Ten of Cups and the Four of Cups

When I look at these two cards I feel very drawn to looking at the different moon cycles that appear. 

The first card, the Ten of Cups, shows a waxing crescent moon in the sky (which appears just after a New Moon, at the very start of a lunar phase). Below it we see a lady tightly holding her beloved child, whilst a man looks over them gently placing his arms protectively around them both. They are all half-submerged in water with the ten cups floating around them on lily pads. We do not know if the water they have waded into is close to the safety of dry land or whether it becomes deeper and more perilous along the way. However, this does not seem to concern them as their love for each other will protect them and keep them safe. 

In comparison, the second card, the Four of Cups, shows a waning crescent moon (which appears at the very end of a lunar phase when we are preparing for another new moon). It presides over a lady who sits on a rock beside a pool of water. She is fixating her eyes on one large, impressive cup which holds within it a beautiful lily. Behind her are three smaller cups which she does not appear to notice. 

I am wondering if this is supposed to be the same lady in both cards. It seems to me that the message shows how in just one full lunar cycle, of approximately one month, our situations can change completely. Whereas in the first card this lady is surrounded by loved ones and feeling supported, by the second card she is alone and looking out longingly at something that she cannot quite grasp. 

Sometimes, in the time it takes for one lunar phase to be completed, our whole lives can change. I feel this is very relevant at the moment as the sudden and terrifying shockwaves of war have reverberated around the world, just at a time when we were looking forward to getting our freedom back and having pandemic restrictions lifted. It seems for many of us that the peace, love and freedom that we all crave is symbolised by that one cup that is just out of reach in the Four of Cups. 

However, the overall message here is about change and as we know life keeps moving and nothing stays the same forever. We were promised that 2022 was a year when the universe pushes us to move our thinking and feeling to a higher vibrational level. Our emotions give out waves of frequencies; lower vibrational frequencies occur when we omit emotions such as guilt, fear, shame and victimisation but when we experience the emotions of happiness, joy, love, freedom and gratitude our energy frequencies are raised and we are, therefore, working on a higher level.

You have probably sensed this yourself if you have felt a little down but pushed yourself to do something that you enjoy such as partake in exercise, meet a friend for lunch or take the time to work on a creative talent that makes you happy. Suddenly as you forget what you were down about you feel lighter and life feels a little better. Alternatively, we can literally have our mood dragged down if events out of our control mean that we are suddenly taken ill or have an accident or have been the victim of gossip or scandal which brings with it low emotions that make us feel very heavy and sad.

It almost seems ludicrous that the promise of this year was to raise our vibrational energies when the world seems such a confusing, worrying and upsetting place with many global aspects that are affecting us all. But, in order for us to raise our vibrations it is up to us to choose to do it, not for others (or the universe) to just wave a magic wand and let it happen. 

We are all responsible for choosing what emotions we experience and project and these two cards show that we all have the ability to catapult from the joyful, loving, happy emotions shown in the Ten of Cups to the unsatisfied feelings of longing, boredom and world-weariness that can be portrayed in the Four of Cups. 

An interesting point to make here, is that it is impossible to feel anxious and grateful at the same time. With so much anxiety about at the moment, it may be difficult to find gratitude but it is possible. When we are in pain, we can choose to believe in hope that things will get better and imagine ourselves feeling better and overcoming the difficulties being faced. When we begin to feel sadness for what is missing in our lives, we can be joyful for what we do have that maybe we take for granted – these may be basic needs such as a home and a meal each day, but, as we have seen recently these can be taken away from so many in the blink of any eye that we should see them as the gifts that they are. And when we are overwhelmed and saddened by the cruel behaviour or others then we can flood the world with love and kindness to raise the vibrations of ourselves and the people around us. 

These two cards show us that none of us know what will happen from one lunar phase to another, but, the universe sends us lessons to help us ascend to the highest, best version of ourselves. It isn’t up to those around us to do that for us, nor will the universe hand us that gift on a plate. It will take hard work and determination and sometimes it will feel a little out of reach, but, it is possible. 

Once we regularly choose elevated emotions such as love, joy and gratitude those frequencies reach the people around us and the people around them and so on and so on. 

It would seem that now the only way forward is to choose love, perhaps the Divine Timing of this year’s message doesn’t seem so strange after all. 

x

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