Knight of Cups

The knight of cups is rife with symbolism, as most tarot are. The fact that the cups suit has to do with spiritual and emotional depths lends a lot of interesting characteristics to this court card that I find really beautiful.

 

Here we see a knight on a horse, carrying a chalice that he is holding put towards the direction he is traveling. I cannot help but to immediately think of the search for the Holy Grail and the Knights Templar, as not only did these things have deep spiritual significance but the chalice also promised deep fulfillment and both had a notable psychic significance. The knight on the horse has a helmet with wings on it, like none other than Hermes/Mercury the messenger god of communication who was also gifted with the ability to freely travel into and out of the underworld, which no other deity had the privilege of. His tunic that lays over his armor has water and fishes which shows that while he is protected he also has a fluidity to him, that allows him to tap into the depths of his spirit and emotions. The horse on which he rides is moving towards the river in front of him and one cannot help but think of the rivers present in the underworld that the deceased have to find safe passage across. Hermes could cross the river unimpeded by the need for assistance from Charon, the spirit who captains the boat. 

This knight is further on his spiritual quest than the page is… if the page is just beginning, the knight is in the midst of his quest for emotions and spiritual insight, depth, and awareness. He is learning the value of his vulnerability and connection to the unseen and that he has the ability to transform erase it if he simply accesses his intuition and the invisible forces that are supporting him on his path. After all, the journey through the underworld has always been a metaphor for the journey through our own subconscious and the shadow therein.

Receiving this card in a reading could indicate someone with masculine energy entering your life. It could also indicate that it is time for you to journey deeper into your spiritual and emotional depths with greater trust and awareness of the guides and divine beings who support you. It shows you that you have the ability to access the hidden psychic gifts with in you and that your gut feelings are your most valuable assets. It also reminds you to allow your feelings to impart awareness into your spiritual insights and vice versa and to trust the path ahead even if it is not clear. Regardless of what you have to face durning this inner journey, with trust and faith in spirit and listening to the guidance of your heart you will be victorious.