Five of Cups Tarot Card Meaning

Minor Arcana

Upright Keywords

No. Loss, Grieving, Disappointed, Regretful

Reversed Keywords

Yes. Regaining, Narrow, Improving, Escaping

Key Associations

Element: Water

Number: 5

Planet: Mars

Zodiac: Scorpio

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Upright Meaning

The Five of Cups holds space for your grief. It shows up to acknowledge a disappointment or loss, validating the pain you feel as a necessary part of the healing process.

But it also gently asks you to look around. Notice the two cups that are still standing. Even in sorrow, something always remains. What has this experience not taken from you?

Love & Relationships

This card validates the sting of heartbreak. It’s okay to feel the ache of a broken promise or a painful ending. I've spent my share of nights crying over lost love, and this card says that’s a valid part of the process.

The key is to let the feelings move through you, rather than getting stuck in them. True healing happens when you allow yourself to grieve without judgment.

Career & Finances

A recent professional setback might be weighing on you. The Five of Cups can show up after a project fails or a job doesn't work out. It's easy to focus on what went wrong.

Instead, this card encourages you to shift your focus. What lessons did you learn? What skills or connections did you gain that can help you with your next move?

Health & Spirituality

Emotional pain often manifests in the body. This card acknowledges the physical toll of distress and asks you to be incredibly gentle with yourself. Your feelings are valid, and they need a safe outlet.

Self-compassion is your best medicine right now. Find practices that allow you to process your emotions without judgment.

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Reversed Meaning

You're moving from grief to grace. The reversed Five of Cups signals that you're ready to integrate the lessons from a painful experience and move forward with wisdom.

You are no longer defined by your loss. Instead, you're ready to see it as a part of your story that has made you stronger and more resilient.

Love & Relationships

The healing has begun. In love, this card shows you're processing past heartbreak and are slowly, gently opening your heart again. You're no longer fixated on what was lost.

Through forgiveness (of them, and of yourself), you are creating the space for a new, healthier love to enter your life.

Career & Finances

You're turning setbacks into comebacks. In a career context, this card shows that you've learned from past failures and are now making wiser, more informed choices.

This is a time of incredible resilience. The lessons from your losses are opening the door to surprising and more aligned opportunities.

Health & Spirituality

Your emotional healing is having a powerful, positive effect on your body and spirit. You're starting to notice your own resilience where you once felt only brokenness.

As you continue to integrate your experiences, choose practices that feel steady and supportive. This is about gentle, sustainable healing.

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