Suit of cups in the Rider Waite Smith tarot

The sequence of Cups in the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot is linked to the element Water and rules over the zodiac signs Pisces, Cancer & Scorpio, the symbol of emotions, intuition, love and human relationships. It explores the emotional world, the bonds of the heart, deep desires and inner sensitivity. These cards reveal the joys, emotional wounds, dreams and spiritual needs of the consultant.

Made up of fourteen cards – from the Ace of Cups to the King of Cups – this suite tells the story of an emotional evolution. The Ace represents a new emotional beginning or an opening of the heart. The following cards deal with a variety of themes: celebration (Three of Cups), nostalgia (Six of Cups), illusions or emotional choices (Seven of Cups), and emotional fulfilment with the Ten of Cups.

The court figures (Page, Knight, Queen, King) embody personalities that are empathetic, dreamy, compassionate or sometimes overly influenced by their emotions. In a draw, the suite of Cups often indicates the importance of feelings, intimate relationships and connection to oneself and others.

It invites us to listen to our intuition, welcome our emotions and cultivate emotional harmony.