Eight of Cups

Pluto turns retrograde today and may have you thinking more about what really matters to you in the greater scheme of things — and what you may need to leave behind.

Like the figure in this card seen walking away from Eight upright — and presumably full — golden chalices, you may be thinking about how this translates to your day-to-day life. What is “perfectly adequate” but no longer fulfilling? What served you in the past that no longer sustains you? And what once glittered like gold that now seems tarnished and dull?

The Eight of Cups may seem like a difficult card, and the decisions that accompany it may not be a walk in the park, but in the end it can be tremendously empowering.

It refers to walking away or leaving something (or someone) behind that you’ve given your all to, and resigning yourself to the understanding that it (or whom) was just not meant to be.

This should be a period of cleaning out closets, weeding unhealthy relationships from your life and letting go of outdated beliefs and fears. It’s cathartic in the sense that it forces you to look at what’s no longer working for you and to do something about it.

There is a natural sense of purpose associated with this card, even if it brings with it some sadness or loneliness. It may be that the Universe has something different (better) in store for you, and it may be that your current life circumstances are leading you down a different path.

It’s the difference between “fate” and “destiny” — or more specifically the difference between letting life happen to you and making it happen yourself. You’ll have to remember that the emptiness and loneliness you feel is temporary, and is a necessary part of getting to the other side.

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Seven of Cups

Today’s Venus / Jupiter square may see you with so much going on and so many different options available to you that staying on track with your goals becomes a challenge.

You may feel like torn by competing interests and pulled in different directions — either away from the things you really want to do, or towards the kind of mindless diversions that cause you lose sight of your priorities.

The Seven of Cups is a card of temptations, often fueled by irrational thoughts or fantasies. There can be too many options available, which makes it hard to decide. But it’s often a case of wishful thinking and foolish day-dreaming that can interfere with actual progress.

The woman in this card gazes up at Seven goblets, each more tempting than the last. There’s a snake, dragon, wreath, dove, castle, treasure trove of jewels and a winged heart. These are tied to the Seven deadly sins and in fact this card is called “Debauchery” in some decks, referring to the superficial appeal of things that most of us only think will make us happy.

This is the dilemma with the Seven of Cups. What you long for looks so appealing while what you have appears so drab. But it’s just an illusion and even if it weren’t — even if it were perfectly attainable — it’s not going to come about by sitting around daydreaming about it.

There are elements of seduction also inherent in this card. Being seduced by something intangible or just out of reach, or being lured in by a fantasy that falls short in the harsh light of day. Notice the butterflies luring the woman toward all of the enticing representations of fame, glory, power, wealth and acclaim, which are just hollow victories in the end.

While you may think that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, chances are good that when you got there you’d want nothing more than to return back home. The message behind this card is to aim for reachable goals and to participate in attaining them rather than allowing yourself to fall into the trap of wishful thinking.

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