Element: Water
Suit of Cups
Six of Cups Meaning
A young boy offers a cup of flowers to a smaller girl in a quaint village scene. Other cups filled with white blooms dot the scene. The Six of Cups evokes nostalgia, innocence, the sweetness of the past, childhood memories, and the warm reunion with people and feelings long left behind.
↑ Upright
↓ Reversed
Quick Meaning
What does Six of Cups mean?
Six of Cups represents a young boy offers a cup of flowers to a smaller girl in a quaint village scene. Other cups filled with white blooms dot the scene. The Six of Cups evokes nostalgia, innocence, the sweetness of the past, childhood memories, and the warm reunion with people and feelings long left behind.
Upright meaning
Children, Childhood memories, Past influences, Yearning
Reversed meaning
Letting go of the past, Focusing on the future, Maturity, Growing up
Love
In a love Tarot reading, if you are in a relationship, the Six of Cups can simply indicate that you and your partner are childhood sweethearts.
Career and money
In a career reading, the Six of Cups is generally a good omen.
Spiritual lesson
In a spiritual context, the Six of Cups can indicate that you need to keep spiritual practices simple.
Six of Cups as Advice, Feelings, and a Yes or No
Yes or No
In a yes or no tarot reading, Six of Cups is best read through its condition. Upright, it points toward Children, Childhood memories, Past influences, Yearning. Reversed, it suggests Letting go of the past, Focusing on the future, Maturity, Growing up. The answer depends on whether the situation is moving with the upright lesson or stuck in the reversed pattern.
As Advice
As advice, Six of Cups asks you to work with the card's main lesson rather than react from fear. Start with the upright meaning: In general context, the Six of Cups Tarot card can represent nostalgia, childhood memories and focusing on the past.
As Feelings
As feelings, Six of Cups can describe someone experiencing the card's emotional tone. In love readings, its upright energy is: In a love Tarot reading, if you are in a relationship, the Six of Cups can simply indicate that you and your partner are childhood sweethearts.
Reversed Advice
Reversed, Six of Cups points to what may be blocked, avoided, or expressed in a harder way. Use the reversed meaning as a prompt to slow down and address Letting go of the past, Focusing on the future, Maturity, Growing up.
Upright Six of Cups Meaning
In general context, the Six of Cups Tarot card can represent nostalgia, childhood memories and focusing on the past. When this card appears in a Tarot spread you may be being influenced by past events, reminiscing about the past or thinking about someone from your past. The Six of Cups is also the Minor Arcana card of children, young people and youthfulness and can represent having children or taking care of or working with them. It can signify simplicity, playfulness, innocence, goodwill and sharing. It can also represent protection and family. If you have been going through a tough time, the Six of Cups may be telling to take the support available to you from family and close friends. When the Six of Cups appears in a Tarot spread it can also indicate that you are being childish or immature. If combined with certain supporting cards it can, in some cases, indicate childhood abuse. It can also signify homesickness for those that live abroad.
Love & Relationships
Upright
In a love Tarot reading, if you are in a relationship, the Six of Cups can simply indicate that you and your partner are childhood sweethearts. If the surrounding cards are positive, it can signify having children. However, it can also indicate problems or issues being caused in a relationship by immaturity or childishness. It can signify that your relationship is being held back because you are yearning for a past love or that a previous partner is influencing your relationship or causing arguments. If you are single, the Six of Cups can signify a past lover coming back into your life, becoming romantically involved with a childhood friend or finding love in the area where you grew up.
Money & Career
Upright
In a career reading, the Six of Cups is generally a good omen. It signifies creativity, sharing and goodwill. When this card appears it is a great time to get involved in creative or team projects. It can also indicate working with young people or children. In relation to finances, the Six of Cups can represent giving or receiving gifts or charity. It can also represent receiving an inheritance. The Six of Cups can also appear when you are thinking of making a will or in the process of making one.
Health
Upright
In a health reading, the Six of Cups can simply be telling you to be charitable or caring towards someone with ill health, they may need your support more than you know. It can also be an indication that a fast paced life may be causing you undue stress or illness, try to simplify your life as much as you can and get back to basics. If you are trying to conceive the Six of Cups is a good omen as it represents children and family.
Spirituality
Upright
In a spiritual context, the Six of Cups can indicate that you need to keep spiritual practices simple. Our spirituality an intrinsic part of who we are but sometimes in our eagerness to connect to spirit we can over-complicate things. If you have been struggling to connect, go back to basics. The Six of Cups can also indicate that you may find yourself rediscovering rituals or traditions from your childhood and integrating them into your spiritual practice.
Reversed Six of Cups Meaning
In a general context, the Six of Cups reversed can signify letting go of the past and being ready to move on to the future. It can be an indicator of growing up, becoming more mature or leaving home. It can also indicate letting go of childhood issues or childishness. The Six of Cups reversed can indicate childhood abuse or stolen innocence. This Minor Arcana card reversed in a Tarot reading can also indicate overcoming such abuse so look to the supporting cards for clarification. If you have been going through counselling or therapy, the Six of Cups reversed can be a good omen, signalling that you have worked through the issues of the past and are ready for a fresh start. Alternately, the Six of Cups reversed can indicate that you are stuck in the past or looking at past events through rose tinted glasses, if that’s the case you need to bring your focus back to the present moment and appreciate what you have today.
Love & Relationships
Reversed
In a love Tarot spread, if you are in a relationship the Six of Cups reversed can represent boredom or a lack of passion in the relationship. Although the relationship gives you security, you may be finding it stifling. If you are single, the Six of Cups reversed can indicate that you are ready to put your past relationships behind you and move onto something better. Alternately, it can indicate that you are still looking at your past relationship through rose tinted glasses and comparing anyone new you meet unfavourably to your ex. In order to move forward, you need to remember that your past relationship is over for a reason. Holding onto the past will not change anything and you could end up wishing your life away. Give someone new a chance! The Six of Cups can also signify that childhood issues or childhood abuse may be preventing you from finding the love you deserve or affecting your ability to open up to your partner if you are in relationship.
Money & Career
Reversed
In a career context, the Six of Cups reversed can indicate that you are feeling bored in your current role or that it’s stifling your creativity. You may decide to leave the security and safety of this job to do something that you will find creatively fulfilling. It can also indicate working with children or young people who may have been traumatised or are disadvantaged in some way. This, while worthwhile, could be emotionally draining for you so make sure you take care of your own well-being too. In a financial context, the Six of Cups reversed can indicate that you are becoming financially independent and mature in the way you manage your finances. For a young person still living at home with their parents, it can indicate becoming ready to move out and live independently.
Health
Reversed
In a health context, the Six of Cups reversed can be an indicator that any health issues you are suffering from may either be genetic or a physical manifestation of unresolved childhood issues/trauma. If you are planning a family, the Six of Cups in a reversed position can represent fertility issues or problems conceiving.
Spirituality
Reversed
In a spiritual context, the Six of Cups reversed can indicate that now is a time to discover new beliefs and try new things rather than clinging rigidly to the beliefs or traditions you learned in childhood. Keep what works for you but don’t be afraid to branch out and incorporate new ideas that appeal to you.
Six of Cups Tarot Card Combinations
Six of Cups and Ace of Cups
Together, Six of Cups and Ace of Cups blend the lesson of six of cups with the energy of ace of cups. This pairing asks you to read the cards as a relationship between the central theme and a divine hand extends from a cloud offering a golden chalice overflowing with five streams of water.
Six of Cups and Two of Cups
Together, Six of Cups and Two of Cups blend the lesson of six of cups with the energy of two of cups. This pairing asks you to read the cards as a relationship between the central theme and a man and woman face each other, each holding a cup, while the caduceus of hermes and a winged lion head float above them — symbols of healing and...
Six of Cups and Three of Cups
Together, Six of Cups and Three of Cups blend the lesson of six of cups with the energy of three of cups. This pairing asks you to read the cards as a relationship between the central theme and three women dance and celebrate in a garden, raising their cups in joy and friendship.
Common Questions
What does the Six of Cups tarot card mean?
In general context, the Six of Cups Tarot card can represent nostalgia, childhood memories and focusing on the past. When this card appears in a Tarot spread you may be being influenced by past events, reminiscing about the past or thinking about someone from your past. The Six of Cups is also the Minor Arcana card of children, young people and youthfulness and can represent having children or taking care of or working with them. It can signify simplicity, playfulness, innocence, goodwill and sharing. It can also represent protection and family. If you have been going through a tough time, the Six of Cups may be telling to take the support available to you from family and close friends. When the Six of Cups appears in a Tarot spread it can also indicate that you are being childish or immature. If combined with certain supporting cards it can, in some cases, indicate childhood abuse. It can also signify homesickness for those that live abroad.
What does the Six of Cups reversed mean?
In a general context, the Six of Cups reversed can signify letting go of the past and being ready to move on to the future. It can be an indicator of growing up, becoming more mature or leaving home. It can also indicate letting go of childhood issues or childishness. The Six of Cups reversed can indicate childhood abuse or stolen innocence. This Minor Arcana card reversed in a Tarot reading can also indicate overcoming such abuse so look to the supporting cards for clarification. If you have been going through counselling or therapy, the Six of Cups reversed can be a good omen, signalling that you have worked through the issues of the past and are ready for a fresh start. Alternately, the Six of Cups reversed can indicate that you are stuck in the past or looking at past events through rose tinted glasses, if that’s the case you need to bring your focus back to the present moment and appreciate what you have today.
What does the Six of Cups mean in love?
In a love Tarot reading, if you are in a relationship, the Six of Cups can simply indicate that you and your partner are childhood sweethearts. If the surrounding cards are positive, it can signify having children. However, it can also indicate problems or issues being caused in a relationship by immaturity or childishness. It can signify that your relationship is being held back because you are yearning for a past love or that a previous partner is influencing your relationship or causing arguments. If you are single, the Six of Cups can signify a past lover coming back into your life, becoming romantically involved with a childhood friend or finding love in the area where you grew up.
What does the Six of Cups mean for career and money?
In a career reading, the Six of Cups is generally a good omen. It signifies creativity, sharing and goodwill. When this card appears it is a great time to get involved in creative or team projects. It can also indicate working with young people or children. In relation to finances, the Six of Cups can represent giving or receiving gifts or charity. It can also represent receiving an inheritance. The Six of Cups can also appear when you are thinking of making a will or in the process of making one.
Is the Six of Cups a yes or no card?
The Six of Cups is best read by context in yes or no questions. Upright, it points toward Children, Childhood memories, Past influences, Yearning. Reversed, it suggests Letting go of the past, Focusing on the future, Maturity, Growing up.
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