The Four of Cups, or Chalices, is a card that shows up when you are presented with opportunities. But you aren’t taking these opportunities for some reason. It could be that you are being rightfully discerning and waiting for something that is a better fit. But you may also be choosing the familiar over risk or avoiding challenges that you don’t think you are ready to face.
Upright Tarot Card Meanings – In Brief
In the upright position, the Four of Cups suggests that you are focused on building up yourself right now, and that is why you aren’t open to new challenges. This is probably the right decision now, but don’t spend too long here. If you always wait until you are 100% ready and prepared to make a move, you will probably find yourself standing still.
Reversed Tarot Card Meanings – In Brief
In the reversed position, the Four of Cups suggests that you are withdrawn and saying no to opportunities from a place of fear or avoidance. You may have become disillusioned with something or lost belief in yourself. As a result, you aren’t making important decisions. But when you don’t make decisions, circumstances can make them for you. You might find yourself stuck somewhere you don’t want to be.
Four of Cups – Tarot Card Description
While the Four of Cups card appears differently in different decks, most pull on the symbology represented in the Rider Waite deck.
The Four of Cups shows a young man sitting beneath a tree with both his legs and arms crossed. The crossed legs tend to suggest meditation and introspection, while the crossed arms suggest blocking and trying to create a sense of security.
The young man is so engrossed in what he is doing that he doesn’t seem to notice the arm floating before him and offering him a cup. He also doesn’t seem to notice the three other cups sitting on the ground in front of him. These seem to represent gifts or opportunities, which appear to hold no interest for the young man.
Number – 4
The number four is linked with stability and determination. It can suggest working methodically and taking small steps to achieve big things. However, it can also represent being stubborn or being stuck, and not being able to move forward for some reason.
Element – Water
The suit of Cups represents the water element in the Tarot and speaks to our emotions. It often calls on us to question how we are feeling and why. It reminds us that while our emotions can be difficult to manage, we have them for a reason. Listen to what they are telling you.
Four of Cups – Upright Tarot Card Meaning
When the Four of Cups appears in the upright position, it suggests that you are surrounded by opportunities at the moment, but you don’t seem to be ready to take them. It could be that these aren’t the right opportunities, so you are saying no now so that you can work on yourself and say yes at the right time.
It could also be that your cup is full right now and you don’t feel like you have time to take on anything else. It is not bad to say no to some things so that you can focus more energy and attention on more important things. But make sure you are saying no to the right things. Are there things that you are doing that you shouldn’t be doing, and if you let them go, you would have time for newer and more fulfilling challenges
You may also be overwhelmed by what is on offer and you are suffering from decision paralysis and unable to choose. You may also be protecting yourself from new challenges due to fear of failure.
The Four of Cups suggests that it is not a bad time to focus on introspection, but don’t hide within yourself to avoid risk. Instead, try to understand what truly motivates you, what you really want, and what is blocking you from moving forward in certain areas.
What to do?
When the Four of Cups appears upright in the Tarot reading, it is a sign that opportunities are before you. Don’t ignore them, but also don’t feel like you have to say yes to everything. Choose what is important and curate your life to prioritize what is meaningful. This can mean saying no to new opportunities or letting go of things currently in your life to make space for something new.
Four of Cups – Reversed Tarot Card Meaning
When the Four of Cups appears reversed in a Tarot reading, it can suggest that you are going through a withdrawal period where you just aren’t that interested in what is happening around you for some reason. The card suggests that, as a result, you are missing out on some incredible opportunities. This might be a “time out” that you need but don’t get stuck here.
The Four of Cups in the reversed position can also suggest that you are feeling uninspired or disillusioned with something, and this is why you have kind of given up. You need to figure out what you need to do to find your passion again.
The appearance of the card in reverse might also suggest that you are avoiding something. You know that you need to do something or make an important decision, but you don’t feel ready. But the longer you leave it, the harder it is going to be. And if you leave it too long, you may find that your options are severely limited.
What to do?
If the Four of Cups appears in the reversed position in a Tarot reading, it suggests that you are taking a step back, but not necessarily in a positive way. You may be avoiding challenges or disillusioned by life. Whatever your particular reason, you aren’t protecting yourself, you’re stuck. And the longer you stay stuck, the harder it will be to move forward.
4 of Cups in a Love Tarot Reading
In a love tarot reading, the Four of Cups signifies a time of emotional withdrawal, apathy, or contemplation regarding one’s relationships. It suggests that the querent may be feeling dissatisfied with their current romantic situation, possibly taking for granted or overlooking the love and opportunities for connection that are being offered to them.
This card encourages the querent to reflect on their emotional state and consider what changes might lead to greater fulfillment and happiness in love, urging them to open their heart to new possibilities or appreciate what they already have.
4 of Cups in a Career Tarot Reading
In a career tarot reading, the Four of Cups represents a period of disengagement, lack of motivation, or dissatisfaction with one’s current job or career path. It suggests that the querent may be feeling unfulfilled, overlooking potential opportunities for growth or advancement that are available to them.
This card encourages introspection and reassessment of one’s career goals and aspirations, urging the querent to become more open to new possibilities or to find ways to reignite passion and interest in their work.
4 of Cups in Relation to Other Tarot Cards
The Four of Cups’ relationship with other cards in a Tarot reading can reveal deeper insights into the querent’s emotional landscape and the context of their current situation. Here’s how the Four of Cups interacts with a selection of specific cards, offering nuanced interpretations:
- The Magician: When paired with the Four of Cups, the Magician suggests that the querent has the resources and skills necessary to change their circumstances but may be overlooking these tools due to apathy or disinterest. This combination urges the querent to realize their potential and take action, highlighting the need to shift perspective and utilize one’s abilities to manifest desired changes.
- The High Priestess: This combination emphasizes the importance of introspection and listening to one’s intuition. The High Priestess, alongside the Four of Cups, suggests that the answers to the querent’s dissatisfaction lie within. It encourages taking a step back to reflect and connect with one’s inner wisdom, indicating that a more profound understanding of one’s needs and desires is needed to move forward.
- Ten of Swords: When appearing with the Four of Cups, the Ten of Swords may indicate that the querent’s feelings of apathy or disengagement are the result of a painful ending or betrayal. This pairing highlights the need for healing and suggests that the querent’s current emotional state may be a protective measure to avoid further pain, urging a process of acceptance and recovery to open up again.
- Wheel of Fortune: This card symbolizes change, cycles, and fate. Combined with the Four of Cups, it suggests that the querent’s current state of dissatisfaction or contemplation is part of a larger cycle of change. It encourages the querent to see this period as a necessary phase for growth, reminding them that fortunes change and new opportunities will arise.
- Two of Wands: The Two of Wands represents planning, future possibilities, and choices about one’s path. When it appears with the Four of Cups, it emphasizes the need for the querent to look beyond their current discontent and consider long-term goals and aspirations. This combination urges the querent to broaden their horizons and think about what truly inspires and motivates them, suggesting that a more proactive approach to life’s decisions is needed.
The interaction between the Four of Cups and other Tarot cards provides a complex picture of how internal feelings of discontent, apathy, or contemplation are influenced by, and in turn influence, various aspects of the querent’s life. By examining these relationships, a reader can offer insights that encourage self-reflection, reassessment, and eventually, a renewed engagement with life.
Four of Cups Tarot Reading
When the Four of Cups appears in a Tarot reading, it suggests that there are opportunities before you, but you aren’t saying yes right now for some reason. It is good to be discerning and you shouldn’t do something just because you can. You need to make choices about what is important based on your core principles. But make sure you are saying no for the right reasons.
Don’t say no due to fear of failure or to avoid big decisions. And don’t say not to something new for the sake of holding onto something that you have, but don’t necessarily want. In psychology this is called Mere Exposure, when we hold onto what we have because it is familiar, not because it is what we want or what is best for us.
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