Symbology, Meaning and Interpretation
Upright
Regrets, Mourning, Stuck to the Past, Emotional Instability.
The Five of Cups concerns sorrow and sometimes pain. This mourning time appears as an emotional reaction to loss.
The depressive tone of the character dressed in black is due to the harsh time he was dealing with. He feels abandoned as if everything is lost, so he is in a place where he cannot find help or hope. Note that he is focused on the fallen Cups and is neglecting the other two that are still upright. This means that hope still exists, but he cannot see it because he is obsessively fixated on the things he lost.
This card suggests that you need to overcome the grieving time and pay attention to your surroundings. There are new opportunities awaiting you. At the left side of the card, we see a bridge to the other side, where a mill and a castle are visible. This is a sign that you are not alone, you just need to cross the bridge and find other people so you can bring joy back to your life.
This is a time for forgiveness: you must end the cycle of regrets and welcome yourself and others into a new phase. The weight that you carry must be alleviated, so it depends on you to let it go to forge a new happier life. Past unresolved relationships may have negative influences on yourself and the way you relate with other people. So, make sure you erase or purify these toxic aspects of your emotional memory in order to move on.
In contrast, some relationships cannot be fixed and to end them is the most reasonable thing to do. Have a deep and clear thinking about your relationship and act wisely on what you believe is the best for yourself.
Reversed
Acceptance, Self-forgiveness, Moving On.
The Five of Cups in reverse indicates that you suffered a deep emotional loss but the dark clouds are dissipating. You are now healing from the recent wounds, hope and confidence are being restored and you are finally moving on. It is a process, so it is fueled by your effort to overcome these harsh times. Keep cleaning yourself from the negative emotions and memories from the past, let them go: as a result, you will feel the freedom and capacity to share your emotions with others.
This is a positive step, for you are starting to see the two cups that were invisible on the upright position of the card. You will be surprised by the new opportunities that pop up in your life; in fact they have been there for a long time though you were unable to see them.
If you are in a relationship, it could also represent a warning sign that a relationship is about to end: you must cherish what you have, otherwise you may suffer dramatic consequences.