The Nine of Cups

If any of you saw my Facebook status earlier today, you know that I was at Community Green, wearing an Elf Hat and playing Christmas Carols on the radio. I think I was even singing at one point! Since I was feeling especially cheery, I thought I'd see what today's tarot card was. As it happens, it was the Nine of Cups. One of the most positive and uplifting cards of the entire deck, the Nine of Cups shows satisfaction on all levels - emotional, physical, sensual. It is little wonder that most Tarot readers refer to this as the Wish Card, and its appearance is often taken as a sign that, whatever your heart's desire is, it shall be granted in the coming days. It may not be granted exactly as you expected but you can rest assured that you will get what you want. The Nine of Cups usually refers to an emotionally fulfilling situation. It shows that joy and happiness are certainly within your grasp, and that you probably already have them. It is a sign to enjoy the abundance of life for as long as it lasts. Feel each of your emotions as if you had never felt any of them before. Take some time to value every person you love - and all those who love you back. See the perfection all around you.

On a more physical level, this card signals delight and pleasure, contentment with what you have and a steady foundation for the future. Your worries are all in the past, and you can look forward to a bright future. The Nine of Cups shows excellent health, though when badly dignified it can often point to an overabundance of physical pleasure that can lead to intoxication and illness. But this is really the only caution of the Nine of Cups: enjoy life and enjoy living but don't take it too far, because pleasure without regard to the consequences is rapidly lost. It is rare that the Nine of Cups refers to a sense of spiritual bliss, since the cards of the spirit are the Swords. But with the Swords suit so full of strife and danger, the Nine of Cups would look out of place anywhere else but in the Cups suit. And if you think about it this makes sense, because when the pleasure and contentment of the physical plane is transferred to the spiritual level, it becomes inner peace and harmony with the Universe. The Universe is, after all, the source of all the love and pleasure that flows through the Nine of Cups into our lives. It only makes sense that we can sometimes follow that river to its source.

The Nine of Cups card further suggests that my power today lies in satisfaction. I have the self-respect, space or esteem that I need to "bartend" my resources or to live large emotionally. I am confident in and gratified by expressing what is close to my heart or in sharing my happiness like a buffet of joy. I take pleasure and pride in the new order I have created by clean sweeping emotional clutter or in honoring what has meaning. I am empowered by recognition and my gift is contentment. It's been a while since I felt content.