Ace of Cups in the Rider Waite Tarot
Table of contents
Table of contents
See another card
- The Fool
- The Magician I
- The High Priestess II
- The Empress III
- The Emperor IV
- The Hierophant V
- The Lovers VI
- The Chariot VII
- Strength VIII
- The Hermit IX
- Wheel of Fortune X
- Justice XI
- The Hanged Man XII
- Death XIII
- Temperance XIV
- The Devil XV
- The Tower XVI
- The Star XVII
- The Moon XVIII
- The Sun XIX
- Judgement XX
- The World XXI
- Ace of Wands
- Two of Wands
- Three of Wands
- Four of Wands
- Five of Wands
- Six of Wands
- Seven of Wands
- Eight of Wands
- Nine of Wands
- Ten of Wands
- Page of Wands
- Knight of Wands
- Queen of Wands
- King of Wands
- Ace of Cups
- Two of Cups
- Three of Cups
- Four of Cups
- Five of Cups
- Six of Cups
- Seven of Cups
- Eight of Cups
- Nine of Cups
- Ten of Cups
- Page of Cups
- Knight of Cups
- Queen of Cups
- King of Cups
- Ace of Swords
- Two of Swords
- Three of Swords
- Four of Swords
- Five of Swords
- Six of Swords
- Seven of Swords
- Eight of Swords
- Nine of Swords
- Ten of Swords
- Page of Swords
- Knight of Swords
- Queen of Swords
- King of Swords
- Ace of Pentacles
- Two of Pentacles
- Three of Pentacles
- Four of Pentacles
- Five of Pentacles
- Six of Pentacles
- Seven of Pentacles
- Eight of Pentacles
- Nine of Pentacles
- Ten of Pentacles
- Page of Pentacles
- Knight of Pentacles
- Queen of Pentacles
- King of Pentacles
Ace of Cups Rider Waite Smith : meaning and interpretation
Minor
Water
The Ace of Cups is a card of emotional birth, of emotional renewal, of spiritual or human love coming to the fore. It symbolises a profound opening of the heart, a source of pure joy that begins to flow into your life. This can take the form of a new love, a new-found peace, a forgiveness granted, or simply an unprecedented sensation of inner sweetness. It is the image of an overflowing chalice: what you receive is abundant, fluid and gentle, and comes to touch your centre directly. This card is a gift from the universe, an invitation to welcome, to feel, to love without restraint. It’s a gentle yet profound beginning, bringing healing and inspiration. The Ace of Cups is saying to you: open your heart wide – something wonderful is trying to get in.
RWS Tarot : Arcana Ace of Cups readings
Love / Sentimental reading
with the card Ace of Cups
When it comes to love, the Ace of Cups is one of the best possible omens. It evokes a new, sincere love, an important encounter, or a powerful emotional renewal in an existing relationship. This is the card of love, of the opening of the heart, of pure emotional connection, without mask or fear. If you’re in a relationship, it indicates a period of harmony, rediscovered tenderness, or even the arrival of a child or a project that will bring you closer together. If you’re single, look forward to an emotional, gentle, fluid encounter, which may be born where you least expect it. The Ace of Cups invites you to open your heart fully, to welcome love without resistance. It doesn’t always speak of fiery passion, but of an authentic connection, based on listening, trust and true emotion.
Professional / Work reading
with the card Ace of Cups
Professionally, the Ace of Cups heralds a new beginning that will bring meaning, inspiration and personal fulfilment. This is not a card of material ambition, but of vocation, of the pleasure of doing work that nourishes you internally. It may indicate a creative project, an activity focused on care, art, listening, accompaniment, or anything that touches on emotion, humanity and well-being. You’re entering a period where you feel aligned with what you do, and where professional relationships become gentler and more caring. It could also be a new collaboration or a calming work environment. The Ace of Cups invites you to put your heart into what you do, to let intuition guide certain decisions, and to trust what you feel.
Financial / Material / Money reading
with the card Ace of Cups
In financial terms, the Ace of Cups is not a card of immediate great wealth, but it symbolises a calmer relationship with money, based on fluidity, trust and gratitude. It can represent kind help, a gift, unexpected support, or a new source of income from an activity that you deeply love. It indicates that you are reconnecting with an energy of gentle abundance, far from fear or control. If you’ve recently been experiencing financial worries, this card reassures you that things will start to improve, provided you listen to your real needs and don’t ignore your heart’s desire. It can also encourage you to share some of your resources or make a donation, because what you give with love often comes back to you multiplied.
Family reading
with the card Ace of Cups
In the family context, the Ace of Cups indicates a new harmony, emotional healing or a period of peace and tenderness. This may involve a reconciliation, the birth of a child, or a moment of deep sharing between family members. Emotions flow again, in gentleness, forgiveness and sincere listening. If the ties were strained, this card opens the way to repairing the emotional bond, often through a gesture or a sincere word. It also evokes unconditional love, the kind that expects nothing but welcomes everything. It’s an excellent time to reconnect, to say what you feel, to open your heart to your family, even if this requires a little vulnerability. The Ace of Cups reminds us that bonds of blood or of the heart are always strengthened by emotional transparency.
Spiritual reading
with the card Ace of Cups
On a spiritual level, the Ace of Cups is a pure blessing, a sign of the opening of the heart, of the awakening of intuition, of connection to higher planes through emotion. It’s a card of inner healing, heightened receptivity and new-found confidence in universal love. You’re entering a phase where you feel more than you understand, where wisdom comes through the body, through tears, through the heart. It often heralds a profound, gentle but transformative spiritual experience: meditation, a powerful dream, a feeling of unity with the living. It can also signal the start of a spiritual path based on love, compassion and inner peace. This is the time to let the light flow through you, without trying to control it. The Ace of Cups invites you to surrender to the beauty of the present moment, to the love that simply flows through you.
See another card
- The Fool
- The Magician I
- The High Priestess II
- The Empress III
- The Emperor IV
- The Hierophant V
- The Lovers VI
- The Chariot VII
- Strength VIII
- The Hermit IX
- Wheel of Fortune X
- Justice XI
- The Hanged Man XII
- Death XIII
- Temperance XIV
- The Devil XV
- The Tower XVI
- The Star XVII
- The Moon XVIII
- The Sun XIX
- Judgement XX
- The World XXI
- Ace of Wands
- Two of Wands
- Three of Wands
- Four of Wands
- Five of Wands
- Six of Wands
- Seven of Wands
- Eight of Wands
- Nine of Wands
- Ten of Wands
- Page of Wands
- Knight of Wands
- Queen of Wands
- King of Wands
- Ace of Cups
- Two of Cups
- Three of Cups
- Four of Cups
- Five of Cups
- Six of Cups
- Seven of Cups
- Eight of Cups
- Nine of Cups
- Ten of Cups
- Page of Cups
- Knight of Cups
- Queen of Cups
- King of Cups
- Ace of Swords
- Two of Swords
- Three of Swords
- Four of Swords
- Five of Swords
- Six of Swords
- Seven of Swords
- Eight of Swords
- Nine of Swords
- Ten of Swords
- Page of Swords
- Knight of Swords
- Queen of Swords
- King of Swords
- Ace of Pentacles
- Two of Pentacles
- Three of Pentacles
- Four of Pentacles
- Five of Pentacles
- Six of Pentacles
- Seven of Pentacles
- Eight of Pentacles
- Nine of Pentacles
- Ten of Pentacles
- Page of Pentacles
- Knight of Pentacles
- Queen of Pentacles
- King of Pentacles
5-Card spread
Ace of Cups and its positions in a 5-card draw.
Want to better understand how to interpret the card Ace of Cups according to its position in a cross drawing? What does it symbolise as a situation, obstacle, resource, piece of advice or way out? Explore its many facets and find a detailed reading of the card Ace of Cups in every position of the 5-card cross spread Rider Waite.
