In the Seven of Cups we see a shadowy figure looking up at a cloud. Within the cloud are seven cups, each with a different theme. One holds the face of a man or woman, the next a shrouded figure. A snake slithers out of the third cup. In the fourth is a castle high upon a rock. Riches overflow from the fifth cup. A wreath is presented in the sixth sup and a dragon/salmander in the seventh.
The Seven of Cups is a confused card and certainly gives the impression of a dreamer (the shadowy figure) undergoing all types of dreams and even nightmares. The senseless cascade of images that form the confused nightmare is depicted within the cloud, each cup seemingly offering a different outcome. The card denotes confusion or uncertainty. Many options may seem open to us and we are unsure where any of the options lead us.
We may be going through a period of uncertainty when it is difficult to see where we are going or even where we want to go. Careers, love and emotions may all be confused and entangled. Our finances may be a complex mix of credits and debits. There is no clear pattern to our way of life, our finances may not make sense or our career may be an endless circle with no clear path for progression.
It is appropriate that this card is somewhat anarchist and chaotic. Sevens are associated with creativity in the Tree of Life, creativity only being possible by our ability to dream. The seven of cups may hint at a period of creativity in our lives or that we have unresolved energies within us. We should seek to express our creativity or get down on paper the turmoil in our mind. Only then can we progress and see a clearer outcome.
The seven of cups may also be warning us that we are day dreaming. We may be walking around with our head in the clouds, unable or unwilling to focus on the more material aspects of life. It may be our way of escaping stress or we are prone to day dreaming. Whatever the cause, we need to focus on tasks at hand rather than day dreaming fantasies. Without concrete action, our dreams will remain just that – dreams. We may also be at risk of deluding ourselves. We should check carefully that we are under no illusions about our plans and our facts are solid.
Each cup has a particular meaning in the seven of cups. The man or woman signifies an associate or companion, the shrouded figure signifies mystery (and hence illumination), the snake can either be knowledge or treachery, the castle signifies home or a place of stability, riches signify (obviously!) riches, the wreath symbolises honor and status, and the dragon symbolises other world or supernatural energies.
Each symbol can of course be applied across different fields. For example, the riches could be applied to our love lives as well as our finances. The castle may mean stable relationships or stable finances and so on and so forth.
Seven of Cups Reversed
The seven of cups reversed warns us that we are extremely confused at the moment. The aspect of our confusion may well lie within the query. We need to impose some order in our lives or risk becoming consumed in the chaos.
We may be spending too much time dreaming and not enough time ”doing”. Our progress may be frozen so busy are we trying to account for every possible outcome and see every eventuality. Sometimes, we cannot account for every possible outcome and we need to forge ahead and trust in ourselves. Now may be the time stop trying to pin down every eventuality and just ”do it” rather than dream about it.
The seven of cups reversed also warns us illusory plans. We should take care that we are not putting a positive gloss on things to protect ourselves or that we have the full facts to hand. Prior to making decisions, we should check the accuracy or our data.