Element: Water
Sign: 3. decan of Cancer
Planet: Moon
Tree of Life: Chesed
Light: weakness, pleasure coming to an end
Shadow: boredom, apathy
Lord of Luxury
The Four of Cups is also known as the Lord of Luxury. This title reflects the card’s deep association with abundance, but also the potential for excess. It encourages us to share our joy and abundance with others and to enjoy the good things in life while they last.
It is a card of emotional abundance, mutual respect, and harmonious relationships. However, it also warns us of the dangers of excess and the importance of maintaining balance in our lives.
Joe’s Divine Guidance : Four of Cups in a Tarot Reading
Upright
Reversed
When the Four of Cups appears upright in a reading, it signifies a time of happiness and fulfillment. It suggests a time of celebration, perhaps due to some form of completion or achievement. This card encourages you to gather with your loved ones and share your joy and abundance with them.
In a reversed position, the Four of Cups can indicate overindulgence or a period of pleasure and celebration that has gone too far. It can also suggest that you are so busy celebrating your achievements that you are not seeing the new opportunities that are being offered to you.
Mystical Symbolism - Four of Cups Thoth
The Four Cups: The four cups in this tarot card are arranged in a square shape, representing the number four and the concept of stability. They symbolize the energy of Chesed, which is associated with stability and harmony. The cups are positioned in a way that the water from the lotus fills the upper row of cups, and then overflows into the lower row.
Top Two Cups: The top two cups receive a flow of beautiful white light and water of creation from the lotus. They are filled to the point of overflowing, representing abundance and the potential for emotional fulfillment.
Bottom Two Cups: The overflowing water from the top two cups fills the bottom two cups. However, unlike the top cups, the bottom cups are not overflowing, suggesting a sense of impending instability or dissatisfaction in the emotional realm.
Dark Background & Agitated Sea: The dark background and the agitated sea depicted in the card symbolize trouble brewing in our lives. It indicates that there may be challenges or emotional turbulence that we need to navigate.
Square Bases: The square bases of the lower cups seem to be floating on an ocean that is constantly changing and in flux. This suggests that there is an underlying instability or unpredictability that we need to be aware of.
Infinity Sign: Below the cups and in the center of the sea on the card, there is an Ouroboros or an infinity sign. This symbol suggests that despite the shifting seas and the possibility of ripples and waves, there is still infinite love and potential at the heart of the situation.
Tree of Life: Chesed and the Four of Cups
In the Tree of Life, the Four of Cups corresponds to Chesed, the fourth Sephirah. Chesed represents loving kindness and is associated with the divine masculine and the beginning of manifestation.
Embrace the potential for stability and harmonious relationships by opening yourself to the qualities of Chesed. Allow love and kindness to guide your actions and decisions.
Astrology Insights
The Four of Cups is associated with the Moon in Cancer. This combination of the nurturing, emotional energy of Cancer with the changing, fluctuating energy of the Moon creates a dynamic of emotional intelligence, empathy, and understanding. This energy is conducive to celebrations, gatherings, and sharing of feelings and ideas.