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Nine of Cups
The Nine of Cups is often called the "wish card". It describes personal satisfaction: a hope fulfilled, comfort, pleasure, the feeling of having enough. Where the Ten looks to family and community, the Nine is more about one's own contentment.
The image
A well-fed man sits on a bench with his arms folded and a satisfied smile. Behind him, on a curved table draped in blue, nine cups stand in an arch. The row of cups is usually taken as plenty that has been gathered and displayed; his posture as pride and ease, perhaps with a touch of smugness.
Upright
Contentment, enjoyment and success. Waite lists "concord, contentment, physical bien-être", and also victory and advantage. The card can point to a wish coming true, a period of comfort and good things, or simply appreciating what life already offers. Waite himself notes the picture shows "the material side only".
Reversed
Waite's reversed reading is "truth, loyalty, liberty", though he admits readings vary and include mistakes and imperfections. Modern readers often see self-indulgence, satisfaction that feels empty, or a wish that has not yet come. Some readers do not use reversals.
Correspondences
The Nine of the suit of Cups, element water. The Golden Dawn, whose attributions most English-language decks follow, calls it the Lord of Material Happiness and gives it Jupiter in the second decan of Pisces, 10°–20°. On the Tree of Life it sits in Yesod, the ninth sephirah.
In a reading
As an outcome, it is one of the most welcome cards, often read as getting what one hoped for. As advice, it can invite enjoying the moment. As an obstacle, it may point to complacency. Beside the Ten of Cups it widens personal happiness into shared happiness.
In astrology
The Golden Dawn's correspondences, which most English-language decks follow (French, Marseille-based tradition differs for some Major Arcana).
Decan: Jupiter in Pisces, 10°–20°
Element: Water — the element of Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces
Mode: Mutable — Pisces is a mutable sign