Five of Cups

[Madame Squee]

Subtitle: Wallowing Deep

 

Keywords:

 

Sorrow, loss, regret, misery, denial, defeat, depart, demise, release, mourn, maudlin, low.

 

Let's discuss!

[Thoughtful]

She seems to be hanging on for dear life to a past sadness, and her black clothing adds to a feeling of depression.  Even her dog is feeling the dark energy that surrounds this scene. 

There are 3 fresh flower pots on the grave which she has placed there. But instead of it bringing her the peace of giving and happy remembrance, she appears to have placed them there to prolong the sadness. 

Two discarded flower pots lay on the ground. It tells us things do change and decay. But the spirit figure standing behind her is trying to attract her attention, to show her  that life goes on.

Instead of letting her emotions decay through clinging to the past she can revive her emotions knowing its not the end, things will get better if she looks positively to the future.

 

A starting point would be to appreciate what is around her, to put her love into making her dog feel better and let it know its loved and cherished.

 

Perhaps there is some sign of growth still left in the discarded flower pots, which she can nurture to give new onward life.

 

The ivy twining all around her indicates new connection, friendships and the twists and turns that life takes. 

[Madame Squee]

Thoughtful[/member], I love your analysis of this card. You've covered so many points so beautifully.

 

I'm particularly amazed about the appearance of that spirit figure in the background. He never registered with me. How bizarre! Thanks to you, I see him now.

 

When I looked into the background of this card, my eyes skipped over to the raven. Then, my mind turned towards a line from "The Raven": "Quoth the Raven, Nevermore.”

 

In that poem, Edgar Allen Poe uses a raven that speaks the word, "Nevermore", in order to explore the pathology of an inability to recover from lost love -- a perfect subject for the Five of Cups!

 

The entire poem is reprinted here:

 

https://aig.alumni.virginia.edu/raven/poe-resources/the-raven/

 

It is wonderful to read and study the language in this poem, but I've read that Poe intended for "The Raven" to be read aloud...

 

 

https://news.virginia.edu/content/why-did-poe-write-quoth-raven-nevermore

 

(I love that the bird in the card sits on a statue, as does Poe's raven.)

 

I glanced at the description of Five of Cups in the companion book but didn't find any reference to "Nevermore". Even so, I see a connection. "The Raven" demonstrates the peril of falling into despair over love lost. I believe a person in that condition hears what reinforces his or her inconsolable state of mind.

[Thoughtful]

Never read that poem Squee, but my goodness it fits the card wonderfully. Having not seen the spirit man until now you must have wondered what l meant when l talked about him in relation to my own past experience of prayer and forgiveness. 

 

[Madame Squee]

Since Poe is an American author, I was thinking his work might not be familiar to everyone -- not even to Americans, who are younger than a certain age (except for those who've seen Homer's recitation on the Simpsons). On the other hand, my classmates and I were required to memorize it. So, it stays with me, even though I can't recite it today.

 

I do remember your post in the deck thread about the spirit man, and I did wonder at the time what I was missing. However, you posted again, and my fog cleared. ;D

 

I think you are absolutely correct about the spirit man/figure's importance to relaying the meaning of the Five of Cups -- life goes on, and that's okay. As you say, we can have our memories without clinging to the past and allowing decay to take hold of the present.

 

Finally, I don't want to forget to say that I edited my raven post above to add a resource regarding the meaning of the poem -- an article entitled, "Why Did Poe Write, ‘Quoth the Raven, Nevermore’?" I meant to include it the first time.

 

 

[dwelling]

I do not have this deck, but came across this thread while browsing and the spirit figure in the background took my breath away.

 

What came to my mind was this poem:

 

Do not stand at my grave and weep

I am not there. I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning's hush

I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry;

I am not there. I did not die.

 

Mary Elizabeth Frye

 

[Saturn Celeste]

I do not have this deck, but came across this thread while browsing and the spirit figure in the background took my breath away.

 

What came to my mind was this poem:

 

Do not stand at my grave and weep

I am not there. I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning's hush

I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry;

I am not there. I did not die.

 

Mary Elizabeth Frye

I have always loved this poem!

[Thoughtful]

dwelling that's such a beautiful and apt poem for this card  :love:

[sandrang123]

This card always makes me a little sad, in that there's always a sense of true (not imagined) disappointment or loss. But then I always think: Look up, Buttercup (don't cry over the milk). This is midway through the minors, and what is left is probably even better than what's lost...it's helping guide you on, to higher purpose. Just change your mindset. <3

[Rupicapra]

I would have missed the spirit person too!

 

She must have been sitting there for ages, not only are the flowers wilted, the ivy is already growing over her arm?

I'm a pet person, I feel so very sorry for the dog, it's so faithful and still sitting by her side even tho she probably does not give him any attention.

 

She can't see the spirit (what she lost) in a positive light (happy memory), nor can she see the dog (what she still has) who just wants to bring her any joy and love. Or she does not want to see it.

 

I think it is possible that her grief has now been turned into self-pity. It's her choice to let this go and be happy.

[Thoughtful]

Love your reading of this card Rupicapra, and yes it does seem she has turned in on herself with lots of self pity.

Her beautiful dog companion shows so much loyalty and love towards her. He needs and waits for her love and loyalty now.

She needs to stop living in the past, shed her negative thoughts and find happiness in the future again. 

The spirit being could be a real human loss in her life, but he/she wants her to know they live on happily and so must she.

It can represent other losses, and the same advice goes, that she lives on and should now turn her life around.