So today I’m unpacking this Ace of Cups business, especially when people ask straight-up yes-or-no questions about feelings. Honestly, I used to just give textbook answers until Karen actually DM’d me crying last week over some ‘does he like me?’ nonsense. That smacked me in the face – cards ain’t algebra. Gotta feel ’em. So I grabbed my deck, spilled coffee on the guidebook (classic), and just dove in.

My Dumb Idea

Started simple. Flipped my Rider-Waite Ace of Cups upright for a ‘YES’ scenario. Stared at it. Water pouring out, cup overflowing, dove… textbook “new feelings,” right? But holding it, I thought about pure, unstoppable emotion. Like when you see a puppy video and your chest gets warm. Yeah, that’s a big fat emotional YES. But here’s where my thick skull kicked in – I only focused on the bright side. Mistake number one.

Throwing Cards at Reality

Tried it on my own mess. Asked: “Should I tell my buddy I miss hanging out?” Pulled the Ace of Cups upright. Water flowing freely? Felt like a green light. Texted him. He replied instantly with “Bro, same! Pub tonight?” Easy YES. Confidence soared. Too soon.

Next day, same question about a different friend I had drama with: “Should I reach out?” Ace of Cups upright again. Textbook said YES! I sent this long, heartfelt apology. Radio silence for days. Turned out he blocked me. So much for “overflowing positive feelings.” Lesson punched me hard: context is EVERYTHING. That upright Ace CAN mean deep feelings, but is it mutual? Or is it just MY cup overflowing onto cement?

Flipping the Script (Literally)

Dug deeper. Reversed the Ace. Ugly truth time. That overflowing cup? Tipped upside down. Water draining away. Dry. Hollow. Felt cold holding it. Tried it: “Is she still into me?” Ace reversed. Oof. That emptiness screamed blocked emotions, love drying up. Gut said NO. Confirmed later – she’d moved on. But another time, same reversed card for “Should I open up about my anxiety?” Dry cup meaning blocked emotions. Felt dangerous. But…reversed can sometimes mean ‘not ready yet’, not a permanent NO. Didn’t open up then, but started therapy later. So, nuances:

• Upright YES-ish: Deep feelings exist, potential for new connections, emotional opening… BUT needs context like mutual interest.
• Reversed NO-ish: Blocked emotions, disconnection, emotional exhaustion… BUT might mean ‘not now’ or needs protection.

Why Strict Yes/No is Dumb (For Feelings)

Learned the hard way that slapping a YES or NO on the Ace of Cups for feelings is like trying to catch the water pouring out. It’s messy. That ‘YES’ for my friend worked because we both genuinely missed each other. That other ‘YES’? Pure wishful thinking. Reversed usually leans NO, especially about reciprocation, but sometimes it just screams “protect your cup!” or “this ain’t the time.” Stopped giving simple answers. Now I force people (and myself) to ask better questions. Instead of “Does he love me?” try “What’s the nature of these feelings?” The card shows potential, flow, blockage – not a binary switch.

End result? My guidebook’s still coffee-stained, but my brain’s clearer. The Ace ain’t a traffic light. It’s a damn waterfall – powerful, overwhelming, life-giving, but you gotta look at where the water’s flowing (or not flowing) right now.