The Nine of Cups - Taking Pride in Your Emotional Journey through the Tarot
The Nine of Cups is a card about being proud of yourself.
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To give you a bit of context whilst you reflect on your own relationship to the card, here’s a few key things to know about the Nine of Cups.
In the Rider Waite Smith version of this card, a figure sits in front of a display of nine cups. The figure radiates pride, giving the impression that the display behind them is a collection of trophies. This figure is not afraid to show off what they’ve got.
The Cups are the suit of emotional intelligence and understanding, so there’s an inherent narrative here about being able to own and celebrate your feelings. It’s not an easy task, which is why this card comes so late in the suit of Cups sequence. You have to experience a rich emotional life before you’re really ready to own it.
When the card comes up in a reading, consider it an invitation to reflect on you you’ve matured emotionally over the last several months and years. How do you make space for your feelings today in a way you may not have been equipped to do before? How do you experience pride in the way you handle your own emotions?

In your tarot journal, you’re asked to reflect on what this card means to you, now, in this moment, and what actions and thoughts it inspires in you. As you journal, pay attention to what you’re personally picking up in the card, but also consider what the key themes in the card might be telling you. In what ways are you feeling pride in yourself lately? What emotional growth do you want to see from yourself next?
This mini-tarot lesson was brought to you by me, Chelsey Pippin Mizzi, founder of Pip Cards Tarot. I hope you gained a little context to help you continue reflecting on the card in your own way, and I’ll see you tomorrow for another mini-lesson.