Three of Cups
In the Three of Cups, we see a group of young maidens celebrating, or frolicking amongst a bountiful harvest, conveying abundance and happiness. This card is reminiscent of the May Day celebrations that would take place with young people dancing around a Maypole. This card indicates good times in relationships. For couples, it could mean that you take the next step to becoming a party of three, however I would look for other cards to indicate this as well.
This card is about true friendship. This can be telling you that you have a group of girlfriends that you can count on, that you like to spend time with and that make you feel good. If you are having difficulties in other areas of your life, this card can show up to let you know that you have some great friends to call upon when you need them. It could indicate that you should spend more time with the girls, or just getting out.
If you are going through a difficult time, this card could indicate it's a great time for a women's retreat where you can just relax and be in the company of others like you, where you will be able to slow down, enjoy the socialization and generally support each other. Sharing is a major theme of this card, sharing the joys of success is apparent here, as the ladies are completely enmeshed.
This is a card about celebrations, so it could be that you are having a party, a get-together, a reunion or any kind of good time that involves a group of people and socializing. The women in the card are smiling, dancing, toasting and generally celebrating, implying achievement. This could be for a group project that you have come together to work on.
This can also be a card for women's groups of any kinds, whether it be your monthly book club or a support network of some kind. It could be a female gathering such as a baby or bridal shower, girl's night or even a day where all the women get together and bake cookies or can the summer harvest. The people involved are happy and joyous. This card also favors networking.
There is also a built in timing element to this card, as indicated by the harvest shown in the picture. For matters in the Summer or Fall, I like to use the American holiday of Thanksgiving, Yule or Christmas, or any of the upcoming Sabbats. In the Spring, events will transpire by Easter, Beltane, or any other upcoming celebration. What's important is to use the holidays that resonate with you, as your cards become acclimated to the reader. This card can also indicate rituals, as the women are dancing in a circle and raising energy.
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Four of Cups>
Three of Cups Reversed
In the reversed three, the party is no longer fun. Instead of merrily dancing in a circle, it's more like a dizzying carousel that you want to get off of. The cups are all tipped over and empty, the party is over.
It could indicate at a mundane level, being hungover, or a partying lifestyle that you need to reign in. Is it affecting your work, or ability to do other things? It may be time to get back on the wagon. This card could even be urging you to consider joining a support group or network of some kind.
The reverse could also see the other extreme, that you are not spending ENOUGH time with friends and socializing. You could be in workaholic mode and need to take a break and cut loose. This can signify a disinterest in food, drink or celebrating. It could signify not being interested in going to a get together, or that maybe the get together is not going to turn out in the way that you hope.
There may be more negative behavior instead of bonding between women. It could be that friendships are going through a difficult period instead of being forged or made stronger through group activities and socializing.
Sadly, you could be feeling like your friends have let you down or have not been there when you needed them, or that the group dynamic is not at all what you thought it would be, or it has degraded into cliques, backstabbing or other behaviors that lead to a separation of friends, rather than a bonding of friendships.
The other meaning to this card includes difficulties in romantic relationships. While the suit of cups is about love and emotion, in reverse the number 3 could indicate the presence of a third party that is NOT welcome in the relationship. Once again however, I would look for other cards to confirm this, such as the 7 of Swords. As the old saying goes, where relationships are concerned, "Three's a Crowd".
