Symbology, Meaning and Interpretation
Upright
Celebration, Friendship, Gatherings.
The card shows us three women raising their cups in a festive gesture. The Three of Cups represents exactly that, a time of joy, celebration and, above all, sharing the wonders of life. It is a time of jubilant moments and happy social events when you reunite with the people you care about. In bad times, as well as good, the card shows a sharing of experiences.
This is a very sociable period of happiness, so we will be able to forget the worries and spend quality time with family and friends.
The design of the card portrays three figures that seem to perform a joyous ritual to Mother Nature (the Ephesian Artemis) who stands behind them, encouraging the fertility and abundance of the land. These three figures crowned with flowers can be perceived as a variant of the Three Graces we saw in the card of The Sun – Aglaea (the shining one), Euphrosyne (the joyous) and Thalia (the blooming).
Reversed
Excess, Isolation, Imbalanced social life.
The reversed Three of Cups suggests that you are partying too much and that could eventually be harmful. It could easily turn into an addiction and lead to uncontrolled impulses. Be aware that you may lose friends because of these reckless behaviours. On the other hand, this card in reverse may signify that you are too busy to socialise or go out with friends and prefer to spend time alone.
You may also feel disconnected from your group of friends, and want to rediscover yourself and your needs in solitude. Make sure you are not isolating yourself too much, otherwise you will struggle to integrate into society.
Also, you may have experienced a stressful and hard working time, and as a result you need to spend time alone to restore energy. If you are working with other people, you can be confronted with the possibility of sacrificing yourself and your creativity to the benefit of the group. Decide whether you really want to do that or maybe try a new approach, using your skills in your own personal projects.