Nine of Cups

Guiding words/ideas:

Sending out hopes, aspirations, excitements, needs, wishes; relinquishing control over what happens; allowing for chance and divine guidance; acceptance; the world is working with you; opportunities for growth; trust that what needs to happen will happen; enjoy the ease of allowing.

Channeled guidance:

This card, the Nine of Cups, depicts a scene that is full of dreaming and wishing. Here is full communion between a human and a plant, a dried blossom full of seeds. But instead of seeds, this magical plant has nine little cups, ready to be blown out and off into the world—little cups of hopes, aspirations, excitements, needs, and wishes. Because this card is in the suit of cups, these “seeds” are creative, full of emotion and beautiful flow, and in harmony with the element of water. One can envision that it’s windy and these cups are being picked up and transported to a place where they will eventually land and settle into the ground.

This is symbolic of the act of wishing. When we wish, we send our hopes out into the world, and then they need time and space to settle, to be nourished, and to grow. There is no control over the elements that will impact these little wishes scattered about. One can hope for a fertile environment and maybe even help to create a generative environment in which to put these seeds. But there is an element of chance here. This human is not deliberately placing these little cups or seeds. They are allowing chance and forces beyond themselves to determine what happens next. Some cups may land in the most fertile spots, and some will go through a shorter life cycle and maybe even gently dry out and help nourish the ground without pulling up any nutrients for themselves. There can be sweet acceptance in the act of wishing. This human is trusting in the universe and source to guide their wishes and dreams.

This card suggests that the world is working with you. All the elements, the plants, and the universe see you, respect you, and want to work with you. If possible, it’s helpful for you to relinquish control. Here is opportunity for growth, openings in your heart and spirit, and deep and blissful connection with larger forces.

So feel happy. Send your wishes and your dreams out into the world and trust that what needs to happen will happen. There can be ease and joy in the relinquishing of some, most, or all of the hard work that comes in making your dreams come true. Enjoy this. Enjoy being in collaboration with all other beings and allowing this to happen.

Plant and metal guidance:

Logwood (blue of the background): Our color connects outwardly but its source lies deep within. We help you reach inside yourself to find strength and beauty.

Maple leaf (image of leaf imprinted in background): We reach out to connect with others, sharing our veins, our lifeblood.

Sedum (image of plant imprinted in body and stem of “wishing” plant): We reach deep below to absorb water, nutrients and information from other beings. We encourage you to do the same.

Copper Oxide (light blue liquid in the cups/“wishing” seeds): I magnify the properties of whatever plants I touch or impact.