The Three of Cups has two very intense and opposing meanings
The Three of Cups is a card of celebration and fulfillment, of friendships that accompany us, and it foretells that we will emerge victorious in this phase of our lives. However, when reversed, its meaning isn’t as pleasant and brings some problems.
Visual description of the card:
Three young people are dancing in a circle, holding their golden cups high in a toast of joy. Their arms are intertwined, connecting them through their emotions and friendship.
The ground is covered in fruit, giving a general sense of abundance and happiness. Each person wears a laurel wreath on their head, which has symbolized victory and success for ages.
The laurel wreath is also a symbol of protection, peace, and purification, and it carries a message that the Universe is blessing us with its favors, and that we are to be victorious in this phase of our lives.
At their feet, there are several flowers, symbolizing joy, beauty, compassion, and growth. The flowers remind us of the good times in life, the sweet smell of success, and the beauty around us if only we open ourselves to its presence.
The Three of Cups Upright:
General Meaning:
The Three of Cups is a card that clearly represents friendships and all the good and positive things associated with them.
It speaks of balance in relationships, a deep harmony where there is a constant give-and-take, and you are now in a great position to help others just as much as you are open and ready to receive help from them.
Friendship and family are strongly represented in this card, shared experiences, being there through thick and thin, unconditional support, selflessness, and generosity.
Looking at the Three of Cups, one might think these people will be lifelong friends. In some way, this card indicates that this is an excellent time for your closest circles to support, love, and care for you.
There is love and compassion among everyone, a deep connection based on emotional sensitivity, acts of kindness, and all sorts of valuable things you can count on right now.
This could refer to your old friends, family, or even human groups you are part of, like a club, church, or various activities, including work.
This is a very social period for you, according to the Three of Cups. You’re making time for everything, from fulfilling your tasks and obligations to enjoying a social life and spending meaningful moments with your loved ones and closest companions.
It may be a time for outings and gatherings, attending concerts and bars, parties, and special celebrations like birthdays, weddings, or births.
The Three of Cups represents a pause in this moment of your life. Surely, you have problems, unresolved matters, responsibilities, and worries, but now you’ll be able to set them aside and not let them stop you from enjoying life and all the good things it still has to offer.
These breaks and pauses are very necessary, especially if you’ve been under a lot of stress or dealing with significant concerns. Happy, welcoming, and like-minded environments will create the right atmosphere for you to return to your challenges with renewed strength and new energy.
As this is a social card, it can signal the end of a period of isolation and the beginning of a new phase of connection, collaboration, and unity with others.
You now feel ready to reconnect, to forgive, forget, and move on, giving new chances to those with whom you were in conflict. You open your emotions and feelings in search of a better situation for everyone.
Besides being social, the Three of Cups is a group card, so it’s very likely you’ll be connecting with various groups, generally ones focused on the good of all, the common good, and the well-being of people.
It’s also possible you’ll be involved with creative groups of all kinds since beauty and creativity are closely tied to the meaning of the Three of Cups.
Love:
In terms of love, this card is all about celebration. The Three of Cups is an excellent card for rekindling old flames, reuniting with an ex, or recovering a lost love, although the rest of the cards in the reading should be considered to confirm if this is indeed about the past.
If you’re hoping to get married, it’s very likely you will. This card opens the relationship, leaving behind the isolation of the private, intimate world to connect with others, to go out and have fun. You might go out together more than before, dancing, having fun, taking a trip, going out to dinner, or to the theater.
If you’re single and looking for a relationship, this card tells you that you have a high chance of soon finding a very good match, someone who fits perfectly with you.
Work:
In terms of work, this card is a very positive omen. The social interaction among people makes the work grow and develop. There’s a happy, positive, and productive environment, with balanced relationships, and the overall work atmosphere feels content and joyful.
It’s the kind of card that makes you wake up in the morning excited to go to work, to reconnect with your colleagues, and to tackle your tasks with cheerful and positive energy.
If you’re looking for work, success is very close. Since this is a card of celebration, it’s likely that soon you’ll be celebrating landing a job or perhaps a promotion, a raise, or new and exciting possibilities.
Money:
In terms of money and finances, the Three of Cups indicates that it’s not a time to be attached to money, but rather to have a generous and carefree attitude towards it.
While you shouldn’t waste money on frivolous things, any money spent on fun, and having a good time with friends, family, outings, and gatherings will be money well spent and will bear emotional fruit.
With this card, you should keep in mind that the Universe is full of abundance, and when your intentions and feelings are good and positive, it will respond by bringing you more abundance and well-being, so whatever you spend materially will be recovered.
If you’re thinking about business investments or expansions, this card reminds you that the central figure is a celebration, so keep going!
Health:
In terms of health, it’s a time of great well-being and good spirits, with renewed energy and joy that positively impacts your whole body. Outings, exercise, and walks.
All healthy activities will have a very favorable effect on you. If you’re worried about a health issue, this card is an excellent sign for improvement or even healing.
Spirituality:
In the spiritual realm, your vast inner world, which you usually explore in solitude, can now be opened to others and shared.
You’ll find that everyone has a rich and vast inner world, just like yours, and sharing these worlds can only be beneficial for all.
The Three of Cups Reversed:
General Meaning:
Like many reversed cards, the Three of Cups loses much of its positive meaning.
Perhaps the most concerning or fearful aspect of this card is that it often represents third parties being involved, whether in a romantic relationship, a family situation, or a business partnership.
The card indicates the existence of a disruptive third person. This can mean several things, from infidelity to your partner or business associate being involved in other things you’re unaware of.
It’s a card that suggests dishonesty, and you should take into account the rest of the cards to get a clearer picture, such as the Five or Seven of Swords, The Devil, or The Moon.
Since it’s a card of celebration, at some point it may indicate hedonistic behavior focused on pleasure, on instant gratification, whether material or sensual. In this case, the celebration has gone too far and is leading to behaviors and actions that will ultimately only be harmful.
Looking at the Three of Cups from a social and group perspective, it’s possible that the gatherings or groups are now suffocating you, stifling your creativity and inner freedom. The group works in a close-knit way, and you don’t have much room for your own opinions, creativity, or decision-making, and instead, you have to follow what the group decides as a whole.
It’s time to reconsider whether this is the right group for you, whether the benefits are really worth sacrificing a bit of personal identity.
This is a card that tends toward isolation, so it’s possible that you feel like pulling away from others right now, whether from your partner, family, group of friends, or groups in general.
This isolation may be emotional, but it can also be caused by external things like work or activities, or you’ve neglected your partner due to family commitments and things like that, so pay attention to whether this is happening and what you can do to rebalance things.
Love:
In terms of love, as we’ve seen, the Three of Cups can indicate infidelity, whether on your part or your partner’s. It doesn’t necessarily mean your partner is cheating on you—perhaps the card is indicating an upcoming fling for you that you don’t even suspect yet, or it could point to flirtations without things going any further.
Sometimes it can also signal issues in the relationship due to financial problems: one or both of you are in a carefree mode, escaping and having fun, and this not only doesn’t generate income, but the existing money is spent on superficial whims.
If you’re single, the card tells you that to find someone, you’ll need to start socializing a bit more, going out, meeting people, and opening up little by little. Otherwise, the chances of someone new coming into your life are very slim.
Work:
Regarding work, it can indicate a time of idleness, where you’re being too indulgent and giving yourself a lot of leniency.
You’re avoiding responsibility, and you’re likely seeking distractions in multiple outings where you can have fun without having to think about or handle your obligations.
On the other hand, it suggests that the work environment might now be surrounded by strong envy or jealousy, with all kinds of hidden agendas, “broken telephone” situations, and third parties meddling, complicating things.
If you’re looking for work, try to go directly to the sources, avoiding third parties or intermediaries. Relying on “a friend of a friend of another friend” usually creates an unproductive chain that leads nowhere. Try to go straight to the point, speaking to the right people.
Money:
In terms of money and finances, the Three of Cups signals excessive spending on trivial activities. There’s a lot of spending on fun and entertainment as a form of escape.
Having fun and escaping isn’t a negative thing in itself—sometimes we need those oases—but you should watch your wallet carefully to ensure that your money isn’t being spent solely on this and that you can still cover your expenses without creating debts that will be very hard to stop later.
It’s not a good sign for partnerships or new businesses, as the presence of a third party—whether a person or an unexpected circumstance—appears as something negative. It’s also very important to guard against feeling envious of other people’s financial positions.
Health:
In terms of health, the “third party involved,” which could be a person or a life situation, is very likely affecting your health, especially your mental health, at this time.
You need to separate yourself from it and not let it influence you, not let the power of another person or a particular circumstance take over you completely.
Spirituality:
In terms of spirituality, in this moment of suffocation and loneliness that you’re feeling, it’s good for you to seek some form of help, even if it’s just by reading books that make you feel good, that open you up to spirituality, and where you can find the signs you need to overcome what you’re going through.
