​Number: 36/1

Element: Water

Astrological Associations: The Water signs—Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces

Key Meanings: Love, relationships, and beginnings

The Ace of Cups in Tarot stands for deep feelings, intuition, intimacy, and love. The Ace of Cups meaning in a Tarot reading is that emotional awareness has come into your life. This awareness could take any form, such as an attraction, strong feeling, or sympathetic reaction. It could also offer an opportunity, gift, or encounter.

Upright Meaning: The Ace of Cups brings the gift of love and key emotional events: fertility, pregnancy, birth, and motherhood; when not predicting a pregnancy, it can reveal that being a parent and/or partner takes priority over work, finances, and projects. In relationships, the card denotes falling in love, passion, and a significant new partnership. In existing relationships, it signifies loves and support. Positive emotions flow.
If you are nurturing a new project, this Ace heralds creativity and growth, so make time for activities you enjoy, and you will see them flourish. An enterprise you hold dear will come to fruition, so it’s time to turn to your novel, business concept, or travel plan and give it your full attention. This is also a great card for spiritual growth, so you may find yourself discovering a belief system or other important way to explore your spirituality.

Generally, this is a time for love, kindness, conviviality, and good friends, the simple joy in living each day and appreciating every moment.

In a reading, one Ace brings a focus on the life area according to the suit, which can set the theme of the reading. If two or more Aces appear near each other in a reading, it means the following:

Reversed Meaning: As you might expect from the meaning of the upright card, when reversed, the Ace suggests fertility issues and creative block. There may be lack of space and time to nurture your relationships and projects, or you may be the one feeling neglected; conversely, you may be feeling exhausted due to others’ emotional demands. If you are asking about a new relationship, sadly, the reversed One can indicate disappointment and confusion—a potential new love does not develop into something more lasting.

In general, the reversed card reveals insecurity and doubt, and you may not feel you can believe in those people you’d like to trust. Follow your instincts and hold on to your self-belief; thankfully, this influence will not last.​