The Cups suit in Tarot corresponds to the element of Water and is associated with emotions, relationships, and intuition. In the Tree of Life, Cups align with the world of Briah, the realm of creation and emotion, where feelings, compassion, and the unconscious are deeply rooted. Each numbered Cup card represents a different emotional experience or state of being, while the Court cards represent personalities and emotional responses.
Ace of Cups (Keter - Crown)
The Ace of Cups represents emotional fulfillment, spiritual love, and the beginning of a deep emotional journey. In Keter, it signifies a divine, pure love or an overflow of emotions that create new beginnings and possibilities in the realm of the heart.
Two of Cups (Chokmah - Wisdom)
The Two of Cups is about union, partnership, and mutual attraction. In Chokmah, it reflects the wisdom of connection, where emotional bonds are formed based on equality, respect, and shared intentions, leading to harmony between two individuals.
Three of Cups (Binah - Understanding)
The Three of Cups celebrates friendship, community, and joyful gatherings. In Binah, it symbolizes the understanding and deepening of emotional connections within groups, where support, celebration, and emotional fulfillment are shared with others.
Four of Cups (Chesed - Mercy)
The Four of Cups represents contemplation, dissatisfaction, and missed opportunities. In Chesed, it reflects a period of introspection, where emotional fulfillment may seem elusive, and there is a need to look within for satisfaction, reconnecting with deeper desires.
Five of Cups (Gevurah - Strength)
The Five of Cups represents loss, grief, and focusing on what has been lost. In Gevurah, it symbolizes the emotional challenges that come with experiencing disappointment or sorrow, where healing and transformation are needed to move forward and find emotional strength.
Six of Cups (Tiphereth - Beauty)
The Six of Cups is about nostalgia, childhood memories, and revisiting the past. In Tiphereth, it reflects the beauty and harmony found in remembering or reconnecting with old emotional ties, allowing past experiences to bring comfort or insights into the present.
Seven of Cups (Netzach - Victory)
The Seven of Cups speaks of choices, illusions, and emotional confusion. In Netzach, it symbolizes the overwhelming nature of many possibilities or desires, urging clarity and discernment in choosing what is truly fulfilling and aligned with one’s deeper emotional truth.
Eight of Cups (Hod - Glory)
The Eight of Cups is about walking away, emotional withdrawal, and seeking deeper meaning. In Hod, it represents a journey of emotional transformation, where one must leave behind what no longer serves to seek fulfillment, growth, or enlightenment on a deeper level.
Nine of Cups (Yesod - Foundation)
The Nine of Cups represents emotional satisfaction, contentment, and the realization of wishes. In Yesod, it symbolizes emotional stability and abundance, where desires are fulfilled, bringing harmony and peace to the heart.
Ten of Cups (Malkuth - Kingdom)
The Ten of Cups is about ultimate happiness, emotional harmony, and family unity. In Malkuth, it represents the culmination of emotional fulfillment, where love and joy manifest in the physical world, symbolizing lasting happiness and fulfillment in relationships.
Page of Cups (Yesod - Foundation)
The Page of Cups embodies creativity, intuition, and emotional curiosity. In Yesod, the Page is connected to the realm of dreams, offering a fresh, open-hearted approach to emotions, intuition, and creative potential.
Knight of Cups (Netzach - Victory)
The Knight of Cups is about romanticism, charm, and following one’s heart. In Netzach, the Knight is passionate and idealistic, driven by emotions and a desire to offer love, but can sometimes be prone to illusions or unrealistic expectations.
Queen of Cups (Binah - Understanding)
The Queen of Cups represents compassion, empathy, and emotional depth. In Binah, the Queen embodies emotional intelligence, offering nurturing care and understanding, grounded in intuitive wisdom and the ability to support others emotionally.
King of Cups (Chokmah - Wisdom)
The King of Cups is about emotional balance, maturity, and wisdom. In Chokmah, the King represents emotional mastery, offering support and guidance with a steady, compassionate hand, capable of navigating deep emotional waters with composure.
The Cups suit reflects the journey through emotions and relationships, from the initial overflow of feelings in the Ace to the culmination of emotional fulfillment in the Ten. The Tree of Life provides a spiritual framework to understand how emotions, intuition, and relationships evolve, deepen, and ultimately contribute to a more harmonious existence.