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Table of Contents
General Interpretation
The 5 of Cups is all about things not being as good as you would like them to be. Very often sorrow, pain, or loss are associated with its appearance.
From that perspective it is a somewhat negative card and although it doesn’t mean that everything is doom and gloom it does usually indicate a difficult time emotionally.
Having said that it is a card that reminds you that even though you may have lost something you have not lost everything. The pictorial depiction of this card shows three spilled cups but it also shows two cups unspilt. Concentrate on the two and not the three.
Friends and Family
Very often it will mean difficulty for your friends or family and almost without exception it will not be you that has the difficulty. The difficulty could be almost anything and whereas it will nearly always have an emotional component to it it might not be emotional in origin.
That doesn’t mean that you are going to get away lightly though because you are not. They will almost certainly need your help to get through this period of difficulty. On an emotional level you will find their difficulty becoming your difficulty.
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Love and Relationships
If you are single and would like to be otherwise then the appearance of the 5 of Cups will almost certainly indicate that someone that you had your eye on who you really thought might be “the one” is going to be nothing of the sort.
Don’t spend time bemoaning the fact that it won’t or didn’t work out but instead be thankful because the truth is this is a blessing in disguise. Move on to pastures new and remain positive.
If you are in a relationship then in a way this goes back directly to the pictorial representation. Even though it may feel like it your life together is not about the three spilled cups but about the two cups that are still full. Don’t make the mistake of fighting over the three spilled ones because when all is said and done it doesn’t matter whose fault it is. Focus your joint energies on what you have.
Spiritual Growth
In order to move forward spiritually it is likely that you are going to have to let something go that is bothering you. Someone needs your forgiveness and indeed that someone may even be you.
What you must remember is that when it comes down to it forgiving someone is as much for your sake as it is for theirs. Hanging on to a past hurt unnecessarily can be a real hindrance to further progress.
Work and Career
The appearance of the 5 of Cups if you are looking for a job is perhaps not as negative as you might initially think. What it does mean though, is that you need to be careful that you do not overlook a prospect that is worth having because it is not the perfect prospect that you are seeking. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush is a perfect summation.
If you are already working then its meaning is a little different. Here it is more a case of being smart enough to pick your battles carefully. If you don’t then it is likely to be you that comes off worst. It doesn’t matter how right your cause is because as history has shown time and again you can lose even when all the right in the world is on your side. Simply put, don’t make a federal case out of everything that comes your way.
Message from Spirit
Try to keep your spirits up and avoid any tendency towards self pity. Doing so does not belittle any pain you are going through but it will help you to get through it faster.
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5 of Cups Tarot Card Meanings by Tarot Time
