V of Cups
Music is an immense part of my life and has been something of a coping mechanism for much of my life. I find myself listening to songs and thinking "oh, that is so VIII of Swords." (I do this when I see people as well, but that's another story for another day.) So I'm trying my hand at putting together some card-specific playlists. Sometimes it's easier said than done because every song seems like it's a III of Swords (breakup) and then every song will be Taylor Swift. And who wants that? (Certainly not me.) So I hope you enjoy these playlists going forward.
Today's card is the V of Cups. This card is what I call the "crying over spilled milk" card. In the card, we see a figure standing on a path alongside a river with his home in the distance. He stands in the middle of five cups, three of which are overturned and their contents spilled to the ground. He faces the upset cups and regrets and mourns their loss. However, his back is turned to the two remaining cups which are still upright.
Message of the Day: The V of Cups is a gentle reminder that shit happens (like we need the reminder, gentle or not). We tend to hold on to feelings of loss and upset (anger, sadness, frustration, disappointment, regret, guilt, shame, embarrassment...) and just quietly shove them away because either they are difficult to deal with or we don't know how to deal with them. Sometimes these are feelings and memories that go all way back to our childhood. It's crazy to think that after all these years, you can remember it crystal clear, but you can't remember if you turned off the iron before you left the house an hour ago.
The V of Cups is a very upfront illustration that shows how if we spend our time focusing on the grief and mourning of a situation, we turn our backs on those things in our life that are still good and upright. I mean, it's ok to have regret (it's a good thing, actually). But it's not a good thing to dwell and stay stuck in the past. The number five (V) is, after all, a number of transitions, urging us on to the next thing in life.
What keeps you in past? Perhaps the mourning of a broken relationship in the past is preventing you from being fully invested in the relationship you're currently in. Perhaps a fight with a parent has caused you to remove yourself from their circle of influence and you feel regret or guilt. These are real feelings from situations that can be hard to work through. Sometimes it will need a professional's help to walk through, but sometimes you just need to be willing to accept your feelings and work through them in a way that is most beneficial for you (journaling, talking with a friend, etc.). Sometimes recognizing the situation that is causing your regret is enough and will allow you to move forward by making amends or apologies as you feel necessary. Sometimes it's as easy as changing your perspective.
Living in the past in fear, regret, or shame will ultimately deny you new opportunities and possibilities because you have your back turned from them or your unfocused energy will chase them away. You should be careful that when focusing your attention on your spilled wares you don't inadvertently kick over the others behind you and add to your sorrow.
Decks shown above: