The Six of Cups in the Tarot Deck
The Six of Cups is a card associated with happy memories from the past, representing protection, security, and childhood.
Graphic description of the card:
This Minor Arcana features six cups filled with white, five-pointed flowers, symbolizing emotional growth and blossoming.
A young person appears to be smelling one of the flowers, offering this full cup to another smaller child.
The smaller child represents the past, and the taller, older child symbolizes the future. Together, they represent happy reunions with friends, family, places, or past lovers, as they share old pleasures with deep nostalgia.
A tall tower in the background symbolizes letting go of worries and stepping out of your personal tower of isolation.
The house symbolizes comfort and safety, while the barren ground represents the happier times of the past that have been lost.
Everything is bathed in a warm yellow tone, indicating a great sense of happiness in the overall scene.
The Six of Cups Upright:
General Meaning:
The Six of Cups speaks to us about happy pasts, especially from childhood, when our generosity and innocence were still untainted.
This card points to those who constantly long for the idea that “the past was always better”.
The way you connect with happiness is linked to the past, and you feel that it’s the only way you can relate to joy.
This connection with the past isn’t bad as long as it remains on the level of memories and recollections. We all look back on and miss those happy old days, often idealizing them.
But when revisiting the past becomes a form of escape, it might indicate that you’re very hesitant to face the challenges and opportunities of the present.
It’s common during times of crisis or pain to try to heal by traveling back to the past in search of comforting, positive memories. This is healthy as long as the past doesn’t trap you. You need to take that strength and channel it into your present and future.
The Six of Cups represents the possibility of physically returning to things from the past, beyond just mental wanderings.
I often see this card appear when there are reunions with old friends who have been lost in time. Of course, in some cases, it can also signal the reappearance of old loves with whom we’ve shared happy moments.
It can also indicate a physical return to places from the past, like the city you were born in, your childhood home, or a reunion with family members you haven’t seen in years. It might also suggest those classic school reunions with former classmates.
The Six of Cups also emphasizes the importance of your inner child, who’s always there, even though you may have let them drift into sleep.
This is about recovering that innocence and joy for life, but also realizing that this child speaks to past situations that have left a mark on your subconscious. When they reappear now, they touch you deeply.
Since these are unconscious matters, we often can’t fully understand them—at least not as adults. But your inner child still feels and understands.
It’s important to dig into past experiences to understand the reasons behind your present circumstances. Working with your inner child can be healing and is often used in many forms of psychological therapy.
The Six of Cups may also more literally point to the presence of children in your life, whether they’re your own kids or other children you interact with frequently, enriching your life in various ways.
In some contexts, this card can indicate pregnancy, birth, or even adoption.
In any case, the Six of Cups is a card filled with subtle light, emotions, and happiness, where the reunion of different times—past, present, and future—creates a healthy joy, and this constructive nostalgia will always be beneficial for you.
In Love:
It might indicate that there’s a need to refocus the relationship toward the future, taking lessons from your shared past and trying new things to build stronger goals and dreams together. It’s important not to get stuck in the past and to keep moving forward.
At times, this card can signal the reappearance of old loves, whether you’re currently single or in a relationship. Whatever your situation, no matter how idyllic or tempting it may seem, you should carefully consider everything—there’s usually a reason why “exes” are exes.
Work:
This is a positive card that encourages you to use your creativity. If your job allows it, make the most of it, as it will help you maximize your results.
If your job isn’t creative and doesn’t offer opportunities for it, it’s a good idea to express that creativity elsewhere—spend some time drawing, painting, writing, or creating in other forms.
If you’re unemployed and looking for work, the solution might come through past contacts, and the Six of Cups could also suggest that you’ll have better luck finding jobs where you can use your creativity.
Money and Finances:
If you’re seeking ways to invest money or make some extra cash, pay special attention to anything retro or vintage, things tied to nostalgia, or items and activities that attract children.
Money could come to you from someone from your past or through an inheritance or legacy. If you need to ask for a loan, you might want to approach old contacts, friends, or family members who could help. Consider that option before turning to a bank.
Health:
This is where the connection between the unconscious and physical illness comes into play. Looking to the past might help you find potential causes for whatever you’re dealing with now. Any therapy or treatment involving talking and getting your emotions out could be helpful at this time.
The Six of Cups may also suggest reviewing your family’s medical history to uncover possible inherited conditions or diseases.
Spirituality:
In terms of spirituality, it would be good to bring back certain childhood rituals, full of innocence, trust, and faith.
You should ritualize certain moments, certain things, with the same passion and intensity you had as a child, once again seeing life and its inherent beauty with those fascinated eyes. Remember, that little person is still alive within you.
The Six of Cups Reversed:
General Meaning:
In this position, the card might suggest that you’re clinging to the past in a way that isn’t benefiting you.
On one hand, you’re holding on to past happiness, idealizing all previous times while constantly downplaying the present.
On the other hand, you’re also holding on to a belief system and ideas you formed in the past, which you maintain now without updating, limiting yourself and causing some problems.
This card is closely tied to nostalgia, the ideal world we saw through childhood eyes, the innocence, and the immense generosity we had as children.
You’ve grown up, but you’ve also held on to an excessively idealistic “rose-colored” view that contrasts harshly with the present reality. Things aren’t what you thought they were, and now you see your sweet childhood dreams crumbling.
On another level, the Six of Cups might suggest some difficulty in maintaining discipline with children, or in some cases, it may point to obstacles or problems related to conception or fertility.
In specific circumstances, it could indicate instances of sexual abuse or childhood abuse, which may now be unconsciously affecting your present life. If this is the case, seeking therapeutic help to work through these issues is strongly recommended.
Beyond these particular topics, the general message of the Six of Cups reversed points to the need to focus on your present and future by all means necessary. Yes, you can long for those old, innocent days of happiness, but don’t let them keep you from living in the now and staying connected to reality.
In Love:
The card takes you to a place where it’s time to address those uncomfortable issues that have been swept under the rug. They weren’t visible, but they were there, and now it’s time to face them realistically in order to resolve them.
Another important point is that while it’s okay to idealize love to some extent, you have to realize that the perfect love you imagined as a child rarely exists. Love is built, and your part in it is essential—you need to fight for it and work to ensure it always grows.
Work:
The Six of Cups reversed can suggest that a time of kindness and seeing things through rose-colored glasses in the workplace has come to an end. Negative aspects, flaws, and problems that you didn’t notice before are now becoming clear. It’s a reality check.
This could help you set future perspectives, or, in the worst-case scenario, lead you to make serious reconsiderations, such as introducing drastic changes or even changing jobs. You’ll need to think carefully before taking action.
Money:
In finances, this issue of excessive idealization is also present.
Money doesn’t grow on trees or fall from the sky—you have to work for it and give it a realistic place, with all the impact and presence that material things have in our lives.
Stop daydreaming about wealth or reminiscing about past financial successes, and focus on how you’re managing money right now.
Health:
Beyond the issue of childhood abuse, which, if relevant, should be appropriately addressed, the Six of Cups reversed could indicate that you’re turning a blind eye to certain health issues that need your attention.
You intuitively know what you need to do—it’s something you can feel—so find a way to face these challenges with good energy and determination.
Spirituality:
The Six of Cups reminds us that it’s always a good time to give thanks for the past, but you also need to accept that everything changes, and so do you—that’s one of life’s inevitable truths.
You can’t stay stuck in past eras; you have to evolve and embrace who you are now. Explore your new spirituality and learn from the perspectives of others who can offer you valuable insights.
