Minor Arcana · water
The suit of Cups
Cups carry the element of water and deal with feelings, relationships, intuition and the inner life. Numbers one to ten trace a story from first spark to full weight; the four court cards read as people, roles or ways of acting.
| Card | Short study note |
|---|---|
| Ace of Cups | An open heart; new feelings or a new bond. |
| Two of Cups | A mutual connection between two people. |
| Three of Cups | Friendship, community and shared joy. |
| Four of Cups | Boredom or turning away from what is offered. |
| Five of Cups | Grief over what spilled, with two cups still standing. |
| Six of Cups | Memory, kindness and the past returning. |
| Seven of Cups | Many choices, daydreams, wishful thinking. |
| Eight of Cups | Walking away from something that no longer fills you. |
| Nine of Cups | Satisfaction and a wish that comes true. |
| Ten of Cups | Lasting happiness at home and in the family. |
| Page of Cups | A sensitive message, a creative surprise. |
| Knight of Cups | A romantic who follows the heart. |
| Queen of Cups | Deep empathy and emotional steadiness. |
| King of Cups | Calm feelings held with maturity. |
How to practice this suit
- Lay out the Ace to Ten of Cups in order and say the story aloud in one sentence per card.
- Pull the four court cards and match each to someone you know.
- Shuffle only the Cups and draw one each morning for a week; note what happened that day.