TarotCraft Lesson 203.01: The Ace of Cups

The Ace of Cups Tarot card from the Rider Waite Tarot deck.

​Every tree was once a seed waiting to be nurtured and brought into being. The Ace of Cups represents the seed of love and connection. Not always romantic love because not everyone is looking for romantic love. It can also be the love and bond between friends and comrades. It represents the potential for emotional fulfilment, but being a tiny seed and the beginning of the journey of this suite, we don't yet know if that potential will be realised.    

Image description 
Emerging from a cloud, a hand presents a golden chalice bearing the initial W. A dove holds a cross-marked communion wafer in its beak, dropping it into the cup. Four streams of water issue from the chalice, cascading to the pond below. There are waterlilies on the surface of the pond and green hills in the background. Droplets of liquid surround the downward flowing streams and hand. Image from the Universal Waite Tarot deck.
 
Yes or No upright Yes
Yes or No reversed No
 
Amplified by The Hanged Man, the other Aces
Amplifier for The Hanged Man, the other Aces
 
Zodiac and Element Pure Water element
Timing Weeks; Spring months
                                               
Traditional name Root of the Powers of Water
Traditional meaning U: Joy, content, nourishment, abundance; R: False friends, instability, revolution
 
TarotCraft meaning
Every tree was once a seed waiting to be nurtured and brought into being. The Ace represents the seed of love and connection. Not always romantic love because not everyone is looking for romantic love. It can also be the love and bond between friends and comrades. It represents the potential for emotional fulfilment, but being a tiny seed and the beginning of the journey of this suite, we don't yet know if that potential will be realised.    

TarotCraft Reversed meaning
When reversed or negatively aspected, Cups cards can indicate a loss of love and emotional fulfilment. Perhaps your need for love and healing are not being met in healthy ways? Addiction and over-use of alcohol, toxic relationships and co-dependence can be indicated. A reversed Ace of Cups indicates a romance that won't continue.

TarotCraft Gift, Invitation, and Challenge

Invitation

You are invited to let down your walls and open your heart, to begin a new emotional journey leading to love, friendship or emotional healing.   

Gift

You are already open and ready to receive. Your Cup is ready to be filled, and you are free to embrace all possibilities. 
  
Challenge

When you open your heart to receive, you also make yourself vulnerable and open to being hurt. Shutting down on an emotional level is a way to avoid pain, but the better alternative is to grow healthy boundaries and work on self-acceptance and love.  
 
Go to next lesson 203.02 The 2 of Cups

Go back to previous lesson 202.10 The 10 of Wands