Nine of Cups
In the Health position
Hidden health; physical and emotional.
Meaning: Fertile surroundings. Nourishment. Natural beauty. Delight. Romance. Summer's cauldron of all good things for the heart. Relief and well-being. Blossoming. Seduction and pleasures. Gentle, inspiring surroundings and company. Warm, encouraging atmosphere. Luck. The feel of enchanted evenings.
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The Emperor
In the Health position
Visible health; physical and emotional.
Meaning: A strong leader. A man of power and responsibilities. Protection. Conviction and self-sacrifice. A strong, masculine influence. Integrity and ethics. A father figure. Worldly power. Stability and reason. Compassion. Wisdom and aid. Conquest. Masculine, sexual energy. A competitive nature. Fair play. Competence. A flexible mind open to the ideas of others. Established, relaxed authority. Courage. Reason ruling emotion. Thought for the greater good.
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Seven of Wands
In the Attitude position
Hidden mental attitude.
Meaning: Courage, determination, and creative thinking. Portends a good time to hazard a gamble. Though the odds may seem against you, there are advantages to your position. The victory of a major battle paves the way to opportunity and a positive cycle in life. Taking a stand. Guarding principles and dreams. Fending off predators. Silencing naysayers.
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King of Swords
In the Attitude position
Visible mental attitude.
Meaning: A powerful man with a quick temper. He is no fool and should be handled with care. A daring, impressive, effective leader, if a little harsh. A man of influence and long reach. Tenacity. Passion and conviction. An authority. Commanding presence. Impact, bravery, and ambition.
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Queen of Cups
In the Relationships position
Hidden relationships.
Meaning: A woman of imagination. Romantic, compassionate air. One who encourages the dreams and talents of others. Generosity and care. A loyal lover. A genuine heart. Virtue. Protection. A cultured, refined woman who is wise in matters of the heart. For a male querent she can represent true love; for a woman a romantic confidant or rival. Even as rival she is just and honest, believing in fair play.
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Three of Swords
In the Relationships position
Visible relationships.
Meaning: Heartache. Hurt. Harsh resolution. Distress. Having been abandoned. Severance. Feeling crippled by the weight of past hurts. The pain of being misunderstood or unfairly judged. Rejection. Estrangement. Fear and isolation. Separation. The pain of a triangle dynamic in relationship or interests. The need for mental control over emotions. Frail health.
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Four of Swords
In the Career position
Hidden career.
Meaning: Reprieve. Vigil. Withdrawal and silence. Waiting. Isolation and asylum. Existence taking on a surreal feeling, as if one is veiled from life. A seemingly deathlike sleep phase in life, but a time which incubates future dreams. Exile. A freeze on life protecting one from injury or self-destructive behaviour. Recovery. Convalescence. Keeping hidden. Protection in silence. Possibly being forsaken. Warning that a quest may be endangering one's health. Need for help from others. Hospital stay or finding sanctuary.
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The Empress
In the Career position
Visible career.
Meaning: A kind, capable woman. One who instills confidence in others. A beneficial influence. A strong role model. A woman who promotes and encourages the potential of those around her. A peacemaker and diplomat. An intelligent, calm, mature personality. Determination and dignity. One who teaches by example. A nurturing, considerate person who gives much to the community. Confidence. Empathy. A matriarch. Guidance and support. A mother figure. Security, comfort, and appreciation. Fertility. Personal development.
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The Hanged Man
In the Spirit position
Hidden spiritual path.
Meaning: Restraint. Suspension. Stalemate. Atonement. Not being able to make one's influence felt. Being held at a disadvantage. The dull pain born of constraint. Being caught in a web. A freeze on life. Detachment and isolation. Impotence and chastisement. Can mean a punishment, as in the law of retaliation applying to the traitor. Such suspensions can follow betraying one's self in doing or allowing something in one's life that was known to be wrong. Feeling marginalized, which can be a form of protection. Redemption. The silence of constraint brings deeper self-knowledge and sharpens the intuitive senses as a blind man "sees". Tapping a deep root. Uncommon knowledge. A life pared down to the basics. A time of gestation in a borderland state between chapters in life. Self-sacrifice in pursuit of knowledge or a cause. Energy drain. Delays and suspension of plans. A wise temporary surrender. Endurance. Insight. Being still in order to learn the secret to freeing one's self.
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Six of Cups
In the Spirit position
Visible spiritual path.
Meaning: Friendship. Play. Remembering past happiness and childlike innocence. Renewal. Nostalgia. Pleasant company. Reminiscing with old friends. Drawing strength from shared experiences. Being understood and appreciated. Teamwork. Taking pleasure in simple, wholesome activities and surroundings. Seeing the good in life.
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The Hierophant
In the Outcome position
Outcome of the present path.
Meaning: Authority. An advocate of tradition. Society's structure and code. The establishment. Orthodox behaviour. Adhering to tradition. Religious authority. A keeper or guardian of knowledge. Initiation. Instruction. The expectations of the outside world. Education. Following an established path. Benefiting from the strength of a group or tradition. The comfort of one's roots. Guidance. Clemency. Religious or educational institutions. Ritual, ceremony, and performance. A wedding or public alliance. Religious or spiritual inclination. Morals and ideals. Mediator. Interpreter. Mentor. Official faith and custom. Accepting a hierarchy. Depending on surrounding cards, can represent repression and the challenging of a system or of conventional wisdom. A person with the power to advance, challenge, or wrong another.
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