Nine of Cups Tarot Card

Card Name: Nine of Cups, 9 of Chalices

Category: Minor Arcana, Suit of Cups

Position: 9

Keywords: Excess, Appeasement

Active element: Water 💧

The Nine of Cups is a card of success on all fronts. This is a desired Arcana, which represents a good outcome and getting what you want. The time has come to have a feast in honor of the questioner. Everything he aspired to came true. You can relax, take a sip of cornucopia and accept congratulations. Unlike the ephemeral possibilities of the Ace of Cups, the Nine speaks of already realized potential. At the same time, it does not matter in what way what was conceived was realized. Perhaps the person worked much and hard, or maybe he got it all just like that. The card also patronizes all the lucky ones kissed by fortune.

Symbolism and Key Ideas of the Nine of Cups

In the Ryder-Waite Tarot deck, the Nine of Cups card depicts a man with golden bowls. A smiling man sits on a bench, arms crossed on his chest. Rich clothing and headwear hide most of the body. Only hands and face are exposed. This is a reference to emotional closeness. Despite the contented expression on his face and, in general, a pleasant appearance, the man seems to keep the viewer at a distance, does not let him close. Behind there is a semicircular table or pedestal with 9 cups. It is covered with a blue tablecloth, which indicates that it belongs to the element of Water. The whole atmosphere on the Arcana is reminiscent of one person’s holiday. It seems that people are about to come up and congratulate the hero of the occasion.

Some tarot readers believe that the Nine of Cups depicts Falstaff from the play "Henry IV". Shakespeare described the hero as spoiled by female attention, lazy and narcissistic. Drawing parallels with the scene on the card, you can call the person on it a collector of sensual pleasures. The very posture and facial expression speak of contentment with the current state of affairs. A man seems to be collecting other people’s emotions and boasting about it. The hero himself is in no hurry to show any feelings. On the contrary, he takes a passive position, expects recognition and flattery from others. And, it should be noted, he does it very well. Such a person did a good job on his character, learned to play on the strings of someone else’s soul.

Meaning of the Upright Nine of Cups Card

• Hedonism, enjoyment of life, contentment with oneself and the world.
• The darling of fate, the lucky one; fulfillment of a cherished desire.
• High self-esteem, great demands from life, self-confidence.
• A comfortable state of affairs, the ability to meet your needs.

The Nine of Cups is a card of hedonism. Moreover, this philosophy is not equal to egoism. The hedonist puts himself first, is guided by his own desires. He does this for the sake of receiving pleasure in any way possible. It is important for a doctrinal believer to take care of oneself first so that there is a resource for others. An egoist does this only because of a lack of strength. Having gained energy, he can again engage in self-sacrifice, upset the internal balance. This subtle distinction provides the key to understanding the 9 Water Arcana. To an untrained observer, it may seem that the hero on the card is stingy and greedy for feelings. However, it is not.

It is no coincidence that the man at 9 of Chalices gathered his collection. He has a certain talent to win over himself, while not giving away warmth in vain. A person knows how to behave correctly in order to achieve a set goal. The target is the sphere of feelings, communication with people. Therefore, the upright position of the Nine of Cups card speaks of well-deserved abundance, pacification. Positive relationships with parents, friends, spouses are the result of either hard work or innate talent. In any case, the Arcana speaks of great joy, a reward, a celebration of the soul. The man got exactly what he wanted.

Love and Relationships (Upright)

• Sensual pleasures, vivid personal and intimate life.
• Confidence in your own attractiveness and value.
• Romantic dates, actions for love, recognition.
• Increased interest, comparison of partners with each other.

In love spreads, the 9 of Chalices are revealed as a card of individual happiness. The querent is satisfied with the area of his personal life. He has success with the opposite sex. At the same time, this fact does not always indicate the presence of an attractive appearance. Often, a person “takes” with his charisma, knows how to quickly and permanently dispose others to him. If asked about a partner, then the meaning of the Nine of Cups is reversed. Now, all of the above qualities apply to the second half. The questioner himself becomes a giver of cups with feelings. One way or another, the person of interest is satisfied with his own position in these relations.

For single people, the Nine of Cups predicts a period of increased attention to the person of the fortuneteller. Ahead is a series of new acquaintances, romantic dates. The number of fans and potential partners will increase. Perhaps the querent will find himself in an environment favorable for building a personal life. For example, in a team dominated by the opposite sex. The questioner will be in the role of a passive observer. He will have to evaluate the actions and choose the most attractive candidate.

Career and Finance (Upright)

• Inauguration of a new business; increase.
• Beauty salons, tattoo studios; work in this area.
• Motivation for financial growth, great results.
• Financial security; high demand in the labor market.

The Nine of Cups Tarot also attaches a positive meaning to the spread for work. The questioner has achieved outstanding results, achieved the set goal. Now he is reaping the fruits of his own efforts. The person is completely satisfied with the current situation. The level of salary and the position held are not important. The most essential thing is that the fortuneteller is happy, he is overwhelmed with emotions. The reason may be an increase, an increase in income, or the very fact of getting a job. If you take the Nine of Water card as a significator of professional activity, then the Arcana denotes the beauty industry – a variety of clinics and salons.

In terms of finance, the value is also positive. The 9 of the suit of Chalices represents the great joy and satisfaction that money alone can bring. This means that the querent is financially secure, his basic needs are covered. At the same time, the suit of Water focuses on feelings. If the Nine of Pentacles simply speaks of good money, then the card in question focuses on the pleasure of its position. It can be assumed that the questioner is doing well at this point. However, according to the Nine of Cups, it is impossible to say exactly how a person came to his results.

Health and Spirit (Upright)

• "Eternal" youth, plastic manipulations with your body.
• The importance of monitoring health, listening to feelings.
• The habit of thinking positively, cheerful mood, energy.
• A sense of your own worth; the ability to behave in society.

In the spreads of health, the card is similar in meaning to the Ace of Water. The Nine of Cups speaks of youth and energy that have been preserved. The querent feels good and looks great. This Arcana indicates the aesthetics and cult of the body. It does not matter what kind of life a person leads, he still knows how to keep balance and quickly brings the state back to normal. Plastic surgeries and tattooing are performed on the card. It is important for the questioner to monitor health because of its effect on appearance.

The Nine of Cups in terms of the psyche denotes an emotional uplift, excitement of the nervous system. An endorphin cocktail can be a result of positive thinking, or it can indicate the use of psychotropic substances. If the querent does not approve of doping and alcohol, then this state is dictated by natural processes. A person knows how to support and motivate himself. He has a slightly overestimated self-esteem, focuses solely on his own advantages.

Situations and Questions (Upright)

• Enlightenment, nirvana, joy for no reason.
• Recognition in society, merit in the spiritual sphere of life.
• The true aspiration of the soul in the material world, the goal.
• The elevation of the spirit over worldly adversity, freedom.

The straight position of the Nine of Cups card represents success and recognition in any area. If we move away from standard topics, then even in the spiritual plane, the Arcana speaks of great achievements. For example, the querent has mastered a certain meditation technique or yoga. Now he can teach and share his experience. The straight position of the card indicates deservedness. It’s time to rejoice and celebrate your own victory. The number Nine symbolizes abundance and diversity, fullness of life. And in the context of the suit of Chalices, it takes upon itself the whole gamut of human feelings.

The Nine of Cups asks: "What brings me the greatest joy?". Focusing on your feelings, you can find a real treasure. The Arcana often falls on those activities that will lead to self-realization. To find out, it is worth paying attention to the card lying next to it. This will be the significator and the cause of great happiness. Sometimes the Nine of Cups stands for satisfaction in itself. A person can be happy here and now, regardless of external circumstances. This condition is one of the components of the notorious state of enlightenment.

Meaning of the Reversed Nine of Cups Tarot

• Excessive pickiness, selectivity; sorting out.
• Refusal to give something in return, undeserved honors, prizes.
• Obstinate character; fear of admitting that your opinion is wrong.
• Closure from other people’s influence; devaluation of people’s feelings.

The reversed Nine of Cups card enhances the aspect of emotional closeness. If in the upright position the hero on the Arcana holds the bowls behind him, then in the opposite position he begins to lose them. Gifts of fate and various bonuses quickly disappear due to excessive pretentiousness. Now the card speaks of unreasonable behavior, dangerous narcissism. It seems to the querent that everything is fine, life sparkled with bright colors. However, the visible luster is a reflection of the fire that has started. The man made a feast on the bones and did not even notice it. In simple terms, the inverted position of the card warns that it is too early to rejoice.

Any sphere of life according to this position of the Arcana is not fully worked out. There is not much time left for success, but it is still worth the effort. Sometimes, in general, an unsuccessful path is chosen a priori and the person does not want to accept it. In any case, the reversed Nine of Cups makes the questioner accountable for the consequences. The man depicted on the card takes center stage, and the bowls seem to frame him. Therefore, any negative events will develop only because of the querent himself, will be the result of wrong behavior. But such responsibility gives an advantage – if everything depends on the questioner, then it is still possible to correct the situation.

Love and Relationships (Reversed)

• Windiness, frivolous behavior, superficiality.
• Eternal search for something new, dissatisfaction with the current one.
• Inappropriate partners, many claims to others.
• Own complexes that interfere with building relationships.

The inverted Nine of Cups for a love spread is an unfavorable card. It denotes a picky partner who is hard to please. At the same time, the other half are accustomed to using increased attention from the opposite sex. The querent gets the role of a faithful page, who sometimes gets bored. The position of the Arcana indirectly indicates the possibility of betrayal, flirting with others. Or all of the above applies to the questioner himself. In this case, you can talk about dissatisfaction with your personal life, a constant search for new sensations.

For loners, the Nine of Cups in an inverted and upright position equally promises a period of increased attention. But here it is worth making an amendment – a fortuneteller will not be satisfied with such spread. All potential partners will be boring and too mundane. Lofty ideals will not be embodied in real life. This may not be the best time to look for your other half. Sometimes an upside-down card indicates inadequate self-esteem. A person does not like something in himself, and he automatically notices the same qualities in other people. One way or another, in the near future, personal life will not go well.

Career and Finance (Reversed)

• Acceptable, but not entirely satisfactory work.
• Failure to use their opportunities to earn money.
• Pride and prejudice get in the way of making good money.
• Financial "squirrel wheel", the eternal pursuit of money.

The reversed Nine of Cups in terms of work speaks of undeserved success. Perhaps there was a hoax or foul play. This fact can apply both to the querent himself and to his colleagues. In this case, the situation still concerns the questioner. This is a fly in the ointment in a barrel of honey. There is a factor that darkens the general joy. It also includes work that does not fully satisfy the request – for example, not satisfied with the schedule, location, or additional responsibilities. It is important to note here that even in the reversed form, the Nine of Cups denotes a situation that can still be somehow changed or partially corrected.

The sphere of finance has ceased to suit a person. At the same time, the querent can earn good money and have a stable income. But now the inner bar is starting to rise. In the opposite position, the Nine of Cups also denotes inappropriate waste. Money can be spent on the satisfaction of momentary desires. Under the influence of euphoria, the querent takes rash steps. Shopaholism makes you work even harder or run into debt. The still inverted Nine of Cups represents unrealized potential and the loss of a good chance to make money.

Health and Spirit (Reversed)

• Removal of fluid from the body, drying; loss of blood, moisture.
• Urinary problems, incontinence; kidney disease.
• Over-emotionality, touchiness, mood swings.
• Hormonal disruption affecting well-being, behavior.

In terms of health, if the Nine of Cups falls upside down, it means a large amount of fluid loss from the body. This includes internal and external hemorrhages. Minimally, this is drying the body for the sake of good physical shape. Sometimes an inverted Arcana shows the practice of bloodletting. It is used to rejuvenate the body and heal organs. You should pay attention to the dropped cards nearby. For example, the Tower will mean negative changes, and the World, on the contrary, will mean losses for good.

The psyche of an inquiring person according to the reversed Nine of Cups is characterized by the presence of internal experiences. The querent has a vulnerable character, tends to exaggerate existing problems. Tearfulness is interspersed with periods of emotional upsurge. The fortuneteller is prone to frequent mood swings. Hot temper, anger are possible. This is a good actor, but a bad partner. When the card is turned upside down, it speaks of uncontrollable emotions. For example, a person may burst into tears or laugh suddenly for no apparent reason.

Situations and Questions (Reversed)

• Greed for the expression of emotions; refusal of help, sympathy.
• Self-esteem that does not correspond to the real state of affairs.
• Petty tyranny, invented false image; a life of illusion.
• Undermined trust among loved ones – family, friends, partners.

The inverted Nine of Cups indicates unrealized potential. These are gifts that a person does not want to share. He left all the accumulated experience only for himself. But therein lies the mistake. Further growth does not occur due to the desire to have a monopoly on the acquired knowledge. The traveler only brags about his capabilities, not wanting to help others on this road to truth. His character will play a cruel joke in the future. Perhaps in the future, former fans and followers will turn away and forget about their "guru".

The Nine of Cups card in the opposite position asks: "How much do I meet other people’s expectations?" It may happen that the pedestal on which the querent was raised by others will sooner or later collapse under the weight of self-importance. The former popularity will turn into persecution, and the habit of getting everything just like that will lead to addiction. The position of the Arcana indicates that the legs of the chair are already wobbling. A little more and the questioner will lose the ground under their feet. This applies to any area of life and also spirituality.

Nine of Cups: Combination with other Tarot Cards

Advice and Warning of the Nine of Cups Card

As an advice, the Nine of Cups upright line indicates the need to work on your self-esteem, to believe in yourself, your strengths and capabilities. The querent already has the necessary qualities to find a good job or attract a suitable partner. It is important to show your talents. The reversed Nine of the Water suit, on the other hand, suggests that you should be more modest. The people around themselves will notice the abilities of the questioner and properly appreciate them. The released potential is better spent on the further development of oneself as a person – for example, to take care of appearance or health, to learn new things.

In the context of a warning, a upright Nine of Cups indicates a threat from the outside. Excessive openness will lead to black envy. People may begin to hate the questioner for his success, any achievements. Therefore, you need to close for a while, share all positive events only with those closest to you. In the opposite position, the Nine of Cups warns of the danger of overstated conceit. The querent may not be able to handle things that he considered easy for himself. As a result, the fortuneteller will undermine his authority in the eyes of colleagues or family, the other half. Experiences can also take over, the human factor will play.

Nine of Cups: Daily Card Meaning

As the Arcana of the day, the upright Nine of Cups signifies a great holiday. But unlike the Three of the same suit, the card focuses on one person. The hero of the occasion will be surrounded by attention, will become the star of the evening. It could be a name day celebration or just a surprise for the questioner. In any case, the day will pass in a pleasant atmosphere, in a positive environment. An old dream may come true, a message will come about the positive resolution of an important case. The card promises a holiday in the soul, a cocktail of emotions that is hard to contain. The fortuneteller will be completely satisfied with the events of the day of interest.

The reversed Nine of Cups card does not carry negative situations. She just talks about the past event, which left warmth in my soul. This also includes memories of past glory, of the time when the querent was "snapped up". People from the past may appear, they will refresh the memory of the inquirer’s merits. Sometimes the position of the Arcana personifies involvement in someone else’s success or influence. The querent will be in the role of extras at someone else’s celebration of life. However, the secondary role does not carry a negative connotation. Participation in any events dedicated to others will still give you a good mood.

Suit of Cups