Two of Cups: Two-ness, duality and the Loving Cup
Cup:a vessel for containing something. In Tarot, Cups usually signify emotions, especially Love.
The Two of Cups card in Tarot – Two-ness
In Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness, in the Two of Cups card, we see an upright cup and below that, an upside-down cup, which appears to be a reflection or mirror of the upper cup. In this card, we are introduced to two ways of viewing and understanding TWO-NESS. Earlier, in the Ace of Cups, we became aware of One-ness. Now, when we get this Two of Cups in a reading it symbolizes states of reality and/or unreality. This implies there is one real cup, but the second upside-down Cup is only a reflection of the top cup. When this card is reversed, we are confronted with how we are dealing with dualism and things that are in opposition to oneness: truth/lies, good/bad, light/dark, peace/war, friend/foe, and so on. What is being shown here can be compared to seeing the Moon reflected on a lake. The Moon is the only real object and the other Moon is a mirrored reflection seen on the water of a lake. We know there is only one Moon; the image in the water is only it’s reflection and, we know that it is not real. The message here is to not be fooled when some people interpret our life experiences from a dualistic point of view of equivalence. Since the mirrored cup is false and represents an opposition to the one cup, it is false view because it isn’t reality, just as you know the image of yourself in the mirror is not the real you. That is the truth of the observation.
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In my previous blog about “TWO-NESS” (June 2, 2013), the essay is mostly about dealing with polarities and dualism where: *“… we are confronted daily by an array of colossal forms of opposition. The most obvious and immediate concerns are seen in the futuristic optimism of a desire for peace but opposed by the never-ending condition of violence and war.”
“When looking at the mirror world, it seems obvious that millions of people have given themselves over to fantasy, to make-believe, to play-acting” “The point is that on either side of the reflective glass, we are not having disagreements and different interpretations of reality—we are having disagreements about who is in reality and who is a simulation.”
Naomi Klein, Doppelganger, (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2023)
In the Rider-Waite Tarot deck, we see the Two of Cups depicts a man and a woman holding large cups in front of one another in a loving and friendly manner. This is what we see in most Tarot decks. The whole suit of Cups in a reading is usually interpreted in emotional, psychological or mental symbols.
Over time, there have been many different references and interpretations of the meaning of Cups in the Tarot Minor Arcana. As we contemplate these possibilities, we see a person’s lot In life, or fate, can be described through the symbol of a cup in many ways: Love (Loving cup); Victory (Trophy cup); Friendship (Party toasting cup); Ritual Liturgical cup (Eucharist, Passover); Abundance (Overflowing cup); Rescue (Cup of salvation); Calculation of the future (Cup of divination) and Anger (Cup of wrath).
*To pursue this further see my blogs of Jan. 26, 2013 and April 20, 2013.
Originally, the suit of Cups in Tarot probably had a biblical basis: The Harpers Bible Dictionary says this about a cup:
“…everything that exists is a world of limited good; everything that exists is perceived to exist in limited amounts…” “In this perspective all persons can be said to have their ‘cup’ i.e., the limited amount of whatever God has to offer."
In the biblical story of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, Joseph’s cup was used for divination in foreseeing the future (Gen.44:5).Other cups mentioned were filled with blessings, or salvation (Psalms 23, 116:13) such as Jesus’ “bitter cup” at his Crucifixion (Matt. 26:42). Then there was Jesus’ cup at The Last Supper (John 13) and the legendary Medieval story of the search for The Holy Grail in adventures with King Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable. (See At the Table of the Grail, Ed. John Matthews, Routledge, Kegan & Paul, 1984)
Let’s take a closer look at each of these types of cups in relation to their deeper meaning for your life. What are some of the questions that come up for you if you get the 2 of Cups in a reading? Which cup aligns with your inquiry and does it provide any answers?
Love and the Loving Cup
We see the loving cup presented as a pledge of fidelity to one another in many marriage ceremonies, wedding celebrations, and so on.
How are you sharing your life with a loved one in honesty and truth? Are you still sharing the loving cup and feeling good about your relationship? Do you give yourself a reality check every now and then? How do you express your love?
Friendship Cup
In old Germanic Hall celebration stories, a cup of friendship is passed around as an evocation of “the good life”, goodness and light, as in Beowulf’s “win of wunderfatum” after he subdues the monster Grendel and the forces of evil.
What friendship groups are you part of? How do you celebrate friendship with family and friends? Are you having positive relationships with others? How do family celebrations affect you? How are you dealing with so-called “monsters” in your life?
Trophy Cup
This is a cup for celebrating and acknowledging a winner, such as the “America’s cup,” the oldest International sporting trophy in yacht racing, or the “Stanley Cup” in Hockey.
What are your good intentions and expectations? What are the achievements, victories, and successes in your life that you are proud of? Are you taking risks and overcoming the seemingly impossible? How are you achieving your goals? What have you overcome and “won”?
Liturgical cup
A Eucharist cup of wine is used in Christian Communion commemorating the blood of Christ, which was shed for the salvation from one’s sins (a symbolic cup from The Last Supper and/or Crucifixion) There is also the Four cups of Passover of the Hebrew Seder (Celebration of the Liberation of Israelites from slavery in Egypt)
What is your spiritual path? How do you practice your beliefs? What are your religious beliefs if any and how do you carry out the observances and rituals associated with your religious practice? How do you use the Cup as a sacred object?
Cup of abundance
Harvest festivals, fairs, Carnivals, Thanksgiving celebrations
Are you expressing gratitude for the abundance in your life, no matter how small? Are you sharing your richness and joy with others in giving and receiving?
Cup of Salvation
Salvation Army, Red Cross, Social Workers, Missionary social work, helping others
Are you expressing kindness and compassion for the trials and tribulations of others? Are you emphasizing the will to live and focusing on the creative life force in self-help and helping care for others? How are you helping those in need?
Cup of divination
The oracle of Tarot calculations for the future
Are you looking toward a beneficial future? Are you accepting change as part of the experiences of the future? How are you dealing with unforeseen events in your life?
What if the two of Cups is reversed?
“It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury signifying nothing” Shakespeare, Macbeth
Cup of Wrath
Someone or something is being blamed and/or punished with spiteful contradictions. What about the wrath of people expressing vengeful anger, rage and fury and even instigating horrific events that leave you emotionally drained?
Are you being threatened by someone or something? Are you in a love/hate relationship? Is someone making up lies and unfounded conspiracy theories in a fantasy world that intimidates you? How are you combatting forces which seem beyond your control? What can you do to stay calm and rise above stressful situations?
