A beautiful scene unfolds in the potent Ten of Cups as a rainbow spreads across the top of the card, holding 10 golden goblets within its changing hues. A man and woman stand gazing at the sky, arm in arm while their two children frolic innocently below – too absorbed in their play to realize the wonder happening above them. A bubbling stream runs through one corner of the card while a small house surrounded by lush trees sits comfortably in the background. In this idyllic panorama, it is easy to see how this fortunate couple have all that they need – a beautiful home, healthy children, love and support for one another and a gorgeous rainbow to illustrate their deep contentment and joy.
Rainbows symbolize many things but are perhaps most often linked to the biblical story in Genesis, when God sent a great flood to destroy the earth as he saw it was filled with violence and corruption. Only Noah and his kin were deemed worthy to survive and so they built a giant ark, in which they lived safely after the heavens opened with an outpouring of rain for 40 days and 40 nights. The ark also held male and female pairs of all sorts of animals and living creatures, and they all sailed on the ark for 150 days – after which the floods finally subsided, and a beautiful rainbow appeared. That’s when God told Noah that the rainbow would forever be a sign of his promise to never again allow floods to destroy all life. The rainbow has thus become a symbol of new beginnings and resurrections, of sacred promises, of hope, love, second chances and prosperity. The rainbow in the Ten of Cups echoes these sentiments in its peaceful sweep across the sky.
What makes this card so powerful is the gratitude we see between the loving family, especially the husband and wife, who because they are not as innocent or carefree as their children, do not take their fortunate circumstances for granted. Without awareness and gratitude, happiness is attained in short glimpses and is often strained by cynicism, judgment or entitlement. But when humble thanks and sweet tidings are felt for all the gifts life has already bestowed upon us, happiness is not what we are, but WHO we are. We don’t need to grasp at what makes us feel happy because we ARE happiness. In our gratitude and appreciation, we have adopted happiness in its truest form. One that humbles us, widens us, deepens us and helps us understand that though comfort and fortune come and go, contentment can live with us forever if we let it.
When the Ten of Cups appears in a reading, we are facing a domestically blissful situation such as marriage, the purchase of our dream home, the raising of healthy kin and the natural expansion of our families, or financially supportive developments. Domestic or otherwise, this card shows us how valuable recognizing all the positive qualities in our current situation can be. In our search for success, contentment or security, gratitude is an essential element.
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is surely growing in the gardens of the Ten of Cups. This popular aromatic shrub belonging to the mint family (Lamiaceae) is native to drier, warmer regions of Europe, Asia and Northern Africa, with an affinity for maritime breezes and loads of sunshine. Extremely versatile, the small purple flowers of this plant are commonly found in soaps, bath salts, lotions, cosmetics, perfumes, candles, and even desserts such as chocolates or ice cream. Originally it was used as a bath additive in ancient Persia, Greece, and Rome where it was thought to purify the body and mind. Current scientific research has uncovered multiple benefits to the flowers and volatile oils of Lavender, such as its ability to reduce anxiety, depression, and insomnia by helping to lower heart rates and blood pressure. In one study at King's College London, the mood, alertness, calmness, and anxiety of participants were assessed using lavender aromatherapy against music therapy, in which Lavender yielded superior results. This may be attributed to the action of its essential oil upon serotonin neurotransmission through 5-HT receptors. Phytochemicals found in this unassuming plant include linalool, linalyl acetate, terpinen-4-ol and camphor which help to give it its anxiolytic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties. For this reason, further research is being conducted to see how it can be used to reduce skin conditions such as acne, eczema and dermatitis.
Let Lavender and the Ten of Cups help make your domestic life blissful and serene. Gratitude, humility, appreciation and awareness are the essential ingredients to happiness – with these in hand, your sweetest dreams and fantasies are already on their way to coming true.
*Tarot reading is based on the Rider-Waite Tarot Card deck, illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith
References
Bowman, Joe. “The Many Benefits of Lavender for Mood, Sleep, Hair, and Skin.” Healthline, 30 October 2023. https://www.healthline.com/health/what-lavender-can-do-for-you
Holy Bible, New International Version, Genesis 6:9-9:17. Bible Gateway, 2011. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%206%3A9-9%3A17&version=NIV
Pollack, Rachel. Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom. San Francisco, Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC, 2007. P193 – 194
Shweta Kajjari, Riddhi S Joshi, Shivayogi M Hugar, et al. “The Effects of Lavender Essential Oil and its Clinical Implications in Dentistry: A Review.” National Center for Biotechnology Information, May-June 2022.