Nine of Cups Tarot Card Meaning

UPRIGHT

physical well-being, hopes, security, victory

REVERSED

illness, failure, mistakes, overindulgence, imperfection

Visual Description of the Nine of Cups:

A man sits on a wooden bench in front of nine cups. The cups are arranged in an arch on a table clothed in blue. The man is happy, he has reached emotional fulfillment and is secure. He is in good health and knows that he will maintain his victory. He may be alone, but he is happy in the fact that he has attained his desires. He has overcome the struggles on his journey and can now indulge in his success.

Divinatory Meaning of the Nine of Cups:

Upright Meaning of the Nine of Cups Tarot Card:

The querent has reached a goal and has found emotional fulfillment with the completion of their task. They feel victorious and secure in their achievement. Their physical well-being mirrors their emotional well-being and they are a picture of health and happiness. The task they have completed was important to them and their victory carries great meaning to them.

“You have reached the epitome of success. Your wealth lies in the feeling of achievement you have attained now that you have completed one of the things you’ve always wanted to do. Congratulations! You have worked hard to make this a success and you deserve to celebrate and indulge a little. But be careful not to go overboard, you don’t want to squander everything you’ve worked so hard for.

You have looked after yourself well during this time too and can enjoy the feeling of being physically healthy as well as emotionally fulfilled. You have done well, despite facing some difficult times and now you have the chance to reap the rewards of your hard work. You are secure and have great hopes for the future, and you will be able to attain success again. But for now it’s time to celebrate and enjoy the feeling of true victory you’re currently feeling.”

The querent has an opportunity to relax for a bit and soak up the elaed emotions and peace of mind they are currently experiencing. This card doesn’t indicate that everything is perfect, but it does show that the querent has reached a stage where they can be proud of what they have achieved.

Reversed Meaning of the Nine of Cups Tarot Card:

Reversed the Nine of Cups is a card of excess. It indicates the extremities of success and opulence. The querent may have failed at a task. This has pushed them over the edge and into the mire of overindulgence. They are living beyond their means.

“Everyone makes mistakes… But that doesn’t mean that everyone goes down the same treacherous path you’re heading towards. You’ve hit a couple of setbacks and it’s understandable that you want to retaliate, but living beyond your means and overindulging is not the way to attain happiness.

Before you squander your health and ALL your savings, why not take a deep breath and reassess the situation. You may be feeling like a failure right now, but giving up and letting yourself go won’t bring you the fulfillment and happiness you seek. You have to try to fulfill your desires in a healthy way, even if it means starting from scratch… Let this be the test that made you, not the one that broke you. Stay strong.”

The querent is on a slippery slope. In extreme cases this could lead to more serious consequences including alcohol or drug abuse or severe depression. If the client is at risk of any of these they are advised to seek professional help.