Six of Cups
The Six of Cups signifies nostalgia, joy, and the embrace of childhood magic. It reminds us to cherish the innocent pleasures of life and the comfort of happy memories. This card also highlights the importance of maintaining a sense of wonder in the face of life's challenges. However, when inverted, it warns against clinging to the past and immaturity, urging individuals to grow and move forward in their lives.
Keywords
Personal Reflections on Childhood
My kids made it to age nine with some magic intact. They still believed in Santa and the tooth fairy. I’m sure I’ll get some “don’t lie to your kids” feedback, but I will graciously ignore it. I’ve got two kids under the age of twelve that I had to talk to about some schoolchildren being shot in their own classrooms. We’ve discussed natural disasters, car accidents, the fact that their uncles weren’t allowed to get married, disease, divorce, death of loved ones and poor Charlie Bear the dog having to be “put down” (and what that meant).
Sharing Fear and Magic
All of that and more (seat belts, strangers, germs, and uncertainty) I’ve walked through with these two. I’ve told them that I get frightened, too, and that I hurt sometimes, too, hoping that they will see me rise up and that I’ll be a good example. I’ve told them that I don’t know why bad things happen, that I hope that there is a heaven or something like it, and that I absolutely believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the tooth fairy. And I do, even as I act in their stead.
Embracing Magic
It isn’t about lying, I think, as much as allowing them to believe in magic. I had them—magic. The people in our lives are there—magic. The fear and pain of part of your body falling out being rewarded with a shiny coin—well, that’s just tangible magic, isn’t it?
Joy and Nostalgia
And so, the Six of Cups. I think that silliness, joy, radiating happiness, and nostalgia live here. Drinking out of the garden hose, leaving out cookies and milk, lifting your feet when you drive over railroad tracks (so you don’t lose your love!)—all of these things are a defense against the seemingly unending barrage of things that might bruise your soul. It’s about embracing the joy of being a child, even as a thirty-eight-year-old. Or a sixty-eight-year-old. It’s about holding tight to magic because that is the counterbalance to all the other things that are so terribly serious and heavy. And, honestly, couldn’t we all do with some more magic and joy in our lives?
Six of Cups Inverted
There is a point, however, when you need to put childish things aside. Not forever, and not entirely, but you can’t live your whole life drinking from the Six of Cups. Immaturity and complete naïveté. I get this card a lot from people who seem to have frozen their college memories and frame every new experience with them. That was their best self, in their opinion, and they’re constantly trying to live up to who they used to be. It’s pretty sad, actually, and hopefully when you see it, you can help people see where they can grow up gracefully in their lives.
Cosmic Coven Tarot
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