The Four of Cups is a moment of indecision.

You might be uncertain about your next move. Life’s waiting, but your feelings are unclear.

The Four of Cups is a paradoxical card. Its stillness can offer reprieve or retreat. You might need a moment to rest before pushing on. Or, you could be stalling because moving forward also means dealing with headaches.

Are the aches and pains really that bad, though? It might be a matter of sorting through your feelings and planning. The solution may be easier than you think.

You’ve got your wings, but what do you want to do with them? The Four of Cups shows opportunities appearing. A cup is offered, and a colorful world awaits.

Is the apathy of this card self-sabotage? Possibly. Is the detachment of this card an inflated ego? Maybe.

Sometimes, I see this card drawn in love readings when the Seeker (or someone they’re asking about) thinks the grass is greener on the other side. They’re waiting for someone or something better to come along while a precious treasure sits at their feet.

This card suggests delays or, in some cases, non-movement. If you’re asking about someone or something you’re waiting on, it might be best to move in a new direction.

In some cases, the stillness of the Four of Cups can suggest meditation, illumination, and removing mental clutter. In other words, the solution appears when you stop looking and sit tight. This interpretation of the card is likely if the surrounding cards show the need for grounding, centering, or patience.

When drawn reversed, the Four of Cups suggests the end of delays. Things are finally moving forward.

Unless. Unless other cards around it are equally stuck in the much. The movement might be so perverse things could slide backward. That’s not what you’re looking for!

You might also struggle to see the bigger picture, feeling like the world or your emotions are too overwhelming. You can’t deal. But actually, you can. Focus on small steps and know that everything will work out.

The varied meanings of the Four of Cups reminds us that life is complex and things are rarely straightforward. Do you need to rest, resist, or adjust your mindset? That is the question to answer.

 

Sources

Greer, Mary. Archetypal Tarot. San Francisco, CA: Weiser Books, 2011.
Greer, Mary. Tarot Reversals. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 2002.
Pollack, Rachel. Tarot Wisdom. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 2008.
Snow, Cassandra. Queering the Tarot. Newburyport, MA: Weiser Books, 2019.
Tea, Michelle. Modern Tarot. New York, NY: Harper Collins: 2017.
Wen, Benebell. Holistic Tarot: An Integrative Approach to Using Tarot for Personal Growth. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books, 2015.

Video

Tarot Spread

If you are drawn to the Four of Cups and want to dig deeper, get them outta your deck, make them your mascot, and draw some cards from the rest of the deck with this tarot spread I created!