Make sure you grab the FREE Invictus Tarot TIY (Trust in Yourself!) Tarot workbook, if you haven't already! As a note, I am using the OG Rider-Waite deck for this series of posts, but you absolutely don't have to! Find the deck or decks that speak to you most, the cards you connect to most will always be better for your readings and sharpening your intuitive skills. This is just an example and reference for you to trust in yourself!
Five of Cups
Spilled wine is never joyful, but don't let yourself be stuck in the negative.
Keywords: loss, grief, regret, disappointment, mourning, focusing on what's lost, overlooking what remains, sadness, emotional pain, isolation, acceptance (eventually)
General Meaning: The central theme of the Five of Cups is the intense focus on what has been lost, sometimes to the detriment of acknowledging what still remains. This card speaks to the natural process of grief but also cautions against dwelling solely on the negative, potentially blinding us to existing support and future possibilities.
Personal Interpretation: Pain is a part of life. Acknowledge and process feelings of sadness or regret without getting stuck in them. Even in the face of loss, life continues, and there is always something to rebuild upon.
Reversed Meaning: release from grief or sadness, acceptance of loss or regret, willingness to move forward
Affirmation: "I allow myself to feel my emotions, knowing that healing and new beginnings are possible."
Symbolism: five cups, cloaked figure, bridge and river, structure in the distance
Imagery Notes: five cups - three spilled cups represent loss and sorrow, while two upright cups represent hope and the chance to move forward; cloaked figure - someone in mourning, feeling isolated or withdrawn in their grief; bridge and river - represents the passage of time and the potential to move from the past (the spilled cups) to the future (beyond the river), signifying the journey through grief; structure in the distance - the possibility of comfort, stability, and a return to normalcy after the period of mourning... a reminder that life continues beyond the immediate pain
People: those in mourning
Places: cemeteries
Media:
Personal Insights & Other Notes: The Five of Cups is a powerful reminder that experiencing pain is a natural part of the human condition. It encourages us to allow ourselves to feel those emotions fully, without judgment or pressure to "get over it" too quickly. However, it also carries a gentle warning against becoming so fixated on what's gone that we miss the opportunities for healing and growth that still exist. It's about finding a balance between acknowledging our sorrow and recognizing the resilience within us and the support around us.
What has helped you to navigate periods of significant loss or disappointment in your life? How did you eventually find your way back to hope and possibility?
