Tarot Card Combination
King of Wands+Five of Cups
權杖國王 & 聖杯五
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King of Wands
King of Wands
權杖國王
Five of Cups
Five of Cups
聖杯五
A visionary leader confronts emotional disappointment. The King of Wands' fiery ambition meets the Five of Cups' watery grief, creating steam—a transformative force. This is not defeat, but the alchemical moment where passionate drive is tempered by loss, forging profound wisdom. You stand at the precipice of completion, where what is mourned must be released to fuel the next great creative blaze.
The King of Wands represents charismatic leadership, visionary action, and creative fire at its most mature and potent. He is the entrepreneur, the inspired leader, the passionate pioneer. The Five of Cups, however, casts a shadow of emotional disappointment, regret, and a focus on what has been lost rather than what remains. Together, they paint a portrait of a powerful individual—perhaps you or an influential figure in your life—who is currently grappling with a significant emotional setback or failure. The steam created by Fire (Wands) meeting Water (Cups) signifies a transformative, albeit tense, process. This is the moment where raw passion is distilled by grief. The King's grand vision has met a stumbling block that has caused emotional spillage. The challenge is to use the heat of this disappointment not to burn out, but to fuel a wiser, more compassionate form of leadership. Don't let regret over spilled cups blind you to the two that still stand full behind you.
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Elemental Analysis
Fire (Wands) meeting Water (Cups) creates Steam—the element of transformation, pressure, and hidden power. The King's assertive, outward-driving energy confronts the Cups' reflective, inward-flowing emotion. This is not a destructive clash, but a generative tension. The fire seeks to evaporate the water (ignore feelings), the water seeks to quench the fire (dampen passion). Their synthesis, steam, represents the potent energy released when passionate action is informed and deepened by emotional experience. It's the force that drives engines of change.
Numerology Insights
14 (King of Wands) + 5 (Five of Cups) = 19. In numerology, 19 reduces to 10 (1+9=10), and then to 1 (1+0=1). This signifies a completion (10) that leads to a new, independent beginning (1). The number 19 itself carries themes of humanitarian wisdom gained through experience and the end of a major cycle. It confirms this pairing's message: an old way of leading or creating is ending, and the wisdom from its accompanying disappointments is necessary to birth the new.
Reversal Meanings
King of Wands Reversed
The King of Wands reversed suggests a misuse of charismatic power—tyranny, impulsiveness, or a lack of creative direction. The fire is blocked or burning uncontrollably. This could manifest as a leader who is all bluster with no follow-through, someone burned out, or an individual whose passion has turned to manipulation or bullying.
Five of Cups Reversed
The Five of Cups reversed indicates a slow turning away from grief and regret. The figure begins to look up and notice the two upright cups. It signifies acceptance, the return of hope, and learning the lesson from the loss. The emotional waters are starting to settle, allowing for clarity and a decision to move forward.
Both Cards Reversed
With both reversed, the dynamic shifts dramatically. The tyrannical or depleted leader (Rev. King) is now forced to accept and move past their disappointment (Rev. Five). This can indicate recovering from a major failure of leadership or vision. The transformative steam has dissipated, leaving a clearer, if humbler, landscape. It's a time for picking up the pieces without ego, learning hard lessons, and starting anew from a more grounded place.
Spiritual Guidance
This is the alchemy of the wounded healer. Your spiritual fire (passion, will, life force) is being poured onto the cool waters of emotional loss, creating the steam of transformation. The process is uncomfortable but purifying. The King represents the part of you that seeks to manifest spirit in the world; the Five of Cups asks that spirit to first sit with earthly grief. The numerology (19) points to the end of a karmic cycle related to your creative self-expression. True spiritual power is forged not in constant victory, but in the conscious, compassionate integration of defeat.
Yes/No Reading Guide
The tendency is a cautious 'No,' or 'Not yet.' The powerful 'Yes' energy of the King is currently clouded by the regret and loss of the Five. The path forward exists (the two full cups), but you must consciously turn away from what's been spilled first. The answer lies in integration, not immediate action.
Daily Affirmation
"My passion, tempered by experience, forges unshakeable wisdom."
Practical Advice
Let the fire of your ambition heat the waters of your disappointment until it transforms into the steam of wisdom. Acknowledge the loss fully—stare into the spilled cups—then, with the King's strength, turn your gaze to what remains. Use this tension to forge a more resilient and compassionate version of your vision.
Things to Watch
Beware of allowing charismatic confidence to bulldoze genuine grief. Ignoring the emotional spill will not make it evaporate; it will only create scalding steam under pressure. Do not let regret fossilize into cynicism, poisoning your creative well.
Individual Card Meanings
King of Wands
權杖國王
The King of Wands represents mature, visionary leadership. He sits on his throne with confidence and authority, ready to act on his vision. This king is an entrepreneur, a leader who inspires others through his passion and bold action. The card suggests taking charge of a situation with confidence, or a person who embodies natural leadership—charismatic, honorable, and decisive.
View full meaning →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.
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