This is never a card anyone likes to see in a reading but it reflects a common human experience and one needed for growth. The cups have spilled and are empty. Outside we see that the storm is still brewing. It’s not as strong but it’s still going. This lets us know that the situation is not over yet.

But the important thing is to notice what the figure in the image is doing. She is looking and reflecting. She is not running away or turning her head. She is openly examining the situation. She is experiencing the pain of this heartbreak.

Leaning in to our pain and sitting with it is a challenge few of us want to face. We numb with alcohol, technology, overloading our schedules, work, and other distractions. Yes, some of these are necessary (food, work, social time, raising our kids, for example.) But we over do them. They become ways to avoid just sitting quietly and feeling our pain. Trust me, this is my journey right now. It is tempting to numb myself, but instead I challenge myself to experience the full feeling of the Five of Cups.