We have now arrived at the five of cups.  The suit of cups is an emotional journey, bringing light to the array of feelings we experience.  The emotional body is one layer we experience, while simultaneously experiencing the other suits, the swords (the mental realm), the wands (the passion of the spirit), and the pentacles (the worldly outer cirmcumstances and physical body)...

The 5 of cups depicts a sense of loss.  There are three cups that have been spilled, signifying a deep and profound sense of longing or grieving over what we no longer have...

Even though there are two full cups still standing, and full, the hero cannot see them, because they are so caught up in the tragedy of what is missing.  It's a feeling of unfulfillment, sadness, and misfortune.

With any of the minor arcana cards, these are fleeting moments on our journey, not a place to be stuck.  It is important to take the time to mourn, so that we will heal and move forward, to see what we still do have, and the good that is coming in next.

Experiencing trauma or death or deep emotional upset is a process and is hard to let go of, especially for those who feel things really deeply.  The bridge in the background represents a way for us to get over this, to move forward, and transform the suffering into something new and beautiful.  

The hero's journey is long and winding, full of highs and lows and in-betweens.  Our next card is one of the sweetest cards in the entire tarot, the six of cups!