Six of Cups Tarot Card Meanings

Six of Cups – The Gift of Memory

Keywords (Upright): nostalgia, childhood, innocence, kindness, reconnecting with the past Keywords (Reversed): stuck in the past, unrealistic expectations, clinging to nostalgia, emotional immaturity

Description Two children stand in a peaceful courtyard. One offers a cup filled with flowers to the other, a gesture of simple kindness. The background is calm and protected, suggesting a space of emotional safety and comfort. The flowers in each cup symbolize love freely given, without condition or complexity.

The Six of Cups represents memory, innocence, and the emotional purity found in past moments or heartfelt gestures.

Upright Meaning This card brings your attention to the past—in a way that can offer healing, joy, or reconnection. It may represent childhood, a past relationship, or a simpler time that still carries emotional resonance. Acts of kindness, shared joy, or reunions may be present. Use the wisdom of your history not to escape the present, but to enrich it. Innocence isn’t weakness—it’s clarity before fear.

Reversed Meaning Reversed, the Six of Cups warns of being overly attached to the past. You may be idealizing memories or refusing to grow beyond them. This can block progress or keep you emotionally stagnant. It may also reflect a need to heal unresolved childhood patterns. Let the past inform you—but not define you. Release what's outdated so you can create new emotional experiences.

Summary The Six of Cups is a gentle reminder of where you came from. Upright, it brings warmth, connection, and emotional ease. Reversed, it cautions against clinging to what no longer serves. In both forms, it invites you to hold the past with compassion, and to move forward with openness and trust.