RWS Tarot 101 Six of Cups

PAMUYA

What is your take on the Six of Cups?

Six of Cups

“My Greatest Gift is Friendship” Greer

In the Six of Cups the large buildings in the back ground pops out at me. The largest (close up) buildings in the deck, any reason for that? Two children stand in the center of the card, the older (larger) handing the younger (smaller) child a cup filled with flowers (joy, hope, potential). Four cups filled with flowers border the bottom of the card, Your cups are all full, the past is a safe place, written history, you know the outcome, things are good, I think the guard is telling us you cannot be hurt here in the past.

Direct: Fresh start, children, happiness, present is influenced by the past, unconditional love, seeing the past as better than present, you are looking for a safe place (emotionally).

Reversed: Living in the past, stagnation, unable to change, worn out friendships, someone refuses to grow up, can’t go home.

Here are a couple of more threads:
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=30163 6 of Cups
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=18421 Whats with the Mitts?
 

Skydancer

I've also read that it's nostalgia, and longing for the past, as well as the older generation passing down to the younger the gifts of Spirit and lessons learned.

There is a reason for the Knight on the left, or old man with a walking stick -- but I forget what it is! Robin Wood had a nice take on it ... but I traded away her book. *sigh*

*S*
 

rcb30872

It could be about re-visiting your childhood, whether that is going back to the place that you grew up, or just at least just in your mind.

It could also be about working on a childhood dream to bring it into reality.
 

PAMUYA

Wow this is great! If you ever find out about the knight/guard, let us know, I will keep looking myself.
 

rcb30872

I am not entirely sure, Sassyjackal, on the dude ;)

I don't actually own the full deck anymore, I have a "few" cards, but not all of them. They have befallen a very nasty fate, involviing a little boy that refuses to play with his stuff, but is very interested in his mummy's stuff :mad:

I have taroteca and my memory to rely on, but that was my first deck, and I had them, up until a few months ago, since say October-ish 2004. I don't exactly have the book smarts ;)

:love:

Bec
 

northsea

The guard walking away. Letting your guard down. Feeling secure. A place where weapons aren't needed. Innocence.
 

ridercheung

in my card reading, cup6 reversal is the real world now or just say the place i live (Hong Kong). the card6(r) say seem too many problem but can not solve, Goverment seem play a role that give something to citizen, but the environment being worst than I think. forexample milk case, stock etc.
It seem need time to change, more that need gift from government
 

HoneyBea

The six of cups in the RWS shows two children, sharing in something and often can refer back to our youth, but also leans towards nostalgia and remembering things more with rose coloured glasses. The card itself may well urge one not to idealise the past at the cost of the future. It can be a card that suggests we use the knowledge of the past to create a better future rather than allow the past to be the future.

Notice how in the background a guard is walking away from them, as mentioned in a post above and also mentioned in Robert M Places book Tarot, History, Symbolism and Divination
The departing guard means that for better or worse we have let our guard down
.

Children rarely have the need to have any sort of guard up, they do not look at life the same way as an adult.

The flowers in the cups are white stars, with five points, and white of course symbolises innocence and purity while the 5 points may well be representative of the five senses here.


So also perhaps this card could represent a reawakening of our youthful desires, but it still warns us to be aware that we are no longer children, and not looking at life through a child's eyes.

This is a number 6 card, the first three in tarot signal the first stage of completion, 7/8/9 show the final stage of completion, and so 4/5/6 show the second or middle stage of completion, it represents harmony and balance, also respite after the disruption of the 5's - 6 can help in solving the problems we have encountered, they can show how we can integrate a new understanding we may have gained from the disruption of the 5's and so they help us in that realisation and show us how to bring about that balance and harmony.

The six of cups can signify for us the way we can allow the past to inspire the future, it can suggest here positive changes.

~HoneyBea~
 

Cari

I get a sense of nostalgia from the 6 of cups. Caring and remembering good times in the past, whether they are from childhood or a couple of years ago. Living in the past because it was better than the current situation. Or at least we see the past as better even if it wasn't. Wanting to hold on to innocense.