Five of Cups

AKA Lord of Loss in Pleasure

But if the perfect joy of daily life
Some transient sorrow sears,
Thy holy function falling on the strife
Melts pain to happy tears.

— Arthur Waite, Collected Poems

Iconography

• overturned cups
  • loss of that which is loved [1]
• three cups down
  • a happiness or hope that has failed [2]
• two cups standing
  • support from a lover or friend [2]
• black coat
  • mourning
• river
  • flow of sorrow [2]
• bridge
  • consciousness and determination
  • leading from the past (loss) to the future (new beginnings) [2]
• house
  • stability and continuity

Meaning

• loss of pleasure [1]
• struggle, pain; sorrow and acceptance [2]

Reversed

• not accepting loss
  • false projects or mistakes [2]
• support from others, friendship, new interests and occupations after a sad or disturbing event [2]
• awareness of what remains important and permanent in the face of sorrow
  • turning from the three to the two [2]
• two cups
  • solid basis of a person’s life (not easily knocked over) [2]
• three cups
  • less important than might at first seem at the time of its destruction (easily knocked over) [2]

Pollack, Rachel. Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom: A Book of Tarot

She needs to accept that some happiness has suddenly vanished, been knocked over. She does not yet realize that something remains, for first she must understand and accept the loss. Has she herself knocked over the cups, either through recklessness or by taking them for granted? In the sense of awareness the card relates to Justice, emblem of truth and the acceptance of responsibility. In her pose and costume she resembles the Hermit, who cloaks himself in wisdom to hold him upright in his task of looking within for a vision of his life, the vision he will accept injustice.

The river represents the flow of sorrow but the bridge symbolizes consciousness and determination. It leads from the past Qoss) to the future (new beginnings) . When she has accepted her loss she can then turn, pick up the two remaining cups, and cross over the bridge to the house, symbol of stability and continuity.

References

1. Wang, Robert. The Qabalistic Tarot: A Textbook of Mystical Philosophy
2. Pollack, Rachel. Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom: A Book of Tarot.