
Acknowledge your grief. Allow yourself to feel the loss. But do not forget what you still have.
As (Ultimate) Outcome
A period of sadness and regret. A necessary grieving process. A focus on what has been lost.
As Obstacles
Pessimism is preventing progress. You are stuck in the past. A refusal to see the positive.
As Hidden Energy
An unacknowledged grief or loss. A past disappointment is still affecting the present.
As Resources/Alliances
The lessons learned from a past failure. The strength that comes from surviving a loss.
‘The Five of Cups’ Reversed
Keywords
Moving On, Acceptance, Forgiveness, Healing, Seeing the Positive
Generally
Reversed, the Five of Cups can point to the end of a period of grief and the beginning of acceptance and healing. It signifies a moment of clarity where you are finally able to let go of the past and see the opportunities that still remain. This can manifest as forgiving yourself for a past mistake, moving on from a loss with a new sense of hope, or a general feeling of emotional recovery and a renewed appreciation for life.
In a Love Context
This card often signifies healing after a painful breakup or the forgiveness that allows a relationship to move forward. For a single person, it may represent finally being ready to open your heart to a new relationship after a period of mourning. For a couple, it can be the end of a period of resentment and a conscious decision to focus on the positive aspects of their partnership.
In a Money/Career Context
This can mean recovering from a financial loss or moving on from a career disappointment. It might represent finding a new job after being made redundant, a new sense of optimism after a business failure, or a conscious decision to stop dwelling on past professional mistakes and focus on the future.
In a Spiritual Context
This can mean reconnecting with your spiritual path after a period of crisis or doubt. It may represent a renewed sense of faith, forgiving yourself for past spiritual failings, or a new spiritual perspective that brings peace and acceptance. It is the end of a period of spiritual mourning.
In Common Spread Positions
As Advice
It is time to move on. Forgive yourself and others. Look at what you have, not what you have lost.
As (Ultimate) Outcome
Acceptance and healing. A new sense of hope. The end of a period of grief.
As Obstacles
A refusal to forgive. A superficial "positive thinking" that masks deep-seated grief.
As Hidden Energy
A dawning realisation that it is time to move on. A hidden capacity for forgiveness.
As Resources/Alliances
The wisdom gained from a painful experience. The support of others who have been through a similar loss. The courage to forgive.
Additional Notes on The RWS ‘Five of Cups’
Waite’s Divinatory Meanings of The Five of Cups
"It is a card of loss, but something remains over; three have been taken, but two are left; it is a card of inheritance, patrimony, transmission, but not corresponding to expectations; with some it is a card of marriage, but not without bitterness or frustration. Reversed: News, alliances, affinity, ancestry, return, false projects." (The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, 1911)
RWS Five of Cups Symbolism
A.E. Waite’s Five of Cups depicts a cloaked figure with their head bowed in grief. Before them are three spilled cups, representing loss, regret, and disappointment. The figure is so focused on these spilled cups that they fail to see the two full cups still standing behind them, which represent the opportunities and potential that still remain. In the background, a bridge leads away from the scene of loss towards a stable dwelling, signifying that a path to recovery and stability is available, if only the figure would turn around and see it.
Meditations On The Five of Cups
What past loss or disappointment am I still dwelling on?
What positive things in my life am I failing to appreciate right now?
What is the first step I can take to "cross the bridge" and move towards healing?
