Three of Cups

Meanings according to Rider-Waite:

ASTROLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Venus as a symbol of joy and gratitude.

THREE OF CUPS The Three of Cups expresses joy, lightheartedness and gratitude — feelings so vividly displayed by people, for example, at the traditional Harvest Festival. It shows that something important and beautiful has entered our lives, or that we have received a gift (from a person or from fate itself) which has filled us with joy, happiness and gratitude. On a deeper level the card may signify optimism and a sense of the fullness of being; on the outer (event) plane — a celebration, a feast.

From the book: Hajo Banzhaf. THE TAROT HANDBOOK. Translated from the German by E. Kolesov. Published by: Center for Astrological Research, 1999.

THREE OF CUPS Abundance Second decan of Cancer, from July 2 to July 11. Astrological equivalents: Neptune in the Seventh House. The second decan of Cancer, ruled by Mercury, carries the idea of understanding the processes of life-creation and the conscious involvement of feelings in these processes: switching from the inner world to the outer and, conversely, from external impressions to the richness of one's own soul. It symbolizes abundance and prosperity. On the TAROT card, amid flowers and fruits, three beautiful maidens have raised their CUPS, manifesting the feminine triad of feminine embodiment. But in the situation described by this card, it is recommended to maintain the status quo, so that the celebration of the soul which life bestows upon us does not turn into a riotous bacchanalia. Feeling must follow thought, which helps to establish correspondence between the deeply hidden processes — changeable and elusive sensations — and the outer world to which they would seem alien. Emotional instability, the rapid changing of feelings and thoughts, is psychologically reflected in inner dissatisfaction. But it compels one to turn to memory, in order to find in the repetitions of the past life's bearings and an understanding of the present. THREE is a number connected with the ideal, with the striving toward the embodiment of what is desired. It signifies strong emotions, and also develops intuition (which is generally characteristic of CUPS). At the level of the THREE OF CUPS, emotion as it were begins to take on form, but the true form will appear at the level of the FOUR; at the level of the THREE only a trying-on takes place. The trap is excessive indulgence in feelings.

UPRIGHT POSITION In the upright position the card may signify the resolution of problems, recovery, the attainment of a satisfactory result, a successful conclusion (of something), victory in an undertaking which does not demand any special exertion, the reaching of a compromise, perfection. The THREE signifies that the initial emotional impulse takes on certain satisfactory forms. In doing so, one emotion may be substituted for another, more acceptable one. Such games usually take place at the level of the subconscious. REVERSED POSITION In the reversed position the card symbolizes excessive love of pleasures, lustfulness, sensuality, a tendency toward exaggerations, the squandering of one's vital forces on pleasures, excesses, a lack of prestige, a failure to understand the situation, delays, the completion of some matter, most likely with a very modest result.