Tarot Card Combination
Five of Cups+Four of Swords
聖杯五 & 寶劍四
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Five of Cups
Five of Cups
聖杯五
Four of Swords
Four of Swords
寶劍四
You're in a moment where disappointment over what's been lost (Five of Cups) requires intentional rest and mental space (Four of Swords) to process. This isn't about ignoring pain, but creating a sanctuary for your feelings so you can eventually see the two cups still standing. The combination asks you to honor your grief while consciously stepping back to heal.
The Five of Cups shows you focused on spilled cups—the losses, disappointments, or relationships that didn't work out. Your emotional waters are troubled. The Four of Swords, an Air card, advises a strategic retreat. This isn't passive avoidance; it's creating mental space through meditation, rest, or therapy to process that Watery grief. Together, they say: your feelings are valid, but you need breathing room to see the full picture. The two upright cups you're ignoring represent opportunities or support still available. This pairing suggests healing comes through combining emotional acknowledgment with intellectual rest—letting your mind settle so your heart can eventually find clarity.
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Elemental Analysis
Water (Five of Cups) meets Air (Four of Swords) here. Troubled emotions seek clarity through mental rest. Water wants to feel deeply; Air needs space to analyze. The blend can be therapeutic—like talking through feelings (Air) to process grief (Water)—or tense if overthinking paralyzes emotional flow. The key is allowing Air to provide perspective without dismissing Water's truth.
Numerology Insights
Reducing 5 + 4 gives us 9, the number of completion and wisdom. This underscores the cycle's purpose: your current disappointment and retreat are culminating in a deeper understanding. The 9 suggests this period of grief and rest is preparing you to release the past and embrace a more compassionate, holistic view.
Reversal Meanings
Five of Cups Reversed
Five of Cups reversed suggests you're beginning to move past disappointment, perhaps too quickly. You might be denying your feelings or forcing optimism without fully processing the loss. Caution against spiritual bypassing—acknowledge what hurts even as you look forward.
Four of Swords Reversed
Four of Swords reversed indicates forced rest is ending, or you're resisting necessary withdrawal. You might be returning to action prematurely, or feeling mentally trapped instead of restored. Listen to whether your body and mind truly feel ready to re-engage.
Both Cards Reversed
Both reversed suggests a turbulent emergence. Old grief resurfaces (5Cups Rx) as you're thrust from rest (4Swords Rx) before feeling ready. The challenge is to integrate lessons on the fly—acknowledge emotional triggers while navigating renewed activity without full mental preparation.
Spiritual Guidance
Spiritually, this pairing invites you to sit with divine discontent. The grief of the Five of Cups can be a sacred teacher, showing you what truly matters. The Four of Swords represents the contemplative space—prayer, meditation, or solitude—needed to integrate that lesson. You're being guided to transform disappointment into wisdom by allowing both feeling (Water) and reflection (Air) their rightful place in your growth.
Yes/No Reading Guide
This leans toward 'No,' or 'Not yet.' The cards suggest unresolved grief and a need for restorative pause. Moving forward now would mean carrying unprocessed emotions. The answer becomes clearer after intentional rest and emotional integration.
Historical & Mythological Context
In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, Pamela Colman Smith illustrated the Five of Cups with a figure cloaked in black—a medieval symbol of mourning—ignoring two upright cups. The Four of Swords shows a knight at rest in a church, combining themes of spiritual sanctuary and mental reprieve from battle.
Daily Affirmation
"I honor my grief and grant my mind the peace to heal."
Practical Advice
Create a gentle ritual: acknowledge what hurts (light a candle, write it down), then consciously set it aside for a period of rest. Let your mind go quiet. Return to the issue only after you've given yourself that mental sanctuary.
Things to Watch
Don't let the retreat of the Four of Swords become permanent isolation from your feelings. The rest is meant to help you process the Five of Cups' grief, not to bury it alive.
Individual Card Meanings
Five of Cups
聖杯五
The Five of Cups shows a cloaked figure mourning over three spilled cups, while two upright cups stand behind them, unnoticed. This card represents grief, loss, and focusing on what went wrong rather than what remains. It suggests a period of mourning and disappointment, but reminds you that not all is lost—there are still opportunities for emotional recovery.
View full meaning →Four of Swords
寶劍四
The Four of Swords shows a knight lying in repose, suggesting rest, recovery, and contemplation. After the pain of the Three, this card indicates a time to withdraw, heal, and gather strength before moving forward.
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