Tarot 7 of Cups: Symbolism and In-Depth Meaning

What is the Tarot card 7 of Cups?

The 7 of Cups is the seventh card in the Cups suit of the Minor Arcana in the Tarot deck. This card is tied to the realm of emotions, intuition and relationships, and it is also the card of choice, imagination and illusions. When this card is drawn, the querent is often standing before many possibilities at once, or their mind is overwhelmed by a multitude of ideas and desires.

What does the 7 of Cups card depict in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck?

The Rider-Waite-Smith deck was printed in 1909, with artwork by Pamela Colman Smith, and ideas and guidance from Arthur Edward Waite. In The Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1911), Waite describes the Seven of Cups briefly: "Strange chalices of vision, but the images are more especially those of the fantastic spirit."

The image shows a person standing and looking up at a cloud, on which seven cups float, each holding a different image.

The symbols commonly seen in the image include:

• A human face: suggesting an idealised version of oneself, or a relationship, an identity that the viewer longs for.
• A castle: suggesting wealth, status, a secure home, or a great material goal.
• A precious jewel: suggesting riches, knowledge, an opportunity for self-development.
• A laurel wreath: suggesting victory, glory, recognition from society.
• A dragon: suggesting challenge, danger, burning ambition, or temptations that must be conquered.
• A snake: suggesting hidden wisdom, healing, but also deception and lurking danger.
• A cup covered with a white cloth: the cup looks empty at first glance, but the white cloth covering it suggests things not yet revealed, mysteries, or a choice the viewer does not truly understand.

What did Waite say about the Seven of Cups in 1911?

Waite writes in The Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1911), in the section on Divinatory Meanings for the Seven of Cups, as follows: "Fairy favours, images of reflection, sentiment, imagination, things seen in the glass of contemplation; some attainment in these degrees, but nothing permanent or substantial is suggested."

For the reversed meaning, Waite writes: "Desire, will, determination, project." Here Waite lists both the upright and reversed meanings, in which his reversed meaning carries a tone of will and intention, different from the common reversed understanding today.

According to how Tarot is read today, what does the 7 of Cups mean?

According to how Tarot is read today, the Seven of Cups upright is usually understood as many attractive choices laid out before one's eyes, requiring clear-headed discernment between the real and the illusory. Reversed, this card is usually understood as the truth gradually coming to light, illusions dissolving, and the need to choose one clear direction. The keywords commonly used are choice, illusion and daydreaming.

A distinction is needed: the divinatory meaning Waite gives in the 1911 book is his own body of meaning, often different from modern meanings. The Rider-Waite-Smith deck was printed in 1909, with artwork by Pamela Colman Smith; the divinatory meaning Waite gives in the 1911 book is the historical origin, while today's way of reading is a layer of meaning commonly used by the contemporary Tarot community.

According to Nhật Nguyệt's understanding, what does the 7 of Cups say?

According to Nhật Nguyệt's understanding, the 7 of Cups is the card of possibilities not yet anchored in reality. The images on the cups floating in the clouds show that they are not within reach, but are products of imagination, potential possibilities and dreams. The cloud suggests the lack of solidity, the vagueness and the fleeting nature of the choices. The person in the image does not reach out to take any cup, but only stands and looks, showing a state of fascination, hesitation and passivity before countless possibilities. This card does not speak of what one must choose, but of the viewer's attitude toward that choice.

What is Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion for today?

Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: pause, observe and analyse before rushing into any choice. Clearly identify core values and long-term goals, eliminate unsuitable options, then bring those ideas in the clouds back down to earth with a concrete plan. With the reversed card, after analysing logically, one may trust intuition to settle on a direction; even an imperfect decision can be better than standing still.

How is the 7 of Cups in love, career, finance and health?

Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion:

• Love and relationships: the card may show that the querent has too many options in love, or is imagining an ideal relationship that does not exist. It can also be a sign of looking at the other person through rose-tinted glasses. For a single person, it is wise to stay clear-headed, and not rush to choose someone just because of appearances.
• Career and finance: one may be offered many job opportunities, many attractive business projects. Each opportunity should be carefully vetted, avoiding investment in vague, unfeasible plans, or empty promises of enormous profits. Focus is the key to not scattering one's resources.
• Health and spirit: worries and fears may be products of imagination, not real problems. One should seek balance, and stay away from unnecessary stress caused by overthinking.

Quick reference table: Seven of Cups upright and reversed

Overview article on the topic: Tarot Basics: The 78 Cards And The Meanings Of The Major/Minor Arcana Groups