Today we’re going to be looking at the Five of Cups: arguably one of the most challenging cards in the Tarot. Challenging in the sense that it’s not easy to find much ‘positive’ about this card — which is precisely the point.
The Five of Cups — this version from Timothy Lantz’ wonderful Archeon Tarot — speaks of sadness, disillusionment and discontent, even at times when things are not as bad as they seem.
As someone who speaks every single day with clients who are unhappy in their relationships, it came as no surprise when I pulled this card.
I even wondered if it wasn’t such a good idea to start with something so “negative” right out of the gate. But there are positive aspects to this card too, and important messages—even if they’re not readily apparent. We’ll start with the not so good:
I remember telling someone once that everyone I knew was either in a relationship and trying to get out, or not in a relationship and trying to get in. And while this may have been a slight exaggeration, the 5 of Cups turns out to be an appropriate representation of that sentiment.
It describes a sense of unhappiness or disillusionment in your current state of affairs, whether you’re involved in a relationship or not.
