Five of Cups
Grief for what is lost is natural. But two cups still stand behind you.
- Card
- Minor Arcana · Cups (Water)
- Upright keywords
- Loss, Regret, Sorrow, Disappointment
- Reversed keywords
- Recovery, Acceptance, A sign of hope, Moving on
- Yes or no
- Leans no
Traditional correspondences Golden Dawn: Lord of Loss in Pleasure / Thoth: Disappointment / 1st decan of Scorpio · Mars / Sephirah: Geburah (Severity)
Upright meaning
You’re grieving a loss. Turn around and you’ll see what remains.
A figure in a black cloak stands with head bowed over three spilled cups, not seeing the two that still stand behind. Across a river stands a house, reached by a bridge. The Five of Cups is grief, regret and disappointment. Upright, it acknowledges real loss. Let yourself mourn, but know that not everything is gone.
Reversed meaning
You’re beginning to recover and look forward.
Reversed, healing begins. You may be accepting what happened, forgiving yourself or others, and turning towards what remains. Cross the bridge when you’re ready.
For ways of reading reversed cards, see how to read reversals.
Love
Heartbreak or regret over a relationship.
Healing, forgiveness or reconciliation.
Work
Disappointment over a setback.
Learning from failure and moving on.
Money
A financial loss or regret.
Recovering and rebuilding.
Relationships
Grief over a broken friendship.
Making peace.
Health
Sadness affecting your wellbeing. Seek support.
Recovering emotionally.
Tarot does not diagnose physical conditions. If you have symptoms that worry you, please see a doctor.
Mind and spirit
Facing grief honestly.
Finding hope after loss.
As a person
Someone grieving or full of regret.
Someone healing and moving on.
Timing
Grief takes the time it takes, but signs of recovery appear within weeks. In the calendar, late October to early November is also a guide (roughly October 23 to November 1).
Advice
Mourn, then turn to what remains.
Take a step towards the bridge.
Questions to ask yourself
- What have I lost?
- What still remains for me?
- What would help me heal?
A common misreading
The Five of Cups isn’t total loss. Two cups still stand; the card is about grief and the possibility of recovery.
The story of this card
Five disrupts the comfort of the Four. Something is lost, and the heart must learn to grieve and go on.
The Waite deck’s picture and symbols
In the Waite deck a cloaked figure mourns over three spilled cups while two upright cups stand behind. A bridge across the river leads to a house.
History and differences between traditions
The Golden Dawn named it Lord of Loss in Pleasure. Crowley’s Disappointment shows wilting lotus flowers.
Words for today
I allow myself to grieve.
I turn towards what remains.