I’ve written interpretations for every card in the Wild Unknown Tarot. As the box of the deck states, there are no rights or wrongs. These are simply my perspectives on the tarot card meanings. I hope you find them useful!
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Father of Cups :: Wild Unknown Tarot
Creator’s keywords: supportive, diplomatic
Carrie’s keywords: emotionally intelligent, diplomatic

Father of Cups Tarot Card Meanings in the Wild Unknown

 
The Father of Cups (traditionally known as the King) is just as entrenched in the feeling-world as the Mother of Cups, but he comes at it from a different perspective. I mean this literally AND figuratively! While the Mother faced left, signifying receptivity, the father faces right, signifying activity. He has an adept level of emotional intelligence and embodies this awareness as he interacts with the world.

This card has a white background with vertical black lines that could possibly be rain. While the Mother’s background was mostly dark, the Father’s is mostly light. It is interesting that each of these backgrounds contains a piece of the other’s color, reminiscent of the yin-yang. There’s a bit of the opposite in each side of the spectrum.

While the Mother was a white swan, the Father is a black swan. He looks to be simultaneously poised and productive. He is able to face situations with a sense of dignity and leadership, while remaining considerate of the needs of all parties. He understands the emotional landscape of the outer world and therefore interacts with others diplomatically. He has a calming, stabilizing presence and strives to create peace.  

A black cup resides in the top center of the card. As opposed to the Mother’s ornate goblet, this one is rather plain and simple. The Father of Cups is a master of the emotional realm, he is capable of navigating emotional energy from a centered, level-headed frame of mind.

King of Cups Tarot Card Meanings in General

Most decks use the title King of Cups for this card. We took a gender neutral approach, titling the card Elder for the Spacious Tarot (shown with various cards from the tarot and a couple from the Spacious Expansion Pack). As the final rank in the court cards, the Kings/Elders have achieved a high level of proficiency in their suit. Therefore, the King of Cups is above all else someone who is highly emotionally intelligence. He not only senses the emotions of other people, he also senses how he might best interact with these emotions.

At his best, he can be a compassionate leader, a counselor, or even an activist. Kings take their understanding of their suit and impose it upon the external world. The King of Cups understands what other people truly need and strives to be an influence for positive change.

In a reading

 

When you see a court card in a reading, it may be asking you to consider how you can embody the positive traits of the card. The Father of Cups might ask you to approach a situation with your head held high. It is possible to be sensitive while also maintaining your leadership. If the Father of Cups were to adopt a slogan, it might be the ever popular “keep calm and carry on.” He is a protector and an encourager. Keep facing forward and stay centered in your approach.

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