#The Tarot of Eli, LLC
Above all things, know thyself!
Thoth- 6 of Cups-Pleasure
#6. In all things, Great and Small, I see the Beauty of the divine expression.
The Arcane Tarot- 6 of Cups
The Solar Intelligence of Tiphareth — The Soul as Golden Light
From the Sepher Yetzirah and the Thirty-Two Paths of Wisdom
In Kether abides the Radix of Golden Glory, a pure, primitive, and scintillant golden brilliance. This Light descends and is reflected into Tiphareth, forming the first complete reflected Triad. Here the Solar current finds its seat, operating through Shemesh, the Light of the Sun, bestowing Life, Brilliance, and vital animation within manifest form.
This sphere is governed by YHVH Eloah va-Daath, the Divine Name of Knowledge and Illumination, ruling the Light of the Universe. Its Archangel is Raphael, Prince of Beauty, Healing, and Life. Its Angelic Order is the Melechim—Kings and Angelic Rulers—also known as the Virtues, the luminous powers that govern harmony in form.
This poetic doctrine describes the Sixth Sephirah, the Solar Intelligence—the Sun/Son of the Divine Creative. It is the Soul, the True Identity behind personality and mask, the Psyche that knows itself as:
“I AM the Light.”
The Six of Cups — Pleasure: The Solar Garden of the Soul
In the Thoth Tarot, the Six of Cups bears the title Pleasure—yet this is not indulgence, nostalgia, nor hedonism. It is the pleasure of harmony, the sacred sensuality that arises when the Soul is aligned with its own inner Sun.
This card reveals pleasure as coherence—when desire, feeling, and spirit are no longer at odds, but resonate in Solar equilibrium.
Astrological & Sephirothic Placement
Sun in Scorpio
Tiphareth in Briah (the World of Creation)
Scorpio is often misunderstood as merely sexual or emotional. In truth, it governs regenerative Eros, psychic depth, and transformative union. When filtered through Tiphareth, Scorpio’s intensity becomes radiant rather than compulsive—desire transfigured into creative fire, passion refined into conscious love.
This is the holy combustion of the heart.
Solar Pleasure — The Seed of Ecstasy
Tiphareth stands at the center of the Tree, the mirror of Kether within the Ruach. Here, the ego yields to the Self; the personality aligns with the Angel. The pleasure of the Six of Cups arises when the Solar Self is permitted to shine without distortion.
Soul.
This pleasure is not fleeting. It is regenerative, bubbling up from an inexhaustible inner wellspring and expressing itself as:
Joyful sensuality and affection
The innocence of mutual giving and receiving
Emotional equilibrium infused with spiritual desire
The erotic dimension here is essential—but not merely physical. It is Eros in its ancient sense: the binding force of the cosmos, the magnetic attraction of Soul toward Soul.
The Grail of Tiphareth Overflowing
In the image, six lotus-cups overflow into one another. This is not excess—it is rhythmic reciprocity. Each cup gives and receives in perfect balance.
The symbolism reveals:
The Heart as Grail—always full, always pouring, never emptied
Reciprocity in divine love and soul intimacy
The Lover’s Union: microcosm and macrocosm mirrored in harmony
Pleasure, here, is not escape.
It is return.
The Solar–Sexual Nexus
The Six of Cups teaches that true pleasure is spiritual. It arises when body, emotion, and soul are aligned—when the inner Sun shines into the heart, and the heart shines into the world.
In the Hermetic current:
The sexual force of Yesod is uplifted to Tiphareth, becoming Love as Law
Desire is raised into the sphere of the Angel
This is the foundation of sex magick and alchemical union
As articulated by Aleister Crowley, Love is the law, love under will.
The Six of Cups is the sacrament of that love.
This is Scorpio transfigured by the Sun—the depths of desire turned to gold.
Crowley said it best in his Book of Thoth, pg., 199:
"Pleasure", in the title of this card, must be understood in its highest sense: it implies well-being, harmony of natural forces without effort or strain, ease, satisfaction. Foreign to the idea of the card is the gratification of natural or artificial desires. Yet it does represent emphatically the fulfillment of the sexual Will, as shown by the ruling Sephira, planet, element, and sign. "
Mystical Reading — Tiphareth’s Joy in the Flesh
When the Six of Cups appears in a reading, it may indicate:
Holy pleasure: intimacy, romance, spiritual eroticism
The body experienced as temple, and touch as prayer
The soul’s quiet joy in full presence and radiance
The Six of Cups is Tiphareth’s smile.
It is the Heart-Sun whispering:
“It is good. Let it overflow.”
Integration with the Goddess Current
Through a Goddess lens, this card is where Aphrodite meets the Solar Logos.
Or where Hathor pours golden wine into the Grail of the Heart.
Here the feminine is not passive—it is radiant.
Pleasure becomes power.
Receptivity becomes illumination.
Conclusion — Solar Pleasure as Initiation
The Six of Cups reveals that pleasure, when born of the aligned Soul, is initiation. It is not distraction—it is communion.
In the Hermetic Way, pleasure is not denied nor feared. It is embraced, consecrated, and transmuted into Light.
For what is Tiphareth, if not the Sun of the Soul—
forever giving, forever glowing, forever embracing the dark and making it gold?
Lived Gnosis — When the Sun Dwells in Scorpio
As one born with the Sun in Scorpio and the Moon in Cancer, I have come to know the Six of Cups not as theory, but as lived state. My inner Sun pours warmth and pleasure into a deeply watery emotional world. What now radiates as ease and joy was not always so, for the combined depths of Scorpio and a Cancer Moon form an ocean capable of both immense nourishment and overwhelming shadow.
These waters must be mastered before they can be enjoyed.
Through more than five decades devoted to metaphysics, Western Hermeticism, Qabalistic Tarot, Tantra, and pranayama meditation, the inner work slowly transmuted intensity into coherence. Depth ceased to be turbulence and became capacity. Emotion ceased to drown the Sun and instead learned to reflect it.
In this refinement, the Dionysian current—Bacchus—was no longer repressed nor allowed to run wild, but enthroned. He was released to revel within the halls of hearth and heart, not as excess, but as consecrated joy. Pleasure ceased to be something sought or grasped; it became a state of being, a Solar warmth that continuously animates the emotional body from within.
This is the Six of Cups lived daily:
a heated glow of bright pleasure, steady, regenerative, and self-sustaining.
When the inner Sun is properly seated in the heart, and the waters of emotion are purified rather than denied, pleasure no longer needs pursuit.
It simply is.
I do not seek pleasure—
I AM Pleasure.
Spirit as Breath — The Solar Life of the Soul
The body does not generate Spirit.
Rather, Spirit inhabits the body as Prana—a Solar vital force emanating directly from the Sixth-Dimensional center of Self, known in Qabalah as Tiphareth, the Sphere of Beauty.
It is this Solar Spirit that causes the breath within the body, not the other way around.
This truth is linguistically encoded in the very word Spirit, which derives from the Greek spiro—to breathe. Breath is not merely a biological function; it is the signature of indwelling consciousness. Where breath moves, Spirit is present. Where Spirit withdraws, the body falls silent.
The Universal Breath—Eheieh—is the primal source of Life itself. It is not created by flesh, chemistry, or brain activity. It precedes form, descends into form, and animates form from within. Breath is the visible trace of an invisible Presence.
Thus, Spirit is not born of the body.
The body is borrowed by Spirit.
Your original identity, prior to name, personality, memory, or incarnation, is not the body, nor the emotions, nor even the thinking mind.
Your original identity is this simple, luminous truth:
I AM Spirit.
And it is this Spirit—Solar, breathing, self-aware—that shines through Tiphareth as the living center of the Soul, forever giving Life, Beauty, and Presence to the world it inhabits.
This bears repeating as an integral part of the Six of Cups.
Breath, Spirit, and the Solar Pleasure of Tiphareth
The pleasure revealed in the Six of Cups is not generated by the body, nor by emotion alone. It arises from a deeper truth: the body does not create Spirit. Spirit occupies the body as Prana, a Solar vital force descending directly from Tiphareth, the Sixth Sephiroth—the radiant center of the Soul.
This Solar Spirit is the cause of breath, not its byproduct. Breath is the visible rhythm of an invisible Presence.
The very word Spirit reveals this mystery, arising from the Greek spiro—to breathe. Breath is therefore not merely biological; it is the signature of indwelling consciousness. Where breath moves freely, Spirit is present and pleasure can circulate without obstruction. Where breath is constricted, pleasure contracts and the Solar current dims.
In Qabalistic doctrine, the Universal Breath—Eheieh—is the primal source of Life itself. It descends into the Ruach through Tiphareth, animating the emotional waters and sensual body from above rather than rising from below. Thus, pleasure in the Six of Cups is not instinctual indulgence, but Solar respiration—the Soul breathing itself into form.
This is why the Six of Cups feels regenerative rather than draining. The pleasure it signifies does not exhaust the body or enslave the emotions. It restores them, because it originates in the Solar Self. Emotion becomes reflective rather than turbulent; sensation becomes sacramental rather than compulsive.
When the breath is aligned with Spirit, and Spirit is centered in Tiphareth, pleasure ceases to be something pursued. It becomes a state of being, a gentle warmth continuously radiating through the heart.
The Six of Cups thus teaches a profound Hermetic axiom:
Pleasure is the Soul remembering how to breathe.
And in that remembrance, the True Identity is quietly restored—not as desire seeking fulfillment, but as Presence already complete.
The placement of the Sun in the House of Scorpio in an astrological chart can have a significant impact on a person's personality and life. Since you who seek have an interest in Tarot, Western Hermetic metaphysics and astrology, I'll provide some insights into this particular aspect of astrology.
Intense and Passionate: Scorpio is known for its intensity, and when the Sun is in this sign, individuals tend to be passionate about their goals and pursuits. They have a deep well of energy and determination.
Emotional Depth: Scorpio is a water sign, and when the Sun is in Scorpio's house, it enhances emotional depth. These individuals are often in touch with their emotions on a profound level, and they may be drawn to exploring the mysteries of the human psyche.
Determination: Scorpio is a fixed sign, which means that those with the Sun in Scorpio's house are known for their unwavering determination. Once they set their sights on a goal, they are likely to pursue it with incredible persistence.
Magnetic and Mysterious: Scorpio is associated with mystery and secrecy. People with the Sun in Scorpio's house often have a magnetic and enigmatic quality that draws others to them. They may have a natural talent for uncovering hidden truths.
Transformation: Scorpio is also associated with transformation and rebirth. Individuals with this placement may go through significant life changes and experiences that lead to personal growth and transformation.
Desire for Depth: Those with the Sun in Scorpio's house are typically not satisfied with surface-level interactions. They crave depth and authenticity in their relationships and may be drawn to exploring esoteric or occult subjects.
Challenges: On the challenging side, Scorpio energy can be associated with jealousy, possessiveness, and a tendency to hold grudges. It's important for individuals with this placement to be mindful of these potential pitfalls.
It's important to remember that the interpretation of an astrological chart is highly individualized and depends on the entire birth chart, including the positions of other planets and aspects between them. Consulting with a professional astrologer can provide you with a more detailed and personalized analysis of your Sun in Scorpio's house placement.
Pleasure as the Adorable Fire of Tiphareth
As previously stated, Pleasure—the natural and exact title of this card—is not to be confused with the mundane pleasures of a pain-fleeing, instant-gratification, pill-mediated social egregore. That counterfeit pleasure seeks numbness, escape, and distraction. The Six of Cups speaks of something far older, far subtler, and far more luminous.
This is pleasure in its highest Hermetic sense, what Paul Foster Case described as the “adorable fire.” By this, he did not mean passion strained through desire or excess, but well-being itself—the effortless harmony of natural forces moving in right proportion. It is satisfaction without grasping, joy without agitation, warmth without fever.
This pleasure arises when nothing is resisted and nothing is forced.
In the Six of Cups, pleasure is therefore a state of equilibrium, not stimulation. It is the gentle radiance that appears when Solar Spirit, emotional water, and sensual form are aligned without friction. There is no strain, no hunger, no compulsion—only ease, coherence, and quiet delight.
The Arcane Tarot – Six of Cups bears a clear artistic kinship to Rider-Waite-Smith symbology, yet it abandons literal figuration in favor of symbolic abstraction. Gone is the familiar scene of a young boy offering a golden cup of white flowers to a young girl. In its place appears a carefully structured arrangement of chalices, wine glasses, jewels, and birds—a tableau that speaks more to inner states than outer narrative.
At the upper register stand three jeweled golden chalices. The central cup is empty, flanked by two cups filled with brightly colored birds. Below, three more vessels echo this pattern: a centered golden chalice bearing a blue jewel, accompanied by two wine glasses, each again containing a bird.
This repetition of form suggests memory circulating through levels of consciousness. The empty cup acts as a receptive womb—memory not yet filled—while the birds symbolize living impressions, emotional echoes that remain animated within the psyche. Memory here is not static recollection; it is breathing imagery, still capable of flight.
The Inner Child as Psychic Reservoir
Though the Arcane Tarot removes the overt image of childhood figures, the meaning remains unmistakable. This card still speaks directly to childhood memory and the Inner Child, but does so inwardly rather than sentimentally.
The birds within the cups suggest preserved vitality—joy, innocence, and emotional color that has not been lost, only stored. The jeweled chalices imply value: what is remembered here is precious, even if long forgotten.
In contrast to the Thoth Six of Cups—where pleasure arises from Solar alignment in the present—the Arcane Six of Cups emphasizes pleasure remembered, and the healing potential that arises when memory is revisited consciously rather than compulsively.
Divinatory Meanings
Upright
You may find yourself revisiting your youth, reconnecting with old friends, or reflecting on formative experiences. These memories are not distractions; they offer nourishment. By honoring the Inner Child, joy and emotional ease can be restored in the present.
Relationships
Shared memories strengthen bonds. Reminiscing together may deepen intimacy and trust. This can also be an auspicious time to introduce a partner to family or to shared roots, reinforcing emotional continuity.
Career
Colleagues may bond over shared history or past successes. Revisiting earlier projects can restore harmony within the group and remind the team of its original cohesion and purpose.
Reversed
Nostalgia may be hardening into attachment. The past, once nourishing, risks becoming a refuge that prevents growth. Alternatively, the reversal may indicate a neglected Inner Child calling for reconnection—not to remain in the past, but to reclaim lost vitality.
Hermetic Contrast with the Thoth Six of Cups
Where the Thoth Tarot reveals Pleasure as a Solar condition of present alignment, the Arcane Tarot reveals pleasure as memory reawakened. One glows from the Heart-Sun now; the other gently opens the psychic archive to retrieve what still lives.
Together they teach a complete Hermetic lesson:
Thoth: Pleasure is what you are when aligned with the Solar Self.
Arcane: Pleasure is what you remember when the Inner Child is honored.
One is Tiphareth radiant.
The other is Yesod reflective.
And when memory is healed, it can rise—
to meet the Sun.
Tantric–Hermetic Insight: Sexen, Six, and the Solar Heart
From a Tantric–Yogic and Hermetic perspective, the title Pleasure in the Six of Cups opens into a far deeper mystery of vital life force and sacred union. The word sex, derived from the Latin sex (six), resonates profoundly with the Egyptian concept of Sexen—a term denoting copulation, union, or joining. This convergence is not merely linguistic curiosity; it is esoteric correspondence.
This Solar–sexual doctrine of pleasure as sacred union is not abstract philosophy; it is mythically embodied in the Egyptian current through the eternal hieros gamos of Isis and Osiris.
As the Thoth Tarot is rightly known as the “Egyptian Tarot,” Egyptian metaphysics is especially apropos here. Sexen did not imply base physicality, but creative union as a cosmological act—the joining of complementary forces through which life, order, and renewal arise.
The unions of Isis and Osiris exemplify this truth: love, separation, reunion, and regeneration form a sacred cycle. Sexuality, in this context, is theurgic—a rite through which divine forces re-enter manifestation. Creation itself proceeds through union, whether spoken through the Heart and Tongue of Ptah or enacted through sacred embrace.
Six as the Number of Solar Union
This Egyptian doctrine aligns perfectly with Six, the number of Tiphareth (Tephareth), the Solar Heart of the Tree of Life.
Six is:
The number of balance, beauty, and harmony
The midpoint that reconciles polarities
The number of the hexagram, the sign of macrocosmic union
The sphere of the Holy Guardian Angel and the Grail
In Tiphareth, opposites are not suppressed but harmonized. Mercy and Severity, Desire and Intellect, Fire and Water are brought into equilibrium through Solar consciousness.
Thus, when Six (Sex) and Sexen converge, they reveal a singular Hermetic truth:
True union is Solar.
Sex, raised from instinct to consciousness, becomes an act of radiant balance rather than compulsion. It is not driven by lack, but by overflow.
The Six of Cups as Sacred Erotic Harmony
In the Six of Cups, this doctrine is made visible.
Sexen represents creative union
Six represents Solar harmony
Pleasure becomes the joy of erotic–spiritual alignment
Here, sexual force is no longer bound to Yesod alone. It is lifted into Tiphareth, where desire is transfigured into love, and love into beauty.
Pleasure becomes a mirror of the Sun:
Radiant rather than consuming
Generative rather than exhausting
Harmonious rather than addictive
This is why the pleasure of this card is restorative. It does not deplete the soul—it confirms it.
Inner Alchemy: Copulation as Solar Rite
Understood esoterically, Sexen becomes a code for inner alchemy.
“To unite” is not merely to join bodies, but to merge:
Soul with soul
Sun with Sun
Consciousness with consciousness
When union is aligned with Tiphareth, it becomes:
A ritual of beauty
A prayer enacted through the body
A sacred pleasure that opens the Heart-Sun
This is the deeper teaching of the Six of Cups:
Pleasure as praise.
Not indulgence.
Not nostalgia.
But the Solar Self rejoicing in harmonious union.
Hermetic Seal
Sexen is Six.
Six is the Sun in the Heart.
The Sun rejoices in union.
Union is the Grail overflowing.
As above so below!
In Tarot, numerology and gematria, the number 6 carries significant symbolism and attributes. Here's an exploration of its characteristics in both contexts:
Numerology
In numerology, the number 6 is associated with:
Harmony and Balance: The number 6 is often seen as a symbol of harmony, balance, and equilibrium. It represents the need for stability in all aspects of life, including relationships, work, and personal well-being.
Responsibility and Service: It is considered the number of responsibility, service to others, and domesticity. Those influenced by the number 6 are often nurturing, caring, and concerned with the welfare of others.
Love and Compassion: The number 6 is closely linked to love, compassion, and empathy. It signifies a deep connection to family, friends, and community, emphasizing the importance of caring for and supporting others.
Aesthetic Appreciation: People associated with the number 6 often have a strong sense of beauty and aesthetics. They are drawn to creating harmonious and pleasing environments, whether through art, design, or simply their living spaces.
Healing and Protection: The number 6 is also related to healing and protection. It is considered a guardian number, providing a sense of security and safety to those around it.
Gematria (Qabalistic numerology)
In gematria, the number 6 has different associations depending on the tradition (Hebrew, Greek, etc.). Here are some key points:
Hebrew Gematria: In Hebrew gematria, each letter has a numerical value. The letter Vav (ו) has the value of 6. Vav is a connecting letter, often used as a conjunction meaning "and." This can be seen as a symbol of connection and continuity.
Symbolism in Judaism: The number 6 is significant in Judaism as it represents creation. According to the Torah, God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. This makes 6 a number of completion and creation.
Hexagon and Star of David: The hexagon and the Star of David (a six-pointed star) are geometric representations associated with the number 6. The hexagon is considered a symbol of harmony and balance in nature (e.g., honeycombs).
Tiferet/Tiphareth: In the Kabbalistic/Qabalistic Tree of Life, the number 6 corresponds to the sephirah Tiferet/Tiphareth, which represents beauty, harmony, and compassion. Tiferet/Tiphareth is central to balancing the other sephiroth and is associated with the heart.
Greek Gematria: In Greek gematria, the number 6 is less emphasized compared to its prominence in Hebrew tradition. However, it still retains symbolic significance, often representing the physical world and humanity.
Overall, the number 6 in numerology and gematria is rich with meanings related to harmony, balance, love, service, and connection. Its attributes encourage nurturing, protection, and the creation of beauty and stability in various aspects of life.
I have that answers to your questions. Log onto Eli's Thoth Tarot Guide for concise answers to Western Hermetic Tarot, Tantra, Qabalah, and magick.
When the 6 of Cups is thrown during a reading it implies.
- The querent is experiencing emotional pleasure, in a period of 6 weeks or 6monts of giving to and receiving pleasure from others.
- A period of innocence and taking immense pleasure in one's childlike qualities.
- They may be experiencing an orgasmic rush of feelings, a wave of ecstasy that even sad feelings being actively expressed, feel good in release.
- The querent may also be experiencing sweet memories of the past, as past efforts bring present rewards.
- The querent's sexual sun is fully shining, producing a summer crop of pleasure throughout the body.
- Karmic rootedness.
- Sexual and emotional strength.
- Love and being loved.
- Balance and peace.
If ill defined by the surrounding cards in the layout, it implies.
- Emotional imprisonment.
- Flight from reality.
- Not recognizing happiness.
- Unbalanced or excessive behavior.
🌟 Thank You for Supporting the Work of Light
Your interest, thoughtful comments, and generous donations are received with gratitude and reflected back to you as blessings. In the act of giving, you affirm your own abundance — for true prosperity is a cycle of flow.
May your path be ever bright,
May your Will be radiant and sovereign,
And may you live long and prosper under the Sun of your Soul.
— Magus Eli
3 Western Hermetic Magick Tarot sites helping people become more magic and less tragic since 2010
For information concerning individual online Thoth Tarot Readings and/or Thoth Tarot Master Classes, just log onto-elitarotstrickingly.com- and click on the Tarot-Store page. Thank you.
Traditional Tarot Card Comparisons blog and tarot layout store.
Western Hermetic Magick rituals and invocations and magick blogs.
Subscribe to get your blogs automatically as they are produced in your email!
