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Welcome to part 15 of my 40 part series Minor Arcana Meanings Deep Dives – each week or so we’ll hang out with ONE Tarot card and dive deeply into it’s symbols, meanings and messages – I’ll even give you some journalling questions to help you contemplate and connect with each card. This is similar to my Major Arcana Meanings Deep Dive series and my Meet the Court Cards series.
Today we’re diving into the Four of Cups – a card that’s all about feeling blah! The heart is blocked, emotions are stagnant and it’s hard to get excited about anything. But guess what? Your boredom is trying to tell you something…
Suit = Cups
Element = Water (emotion, feeling, intuition, relationships)
Number 4 = stability, space, stillness, rest, lack, stagnancy
Keywords:
Boredom, lack of enthusiasm, emotionally stagnant & flat, closed off, rejecting, feeling blocked
Meaning (Upright):
In the Four of Cups, emotions become stagnant and muted, resulting in a real lack of enthusiasm. Here’s where we feel unmotivated and perhaps a bit closed off from the flow of life. Things are being offered to us, but it’s hard to feel excited about any of it.
The suit of cups and it’s element of water, is all about feelings and FLOW – but the Four of Cups is what happens when that flow stops and becomes stagnant.
Symbols:
Ghostly hand (offering) like the Ace of Cups = something being offered
Folded arms = closed off, rejecting
Bored expression = not excited about anything
Sitting under tree = inactive, contemplating or commiserating?
Long tree trunk (figure is sitting just to the side) = being out of alignment
Sitting on small hill, above the 3 cups in front of him = feeling he’s above all the options available to him
Advice & Messages
When the Four of Cups appears in a reading, it indicates stagnancy in a particular area (or in general) which is often felt as a lack of enthusiasm or boredom about something. But boredom can also be sign of FEAR and being closed off to life as a result, so ask yourself what am I afraid of here?
If you’ve been feeling blah lately, whether in general or in a particular area, examine your stuck emotions – what are you holding down? What wants to move and flow? Try bringing some movement into your life to try to get things unstuck – dance in your living room for ten minutes, try a new hobby, do something different!
The Four of Cups says “okay, so you know what you DON’T want, but what exactly DO you want?” Over time, we can fall out of alignment with our soul’s desires and asking this question can help us get back into alignment.
Reversed
When the Four of Cups shows up reversed, it can indicate that boredom and lack of enthusiasm have become entrenched and it’s no longer just a phase but a way of life. Perhaps you’re so closed off to life, that you’re just flat out rejecting everything, all the time because it’s what you’ve become accustomed to.
Alternatively, it can indicate a desire to really shake things up and blow up your life just to feel something and get out of your funk.
Journalling Questions:
♥ Where in your life do you feel a real lack of enthusiasm? Or extreme boredom? Or zero motivation? What is this lack telling you?
♥ You know what you DON’T want, but what DO you want?
♥ What emotions might be stuck within you?
♥ What do you hate most about the idea of letting your feelings “flow”?
Join me next time…
Join me next time as I dive into the Four of Wands – a card of community, peace, hearth and home and how you can create all that if you don’t already have it….Hop on my mailing list so you won’t miss out!
***Grab your FREE Minor Arcana Cheatsheet right HERE!***
You may also enjoy…
Court Card Tarot Meanings
Tarot Meanings Deep Dive series (Major Arcana)
Minor Arcana Tarot Meanings