Pleasure: Harmony, Satisfaction, Joy of Life
The Six of Cups. Pleasure. Well-being. Harmony. At ease. Satisfaction. Joy of life. Sexual fulfillment. The Six of Cups corresponds to the Sefirot of Tiphareth;crystallization, conscious harmony, and experience. The energy of the suit of cups, experienced positively under the conscious guidance of Kether (which feed directly into Tiphareth), manifests itself in Pleasure; this is the crystallization of the suit of Cups, and is some of the best the suit has to offer. It resolves the conflict between Chesed (Luxury) and Geburah (Disappointment) by merging stability with motion, to produce pleasure. On the surface, this card is very similar to Luxury, but differs in several ways; Pleasure is more focused on emotional well-being than the more materialistic Luxury, and Pleasure is also more stable and longer-lasting; it does not depend on being free of responsibilities. Pleasure is more harmonious, and takes into account the possibilities of disappointment; though one’s luxury might be upset by destabilizing motion, if one maintains a sense of joy about life, they will still experience pleasure.
The idea of loss in the Five turns to one of Satisfaction, grief becomes the Joy of Life, and unexpected disturbances become Harmony. The motion that upset the stability of Luxury has been resolved, and a more stable, positive energy has emerged as the conscious harmony of the suit of Cups. This card also expands upon the theme of intimacy between two people, and can indicate also sexual fulfillment.
The Rider-Waite art shows a large child-like figure handing a cup of flowers to a smaller, older figure, indicating kindness and harmony. The Thoth art shows six evenly-spaced cups, each one close to a flower, showing harmony in this way, and giving of a feel of golden radiance; joy, happiness, and satisfaction. The image is very stable, and in many ways comforting.
In a reading, the Six of Cups asks you to examine the role of simple enjoyments in your life. It asks you to look at how much you worry, how much you enjoy things, and how satisfied you are. It indicates a sense of emotional well-being and harmony, and may ask you to examine relationships with those around you, are advise you to make them more harmonious. Reversed, this energy is twisted or obstructed somehow; something is perhaps preventing you from enjoying life, something is upsetting your harmony; or perhaps you are upsetting the harmony and well-being of others.
Z. M. Wilmot 