Five of Cups

Overview

An arresting image, The Five of Cups shows the riveting, unavoidable side to grief. When we loose something we feel pain that we can't turn away from. We must look back at what we've lost and commemorate it, letting our feelings flow out of us. This card speaks to loss and its aftermath, most importantly its impact on us as feeling creatures. Only when we've experienced our immediate grief can we move on. The Five of Cups shows us both the present moment and the way forward. Behind the figure are two upright ups, waiting to be carried over the bridge and towards a more stable life. Only after the feelings have run their course.

Keywords

Loss, grief, sadness, commemoration, letting go

Appears As

Grieving, suffering a loss, processing feelings of sadness or regret, looking to the past, saying goodbye, feeling torn between the past and the future, deep emotional processing, feeling lost.