(The above image is a copy of The Ten of Cups card in a standard Rider-Waite Tarot deck. The 5 symbols pointed out above are explained below.)
Card Description
At the end of the numbered cards, we reach an environment of harmony and mutual love. The Ten of Cups expands upon the themes found in the Ace of Cups and roots them in the family. This card illustrates unconditional love and encourages us to seek out peace within this world.
If you are looking for a deck of Tarot cards, check out our standard Rider-Waite deck here or check out one of our recent arrivals here.
For more information about The Ten of Cups card, check out A. E. Waite’s description here.
Point 1 – ADULTS
The adults reiterate the ideas first found in the Two of Cups. Together, the adults form a partnership based on mutual respect and understanding. While the Six of Cups was cautious about adult life, the Ten of Cups embraces it as something noble when done with the right mindset.
Point 2 – CHILDREN
The children in the card reiterate the harmony found in the Six of Cups without the caution of adult life. In this card, the family is bounded by love and affections. There is no division between adult and child life.
Point 3 – COUNTRYSIDE
Just as the family shows no division between ages, the countryside shows no division between nature and humankind. In the countryside, civilization lives side by side with industry, symbolized by the house in the background.
Point 4 – RAINBOW
As previously mentioned, this card is about harmony. What better way to illustrate that harmony than with a rainbow, the symbol of harmony between God and creation. The rainbow is also a symbol of creativity and love, two important themes in the suit of cups.
Point 5 – CUPS IN RAINBOW
The arrangement of the cups in a semi-circle in the rainbow is an instant callback to the Nine of Cups. Whereas in that card, the cups were artificially arranged on a shelf, in this card, they are supernaturally arranged in a rainbow. Their positions recall the divine origin of the Ace of Cups and reveal the supernatural harmony within the card.
Tarot Reading
Upright
An Upright Ten of Cups illustrates harmony and satisfaction in your immediate relationships. While the Nine of Cups focused on accomplishments, the Upright Ten of Cups focuses on the people around you. It appears when there is no tension in your family, biological or chosen. The card thus encourages you to enjoy that harmony while it lasts. Use that peace to strengthen your relationships in the event of future trials.
Reverse
A Reverse Ten of Cups suggests an unfulfilled desire for familial satisfaction. We all want and need strong relationship ties however getting those ties can be messy in everyday life. There are longstanding feuds, intense differences of opinion, problematic histories, etc. Getting that fulfillment won’t happen in a day. A Reverse Ten of Cups encourages you to begin working on those relationships so that one day you can be holding hands with them in harmony.
For more Tarot Card Meanings, check out our blog here.
Video
Jim Daley and his wife Natalie are the owners of Joker’s and Fools in Lake Wales, Florida, where they serve the Central Florida tarot community with a thoughtfully curated selection of Tarot and Oracle cards. Jim holds a B.A. in History from Tufts University and brings both academic insight and a deep appreciation for the symbolic tradition of the cards to his work.
