Tarot Spread: When the Cups Are Draining

A tarot spread for coming to terms with the 5 of Cups

In Pamela Colman Smith’s illustration for Waite’s Rider Tarot 5 of Cups, a figure hides their face within a dark cloak while standing over five cups, three of which have tipped over. Despite the lack of a face, there’s a strong feeling of grief at the loss. But not all is lost, and that’s something that many tarot readers and teachers point to: there are still two cups upright, and there is a bridge in the background, suggesting a way to move on or more literally “get over it.”

Whatever Smith’s intention with the artwork, there’s a sense of pain that goes beyond the emptying of cups (the Mars influence on moody Scorpio using the decanic minor system) in the astrologically infused, pip-based Thoth Tarot, illustrated by Lady Frieda Harris. Both decks share a basis in the Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn’s tarot teachings. The card is titled “Loss of Pleasure" or more simply “Disappointment.” That’s a less severe interpretation than the 5 of Cups in Smith’s illustration and than many readers experience when they see this card. As a 5, the card can signal disturbance, and as a Cups card, that’s likely in the realm of the emotions. How we process that basic meaning will vary because emotions are irrational and deeply personal things.

Using the Hollow Valley Tarot by Erin Alise and Davis Carr for the spread

There’s no one right way to read the card, even for an individual reader, but the 5 of Cups is one of the more difficult cards to read, so I want to provide a different way of seeing it that might have to offer beyond the obvious sense of emotional distress or pain. And I’m always one for focusing on moving forward.

Here’s the thing with the 5 of Cups: not everything is ruined. Some of the cups have drained or are being dried out by fiery Mars. But that doesn’t mean that it’s all gone. And the longer you wait to stop the metaphorical bleeding, the more you’ll have lost. Now that’s the real crying shame.

That doesn’t mean ignoring or forgetting the pain—that doesn’t work anyway—but about recognizing it for what it is and still choosing to carry on. There may be emotional scar tissue or wounds that need regular healing, but that just means periodic rest and recovery. That’s fine. Even the strongest and more enduring athletes take rest days.

So take a moment to connect with your pain through this spread and see it for what it is. Let yourself rest with it, beside it but not under its weight. Tend to what needs tending so that you can continue onward, and then continue.

As with my tarot spreads based on the minor arcana, I’m basing the questions on the nature of the card in both the Waite and Thoth traditions. And I’ve created the layout using the imagery of Smith’s illustrations. Note that the shareable spread image for social media includes line art from my Life Line Tarot.

Spill: What have I lost that is causing me pain or disappointment?

Parched Earth: Why does this feel emotionally draining now?

Overturned Cups: Where do I feel the betrayal of this loss?

Heavy Cloak: How does the loss and feeling of betrayal continue to weigh on me?

Upright Cups: Where can I look for regeneration and healing?

Bridge: What is the next step I can take to move beyond the lingering pain?

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