The Meaning Of The Four Of Cups Tarot Card

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on the mystical and intriguing Four of Cups Tarot Card!

The Four of Cups Tarot Card is a representation of introspection, contemplation, and sometimes, a sense of dissatisfaction or missed opportunities.

This card prompts you to look inward, acknowledge your feelings, and deeper emotional waves that might be influencing the present situation.

Whether it’s a moment to acknowledge unrecognized blessings or to reassess your emotional stance, The Four of Cups invites a pause and reflection on the emotional dimensions of your life.

In this article, you will delve deep into every aspect of The Four of Cups Tarot Card and its meanings, providing you with an understanding of its symbolism and interpretations.

Key Facts

Upright Meaning of The Four of Cups

While they’re thinking deeply, they could be planning, weighing pros and cons, ruminating on the best way forward, or just lost in thought, letting time go by.

When you see this card shows a person sitting under a tree while a ghostly hand offers them cups, only for them to be turned away or endlessly considered. This person has their arms crossed as they sit on the ground, representing their closed-off energy.

The Four of Cups wants you to contemplate and think through choices before you make them. You’re meant to acknowledge your feelings and make sure that you’re emotionally okay with the choice that you’re making, not rush into them!

The only issue that arises is when you spend too long making this decision until you are no longer able to seize the opportunity or the opportunity no longer exists. Technically, new opportunities will always be presenting themselves, but certain ones are time-limited. 

Look internally, acknowledge your feelings, but not spend too long deliberating on how you feel, because opportunities can slip away. Don’t let sadness or boredom drive your ambitions away because you need to pay attention to the present.

Love and Relationships – Upright, The Four of Cups

In love, the Four of Cups is a card that indicates hesitation on either your part or the part of another person, or an avoidance of growth and change. You’re meant to take action so that you can move forward in your relationship.

When you see this card, you might be feeling like you need some time away from your partner because this can indicate a period of emotional withdrawal. Try to honor this need while also making sure that you keep your partner in the loop. It’s all about communication!

Career and Work – Upright, The Four of Cups

In career, the Four of Cups might mean that you’re feeling stagnant in your workplace! Just because you’re disinterested in your job right now doesn’t mean that you have to stay where you are.

You might be feeling stuck at your workplace when you see this card, and you need to explore new opportunities, or you might find yourself becoming even more mired down in this place. Just because it’s secure doesn’t mean that it’s what’s best for you.

Make sure you’re aware of the career opportunities that are in front of you, instead of getting distracted. If you’re spending all of your time focused on other people’s lives and never on your own, then you might find yourself missing what was meant for you.

Health and Wellness – Upright, The Four of Cups

You may need to assess your emotional and mental state when you see this card. The Four of Cups is here to let you know that it’s time to rest, while not allowing yourself to sink into stagnation.

The Four of Cups wants you to eat right, exercise, and take care of yourself in general, in a way that emotionally resonates with you. You have to be able to find pleasure and nutrition in your food, as well as fun in your workout, or you risk boredom.

Whatever it takes to take care of yourself, that’s what this card wants you to do. As long as you aren’t hurting anyone else, you’re meant to make sure that the choices you’re making are right for you. Just don’t wait too long to make the choice.

Spiritual Context – Upright, The Four of Cups

In your spiritual life, the Four of Cups can encourage you to contemplate what you believe, and spend time being introspective about your inner life. When you know who you are, it’s easier to make decisions that are right for you.

Meditation is always encouraged when you see this card upright in a spiritual reading, and you’re meant to be mindful, even when you’re just going about your day.

Reversed Meaning of The Four of Cups

When you see the Four of Cups reversed, it can let you know that you are awakening from a time of stagnancy. You might have been allowing opportunities to pass you by, but now you’re making the most of every day.

You’re better able to recognize the missed opportunities from your past, and see the future opportunities as they are coming towards you. This allows you to prepare for them, rather than withdrawing and avoiding facing your future. Seize the day!

The Four of Cups reversed is sometimes a warning that you’re making decisions too quickly, or that you’re not making decisions for you, you’re making decisions for other people, and letting them take the reins. 

If you’re too aloof about the direction that your life is going, you will miss opportunities that are coming your way. Make sure that you’re in the driver’s seat when it comes to making decisions for your life. And watch for road signs leading to opportunities!

Love and Relationships – Reversed, The Four of Cups

When the Four of Cups appears reversed in a love reading, it can mean that you’re beginning to take opportunities and see the potential love interests right in front of you. Love could also become suddenly available to you after a long period of loneliness.

The reversed Four of Cups encourages you to embrace giving love and vulnerability to someone else, and there may be someone in your midst who wants to give this back to you! Make sure that you are not shying away from opportunities in love right now.

Career and Work – Reversed, The Four of Cups

When it comes to career, the reversed Four of Cups is asking you to explore new career paths, because there might be time-limited opportunities that you are meant to be seizing. Now that you’re aware of them, don’t let them slip!

The reversed Four of Cups wants you to make sure that you are adventurous in your career life, rather than sitting around hoping that someone will find you. No one is going to come to your doorstep and hand it to you, you have to meet them halfway!

When you see this card, you might also be working with someone who has been seizing their opportunities, and you see how it has been working out for them. This could inspire you to be more adventurous with your career as well. Follow in their footsteps!

Health and Wellness – Reversed, The Four of Cups

The Four of Cups reversed in a health reading often indicates that you are about to see a positive shift in your health. It’s likely because you have been taking opportunities to better your health, rather than allowing time to slip by without doing anything.

When you see this card reversed, nurture your body well, and take on healthy lifestyle choices and activities that make you feel joyful, rather than allowing yourself to stagnate physically or struggle through monotonous health practices. 

Whatever it takes, move toward health in a fun way!

Spiritual Context – Reversed, The Four of Cups

When you see the Four of Cups in a spiritual reading, you might be feeling an expanded spiritual outlook. This new awareness will help you to make better choices for yourself because you will be making them from a place of awareness rather than a place of fear.

The universe is reaching out to you with opportunities, and you are able to see them as they are coming towards you. Trust your intuition when you see this card in a spiritual reading, as intuition might lead you right to what you’ve been asking the universe for.

When the Four of Cups is reversed, you’re awakening to the opportunities that are all around you, rather than spending time endlessly contemplating.

The Four of Cups: Yes or No

The Four of Cups is a maybe, because oftentimes some action is required from you as well. The universe might have been providing you with opportunities, but you might be missing them or even turning them away. 

It also lets you know that you need to think it over more because you might be jumping into it. Making rash decisions is not a good idea, but if there’s something that you’ve been procrastinating, then you already have your answer! Make your move.

When the Four of Cups is here, the answer is maybe, because action is required from you, or you need to think it over more.

The Four of Cups and Astrology

In astrology, the sensitive, peaceful Four of Cups is associated with Cancer. Ruled by the Moon, Cancer shares the same withdrawn energy and self-protection that the Four of Cups vibrates at. 

The Four of Cups’s energy will likely feel more natural to you if you’re a Cancer, and similarly if you are a water sign, as Scorpio will align with self-reliance and protection, and Pisces will understand isolation and contemplation.

The water signs Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces will emotionally identify with the Four of Cups!

The Four of Cups and Numerology

In numerology, the Four of Cups is represented by the number 4. 4 represents control, stability, security, and self-protection. 

The number 4 knows that hard times come into everyone’s lives, and preparing for those hard times can be the difference between weathering the storm and being blown away. A cautious attitude and a resistance to change can be a tried and true way to survive. 

Balance, reliability, and dedication are key themes for the number 4, so make sure you’re giving this choice the gravity it deserves. 

Number 4 can help us to experience security, but cautions against becoming stagnant. 

The Four of Cups as a Daily Card

The Four of Cups wants you to make sure that you’re making the decisions that are right for you today. You may be pushed to make a decision that doesn’t resonate for you, and you’re meant to make sure that you don’t rush to say yes. 

This card also encourages you to make sure that you’re taking advantage of your opportunities, because if you’re not, then you might look back on today and wonder why you didn’t say yes to that invitation you said no to.

The Four of Cups wants you to make sure that you’re saying yes to the right thing, but to not deliberate for too long.

The Four of Cups in Relation to Other Cards

All tarot cards have other cards in the major and minor arcana that back them up, by complementing their energy, or that challenge them, by contrasting their energy. Are you doubling down or finding a balance? Let’s find out!

• Four of Cups’s contemplation + The Empress’s nurturing = Nurturing your introspective nature to reach a better decision
• Four of Cups’s withdrawal + The Tower’s chaos = Chaos causing you to turn inwards
• Four of Cups’s aloofness + The Hierophant’s spiritual guidance = Avoiding or ignoring good spiritual advice
• Four of Cups’s introspection + The Devil’s attachment = Becoming too introspective, missing opportunities
• Four of Cups’s closed off energy + The Sun’s joy = Being closed off to joy

Complementary Cards

• The High Priestess: The Four of Cups shares the hidden wisdom, detachment, and intuition with The High Priestess
• The Hermit: The Four of Cups has the same introspection, withdrawal, and contemplation as the Hermit
• The Two of Swords: The Four of Cups has a shared indecision and internal balance, keeping still with the Two of Swords
• The Nine of Wands: The Four of Cups shares contemplation, perfecting, and withdrawing with the Nine of Wands
• The Seven of Pentacles: The Four of Cups has a similar assessment, patience, and ability to evaluate like the Seven of Pentacles

Contrasting Cards

• The Fool: The Four of Cups isn’t as carefree or open to choosing any path as the Fool, showing a need for balance between contemplation and action
• The Ace of Wands: The Four of Cups isn’t as enthusiastic or inspired as the Ace of Wands, indicating a need to seek out inspiration to motivate you
• The Three of Cups: The Four of Cups isn’t as celebratory or happy as the Three of Cups, suggesting a need for more community and happiness
• The Knight of Swords: The Four of Cups isn’t as assertive or decisive as the Knight of Swords, indicating a need to balance active decision-making and contemplation
• The Wheel of Fortune: The Four of Cups isn’t as random or fated as the Wheel of Fortune, illuminating that you can’t control every decision, some are left to fate

When the card in the Four of Cups is with a complementary card, it might be telling you to go for it, but in a specific way! If a card in the Four of Cups is with a contrasting card, figure out what needs balancing out.

Conclusion

The Four of Cups might be a little aloof, a little contemplative, and spend too much time in their head, but you can find more of a balance. When you’re seizing the opportunities that intuitively feel right to you, and saying no to fear, you’re walking your path.

The key is to know what you want to do, and what intuitively feels right for you, rather than trying to please someone else with your decisions. When you’re making the right decisions, you’ll feel more fulfilled on your life’s journey.

The Four of Cups is helping you to give it just enough thought. After that, it’s up to you!

FAQ