The Ace of Cups represents the beginning of love, fertility and creativity. It is a card to inspire confidence and happiness. When it turns up a reading of an everyday nature it can indicate the start of a loving relationship (of either the romantic or friendship variety); it can represent the beginning of a project in which a great deal of loving energy is invested (rather like the beginning of angelpaths); or sometimes it can reveal conception - the beginning of a new life.

If you are looking at the Ace of Cups indicating a new relationship, then there will also be people cards up. If it is a romantic relationship, expect to see other good Cups, and perhaps the Lovers. Friendship will be more indicated by Wand type good cards.

The beginning of a project will normally have something like the Star or the Priestess, and Disks around it. These will help you to determine the viability of the project.

Pregnancy will usually come up with other cards which also indicate pregnancy Princess of Disks, Ace of Wands, and possibly the Empress.

But at a spiritual level the Ace of Cups is even more important. The chalice depicted on most versions of this card is taken to be the Holy Grail, or in pagan terms, the Cauldron of Kerridwyn - source of inspiration and granter of wishes and dreams.

In this interpretation of the card then, we are examining a major spiritual step forward - a period where the deepest and most heartfelt spiritual desires of the querent come to the surface, and may be identified and pursued.

When this card comes up with the Hierophant, The Sun, The Moon or sometimes with Death, we must see ourselves as entering into a major transformational period from which we will emerge totally changed by the power of the Universe. During periods such as these we touch the very essence of spiritual power, and hopefully, we succeed in growing toward it, and allowing a little more of its light within us.