The 78 Cards
Nine of Cups
Minor Arcana, the suit of Cups, the Nine. Element: water.
The wish card. Contentment, and enjoying it.
The picture
A well fed man sits on a wooden bench with his arms folded and a quiet, satisfied smile. He wears a red hat and a pale robe. Behind him, nine golden cups stand in an arc along a curved shelf draped with blue cloth.
Upright
Nine is nearly there, the fullest expression of the suit. In Cups, that is the heart satisfied right to the brim.
This is traditionally called the wish card. When it turns up, the thing you have been hoping for is close, or already here. Comfort, pleasure, a good meal, a good life, the feeling of sitting back and thinking "yes, this will do nicely".
Look at the man. He is not modest about it. Arms folded, feet planted, every cup on display. He is pleased with himself, and the card says that is fine. You are allowed to enjoy what you have. Plenty of people get to this point and cannot let themselves feel it.
Notice too that the cups are behind him. He has put them on show and turned his back to them. The Nine asks what the satisfaction is resting on. Pleasure from the cups themselves passes. Contentment that sits in you stays.
Reversed
Reversed, the smile can grow too wide, or fade to nothing. I read this card as too much or too little.
Too much is overindulgence. One more drink, one more purchase, one more thing on the shelf, and the smile getting a little fixed. It can also be smugness, the satisfaction that forgets other people are still waiting for their wish.
Too little is having every cup and feeling none of it. The wish came true and you are still hungry.
To tell which, ask what would happen if half the cups disappeared tomorrow. If you would be fine, the joy is yours and it is only running a bit rich. If you would feel empty, the joy was sitting in the cups, and the work is to find where contentment lives in you.
When it turns up
What wish has already come true that you have not yet let yourself enjoy?
If you would like the cards read against your own chart, my readings are here.
Related pages
The Number 9
The 78 Cards
Every card in the deck, upright and reversed.
See every page and post in the Contents.
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