The Seven of Cups is a card of change after the period of re-evaluation of the six in the Suit of Cups. The sevens in the Minor Arcana show mystery, spirituality, and depth. The Seven of Cups sometimes displays seven cups in the heavens that contain the riches and jewels of the gods. There is reward heralded by this scenario, and this reward will come with change and choosing the correct path in relationships. All sevens indicate the need for philosophical and spiritual thought. There must be some way in which the individual gazing up at the seven cups will be able to attain his desires, and there is only one way to reach the heavens, and thus, the cups. It will, therefore, be through nourishment of the soul and changing for the better that the querent shall have his reward.
This is a time for ultimate growth where the querent or his partner has come to terms with the fact that needs are so much more important than wants in life and love.
When more than one seven appears in the same layout, there is a more specific message available to the querent. Pairs of sevens reveals that one should take care when making decisions and should take his time while three of them signifies two conflicting ideas or opinions as well as frustration at having to make changes with one’s relationships or the behaviours within them. Having four sevens in a reading heralds a time of having one’s faith tested. There is prayer and a long wait to learn of news on a long term matter. The Seven of Cups may warn that the querent’s partner may not be ready to forgive him for something, or there is something happening with the querent’s partner and their health.
The Seven of Cups in an Upright Position
An upright Seven of Cups will foretell of changes made to enhance the quality of a marriage or serious relationship. The querent may have found that it was important to turn over a new leaf to save his relationship or could be having trouble with deciding what to do with a romantic love interest. The decision he makes will be the better of the two, but this may be an unexpected outcome, meaning that the obvious choice was not the right choice, after all. There is a warning with the Seven of Cups that the querent may be kidding himself to believe that someone who puts on all the right moves and says all of the right things turns out to be the worst alternative instead of the best choice of relationship. The querent should remember to look past appearances when making decisions. Regardless of this, an upright Seven of Cups shows success, so the querent will have chosen correctly. One should be aware that trickery is at play here.
The meaning of all Minor Arcana cards can be modified by the cards that surround it. Court cards from the Minor Arcana (Pages, Knights, Queens, and Kings) all represent people. They have corresponding physical characteristics as well as their own astrological correspondences. The Seven of Cups shows choices in love that are before the querent. The court cards around the Seven of Cups should reveal what types of characteristics and possibly the astrological signs of the people the querent maybe choosing from in their romantic life. It may also be important in identifying a person who is out to fool the querent into doing, saying, or getting something that they would never have in a million years. There are also Major Arcana cards that will change the meaning of the Seven of Cups when they appear together in a spread. Some of these are the Hanged Man, which shows how changing one;s ways will work best for him, and the Moon, which warns of being sure of the fine print on contracts or legal papers before signing.
The Seven of Cups in a Reversed Position
The reversed position of each card of the Minor Arcana is really as it states: an inversion of the card’s meaning. In terms of the Seven of Cups, this could mean that the changes are for worse and not better. Perhaps the jewels and promise of the cups in displayed in the heavens means nothing and was only a figment of the querent’s imagination. There may have been false promises or someone is not living up to the promises they have made in order to remain in the relationship. The querent, in fact, may only be seeing a reflection of the seven cups in the sky through a reflection in a mud puddle, so to speak. There is also a feeling that the querent or his partner may have promised to change in order to better the relationship, but has not done so. It may be time that the querent moves on.
With the reversal of the Seven of Cups, there may be a situation at foot where the querent has chose wrong. Things haven’t worked out as they had planned they would, and there has been a mistake that has been made. Another interpretation is that the querent fell for trickery and has ended up choosing one lover over another only to learn that it as the wrong thing to do and he is unable to regain the love he had with the other person he could have chosen. There is a clear sign that the querent is unable to go back on his decisions and must really attempt to think things through before going ahead with any life-changing choice at this time. It would be wise for the querent to stay still and do nothing when the reversal of the Seven of Cups appears in a tarot layout. In this way, he may be able to avoid doing anything that he may later regret.
Key Terms
- Choices in love
- Changes for the better
- Making the right choice
- Poor decision-making
- Making mistakes in love
- Read between the lines
- Avoid being tricked