The Ten of Cups is the 10th tarot card in the Minor Arcana suit of Cups and presents us with a vision of fleeting happiness and shared joy. This card evokes themes of celebration, strong bonds of love, and a feeling of wonder and appreciation for the small miracles of life. It speaks to culminations, projects completed, and the realization of one’s hopes and wishes.
The Ten of Cups is associated with the element of water and the third decan of the astrological zodiac sign Pisces (20-29 degrees); it is ruled by Mars. The corresponding Major Arcana card of Mars is the Tower, which suggests the impermanence of the bliss depicted on this card.
Ten of Cups Keywords
Upright Keywords | Reversed Keywords |
|---|---|
shared joy, awareness of ephemerality, gratitude, strong bonds of love | disconnection, disharmony in relationships, disillusionment, fear of disappointment |
Description of the Ten of Cups Tarot Card
The Ten of Cups is the culminating Minor Arcana card in the suit of Cups, and as such, it speaks to the realization of, or the desire for, a happy ending. Following the Nine of Cups, which illustrated the feeling of hopeful anticipation of continual good fortune, the Ten of Cups appears as a card of the fulfillment of hopes and dreams.
In the classic Rider-Waite tarot deck, a couple stands side by side with their arms open wide, relishing in the sight of the cup-filled rainbow that appears in the sky before them. The cups symbolize their hopes, dreams, and that which brings them emotional fulfillment and evokes the feeling that they are celebrating a moment of realizing their dreams.
Two children skip in a circle beside their parents, seemingly unaware of the miracle in the sky but playing contentedly nonetheless. The house in the background implies stability and comfort, the foundation which allows them to savor moments of connection and joy. The fertile land that surrounds the house indicates the quality of abundance in their lives.
This card carries a cinematic quality, reminiscent of the final frame of a romantic movie depicting the conventional happy ending. Because of this undertone and because rainbows are fleeting phenomena, there is a pang of melancholy to this card and an awareness of life’s ephemerality. It speaks to the importance of making time to appreciate one's blessings.
Ten of Cups Upright Meaning
In the upright position of a tarot card reading, the Ten of Cups indicates basking in the feeling of shared enjoyment with those you consider to be your kin. Because it speaks to feelings of deep connection with your loved ones and a sense of ease and harmony within your relationships, it is often viewed as a positive card. This card speaks to the importance of carving out time to reflect on and appreciate the daily joys and moments of beauty in your life.
The couple on the card looks at their house from afar in order to appreciate it more deeply, indicating that shifting your perspective and taking stock of your life from a bird’s eye view allows you to open yourself up to fully receiving and appreciating the blessings in your life. Doing so may fill you with simultaneous feelings of nostalgia or the sharp awareness of life’s fleeting nature.
The Ten of Cups can appear upright when you have realized a long-held dream, wish, or desire that brings you a sense of emotional fulfillment. It is an encouragement to take time out to reflect on your journey so far and to make time to appreciate all the twists and turns which brought you to this point.
Love and Relationships (Upright Meaning)
In a love tarot reading, the Ten of Cups speaks to blissful unions and a feeling of loving harmony or soulmate connection within your partnership. You may have endured many challenges in order to arrive here, which have shaped you and made you stronger. It is an encouragement to make time to appreciate each other, your relationship, and the ways in which you’ve grown together as a loving couple in a long-term relationship.
The Ten of Cups speaks of relational harmony of all kinds—between family members, friends, and romantic partners. In this card, a couple rejoices while children play together, reminding us of the importance of taking time out of our busy lives to appreciate each other and make time for connection. It is an encouragement to share your affection and appreciation with those you love.
Love/relationships upright keywords | Career/finance upright keywords |
|---|---|
blissful unions, relational harmony, sharing appreciation | fulfillment, the culmination of a goal or project, pride, appreciating accomplishments |
Career and Finance (Upright Meaning)
The upright Ten of Cups speaks to a feeling of fulfillment or culmination around a cherished goal or project. You may be relishing the feeling of having completed a long and meaningful journey, where you can finally see the fruits of your labors. You feel a sense of pride as you reflect on the work that you’ve put in over time and the ways that you feel emotionally connected to your work.
The Ten of Cups upright signifies the importance of taking time to appreciate your accomplishments in your work and the ways in which your work supports the feeling of abundance, stability, and rootedness in your life. It is a reminder to appreciate fleeting moments of joy when you are able to because doing so makes the work feel that much more worthwhile.
Ten of Cups Reversed Meaning
The Ten of Cups card reversed speaks to a feeling of disconnection from the feeling of joy and harmony in one’s life. It can indicate difficulty in accessing pleasure or gratitude and a feeling of weariness with one’s challenges. There may be the feeling of being disconnected from the magic and wonder of life and a sense of hopelessness or disillusionment.
When the Ten of Cups appears reversed, it may signal a need to shift one’s perspective to accommodate more of life’s beauty. You may be stuck in a rut, operating on autopilot, and numb to the sensation of pleasure in your life. This card is an encouragement to step outside your habits and routines in order to potentiate a mindset shift so that you may notice and appreciate the blessings around you.
The reversed Ten of Cups can speak to a feeling of disconnection from your loved ones or a feeling of instability within your family relationships or family life. You may be struggling to connect authentically or to communicate your feelings openly. This card is a reminder that all relationships experience periods of disharmony and to share your feelings with openness and honesty in order to come back into balance.
Love and Relationships (Reversed Meaning)
The Ten of Cups reversed speaks to a feeling of disappointment within the context of a relationship. You may be seeing through an illusion and into the reality of a person or a situation and are grappling with the feeling of being let down. This card can also indicate that you are approaching new relationships with negative expectations based on previous hurts, and it can serve as a reminder to stay in the present.
In the reverse, the Ten of Cups may signify that you’re rushing through life without taking time to appreciate your loved ones or to savor moments of connection and joy. It can indicate feeling burdened by obligations or mundane responsibilities and struggling to find time to enjoy all that you have worked so hard to achieve. It is a reminder to make your pleasure and well-being a priority and carve out moments of sweetness with those you love.
Love/relationships reversed keywords | Career/finance reversed keywords |
|---|---|
disappointment, seeing through illusion, negative expectations, burdened by responsibilities, need for enjoyment | hollow achievements, endless hunger for more accolades, fear of dreaming big, fear of disappointment |
Career and Finance (Reversed Meaning)
In a career reading, the reversed Ten of Cups may signify a pang of disappointment that accompanies reaching a goal or celebrating an achievement. It can suggest the feeling of emptiness that comes from poor work-life balance or never being able to satisfy one’s desire for more accolades. If your accomplishments leave you feeling hollow, it may be a sign to reassess your goals and reflect on if they are in alignment with your true desires.
The Ten of Cups reversed can also symbolize the feeling of fear or anxiety around dreaming big. You may be feeling daunted by the largeness of your desire and the breadth of your vision for your life and are fearful of opening yourself up to rejection, disappointment, lack of teamwork, or failure. It is an encouragement to embrace the risks and hard work that come with following your heart’s desire.