Card 38 • cups

Three of Cups

Brief Description

The Three of Cups celebrates community, friendship, and joyful reunion, symbolized by cheerful quokkas and bright yellow flowers. Upright, it encourages gathering with close companions to share laughter, nourishment, and creative renewal after hardship. In relationships and projects it signals cooperative energy, success, and the potential for new partnerships. Reversed, the card warns of isolation, depleted social batteries, or overindulgence and suggests taking time alone to realign, recover, or work independently as needed.

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Card

Three of Cups

Animal

Quokka

Fun fact

Quokkas are members of the marsupial family and they are described as the world’s happiest animal due to their bright smiles. It is a little bit of a misnomer, however, as children visiting their habitat on Rotte Island are routinely treated for bites and scratches after getting too close to them.

Keywords

Reunions, Indulgence, Community

Reversed keywords

Cancellations, Gossip, Isolation

Meaning

Three quokkas emerge from green, leafy cups; their faces are cheerful and optimistic. Quokkas are incredibly social creatures. They live in large communities and assist one another with day-to-day survival and are known to approach humans readily. Their curious smiles grant them the name “the happiest animals on earth”. Even the yellow flowers they’re nestled in symbolize friendship, success, and happiness. The Three of Cups reflects the cheerful, friendly nature of the quokka and reminds us to celebrate the positive relationships in our lives.

Upright meaning

When upright, the Three of Cups encourages the user to acknowledge the relationships they’ve built. Take some time to get together with those closest to you. Laugh, talk, share a meal, and recharge your creative energies with the love and support of those near you. This is a time for celebration, regardless of whether it’s for yourself or for someone else. You’re past your hardships and are in a period of heightened socialization. Who knows, maybe you’ll meet someone with a similar goal who wants to embark on a new project with you. Enjoy yourself either way, and take the time to be grateful for the deep friendships you’ve forged.

Reversed meaning

When reversed, the Three of Cups suggests that you are in a period of solitude and wish to go it alone right now. Your social batteries may be depleted, or you may have found yourself no longer clicking with your social groups. It’s very possible to feel lonely in a crowded room. Use this downtime to realign your focus, and if you are in the midst of a group project, this may be a sign to work independently for a while. Conversely, you may be guilty of overindulging. Perhaps you’ve been partying too late and too hard, and now, the effects are catching up with you. Take a break from the social scene for a bit. Focus on recharging what needs to be recharged before diving back into the fold.

Colon

:

Visual Description

Three small bear cubs are nestled inside three pale green teacups arranged together against a star-speckled dark background. Bright yellow and orange roses wind around the cups and spill between them. The cubs look content and curious, each with a slightly different upward gaze and relaxed posture. At the bottom of the image the title 'THREE OF CUPS' is printed in gold lettering.

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✍️ Deck author(s): Ambi Sun

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All card images and descriptions are taken from public sources. They are used for review purposes only. All rights to these images and descriptions belong to their creators. If you believe there is a copyright infringement, please contact us at [email protected].