5 of Cups. Loss and Disappointment.

 The five of Cups is known as the card of disappointment and with just one look at the card you can see why. The figure at the centre of the card is wearing a heavy dark cloak with which he or she is covering themselves, either in grief or mourning. At the figures feet you can see three cups which have spilled their contents on the ground. The cups once contained three brightly coloured liquids of crimson, red and green.
   Cups are symbolic of the emotions and the spilled liquids represent feelings that are now lost. The heavy black cloak is showing the depressed and dark mood of the querent, a shroud that prevents anything from being seen clearly.
   Behind the figure sit two further cups, which are as yet unspilled. They show that all is not lost, even if a loss has been experienced. The liquids on the ground are an unusual colour, which shows the possibility that what was lost may not have been all that positive as a green liquid may in fact be symbolic of a poison.
  Further behind the figure is a river and bridge that crosses it, leading onward to a castle surrounded by greenery. The castle is a symbol of the security and prosperity that lies not much further on just across the river.
    Disappointment and loss are particularly difficult emotions to deal with as they can often cloud your ability to see your situation clearly. The figure in the card is consumed by these emotions and refuses to look out from under the heavy shroud they carry and see that they still have two cups and that sanctuary is close at hand.
  We all have to face disappointment and loss in our lives, some events loom much larger in our lives than others. I have been no stranger to loss and disappointment in my life and there have been times when these feelings have overwhelmed me and it has seemed as though nothing could replace the loss. In these instances one must remember that while consumed by these thoughts and emotions it is not possible to think or see clearly.
   Loss, grief and mourning provide some of the hardest trials in our lives and can leave wounds that are raw and painful and impossible to contemplate in their entirety. In such events we are left feeling powerless before them, often wondering if the responsibility was ours or if there was another course of action that would have prevented these events from transpiring.
  When such events occur there is little that can be done immediately until the feelings have subsided somewhat as any action taken during the emotional upheaval has likelihood of being influenced by our inability to perceive clearly. In the card the figure looks to the left which is typically symbolic of the past and if he were to move while his eyes were yet covered it is likely he would either not see the sanctuary over the bridge or that he may knock over more of his cups.
    This card relates to our current position where it would be easy for us to be disappointed with how things have turned out for us and the losses we have had to endure because of it. We know that sanctuary beckons, but often there is a pervasive fear that accompanies disappointment which whispers that such events will continue to manifest and it is the reality you should accept. At this time both Zoe and I have put our faith in the universe and trusted that things will work out for us if we take the route we have. Disappointment and loss have reared their heads and they have caused us to question the validity of our choices given that sanctuary is still on the horizon for us and we have both made sacrifices to stay authentic to ourselves. We are still in the midst of that loss and disappointment and our actions have still to bear fruit. I do not wish to compile a list of our woes as it just brings attention to them, when really we wish to focus on that which we still have available to us and the path that lies ahead.
   What we have to accept it that loss and disappointment can visit us all, but we shouldn't let it dictate our course and that in many circumstances there is nothing but to weather the storm and wait for the rainbow. We understand that even in the depths of loss there is still the seed of hope and the possibility for future growth.