Key Meanings

Upright

Nostalgia, childhood memories, innocence, reunions, generosity, kindness, playfulness, comfort, simplicity, past connections, emotional warmth, giving freely

Reversed

Living in the past, clinging to old memories, blocked nostalgia, unrealistic expectations, unresolved childhood issues, stagnation, loss of innocence, inability to move forward, immaturity, rose-tinted glasses, emotional baggage, letting go of the past

General Interpretation

Upright

In a general context, the Six of Cups is a card of nostalgia and sweetness. It can be indicative of something from your past that you associate with warm feelings. Perhaps you will reconnect with an old friend. Perhaps a place that you visited as a child will make an appearance in your life. Perhaps you will simply be reminiscing about good times. This card can represent warm, innocent memories, generosity of spirit or giving with no expectation of anything in return.

Reversed

In a general context, when reversed, the Six of Cups can indicate that you are living in the past and reminiscing about old times rather than creating a future. Alternately, the Six of Cups Tarot reversed can indicate that you are remembering the past as being better than it actually was. This Minor Arcana card reversed can also represent issues or traumas from childhood coming to the fore or deep-seated emotional issues that originated in childhood. With the Six of Cups reversed, there can be an urge to remain in the comfort of the familiar even if that comfort has become stagnation. When reversed, this card usually signifies a crossroad between holding on and finally letting go.

Love & Partnership

Upright

For those in relationships, the Six of Cups upright is a sweet card to get. It represents those moments in relationships when you remember why you fell in love with the person you're with. Maybe it's going back to a place that's special to you both, looking through old photographs or simply rediscovering that easy, comfortable rhythm that made the early days of your relationship so wonderful. The energy is nurturing and loving. It indicates a relationship that is based on true love more so than passion.

For single people, this card can simply signify someone from the past coming back into your life. An ex, a childhood crush, someone you haven't seen in years. It can also represent wanting a love that is familiar and comfortable, the kind of love where you feel like you've known the person forever even though you just met them! The Six of Cups in this position indicates that you are open, warm and willing to give love without counting how much you get back.

Reversed

In a relationship context, the Six of Cups reversed can indicate that you or your partner are holding onto the past of the relationship rather than embracing where it is today. One or both of you may be constantly comparing the relationship to the "good old days". This can lead to frustration, as the relationship is continually judged against a past version of itself that may never have been as great as you remember it. It can also signify old wounds between partners coming to the surface.

If you are single, the Six of Cups in a reversed position can indicate that you are struggling to move on from a previous relationship. You may still have feelings for someone who has long since gone out of your life. Alternatively, you may find that you are comparing every new person you meet to an idealised version of your ex. In a love context, the Six of Cups reversed represents carrying emotional baggage that prevents you from embracing something new. It signifies the conflict between desiring something new and being unable to release the past.

Social Relationships

Upright

In the context of existing friendships and social circles, the Six of Cups upright signifies loyalty and emotional bonds. These are the friendships that are effortless. The ones where you can go months without speaking and yet when you do speak, you can pick up right where you left off. It can indicate reconnecting with an old friend or attending a reunion or just feeling thankful for the friends who have been in your life for years. There is a sense of giving for the sake of giving with this card, doing things for others just because it feels good to do so.

When making new social connections, the Six of Cups can simply indicate meeting someone who feels instantly familiar. You know when you meet someone and it's like you've known them all your life? That's this card in a nutshell! New friendships made when this card appears tend to feel very natural and easy. There is no pretense or playing games, just genuine kindness. These friendships can quickly develop into something that feels like it's been there forever.

Reversed

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Work & Career

Upright

In a career context, the Six of Cups can signify finding happiness or fulfilment work-wise in something that is connected to your roots or something you loved doing in the past. This may take the form of getting back into an industry you worked in years ago, meeting an old contact who can help open some doors for you, or rediscovering a talent you had as a child that can be turned into a career. It can also indicate a work environment where people work together and help each other out rather than ruthlessly competing for their own gain. It can also be an indication of reaping the rewards of the hard work or goodwill you put out into the world in the past. The general vibe is cooperative and warm with a strong foundation of trust.

Reversed

In a career reading, the Six of Cups reversed can simply indicate that you are finding yourself stuck in old ways or clinging to a past job when you should be moving forward. You may find yourself resisting change or thinking "the old way worked fine". It can also indicate a workplace environment where backhanders or nepotism prevail. Alternately, it can indicate that you have chosen a career or path in life based on someone else's expectations. Perhaps your mum or dad pushed you into something years ago that wasn't really right for you. The Six of Cups in a reversed position tells you that you need to figure out if your current career path reflects who you are or who you were.

Money & Finance

Upright

Financially, the Six of Cups upright indicates that you will be generous with money. It can signify receiving financial assistance from a family member or someone from your past. An inheritance. A gift. A loan without strings attached. It can also represent handling money with the same simplicity and integrity that it signifies in other areas of your life. There is nothing ostentatious about the financial element of this card's energy. It's about having enough, being thankful for it and giving back.

Reversed

In a financial context, when the Six of Cups is reversed, it can indicate that your financial issues are stemming from older financial habits learned in childhood or money beliefs learned from your family that may not actually serve you. It can also represent loaning money to people based on past loyalties and regretting it, or expecting others to support you financially because "that's how it's always been". It represents the conflict between past financial conditioning and your present circumstance.

Spirituality

Upright

Spiritually, the Six of Cups can signify embracing a simple spiritual practice. It is the type of spiritual connection that doesn't require intricate rituals or studying a mile long list of symbols. Remember back to when you were a child and you believed the world was full of magic! It can also indicate that you will reconnect with spiritual practices that you learned during your childhood or that are rooted in your cultural heritage. It can also signify that you will begin to experience a simple sense of peace and connection to spirit through gratitude and appreciating the little moments in life.

Reversed

In a spiritual context, the Six of Cups reversed can indicate that you have outgrown a spiritual practice or path that suited you at one time but no longer does. In some cases, it can indicate that your religious or spiritual views were conditioned into you as a child and are restricting you now rather than empowering you. You may feel guilty for abandoning some of what you were taught. When it appears in a Tarot spread, you are in the process of sifting through the spiritual knowledge you have inherited, holding on to the pieces that work for you and releasing the rest, which may not have belonged to you in the first place.