Element: Water
Suit of Cups
Three of Cups Meaning
Three women dance and celebrate in a garden, raising their cups in joy and friendship. Fruits and flowers surround them in abundance. The Three of Cups is the card of community, celebration, female friendship, creative collaboration, and the joy of sharing your happiness with those who truly see you.
↑ Upright
↓ Reversed
Quick Meaning
What does Three of Cups mean?
Three of Cups represents three women dance and celebrate in a garden, raising their cups in joy and friendship. Fruits and flowers surround them in abundance. The Three of Cups is the card of community, celebration, female friendship, creative collaboration, and the joy of sharing your happiness with those who truly see you.
Upright meaning
Reunions, Celebrations, Parties, Socialising
Reversed meaning
Over indulgence, Gossiping, Bitchiness, Lack of social life
Love
In a love Tarot spread, if you are single, the Three of Cups Tarot can indicate that someone from your past may reappear in your life in a romantic capacity.
Career and money
In a career context, the Three of Cups can indicate that there will be a celebration in relation to your work or career.
Spiritual lesson
In a spiritual context, the Three of Cups can indicate that you may find yourself doing group work or interacting with others on a spiritual path in group scenarios that will boost your...
Three of Cups as Advice, Feelings, and a Yes or No
Yes or No
In a yes or no tarot reading, Three of Cups is best read through its condition. Upright, it points toward Reunions, Celebrations, Parties, Socialising. Reversed, it suggests Over indulgence, Gossiping, Bitchiness, Lack of social life. The answer depends on whether the situation is moving with the upright lesson or stuck in the reversed pattern.
As Advice
As advice, Three of Cups asks you to work with the card's main lesson rather than react from fear. Start with the upright meaning: In a general context, the Three of Cups Tarot card is the Minor Arcana card of reunion or celebration.
As Feelings
As feelings, Three of Cups can describe someone experiencing the card's emotional tone. In love readings, its upright energy is: In a love Tarot spread, if you are single, the Three of Cups Tarot can indicate that someone from your past may reappear in your life in a romantic capacity.
Reversed Advice
Reversed, Three 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 Over indulgence, Gossiping, Bitchiness, Lack of social life.
Upright Three of Cups Meaning
In a general context, the Three of Cups Tarot card is the Minor Arcana card of reunion or celebration. It can signify someone from your past coming back in to your life. It can also signify parties, festivals, weddings, engagement parties, baby showers and other similar celebrations. With this card appears in your Tarot reading you can look forward to a happy event in your life. It signifies group of people coming together with open hearts and minds to celebrate important events. It is a very positive card that indicates happy times, uplifting and positive energy and good feelings.
Love & Relationships
Upright
In a love Tarot spread, if you are single, the Three of Cups Tarot can indicate that someone from your past may reappear in your life in a romantic capacity. It can also indicate that you will have an abundance of potential suitors after a period of solitude or loneliness. If you are in a relationship, it can indicate that you may have a celebration to look forward to such as an engagement, wedding, baby shower etc. When this card appears you can look forward to happy times or events to celebrate in your relationship. It can also simply be an indication that you and your partner will find yourselves attending lots of weddings or engagements.
Money & Career
Upright
In a career context, the Three of Cups can indicate that there will be a celebration in relation to your work or career. This may be in the form of graduating from a course, a successful launch event for a business, a celebration of the successful completion of a project or an office party. It can also indicate that there will be a good atmosphere in your workplace or that there will be a buzz about the projects you are involved in. Any team work you’re involved in will be going very well and everyone will be getting along nicely. This card can also signify that a promotion or job offer could be coming your way. In a financial context, the Three of Cups tells you that you may have an abundance of money coming in but you could find yourself spending a lot too with all these celebrations!
Health
Upright
In a health context, the Three of Cups Tarot card indicates that you may have a lot of social events or celebrations coming up that could tempt you into overindulgence or excessive partying. Enjoy yourself but be mindful of the impact excessive indulgence could have on your health and try to moderate things.
Spirituality
Upright
In a spiritual context, the Three of Cups can indicate that you may find yourself doing group work or interacting with others on a spiritual path in group scenarios that will boost your energy and teach you new ways of connecting to spirit. Embrace these new spiritual friends and accept the opportunities to learn.
Reversed Three of Cups Meaning
In a general context, the Three of Cups Tarot card reversed can indicate celebrations being cancelled. This may take the form of a cancelled party, a cancelled wedding or an engagement being broken off to name but a few. The Three of Cups reversed can signify that your social life may be non-existent at the moment or that you’ve grown apart from your friends. While the upright Three of Cups is all about people who are open and loving coming together in celebration, the reversed card can indicate backstabbing or bitchiness from those around you. It can indicate that the people who should be happy for you, or alternatively should be empathising with you if an important event has fallen through, are being nasty or gossiping about you behind your back. People you thought were your friends may try to start rumours or sabotage you with gossip when this card appears. Be careful who you trust. The Three of Cups in a reversed position can also indicate a celebration being tainted in some way, you could find that a rowdy intoxicated guest ruins your party or someone gate-crashes or causes a scene. It can also simply be a sign of family and friends going their separate ways after a coming together for a celebration. Look to the supporting cards for more information.
Love & Relationships
Reversed
In a love Tarot spread, if you are single, the Three of Cups reversed can indicate a short term relationship that won’t last is coming your way. The relationship may be a joy to begin with but it will quickly fizzle out. It can also indicate a reunion with someone who you will soon realise was out of your life for a good reason! If you are in a relationship, the Three of Cups reversed is not a great omen generally as it can indicate cancelled celebrations such as weddings or engagements. It can also signify someone trying to cause trouble in your relationship. This could be a third party trying to sabotage your relationship with gossip or rumours. However, it could also represent someone trying to seduce your partner behind your back while being nice to your face. Watch your back with this one! The Three of Cups reversed can be an indicator of a miscarriage or termination. Look to the supporting cards to confirm this. If you are not pregnant and not ready for a child, be warned and take proper precautions.
Money & Career
Reversed
In a career context, the Three of Cups reversed may indicate that people in your workplace or team may give off the impression that they are team players but could be secretly trying sabotage or damage a project to make you look bad. It can also indicate that the gossip mill may be in overdrive in your workplace so try to focus on your work, remain professional and don’t give the gossips any ammunition. It can also indicate a launch being cancelled or a promotional event not going to plan. Financially, the Three of Cups reversed can signify that the financial implications of a cancelled event such as a wedding will cause you some stress. It can also signify that you may be overspending and overindulging, try to reign in your spending before you get yourself in over your head.
Health
Reversed
In a health context, the Three of Cups reversed can be a strong indicator that you will be over-indulging or partying too much to the detriment of your health. The Three of Cups can be an indicator of a miscarriage or termination thus cancelling a baby shower or the celebration of a birth. However, the supporting cards would need to confirm this.
Spirituality
Reversed
In a spiritual context, if you have been doing spiritual work in a group or have the opportunity to, the Three of Cups reversed can indicate that there may be some in the group who do not have good intentions. Trust your instincts about people, if someone acts nice to your face but you have a bad feeling about them, go with your gut. Someone may be jealous of your powers. Be discerning of which practices you take on and only use what works for you and what you consider ethical. Don’t go against your own morals!
Three of Cups Tarot Card Combinations
Three of Cups and Ace of Cups
Together, Three of Cups and Ace of Cups blend the lesson of three 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.
Three of Cups and Two of Cups
Together, Three of Cups and Two of Cups blend the lesson of three 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...
Three of Cups and Four of Cups
Together, Three of Cups and Four of Cups blend the lesson of three of cups with the energy of four of cups. This pairing asks you to read the cards as a relationship between the central theme and a young man sits cross-armed under a tree in contemplation, three cups before him, while a hand extends from a cloud offering a fourth cup he seems...
Common Questions
What does the Three of Cups tarot card mean?
In a general context, the Three of Cups Tarot card is the Minor Arcana card of reunion or celebration. It can signify someone from your past coming back in to your life. It can also signify parties, festivals, weddings, engagement parties, baby showers and other similar celebrations. With this card appears in your Tarot reading you can look forward to a happy event in your life. It signifies group of people coming together with open hearts and minds to celebrate important events. It is a very positive card that indicates happy times, uplifting and positive energy and good feelings.
What does the Three of Cups reversed mean?
In a general context, the Three of Cups Tarot card reversed can indicate celebrations being cancelled. This may take the form of a cancelled party, a cancelled wedding or an engagement being broken off to name but a few. The Three of Cups reversed can signify that your social life may be non-existent at the moment or that you’ve grown apart from your friends. While the upright Three of Cups is all about people who are open and loving coming together in celebration, the reversed card can indicate backstabbing or bitchiness from those around you. It can indicate that the people who should be happy for you, or alternatively should be empathising with you if an important event has fallen through, are being nasty or gossiping about you behind your back. People you thought were your friends may try to start rumours or sabotage you with gossip when this card appears. Be careful who you trust. The Three of Cups in a reversed position can also indicate a celebration being tainted in some way, you could find that a rowdy intoxicated guest ruins your party or someone gate-crashes or causes a scene. It can also simply be a sign of family and friends going their separate ways after a coming together for a celebration. Look to the supporting cards for more information.
What does the Three of Cups mean in love?
In a love Tarot spread, if you are single, the Three of Cups Tarot can indicate that someone from your past may reappear in your life in a romantic capacity. It can also indicate that you will have an abundance of potential suitors after a period of solitude or loneliness. If you are in a relationship, it can indicate that you may have a celebration to look forward to such as an engagement, wedding, baby shower etc. When this card appears you can look forward to happy times or events to celebrate in your relationship. It can also simply be an indication that you and your partner will find yourselves attending lots of weddings or engagements.
What does the Three of Cups mean for career and money?
In a career context, the Three of Cups can indicate that there will be a celebration in relation to your work or career. This may be in the form of graduating from a course, a successful launch event for a business, a celebration of the successful completion of a project or an office party. It can also indicate that there will be a good atmosphere in your workplace or that there will be a buzz about the projects you are involved in. Any team work you’re involved in will be going very well and everyone will be getting along nicely. This card can also signify that a promotion or job offer could be coming your way. In a financial context, the Three of Cups tells you that you may have an abundance of money coming in but you could find yourself spending a lot too with all these celebrations!
Is the Three of Cups a yes or no card?
The Three of Cups is best read by context in yes or no questions. Upright, it points toward Reunions, Celebrations, Parties, Socialising. Reversed, it suggests Over indulgence, Gossiping, Bitchiness, Lack of social life.
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