The King of Cups is also the Prince of the Chariot of the Waters and has an affinity with the Water signs of Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. He represents mastery of the emotional realm, spirituality, creativity and empathy.
This King is quite unlike the other Kings in the Tarot - he is compassionate, fair, kind and aware. He understands the depths of despair and also the heights of true happiness. His ability to empathise with those who are in trouble and pain mean that he can often be found in the healing professions, or working in a spiritual capacity.
The evolved King has transcended the need for petty emotions and dramas, and can teach you a lot about transcending your own. As a person he can be a calming influence and may arrive on the scene to provide emotional balancing and a detached perspective, which is hard for those of us who are caught up inside of an emotional storm.
He can put things in perspective for you by a word or gesture that restores your faith in yourself and in others. Occasionally he may cause problems with his ability to detach emotionally from any situation he is in, and might give the impression of not being in touch with 'reality'. But just because your idea of reality and his don't match, does not mean that one is better than the other.
It is just a different perspective on life and it is always worth considering others' perspectives since you can not know that yours is absolutely correct. By opening yourself up to other ways of looking at life and love and all sorts of relationships, you gain a maturity and openness that will draw you into a better future.
When the King of Cups appears in a reading, he heralds a time for you when you have the opportunity to develop your own powers of intuition, compassion and love.
Meditation and spending time alone with your thoughts and emotions will be very healing for you now.
Image from "Animals Divine Tarot" © Lisa Hunt