King of Cups
King of CupsMinor ArcanaSuit of Cups
- Element
- Water
- Astrology
- Air of water; 20° Libra – 20° Scorpio
- Numerology
- King: the suit matured outward, its authority and command
- Yes or no
- Yes
Upright
- emotional balance
- diplomacy
- wisdom
- generosity
- calm authority
Reversed
- emotional manipulation
- volatility
- coldness
- repression
- moodiness
Mastery over deep water. The King of Cups rules his feelings without denying them and leads with steady compassion.
On the card
A king sits on a stone throne that floats on a rolling sea, holding a cup in his right hand and a short sceptre in his left. A fish-shaped amulet hangs at his chest, and on his robe another fish is embroidered. Behind him a ship rides the waves on one side and a dolphin leaps on the other. The sea is restless, but the throne does not tip; he has learned to stay level on a moving surface.
Upright
General
Emotional maturity is your strength right now. The King of Cups combines feeling with control, kindness with authority, and he handles difficult situations with a diplomacy that comes from having faced his own depths. Be the calm in the room, and others will follow your lead.
Love & relationships
A partner who is emotionally steady, generous and wise, or a relationship guided by mutual understanding rather than drama. Older or more experienced partners are indicated.
Career & money
Leadership through empathy, success in counselling, the arts, law or any field where people skills matter. Financial decisions made with a cool head pay off.
Reversed
General
The sea has got into the throne room. Reversed, the King of Cups describes emotional manipulation, mood swings that keep others off balance, or the opposite failure: a coldness that refuses to feel anything at all. Authority is being used to control feelings, other people's or his own, rather than to understand them.
Love & relationships
A partner who is volatile, controlling or emotionally shut down; passive aggression instead of honest conversation. Power is being played rather than shared.
Career & money
A boss who manipulates through guilt or favouritism, or your own emotions leaking into decisions that need clear thinking. Do not let a bad mood make a financial choice.
Advice
Stay level on the moving water. Feel what you feel, then decide with your whole mind.