The Three Cups of Cups: Celebration and Overindulgence

The meaning and significance of this card in your suit

Three of Cups card on a table with other tarot cards.

The Three of Cups is a tarot card symbolizing celebration, friendship, and joyous occasions. It typically depicts three individuals (usually women) raising their cups in a toast or dance, surrounded by a festive atmosphere. They celebrate each other's company, rejoicing after a long time away or celebrating one's achievements. The imagery emphasizes friendship, harmony, and shared experiences. The Three of Cups is a tarot card that belongs to the Suit of Cups, associated with emotions, relationships, and creativity. This suit is commonly associated with the element water with a flowy sense to its meaning.


The Three of Cups Upright: 


        This card often signifies harmonious relationships, joyful gatherings, and a sense of camaraderie. It represents the bonds of friendship, social connections, and the joy of sharing happy moments.


        In readings, the Three of Cups can suggest the presence of supportive and uplifting relationships, joyful events, and a time of celebration and enjoyment in your life. It encourages you to embrace the positive connections and opportunities for shared happiness that surround you. The Three of Cups can also represent a union between two individuals reuniting once again to enjoy the happy times and reminisce. 

The card symbolizes celebrations, joyful occasions, and a sense of camaraderie. It suggests that you may be experiencing or soon to experience a time of happiness, good news, and overall positivity. It can represent milestones, achievements, weddings, birthdays, or any other event that brings people together in celebration.


The Three of Cups also highlights the importance of friendship and social connections. It signifies deep and meaningful bonds between individuals, indicating a supportive network of friends or a close-knit community. It encourages you to cherish and nurture your relationships, finding strength and happiness through mutual support.

This card is often associated with creative collaborations and artistic pursuits. Working together with others can lead to inspiring and fruitful endeavors. It encourages you to explore your creative side and engage in cooperative ventures that allow for exchanging ideas and pooling resources.


The Three of Cups indicates emotional fulfillment and a sense of contentment. It suggests that you are surrounded by positive and loving energy and that your moving needs are met. It reminds you to appreciate your life's blessings and express gratitude for those who bring joy into your world.

Meaning for Love (Upright): 


Since three individuals are depicted within the card, there may be a love triangle or an entanglement between three individuals simultaneously. The celebratory nature of the card may signify that a spicy night may have occurred at an event with alcoholic beverages may be served. Pleasures of the moment may be fun but think thoroughly through your decisions. Statistically, polyamory does not work, especially if you are in a monogamous relationship already. Of course, it may be fun at the time. Try to remember how you will feel the morning after. 


Meaning for Health (upright):


Whether you are celebrating that you or your family are in good Health, it is time to celebrate that everyone is healthy and that this is good. It may also signify that you have just beaten a deadly illness or made yourself healthier in one way, shape, or form. Whatever the case, it is good to rejoice that your Health is back up to par!


Meaning for Finances (Upright):


Financially this can mean either a promotion, a gain in your investments, or a deal secured for your business. Whatever the case, it's time to lay back and enjoy your forthcoming accomplishment. Whether it has happened or not, you can be sure that something better is coming your way. Congratulate your coworkers on what you have all accomplished together. 


A man and a woman intoxicated at a table.
Sometimes we find ourselves with a little bit too much to drink too often, the three of cups reversed reminds us to take breaks often.


The Three Cups Reversed:


The three Cups reversed signify that we should brave the world alone rather than with our closest friends, at least now. It is best to keep wary of who you surround yourself with--after all, snakes disguise themselves as men and wait to strike when you least expect it. Or it is a time of disjunction between you and your closest friends--take some time away from the relationship, and in due time, it will return to the way it was before. 


The reversal may also mean it is time to put work into yourself or your projects. Celebration is lovely in life, but without the fruits of your labor, you are rewarding yourself for something that has yet to be completed. This can cause psychological distress, especially if you are putting off work to get together with your friends. The cups can also signify alcohol, so it may be time to lay off the spirits for at least a little while, recoup your priorities, and get yourself back into control. Balance is everything when living a healthy lifestyle--too much of anything can take a toll. 


Reversed, it can also represent that your relationships are slipping away from you. It may have been a long time since you last contacted one of your closest friends. Getting back into connection with them may be a good idea considering that we as human beings are hyper-social creatures. From a biological standpoint, we tend to clump around one another, whether in social circles, cities, or even society. Work is always essential, and there is always the risk of a relationship turning sour, but without each other, the human psyche lays empty and depressed. Remember: Balance. 


When involved in creative projects, your ideas or motivation are either being shot down or nonexistent. Regarding our creativity, we tend to get gassed out or want things to be done a certain way. Especially when working within groups, it can be hard to get your ideas put into the project but also contribute enough when there is not much left in the tank. Let your mind reset for a while, and indeed the cooperation and creative nature will return soon. 


 A man finding his partner romantically with another person.
The number three sometimes can hurt people involved in a monogamous relationship, keep this in mind before engaging in promiscuous activity.


Meaning for Love (reversed): 


The three Cups represent three, so this may signify a love triangle but one that has more negative consequences. You may be involved with another individual that is either taken or is married to another person. Adultery is never something to tread lightly upon-- karma can straighten things out over time, so be careful who you have romantic engagements with. Whether or not three people are involved, this card reversed can represent a short-lived relationship. Whether it is a short-lived couple of dates or a one-night stand, you may have recently experienced a relationship that has fizzled out quickly. 


Meaning for Health (Reversed): 


This may be a somber time in life for you or your family. A very close loved one may have passed away, and you or someone you deeply care about may have also been diagnosed with a terminal illness, but this may be an excellent opportunity to celebrate. A time to celebrate the fantastic memories you have created with that person, reminisce on the good memories and commemorate their life for their impact on you and everyone you love. It may be a bittersweet ending, but be thankful for the time you spend with that person or the last times you will be around them. Life is suffering-- remember that time heals all wounds. 


Meaning for Finances (Reversed):


If you are working within a team or with your family to manage your money, now may be a good time to isolate and reconsolidate your plans for your finances. Somebody may have given bad business advice, or your investments could be doing better. Take some time away to reassure all of your financial needs. Remember that the economy shifts constantly, and mistakes happen--just be patient and take care of what needs to be done. 


The Three of Cups tarot card. 
The Three of cups is truly a duality, balance is key in any aspect of life.


The Last Sip: 


The Three of Cups can represent one of two things, celebration or isolation. The principal determiner between these two is whether or not the card is reversed. You could be overindulging or not indulging enough. Whether you are earning the celebratory moments you engage in is all that matters. It is all a matter of keeping a solid balance within your life and maintaining your relationships properly, whether they need tending to or it's time to give them some rest. 


The Three of Cups is about appreciating life's joys and taking time to understand them. Sometimes we can engage with too much or too little, but isn't that the beauty of it all? Having the free will to make good or bad decisions regardless of the outcome. Remember that sometimes in life, when nobody is looking over our shoulders, we need to tend the seeds we sow. Sometimes they are harmful, and sometimes they are good. But always be patient with yourself because you are a human being and will never be perfect. Take some time to enjoy life for what it offers. 



Christian Mitchell

Christian Mitchell is a Biology major at Slippery Rock University. He has strong aspirations for writing and is seeking to become a freelancer.
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