Five of Cups
The Five of Cups represents a deep sense of regret, loss, and sorrow. It indicates a rejection of pleasure and a preoccupation with past grief and foregone opportunities. The card advises reflection on emotional pain and the eventual need to let go and move forward.
Keywords
Image Description
She crosses the sand dunes. Her feet sink with each step so that her legs ache by the time she reaches the water's edge. She approaches the shoreline, tightly clutching a half-full (or half-empty?) sphere, fearing it will slip from her numb fingers and shatter on the rocky shore.
The water chills her feet. The surf splashes against her toes, bringing a coolness that seeps into her bones. This makes her feel the fragility of her body. She shivers. She thinks the wind is gently touching her shoulders but does not notice it is the elves. They comb her hair back with their gentle fingers and whisper soothingly into her ear, but she barely notices them, so absorbed is she in her own regrets and misfortunes.
She sends her hopes to the other side of the sea. They set sail on a white ship, and she wonders when they will return and if they will return satisfied.
She fills the sphere with her tears, almost taking sensual pleasure in the sliding of these drops down her cheeks. She imagines fish swimming through these tears, through the hollow space of the sphere, unrestrained by either liquid or air. And then she places these salty offerings one by one on the ground.
Meaning
The Five of Cups revels in regret and loss. It is a rejection of pleasure, a feeling of sorrow, and an anticipation of what might happen.
Shadowscapes tarot
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