FREE Tarot Readings

The "Eights" in the Tarot Deck are often associated with strength. ("Strength" is Card No.8 in the Major Arcana). Some situations require courage and the cards numbered 8 in the Minor Arcana concern taking the necessary action - even when to do so may be difficult.

The Eight of Swords may be dramatically illustrated: The Rider-Waite and Robin Wood Decks both depict a young woman who is blindfold and has her arms bound to her sides standing at a waters edge surrounded by eight swords positioned upright with their sharp points buried in the sand (or mud). In the case of the Robin Wood deck there are also dark clouds above.
These images may appear to be negative and threatening but it is also immediately apparent that there is nothing stopping the woman from walking away from the swords and the water's edge. Perhaps she believes herself to be trapped - but this is not the case.

This card invites the seeker to consider how he/she arrived at the present situation - or his/her current values and perspective. Are they still appropriate ?
If not ... then change must come from the self.

Keywords and phrases summarising the possible meanings of this card include:

• Belief of helplessness
• Fear
• Indecision
• More possibilities than one realises - but action is necessary in order to move on.
• Paralysis
• Self-imposed imprisonment
  (compare with The Devil Card).

Remember that all of the Swords cards in the Tarot Deck have some energies in common. These include, for example, the overall association of the suit of Swords with academic or philosophical thought, intellectual pursuits, truth, and clarity. For further information, also read about the Suit of Swords in general.

Some texts include meanings for "reversed cards", which apply when the cards are shuffled in both order and orientation. This doubles the number of possible "cards" in the deck from 78 to 156. (In terms of the probabilities of obtaining results by chance alone, it is not a simple doubling as once a card has been drawn it cannot be selected again in the opposite orientation in the same reading.)

Why doesn't this page include a picture of this Tarot Card ?