Tarot Discussion - How To Read Eight of Cups in a deck called "Tarot"

                                                                       This picture of the Eight of Cups comes from a deck called simply, "Tarot".  The illustrations are by Gwen Galeone, published by Running Press.

 

 

 

 

The backside of each deck is beautifully illustrated with a colourful display of Sun, Flowers, clowns or fools juggling objects, and the offsetting weight of a quarter moon.

 

 

 

When a card shows up as an answer to a specific question, it usually raises the question of "how do I interpret this card?"  This deck is a very easy deck to learn to use to understand the basic Tarot .  Even if you don't have a guide book handy, you can use the pictures on the card to give you meaning, and, usually one will get some instant words in their mind - claircognizance or clear knowing - that will aid the interpretation.

So, let's start this process by looking at the card.

1.  There are two ways to analyse a card, either from the outside in, or from the inside frame to the outside.  Let's begin from the inside frame.

2.  The picture is of a youngish man in a tea cup (the suit of cups).  The first thought should be to identify what "cups" means.  It usually means emotions, or love, or happiness.  We are therefore, working with emotions.

3.  He wears a hat that has an upside down heart on it, and the cup is ringed with hearts, alternating right side up and upside down.  This is close to the saying, "He/She loves me, He/She loves me not!"  This confirms that we are working with emotions, and probably with love or a love relationship.

4.  The young man is sitting in the cup which sits on the water.  Water is also the symbol for emotions, and may define any emotion.  As the cup is sitting high on the water, we can interpret that "emotions are riding high".

5.  Instead of enjoying the ride, the young man is introspective and sad as his knees are drawn up to his chest (protecting his heart) and he looks into the cup.  If he was enjoying the ride, he would be at the edge of the cup, most likely dangling his fingers in the water.  We may interpret this as "thinking deeply about the relationship".

6.  Additionally, when one has their arms crossed over their heart, or some protection over their heart, such as his knees are protectively covering his heart, we may interpret that he is concerned about the love he his pondering.  He is worried that it might hurt him.

7.  If we look at the big picture, we see a lone male in an unsuitable boat, floating on the water.  This picture of being out on the water looks fool hardy, and may show that much courage and some self sacrifice will be required for the relationship to move forward. 

8.  The overall interpretation of the card then becomes....... in this situation about love and/or emotions (whether an affair of the heart or a new position at the office), the querent is uncertain, and may need to be content with the way things are unless they are willing to put themselves out front and make some unique sacrifice to move the situation forward.  If they are willing to move forward, they must be a bit thick skinned because most often, risky behaviour draws negative comments before it wins others over.

May all your cards be happy, successful cards!

Judith