King of Cups

What the card means

Upright

Warm, and never ruled by it. The King of Cups sits on a throne in the middle of the sea and the throne does not rock: he can feel and has no intention of drowning. People come to him for counsel rather than for sympathy.

Reversed

Calm on the surface, undertow beneath. Smiles evenly and says nothing. Sometimes somebody's feeling is used against them by a person who understands it better than they do.

As a person

A mature, calm and warm man in command of his feelings: a doctor, a mentor, a diplomat. Knows how to listen and how to smooth things over. In shadow, a calm surface over strong feeling or a dependency.

Love and relationships

Upright

A grown relationship where neither party detonates. A partner who takes you as you are and does not dissolve. A calm that is not coldness.

Reversed

An evenness behind which you cannot tell if anything is there. Or being steered through your own attachment.

Work and business

Upright

A manager or colleague who keeps people level. A good time for mediation and for difficult conversations.

Reversed

Smiling and deciding without you. Or you yourself long past saying what you think.

Money

Upright

Calm, weighed decisions. A good time to consult somebody older and steadier.

Reversed

Promises made gently and not paid.

The card's advice

Neither erupt nor freeze - there is room between them and it is yours. Ask advice of somebody who knows how not to get drawn in.

As the card of the day

An even day. Good for hard conversations and for making peace. Poor for settling things while feeling them.

What is depicted

A king on a throne in the middle of the sea, a cup in one hand and a sceptre in the other. A fish swims past, a ship goes by. The throne is steady although the water is not - the sea is around him and not in him.

Zodiac sign and correspondences

Water held by its bank. By zodiac sign, Scorpio (the kings are usually given the fixed signs); more broadly, all the water signs: Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces.

With other cards

• King of Cups + Queen of Cups — feeling deep and feeling governed - a rare balance.
• King of Cups + The Moon — an even surface with not everything under it named.
• King of Cups + Temperance — measure and warmth together; the best spread there is for making peace.