Five of Cups in a spread about what's haunting me? Feeling kinda spooked.

AikoTanaka

Hey everyone, I’m still pretty new to tarot so apologies if this is a dumb question, but I did a spread during the waning gibbous moon about what’s haunting me, and I pulled the Five of Cups.

I know that card is often about loss or grief, and I’m honestly a little freaked out. I’ve been super stressed lately —college stuff, personal issues, and I’ve kind of been pushing people away, even snapping at my parents when I don’t mean to. I’ve also been dealing with PTSD and I’ve gotten pretty dependent on my anxiety meds.

What’s really messing with me is that a friend of mine once pulled this card, and that same night her dad passed away from a heart condition nobody knew about. So now I’m lowkey panicking. Does this card always mean something that serious? Or could it be more about emotional stuff?

Would love some insight. Thanks in advance

EmmaCollins

Sounds like the Five of Cups is pointing to how much you're stuck in the heavy stuff right now — like your focus is mostly on everything that's gone wrong or feels overwhelming. In the card, the figure is turned away from the two standing cups, which usually symbolize hope or opportunities that are still there, even if you're not able to see them clearly at the moment.

It’s also a card that brings up regret, so it kind of makes sense if you're feeling bad about how you’ve been acting with your parents or pulling away from people. The thing is, you can’t undo the past — but the card reminds you that you can decide where to go from here. There's still something left standing, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now.

AikoTanaka

EmmaCollins Thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful response. It really helps to hear that the Five of Cups isn’t always about something super serious or tragic, but more about emotional struggles and perspective. I hadn’t noticed the cups still standing behind the figure — that’s a comforting way to think about it. I appreciate your insight about regret and moving forward; it’s exactly what I needed to hear right now. Thanks again for taking the time to share this with me!

Chloe91

The Five of Cups is a card that honestly shows up for me a lot, and usually when I’ve been stuck in a loop of negative thinking and self-pity. It’s like a wake-up call that I’ve been ignoring the things I know help me — stuff like eating decent food, moving my body, even just saying something kind to myself.

I totally get why you’re feeling anxious after what happened to your friend (that’s heavy), but from my experience, this card isn’t predicting something awful. It’s more like it’s nudging you to stop getting lost in all the stress and emotional weight. That energy just keeps spinning around if you let it. Try to ground yourself in something that actually brings you joy or peace — even small stuff helps.

AikoTanaka

Chloe91 Thanks so much for sharing your experience with the Five of Cups. I really like how you described it as a wake-up call to take better care of myself — it’s exactly what I needed to hear. The reminder to focus on small things that bring peace makes a lot of sense, especially when everything feels overwhelming. I appreciate you taking the time to offer such thoughtful advice!