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Four of Cups Meaning - Tarot Card Meanings

By Tina Gong

Published

Four of Cups Keywords

Upright Keywords Reversed Keywords
apathy, contemplation, feeling disconnected, melancholy, boredom, indifference, discontent clarity, awareness, acceptance, choosing happiness, depression, negativity
Skip to Upright Meaning Skip to Reversed Meaning
Four of Cups Meaning - Original Rider Waite Tarot Depiction

Four of Cups Tarot Card Description

The Four of Cups displays a young man sitting under a tree on a mountaintop, far from others. He seems to be in contemplation and meditation. In front of him are three cups laying on the grass while another cup is being offered to him by a hand in the air. The man has crossed his hand and legs, and he is looking down at the three cups, unimpressed, such that he cannot see the cup being presented to him by the stretched arm.

The Four of Cups represents our tendency to take for granted the things that we have, making it hard for us to see what treasures the universe presents us with. We tend to have the answers to our troubles right around us, but we tend to focus too much on what we do not have.

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Upright Four of Cups Meaning

The Four of Cups tend to appear when you are feeling discouraged and unmotivated. You may feel as if there is no solution or way forward in your situation. Life has become stagnant, and nothing seems to make you happy or passionate. You are feeling apathetic - regardless of what happens, whether the day is good or bad, none of it matters to you. The Four of Cups commands a self-evaluation of your attitude so that you can pull yourself out of this rut. The solution is likely right in front of you, the hand is offering you a way out, but you release yourself out of your mental stubbornness and deploy new approach.

You are feeling apathetic - regardless of what happens, whether the day is good or bad, none of it matters to you.

You must search your motives, instincts and thoughts so that you can find your passion again. The Four of Cups revolves around finding your true interests and working towards fulfilling them. Our lives are short, and sometimes monotonous, but we must create meaning for ourselves. Our individual callings are not just there for us to find, but to decide and to imagine. 

Upright Love Meaning Upright Career Meaning Upright Finances Meaning
bored with love life, lack of excitement in relationship bored with job, feeling unhappy with job or career, lack of progress feeling disillusioned with money, envious of others

Upright 4 of Cups Tarot Love Meaning

If you’re single, the 4 of Cups tarot love meaning suggests a time of feeling boredom or indifference regarding your love life. Sometimes, this can come naturally after a break up, but one must make sure that this doesn’t come from unconsciously attempting to protect yourself from possible pain and suffering that love has brought you in the past. Opportunities come when you are open to seeing them, and right now you can’t be bothered. Should you already be in a relationship, there can be a lack of interest and weariness in your relationship. Excitement has faded and you may feel more like roommates than lovers. Sometimes this requires only some exploration and willingness to experiment. Without some effort from both partners, the relationship may be nearing its end.

Career Meaning - Upright 4 of Cups

If you see the four of cups in a tarot reading about your career, you may feel distracted and distant at work. It might be hard to focus on the tasks at hand or get excited about projects. This boredom can also be impacting your mood negatively. You might feel down on yourself and thus find it even harder to be productive. None of this is aided by the overwhelming stagnation you probably feel. This stagnation might be the root of the issue. It can be hard to focus if you feel you are going nowhere. It may be helpful to take some time to detangle this issue; looking inward and knowing what makes you feel so unhappy and doing something about this can help you make a change for the better.

Finances Meaning - Upright 4 of Cups

When it comes to your finances, the four of cups can signal that you may feel distracted. Are you so busy being jealous of what others have that you do not see what is in front of you? You may be constantly comparing your own situation with others, but this envy can be preventing you from appreciating what you already have. Being more grateful can also help you see better ways of bettering your financial situation, and be more comfortable when it comes to taking material risks. If you are so fixated on what you do not have, you may never notice the opportunities to actually achieve that which you envy. At times this card can also present as a general disillusionment with money, capitalism and financial systems in general. 

Four of Cups Reversal Meaning

While in the upright four of cups, you may be suffering from apathy and ignore the opportunities that the universe offers you, the reversed four of cups signals the desire to have a new start.

The sudden awareness of the transient beauty of life may strike you now, while previously you may have been too deeply disconnected from yourself to see it. You are coming to the understanding that though life is not perfect, there is beauty in it, and joy comes from choosing to see this beauty.

Embrace new ideas, new people and new places; because you never know where these adventures can take you. Many may miss these chances because they are too confined in their own beliefs and ambitions.

Reversed Love Meaning Reversed Career Meaning Reversed Finances Meaning
being more active in love, new understanding of love new inspiration or creativity, realizations about career, adjustments positive approach to finances, willpower to achieve financial goals

Reversed 4 of Cups Tarot Love Meaning

You may be exiting a time of withdrawal and contemplation with the reversed 4 of Cups tarot love meaning, and you may be becoming more active in your romantic life again, this time, with a better understanding and appreciation for what it brings you. If you are recovering from a breakup, you may be just starting to let go of past suffering, and the future seems full of promise. Be excited for what the future brings you. With a better understanding of what you want and who you are, the potential loves that you encounter now can be refreshingly different. 

Career Meaning - Reversed 4 of Cups

When reversed, the four of cups can signal an end to the stagnation you’ve been experiencing at work lately. This change might be sudden. It could feel like a revelation of sorts or as if a fog has lifted. You might find that your creativity has suddenly returned. As a result, you will be about to move forward in your work projects using this new found sense of inspiration and creativity. If your new realizations about your career are telling you that you need to make a change, now would be the time to do so. While the changes might be fast, do not mistake it for luck. You will still need to harness your newfound energy. The universe won’t give you anything unless you take action, but opportunities you did not previously consider or notice can suddenly take the forefront in your career. 

Finances Meaning - Reversed 4 of Cups

The reversed four of cups can signal a journey towards economic betterment and security. This is not only a result of your ability to control your finances but is symptomatic of your efforts to appreciate what you already have. While you might have previously been envious of others for their financial security, you may be taking steps to be more positive with your approach to finances. The universe will reward you as you focus your energy towards better financial habits. Save and spend as you need to without letting what others think or have distract you. Be prepared to work for the rewards that this card signals.

Four of Cups Tarot Cheat Sheet

Four of Cups Meaning - Tarot Card Meanings Cheat Sheet. Art from Golden Thread Tarot.



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