Is Anyone Having Fun?

Tarot’s Three of Cups Reveals Our Shared Need for Joy, Connection, and Celebration

“Remember, there’s more to life than work!” Rina called out as she left our coworking office on Thursday afternoon.
“I don’t believe you!” I joked. We laughed, and I stayed behind, adding yet another hour to my never-ending to-do list.

That moment made me pause: What is my relationship with work? Am I still having fun?

Rediscovering Fun

I was in my mid-twenties when I realised that fun isn’t optional for me. It is a core value. Lately, fun seems to be floating in the collective air. As a tarot reader, I have noticed one card appearing in nearly every reading this month: the Three of Cups.

The Three of Cups: A Seasonal Reminder

In the Waite-Smith deck, the Three of Cups shows three women raising their cups in joyful celebration. They smile at one another, dressed in uplifting colours, surrounded by pumpkins and earthy abundance. The scene whispers autumn.

Picture 1 (from left): The Three of Cups illustrated in the classic Rider–Waite–Smith tarot deck; The Three of Cups from Aleister Crowley’s Thoth Tarot; The Three of Cups from the traditional Marseille Tarot.

Traditionally, autumn was the time after harvest when people could pause, let go, and celebrate the fruits of their labour. It was a season of gratitude and joy before the next cycle began. These days life barrels forward without a break. We rarely stop to appreciate what we have achieved, let alone savour it. The Three of Cups reminds us of that lost rhythm and invites us to reclaim it.

Notice how the figures on the card are not rushing anywhere; they appear completely at ease, fully present in the moment. I also find it fascinating that the scene shows women. Feminine energy is often associated with creativity, play, and emotional connection. Are we doing so much and collectively leaning into masculine energy, the drive, the structure, the constant productivity, that we forget to give space for the feminine to thrive?

Unlike the preceding Two of Cups, which symbolises romantic unity, and the following Four of Cups, which reflects dissatisfaction and emotional boredom, the Three of Cups gently shows how to enjoy life without the rigidity of commitments and expectations.

Does this mean everyone secretly yearns for an affair to spice things up or to quit their jobs and move abroad?
No, not necessarily. The card calls us to rediscover joy through community, celebration, and shared experiences.

Community, Buzzwords, and Playful Rituals

Community is everywhere these days. Companies wrap their products in the shiny packaging of “community” and sell us the lifestyle we crave. Yet the Three of Cups speaks to something deeper. It reflects our collective need for real communities and genuine connections that do not follow trends or require spending money.

Aleister Crowley, an influential occultist and founder of Thelema, named the Three of Cups “The Lord of Abundance”, symbolising emotional and social flourishing, joyful connection, and belonging.

Does this suggest that true abundance can only be felt when we allow ourselves to have fun? Or is it the act of embracing joy that draws abundance towards us?

Astrologically, the Three of Cups falls under the decan of Cancer ruled by Mercury, bringing swift, loving emotions to the fore. Mercury in Cancer encourages creative expression and heartfelt communication. It invites us to feel more, rationalise less, and and perhaps spend an afternoon painting just for the joy of it.

A Collective Call for Joy

My clients often come to me feeling stuck, torn between what they think they should do and what their heart truly desires. This month the cards seem to point to lost enthusiasm and urge us to use joy as a compass for what to do next.

Have we collectively surrendered to the serious side of life, responsibility, productivity, and forgotten to cultivate the little joys that make life worth living?

The Three of Cups whispers: celebrate, connect, and allow yourself to feel joy. Fun is not frivolous. Fun is essential. So if you, just like my clients this month, come across the Three of Cups, ask yourself:

Where can I invite more playfulness into my life today?

Remember life is not just about the harvest. It is about the feast that follows.