Princess/Transformer of Cups
Vessel
of pure emotion
The Princess of Cups stands in a pool of still, reflective water. They are fully balanced and stable as they hold the chalice of the Ace of Cups above their head. The five streams, representing the 5 senses, flow down around them into the pool below. They create a ripple effect that spreads throughout the universe. The lotuses that surround them represent purity and the spirit of humanity. The full moon behind them represents their fully realized power. In the Hermetic Tarot this card is known as the “Princess of the Palace of the Floods.”
Princesses are ruled by the element of Earth. They are stable, powerful, pure, and complete. They serve as the vessel, inheritor, and guardian of the elemental energy that was born from the ace. Where the Ace of Cups was the latent potential of the suit, the Princess is its fully realized power overflowing. They represent human potential and the fully expressed power of their suit.
In a reading, this card asks you to reflect on your emotional, spiritual, and intuitive potential. What can you do to fully cultivate it? Rather than a specific person, it represents a complete state of being in regards to emotions, intuition, love, spirituality, and creativity. It’s an indicator that you are on the right path towards that state, and an invitation to push yourself even further. Open yourself up fully to new ideas, emotions, and relationships. Never be complacent. The pursuit for more should never end, even the full moon eventually wanes.
The reversed may represent untapped and/or disregarded potential. You may be neglecting your emotional, creative, romantic, or intuitive side. Perhaps you are spiritually lost or suffering from a creative block. Your connection to yourself and humanity may be weakened. Try to reconnect. On the other hand, it may indicate that those parts of yourself are out of control and need to be reigned in and stabilized.
