If you’re a beginner or simply enjoy the world of tarot cards, then you need to learn about every card on the deck and what they mean.
Lately, people have become more interested in the mythical world and the messages that the universe carries for us. There are so many hidden messages for us.
The Nine of Cups is a very fascinating card, as the man is sitting on a bench and smiling. So, what does it mean if it’s reversed? What is the universe trying to tell you?
It carries different meanings and messages about your feelings, love life and the yes or no game! Let’s find out more in this article.
Meaning of 9 of Cups Reversed

The Nine of Cups shows a man sitting on a bench and smiling in deep satisfaction.
Clad in a fine robe that flaunts his wealth and status, the sense of pride and accomplishment that he feels is apparent in his demeanor.
When drawn upright, the card signifies a feeling of shared contentment and satisfaction.
Despite facing obstacles and struggles in the past, the success that the reader has deeply yearned for all this while has been achieved.
Often symbolizing unions and career successes, the card invites readers to take the time to celebrate this joy with those who have been rooting for them throughout this journey.
Achieving these milestones is no easy feat. It requires sacrifices along the way, further reemphasizing that the reader has earned every right to his jubilation.
Additionally, the reader can also anticipate more good karma and emotional fulfillment in the near future, both spiritually and materially.
9 of Cups Reversed as Feelings

You may have recently experienced a situation that has thrown you off course and has caused you great distress, loss or emotional turmoil.
The Nine of Cups is drawn in reverse here, which unfortunately shows:
- Unhappiness;
- Lack of fulfillment;
- Disappointment.
Alternatively, you may have donned a superficial facade of fulfillment, when in reality, you actually feel as if something is missing.
Societal pressure has demanded this false appearance that denies you authenticity and honesty.
Whether it is in the career or relationship realm, the effects of your circumstances and emotions cannot be ignored.
Our feelings are often a guide to indicate when we experience situations that may have crossed our boundaries and are a telltale sign to reflect our state of mind at large.
Hence, the Nine of Cups calls for you to take this setback as an opportunity to rest and reevaluate your priorities and purpose in life before leveraging on hope to help you get yourself back on track.
Attention to your recovery process is needed. So you should take some time for yourself to identify your next course of action.
Obstacles and losses are inevitable in life. So how we choose to overcome them and use them to improve our quality of life is part and parcel of being human.
It is also along this process that we get to discover who we are and which paths we get to choose to travel on.
Remember that sometimes, a loss or lack of fulfillment might open doors to greater possibilities, and not all is lost.
9 of Cups Reversed in a Yes or No reading

If you have asked a yes or no question, the answer here is not definite.
Drawing the Nine of Cups in reverse does not imply that you should give up or pursue a particular endeavor.
Rather, it is indicative of your inner feelings and warrants your attention to it.
The Nine of Cups in reverse invites you to:
- Examine the current situation;
- Identify what is missing;
- How you can turn your losses into changes that allow for future gains.
In other words, you already possess the answer you seek.
But deeper introspection and further action are needed for you to find your motivation to keep going and to flourish against these adversities.
9 of Cups Reversed in love and relationships

If the card is drawn pertaining to love, the Nine of Cups in reverse shows that the relationship may be superficial or that there is a lack of connection.
Long-term relationships tend to turn stale over time. Causing the couple to drift apart and lose the ability to relate to one another.
In love, with time often comes complacency and you and your partner may have been taking each other for granted.
Failing to meet the standards and expectations that each of you have for the relationship.
Love requires a certain level of priority, effort and emotional openness that allows for a sense of deep-rooted connection and commitment — which may be missing in your current relationship.
While the situation is not dire at the moment, this may become a problem in the long run as the love that is built on superficiality tends to die out fast.
Hence, it would be wise to speak to your partner about the issue and confront it together head-on.
Talk about how you can rejuvenate and revitalize things between you and make the effort needed to make these changes.
Things can and will improve, but only if mutual effort and priority are in place.
Is 9 of Cups Reversed a positive Tarot card?

The Nine of Cups in reverse reminds you to not discount how you feel and use your emotions as a way to guide your direction in life.
While taking the time you need to recover, rediscover who you are and what keeps you going.
Then align your actions to your goals and take practical steps to find authenticity and genuine contentment.
With all that said, remember that loss and disappointment from the current situation are only temporary. There are brighter things to look forward to in your future after overcoming this adversity.
9 Advice from the 9 of Cups Reversed

In general, the Nine of Cups in reverse is a warning that imbalance exists and further actions are needed to remedy the situation. When drawn, the Nine of Cups in reverse provides the following advice:
1) Loss and change are a part of life
We are constantly caught up in the ebbs and flows of life and nothing is constant.
While this means that things can change for the better, it also means that good things can be lost or we can get misguided and lose sight of what really matters.
However, remember that these are natural processes and you are never alone in your feelings of loss, disappointment and lack of fulfillment.
2) Your emotions are valid
Feelings can sometimes be brutal but it is the purest form of brutal honesty.
Your emotions about the situation are completely valid. You do not need to seek external confirmation that what you are experiencing is normal.
Be honest to yourself about how you are feeling because the last person you would want to lie to is yourself — understand that it is okay to feel the way that you do.
3) There is always hope
Hope can always be found, even in the bleakest circumstance.
What you are facing or feeling is tough and painful, but hope can always be found with careful examination and introspection.
As cliche as it sounds, hope is a strong motivator in improving your quality of life and making change, and the power it holds cannot be ignored.
Hope is what makes us human and gives us the ability to constantly reinvent ourselves and grow.
4) Recovery takes time
No one knows if you will take days, months or years to get over your loss and unhappiness. There is neither a standard nor a rule as to how recovery works.
But grant yourself the gift of patience. Take whatever time that you need to properly process and understand what happened.
Recovery is never a one-step process and is often a life-long journey of constantly reinventing yourself as you face one challenge at a time.
Thus, be open to allowing yourself the time and honesty to make improvements.
5) Reflect on your motivation
Sometimes, we get confused between the things that we genuinely need and what society tells us we want.
We are all prey to external influences and pressures that may divert us off course.
Reflect on your motivation and purpose in life through activities such as:
- Journaling;
- Meditation;
- Reading.
Figure out the steps that you need to take to find that sense of actual contentment and deep fulfillment.
Make those goals and actions a priority in your life and you will, in turn, make yourself a priority.
6) Nothing is fixed
Until you decide to stay as you are and make no further change, nothing in life is fixed and your situation is always adaptable.
Adjust your mentality to suit this understanding and it will guide your approach to life to open doors and opportunities that you never knew existed.
In other words, avoid stagnancy and allow for flexibility and change.
7) Where one door closes another opens
As cliche as this saying goes, it rings true in the different facets of our lives.
Whether it is in love, career or friendships, negative situations are often a push for change and for us to seek new opportunities.
As humans, we are all subjected to inertia and complacency in our many endeavors. We are often forced to only take necessary actions when losses happen.
Even then, life offers us plenty of opportunities when we know where to look for them.
8) Pursue your true desires
After a careful assessment of what grants you contentment, do not be afraid to pursue your true desires.
However, be warned that following these dreams often requires time, risks, effort and in most cases, money.
Similar to how financial investments work. Low risks bring low returns and without proper commitment in terms of time and effort, even the best opportunity will wilt away.
Be practical in what needs to be done and the timeline that you are working with to ensure that you are ready to make these investments when the time is right.
9) In love, time and effort is crucial
Contrary to what Hollywood has imparted us with, love does not come to us easily.
Despite the values that have been inculcated in us by the media since our youth, love requires constant tending to and commitment to flourish.
Whether it is a new relationship or one that has lasted over a decade, couples need to be invested in one another to build a deeper connection and to stoke the fires of love and passion.
Taking the time to understand your partner’s needs and wants is a worthwhile endeavor that will surely reap its returns.
Do not underestimate the strength of trust and honesty as well. A good or healthy relationship should incorporate all of these.
Final Words
Regardless of the situation that you are facing right now, know you are strong and at the end of the day, you will be alright.
In relationships, be reminded to deepen the connection that you have with your significant other. You’ll be establishing greater connections and avoiding superficiality.
The nine of cups reversed has a powerful meaning and shows that you need to face your problems and let go of the past.