The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet.
James Oppenheim (1882-1932)
After the challengers we’ve been getting the past several weeks, plus the ongoing horrors of the news, the Tarot now extends a hand of great kindness. Let us all gladly welcome the Ten of Cups.
The Cups are the suit of the emotions, dreams, intuition, and love. And the Tens are not only the journey’s end but the zenith and overflow of what is possible in the suit.
In this case, you have the supreme fulfillment of your emotional needs: love, family harmony, and celebration.
The happy couple, holding each other tenderly, celebrates the appearance of the cup-crowned rainbow as their two little children dance and play. In the distance is their modest home and a clear horizon. This is a card of ultimate appreciation and soul-deep happiness.
In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, this is yet another of Pamela Colman Smith’s “stage” cards, referring to the horizontal line across the card that makes it appear they may all be on a theater stage. This certainly gives the appearance of the happily-ever-after ending of a play or story.
So is it real?
The answer the Tarot always gives is, “It’s up to you.”
Any way you look at it, this is a card of peacemaking. It is one of the gentlest, most benevolent cards in the Tarot.
Mars and the New Moon
The big astrology news for this week starts on Tuesday when Mars leaves chatty Gemini and moves into home-loving Cancer. Thus the war of words, of which we are all quite weary, gives way to potential confrontation regarding matters to do with home, security, and family.
Our astrologer for smart people, Elisabeth Grace, explains:
Weepy, watery emotional security-needing Cancer and assertive, combative Mars make a challenging mix. We can expect more headlines about people going with their gut and acting out for the sake of family, and home/homeland security over the next few weeks. Note that Mars in Cancer is not always direct, sometimes favoring a passive-aggressive or circuitous route to making its ultimate point. Watch a crab scuttle across a beach; you’ll see what I mean.
To what extent might the “ultimate point” she mentions be the idealized notion of what happily ever after might look and feel like? This describes well the gift of the Ten of Cups. What might we make of it, with energized Mars working with us?
Then on Wednesday, the New Moon in Leo brings along a solar eclipse as a bonus. Elisabeth tells us that:
A New Moon in Leo invites us to focus on how we are loved, honored and respected for who we are – and for the creativity we have to offer the world. In order to attract the love we seek, it helps if we are feeling secure in our own kingly or queenly castle…
Just like the happy family here in their home.
Be sure to read Elisabeth’s full article, where she breaks down for us all the components in this powerful eclipse chart (set in Washington, DC). Plus, you won’t want to miss the drunken chickens.
And be on the lookout for Diotima Mantinea’s New Moon post, hopefully later this week. Her magical perspective is always excellent.
If all that is not enough, there will be a 43-hour void of course Moon coming up starting Thursday night. During that time, our card might advise that you chill at home and enjoy being with your favorite family. And like the happy couple, don’t forget to express your gratitude for all the good given to you.
This truly is a time to remember to thank Goodness.
The Promise
Rainbows such as the one featured in this card are often considered a sign of divine blessings and protection. They may also be a bridge, like the Norse Bifrost, that connects the human realms (Midgard) with the Divine (Asgard, land of the Gods).
Across many cultures, the rainbow is the promise that humans can journey to the transcendent threshold of divine acceptance.
You are being shown that, at the ending of the story, your joy and the joy of God(dess) are one.
The Ten of Cups reminds you that beneath all the complexities of challenging events, the universal formula for contentment is quite straightforward.
All that the vast majority of people want is a secure and happy home, a pleasant, meaningful connection to their beloveds, the pleasures of beauty and creativity, hope for the future, and soulful contentment. This includes people of every color, every nationality, and every time in history.
As you aspire to and achieve moments that look or feel like this gentle scene, war, scarcity, hate, prejudice, and fear are revealed as the illusions and tools of deception that they are.
The couple is intertwined. The children are holding hands. This is a card of happy union, in the open for all to see.
Thus, the Ten of Cups affirms that when your heart overflows with Good, you realize that you have all you need. Yours is the power of healing, forgiveness, and peace.
Know the Mystery
How might you find this kind of love and contentment? The fact that we are being visited by this card after so many difficult ones indicates that it is already yours, if you will but know it.
With the Ten of Cups as your Guide, open your heart. See what parts of this lovely scene draw your eye first.
Put yourself there. As with all Tarot cards that depict multiple figures, who are you in this card?
As you drink in the many components of contentment shown, allow your heart to discover in what ways they are already yours.
Look up and out. Look into your sister’s eyes, into your brother’s face, and into the truth of your community and country.
Happiness is not just the absence of pain, but it is the exalted harmony of all that is. It is the rightful essence of every man, woman, and child.
The Blessing
Grace is given to you in the exact measure that you give it to others.
It is simplicity itself. This is the very pulse of the Divine within you.
Across the sky before you is spread the rainbow’s promise. What would such a sign mean in your own life? How can you offer yourself as a beacon of this Divine love for others?
In what ways are you profoundly blessed at this time? What love can you bestow upon others?
The great secret is that happiness does not require our pursuit. It already dwells within us, if only we will nurture it, as we would a tender child.
Let our hearts be full, making room for everything we care for.
Love is not “out there” somewhere. Love is who, why, and what we are.