Why do we use the image of a heart as the epicenter of our emotion? From a physical standpoint, we know that our heart doesn't hold our love, our anger, or our fear... so why use that image? Many argue that the heart image is appropriate because the heart keeps us alive, very much like our emotions. Blood flows in and out of a heart, just as our emotions flow to and fro. But what if the emotional center was instead pictured as a cup? The metaphor fits – a cup is filled and emptied frequently, as our emotional epicenter is. A cup can hold a great deal of life-giving water, just as our emotional center holds life-giving feelings. This is why the Ace of Cups is the perfect card to embody our emotional expanse.

You could feel excited to meet the future and see what is coming next. A sense of openness and embracing the unknown comes with the Ace of Cups. You want to taste the sweet water of life that flows from your cup, ready to embrace whatever may come. This card often portents the welcome arrival of love, whether you reunite with an old friend or lover, meet someone new or open up to feel the universal love that is all around you.

The Ace of Cups card is simple enough in appearance. We see a hand emerging from a cloud – in its palm, a large, ornate goblet. From the goblet, streams of water are bursting upward like a fountain. A bird flies directly over the cup. Below the cup is a pond, filled with lily pads and their flowers. The card has a simple, singular focus: the cup. One could note, however, that the water in this image is also very prominent, and is worth its own focus.

Emotion is at the heart of the Ace of Cup. Every emotion, whether it's considered positive or negative. The emotion that is most often connected with this card is love, due to its ability to affect us so greatly. When this Ace saunters into your readings, take a good look at how emotionally in tune you are with yourself and those around you. Do you let your emotions run your life, or are you afraid to experience emotion at all? Many of us have been taught to despise, hide, or believe that our emotional depth is simply too shallow to focus on. Whether you're a man, woman, child, or elder, your feelings are something you should have a good relationship with. We all need to come to terms with our emotional selves, and this card begs for that balance.

Emotions are represented by water in the alchemical symbolism depicted in the tarot. Just like our feelings, water is always flowing and moving. If it it stays still for too long it will begin to stagnate, just like if we were to stay stuck in the same emotions for too long. This card is therefor a reminder to go along with the flow of life, try not to cling to our feelings, and embrace change.

May Your Cup Floweth Over With Love

When you pull this card, it's important to note the power of emotion. It can start a life, a relationship, or end either of those. Love and hatred have both been known to start wars. Don't play this card off as the card of a weakling – a man that knows his own emotional depth and breadth is a man to be reckoned with.

This Ace asks some potentially hard-hitting questions of us. How do you approach emotion? Can you face it in others? Can you face it in yourself? How do you deal with emotions when they come up? How can you use your emotions to strengthen yourself?

The Ace is the true embodiment of a suit's message – any Ace card will symbolize the heart of what each card in that suit boils down to. This means, of course, that it can be hard to parallel these Ace cards against other cards in the deck. The 10 of Cups symbolizes emotional completion and fulfillment, which comes close to the Ace. The Two of Cups also notes an emotional connection, which simply wouldn't be possible without the intuition and power found in the Ace card.

What Ace of Cups Means for You Today

When you draw this card you are calling love in all its many forms into your life. Friendships, romantic relationships, and family are all different forms of the same energy. Relationships new and old and can be vitalized by the ace of cups. The key to using this energy most effectively is to learn to let go and let the current of the waters carry you forward. Relationships work best when you dont try to control or manipulate the situation and give the other person the freedom to be who they are. At its core, the Ace of Cups represents the universal life-force that binds all things together. When you relax and have faith, this unconditional love can flow through you and become manifest in all your personal connections.