5 Cups

The brooding self-absorption of the 4 of Cups presses forward into a more active state in the 5 of Cups.

A hooded figure stands on the riverbank, his attention fixed to the activity out in the water - an otter chases a salmon.

The otter is actually the goddess Cerridwen as she chases after the thieving Gwion - a mythological thread that weaves its way right through the Druidcraft deck.

In the grass we see three cups, their contents spilled and lost, but behind the figure, on a stone decorated with cup and ring markings, two cups remain upright.  Are you like Cerridwen - angry that something has been taken from you?

Where is your focus?

The 5 of Cups ask you to consider whether you are spending too much time looking at 'activity on the water' and not enough on your own affairs?

If you can turn your attention to the situation that you do not wish to face, you might find that things are not as hopeless as you might think.... where are your two upright cups?

The challenge, from the 5 of Cups, is for you to find them?

#druidcraft #tarot (ali)

Queen of Cups | Samhain

As we move towards Samhain - or Hallowe'en as most people know it - we move away from the inconsistent romantic notions of the Prince of Cups and towards the mature emotional depth of the Druidcraft Tarot's Queen of Cups.

We meet the Queen on the night of a full moon.

Her robes are intricately stitched and decorated with swirls of Celtic art - this is someone who loves the arts and is imaginative and creative herself.  It is Autumn, the end of October, yet she does not seem aware of the chill in the air - one bare foot is dipped into the waters of the loch that she stands beside.

With her eyes closed, she holds aloft her goblet, the full moon rising above it like a shimmering bubble.

Behind her we see her throne, a snake - a traditional symbol of healing.  Beside her robe, on the rock a shining black-bodied beetle.  Beetles are common symbols in many shamanic cultures  - they represent strength (if horned) shamanic power (if they can fly) and connection with the earth (they burrow)

The Queen is a woman fully illuminated by the powers of the Goddess and of the Sacred Feminine. She is a comfortable, confident navigator of our emotional terrain - perhaps a teacher, a therapist, a counsellor, a mother.  A Queen of Cups person - whether male or female - has the ability to connect, on an almost supranatural level, with other people (and creatures).

If the Queen energy is unhealthy, this can represent an emotional black-mailer, a manipulative emotional vampire.

The Queen asks us:

Do you accept your connection with the Sacred Feminine?
Can you empathise with those who suffer?
How are you expressing your creative soul?


#druidcraft #tarot (Ali)

4 Cups

From the celebratory tone of the 3 of Cups, the Druidcraft Tarot's 4 of Cups becomes reflective.  This could almost be one of the men from the 3 of Cups, the morning after......

Lordy, but life now seems dull, dull, dull.....

The young man is depicted lying along the branch of a tree, fingers to his temple - he's bored and day-dreaming.

Before him lie three empty cups - the celebrations are now over and he has simply ground to a standstill.  

But look, just round the corner, out of sight, lies the fourth cup - the prize!  

When this card arises, it warns us against becoming overly introspective - navel-gazing, brooding, mithering.  Something wonderful has been offered to you, but you just don't see it, do you?!

Which relationships are stuck in a rut?

Emotionally, are you simply treading water?

Where can you dive down and find that prize?

#druidcraft #tarot  (ali)

3 Cups

The 3 of Cups is always a joyous and celebratory card and the Druidcraft deck is no execption!  In this card we see the rarified 'love' expanded to include other people: friendship.

Never underestimate the importance of friendship in your life - lovers may come and go, but your true friends hang on in there.

We see three men seated together at a table with their goblets raised in the familiar 'Cheers!' toast.  
Who are these three men?  Are they friends? Colleagues? Family members?

They are clearly celebrating some mutually enjoyable situation - perhaps a treaty is signed (they are all wearing different coloured robes, perhaps denoting different clans?) or the hard work of the harvest is concluded in good time and with abundant results.

At this time of year, it is time to look at the relationships that you have been taking for granted.  Look to the friendships that you have let slide - make contact, rekindle warm feelings for each other!

Prince of Cups

As the energies of the Princess of Cups begins to ebb away, the incoming tides bring us the dreamy idealist:  The Prince of Cups.

This is not a fast-moving high achiever of a Prince - look at his horse, he's out for a stroll rather than a gallop.

Barefoot and holding his Cup before him like an enchanted chalice, the Prince of Cups is an imaginative, romantic soul.  But he's prone to day-dreaming and not getting terribly much done by way of questing!

The Prince of Cups can be found seated cross-legged on the floor at parties, strumming his guitar and gazing into the eyes of his latest love.  His words of love will be sincere, but, sadly, because he's an airy-fairy-change-my-mind Knight, also short-lived.  

As a Knight, he hasn't got the experience to be in a relationship for the long haul.  Although he really wishes that he was.  He really TRIES to be constant, you know? But the heart wants what the heart wants!

So what is he telling us?

Are your day-dreams sucking energy out of achieving your goals?

What steps can you take to turn your dreams into reality? 

Forgive your fickle heart!

Understand other people's change of heart!

#druidcraft #tarot