The Six of Cups card is associated with nostalgia, reunions, and people you haven’t seen in a while. It’s also paired with childhood and innocence.
You might see The Six of Cups come along with gifts and sensual pleasures. This card is friendly and playful and will remind you to add more silliness and whimsy to your everyday life.
Look to happy memories in your past to help you decide how to deal with the situation at hand. Get in touch with your inner child and experience the fun and freedom that comes along with it.
When you see The Six of Cups card reversed, it can show that you’re clinging to the past and unable to move on. This means you’re not living in the present and making choices that are suitable for your current life.
It’s fine to reminisce, but understand that real change can only happen in the present. Dive into why you’re getting hung up on the past.
Is there someone you need to forgive, maybe even yourself? Do you need to work through trauma?
Whatever the case, being fixated on the past will only keep you stagnant.
The reversed Six of Cups card might also show that you’ve lost touch with your inner child and the joy that comes along with it. Perhaps you’ve been so caught up in the responsibilities of everyday life that you’re not finding time to socialize, relax, and be silly and playful.
Maybe you’re upset you never achieved the goals you had as a child, so it’s painful for you to think back to that time. Look for opportunities to have some fun and take a time-out from adult life for a bit.
This card asks you to recognize you can’t change the past and look to make your present goals a reality.
Reading this reversed card using the “blocked/restricted” meaning
Alright, let’s discuss how to read your reversed Six of Cups card. First, you can use the “blocked/restricted” reversed card meaning. When you read your cards this way, you’re looking for an obstacle standing in front of the card’s upright meaning.
For The Six of Cups, this means something is blocking your sense of nostalgia and your inner child. There’s some reason you don’t want to revisit your past, and this block is keeping you from enjoying the present.
Say you pull the reversed Six of Cups card thinking about a personal fear. You’re terrified of taking risks, and it’s kept you from trying a lot of things in life.
For example, say an opportunity for a promotion recently came up at work, but you dismissed it without even trying because you knew it would require public speaking and leading team meetings.
Then a few weeks ago, you had an opportunity to ask a girl out at the gym who’s been giving signs she’s interested, but again, you didn’t try because you figured you would get rejected and ridiculed.
When you were a child, your parents weren’t very encouraging. They were fearful of every possible danger and always discouraged you from putting yourself out there.
You’ve carried this burden your entire life, and it’s kept you from doing a lot of things. Here, the reversed Six of Cups card tells you it’s time to revisit your past trauma and start living the way you want.
You’re in control now, and you have the freedom to make decisions about your life. This kind of work is difficult, but reaching out to a therapist or even a close confidant can help you untangle your past and gain a new perspective.
Reading this reversed card using the “opposite” meaning
You can also read your reversed Six of Cups card using the “opposite” reversed card meaning. When you read your cards like this, you’re looking for the opposite of the card’s upright meaning.
So for The Six of Cups, instead of reunions and nostalgia, you have estrangement and cynicism. You’re not connected with your past, and you’re upset about how things unfolded way back when.
For example, you might pull the reversed Six of Cups card thinking about your high school friend group. You were part of a big group of girlfriends when you were a teenager, and you did everything together.
But one of them didn’t like you, and she spread a rumor that you were trying to steal someone’s boyfriend. Even though this wasn’t true, it stuck, and it led to your friends abandoning you.
Now, as an adult, you’re afraid to reach out to anyone from your high school because you’re afraid people still see you negatively. You don’t post on your Facebook account that has all of your high school friends, and you avoid the reunions. But recently, you’ve had a desire to reconnect with a few old friends, and you’re feeling frustrated that you feel like you can’t.
Here, the reversed Six of Cups card tells you it’s time to let go of the past.
Just because your friend group thought something about you ten years ago doesn’t mean they still do. And, if they’re still holding on to that fake news, that’s their choice and not your concern.
You can try to clear things up, but if they’re not interested, there are still other people from high school that will want to catch up. Everyone has their baggage, and you’re not alone in how you’re feeling.
Try posting a couple of little things on Facebook to see who’s still active from your class and if you have anything in common. The relationships you can rekindle might surprise you.
Reading this reversed card using the “worse” meaning
Another way to read your reversed Six of Cups card is by using the “worse” reversed card meaning. When you read your card this way, you take the card’s upright meaning and put it in a negative light.
For The Six of Cups, this means you’re indulging your nostalgia, but maybe it’s causing some problems.
For example, you might pull the reversed Six of Cups card thinking about an old flame you’ve reconnected with. You had a boyfriend in college and you were completely in love with him.
Things didn’t work out between you, but you’ve always hung onto the good memories and never gotten over it. Recently, the two of you have chatted a little, catching up on each other’s lives.
You remember how good it felt to talk to him, and you’re feeling those same deep emotions you always had. But the problem is, he’s married and has his own life now.
Here, the reversed Six of Cups card tells you not to get caught up in this situation. Continuing to indulge in these old memories and talking to this guy will only lead to trouble.
He’s married and not really available, and because you have feelings for him, you can’t continue to engage. It will only lead to heartache.
Reflecting on the good times can be fun, but don’t waste time on someone who’s not able to prioritize you in their life.
Reading this reversed card using the “no/not” meaning
Finally, you can use the “no/not” reversed card meaning to read your reversed Six of Cups card. When you look at your cards like this, you put a “no” or a “not” in front of the card’s upright meaning.
For The Six of Cups, this can mean “not innocent” or “no nostalgia”. You’re dealing with a person or situation that may seem harmless, but maybe you need to look deeper to understand the reality.
Say you pull the reversed Six of Cups card thinking about a romantic relationship. You’ve started seeing a guy who’s full of joy and charm.
He’s so sweet and cute that you can’t help but fall head over heels. He buys you little things and always has a fun new idea for date night. Everyone loves him, and he’s always the life of the party.
But this guy also has some issues that are becoming clear over time. When you’re alone, he always seems distracted. He’s also evasive when confronted by people in public.
You’ve been ignoring these things because he just seems so sweet and innocent most of the time. But the reversed Six of Cups card tells you to open your eyes to the situation.
If you’re seeing red flags that are very worrisome, don’t ignore them. You don’t need to ditch the relationship immediately, but keep an eye on these patterns of behavior and see if they increase.
If you’re noticing that things keep getting worse, it’s a big sign that you should take a step back.