Five of Cups Tarot Card Meaning (Lost Opportunity & Conflict)

The Five of Cups tarot card indicates disruption and disharmony. Someone you love disappoints you.

Betrayal, disillusionment, and sadness consume you now. But with a shift in perspective, you can find opportunities for growth and healing.

When the Five of Cups appears you may be ignoring the friends and loved ones who care. A love interest makes mistakes but tries to redeem itself.

Common Symbolism

The Five of Cups tarot card is the first card in this suit that implies disappointment and sadness. The imagery and symbolism of the Five of Cups reflects this sorrow and grief.

Against a gray sky, a cloaked figure looks down in despair. A river separates this grieving figure from a castle in the distance. At the figure’s feet, five chalices are depicted.

Three have been knocked over, water spilling from them, symbolizing the loss of peace. The symbolism of the Five of Cups suggests a loss of emotional control or shedding tears.

By the figure’s feet, two chalices remain upright. They signify opportunities you’re overlooking. Not all is lost, two chalices continue to contain the waters of healing, cleansing, and emotion.

The figure faces the spilled chalices on the ground, his back turned to the two upright chalices. Grief and disappointment obscure opportunities or possibilities.

In some variations of the tarot, the Five of Cups simply depicts five chalices in a pattern. Some decks are minimalist and don’t contain a whole scene. The Five of Cups can also depict symbolism of sorrow, cleansing, or grief.

The imagery on this card is fitting when the Five of Cups tarot is explained. You can tell immediately that your path takes a downturn. The symbolism of the Five of Cups involves disillusionment, detours, and upsets.

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Upright General Meaning

When the Five of Cups tarot card appears you may ignore the blessings at your fingertips because you are consumed by a loss or disappointment. Your expectations haven’t been met and grief overwhelms you.

You don’t see a path to fulfillment and may feel like home and security are distant dreams. Yet you have the support and love you need. Redirect your focus and work on cultivating gratitude.

Emotional alienation and isolation can bring down your mood. But you aren’t alone. Work to nurture the connection you have to others around you now. Recharge your energy and nurture your relationships.

Pay attention to those who show up for you and stop trying to chase people who continually let you down. You may have missed some opportunities but it’s not too late to recover from a setback.

The Five of Cups tarot in yes or no readings indicates a disappointing answer. If a yes answer to your question is the most disappointing, this is the response. Otherwise, the Five of Cups tarot card reversed indicates a no response.

The Five of Cups as feelings indicate grief, sorrow, sadness, and regret. Emotional turmoil is likely when the Five of Cups tarot card appears.

Upright Love & Relationships

The Five of Cups tarot love reading indicates heartbreak and sadness that can be healed. A partner has disappointed you but you can learn from your mistakes and move on together.

You can work to heal a relationship, a setback is not the end. Make peace with the past now as you must work on healing a connection to your partner or love interest. You have room to grow and disruption was necessary with the Five of Cups tarot in love.

Your relationships were too complacent when the Five of Cups tarot card appears in a reading. Loss, deception, and disappointment come to light but this helps you face reality so you can address underlying issues in your relationship.

You can’t ignore tension or conflict in a relationship when the Five of Cups tarot card guides you. Be honest about your pain and heartbreak and you can salvage a relationship.

A breakup isn’t permanent, and a partner reappears to try to work on the relationship. You don’t have to decide when the Five of Cups tarot card appears. Sit with your feelings rather than closing the door on a relationship.

The Five of Cups in relationships indicates a disruption that changes the way you see your love interest or partner. A breakup is not always indicated, but a conflict is present and you must work through a series of conflicts.

The Five of Cups as a person indicates someone emotional, sensitive, vulnerable, and empathetic. The Five of Cups as a personality also indicates a wounded individual who has not dealt with their traumas and grief.

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Upright Money & Career

The Five of Cups tarot card meaning in career and money readings indicates disappointment with your professional life. A friend or colleague doesn’t follow through or may undermine your success.

You may be taking a colleague’s words or actions personally. Don’t read too much into a difficult situation at work. Accept a loss or disappointment and find ways to move on.

Your expectations aren’t met and you may feel disappointed because you didn’t get a raise or promotion. The best Five of Cups tarot advice is to cry or vent privately and try to find your allies and support in your professional life.

An investment doesn’t work out as well as planned, don’t lose hope. Your finances aren’t in bad shape but you may feel despair because you were expecting a different outcome.

Upright Health

Your health worries are a matter of perspective when the Five of Cups tarot card appears. Emotional health is in the spotlight and you go through a grieving process.

Don’t inhibit your feelings. Catharsis and tears help you express your pent-up wounds and traumas. You need an emotional release and having a shoulder to cry on helps facilitate healing.

You may not feel sufficiently supported in a struggle or recovery process. Though you feel alienated or neglected, with some effort you can find the friendship and love you need to facilitate healing and growth now.

Get a glimpse of your future. This reading will guide you.

Upright Spirituality

Your spiritual path is shaky when the Five of Cups tarot card appears. You feel disappointed and disillusioned now. Adjust your perspective and seek connection with like-minded people.

Your spiritual growth requires you to express pent-up sadness and grief. Don’t hide from uncomfortable emotions when the Five of Cups tarot card appears.

Rituals dealing with grief, healing, trauma, and catharsis help strengthen your spiritual connection. Be discerning about your spiritual guides and mentors now. You benefit from connection with people who appreciate the importance of healing and working through grief.

Reversed General Meaning

The Five of Cups tarot card reversed indicates loss of perspective. You are ignoring gratitude and cut off from your support network. You aren’t open to connecting with the people who could build you up emotionally.

You may resist expressing grief and sorrow, but pent-up emotions block your healing. Adjust your perspective and look for ways to express grief and sadness.

When the Five of Cups tarot card appears reversed in a reading, you can release a torrent of emotion and find healing and catharsis. You may be hiding your grief and suppressing your feelings, but expressing pent-up feelings is inevitable.

If you were holding on to hope for a loved one to return, you’ll find closure and can let go of false expectations. Yet you may be ignoring sources of love and support.

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Reversed Love & Relationships

You face challenges and loss when the Five of Cups tarot card appears reversed. Face limitations and losses but don’t get distracted from remaining opportunities.

A loved one disappoints you repeatedly but you may maintain illusions and hope about their potential for change. You may refuse to see a relationship accurately when the Five of Cups is reversed.

Conflicts call for change but you resist acting on instincts. When the Five of Cups tarot card is reversed, let discord and disharmony motivate you to take risks and break habits and cycles.

Set new boundaries, call out a pattern of disappointment from a loved one, and be honest about your emotional needs. Your love interest, partner, or friends need assertive feedback from you.

Reversed Money & Career

The Five of Cups tarot card reversed in career and financial readings suggest a loss or fallout from a misguided investment. Your career isn’t blossoming the way you expected.

You are turned down for a promotion or new career opportunity. A professional project leads to frustration because colleagues disappoint you. Your peers or colleagues don’t follow through and you feel unsupported in your career.

With effort, you can adjust your expectations and find new perspectives and insights that help you feel fulfilled in your career. You are stressed out by your financial situation and must accept a financial loss and adjust your expectations.

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Reversed Health

The Five of Cups tarot card reversed in a health reading suggests you need an emotional release. Your health is hindered by suppressed feelings.

Your recovery and wellness require others’ support. You must work to overcome an illness or injury and can find the support you need if you change your perspective.

The Five of Cups reversed in health suggests things aren’t as bad as they could be, but you must deal with losses and grief related to an illness or injury so you can heal.

Reversed Spirituality

The Five of Cups tarot card reversed in a spirituality reading indicates a loss of comfort and faith. Work to restore your connection to your spiritual source.

The Five of Cups reversed suggests you need focus and perspective to find your footing again. Unresolved grief and trauma clouds your judgment. You may disconnect from your spiritual source because of emotional turmoil.

The Five of Cups tarot card reversed indicates you must work through your emotional wounds, and your spiritual connection is critical to growth and perspective. Avoid alienating yourself from others, especially those who share your spiritual ideals and vision.

Five of Cups tarot card reversed indicates you must work through your emotional wounds and your spiritual connection is critical to growth and perspective. Avoid alienating yourself from others, especially those who share your spiritual ideals and vision.