The 8 of Swords in Tarot often represents feeling trapped or limited by one’s own thoughts or circumstances. Here are the key negative meanings associated with this card:
- Feeling restricted: The 8 of Swords suggests a sense of being trapped or bound by self-imposed limitations. It can indicate a state of feeling stuck or helpless in a particular situation.
- Mental confinement: This card often symbolises overthinking or excessive worry that hinders progress. It suggests a need to examine the restrictive beliefs or negative thought patterns that may be holding you back.
- Self-imposed restrictions: The 8 of Swords can be a reminder that you have the power to break free from self-imposed limitations. It encourages you to recognise your own inner strength and to confront any fears or doubts that may be impeding your progress.
The Bright Side of the 8 of Swords
But is this card always bad or negative? No card in the Tarot is all negative or all positive. So what positive meanings can we glean from the 8 of Swords?
- Breaking free from limitations: The 8 of Swords can indicate a breakthrough, where you are able to release yourself from self-imposed limitations. This card represents the recognition of your inner power and the potential to overcome any obstacles that have been holding you back.
- Gaining mental clarity: While the 8 of Swords is often associated with mental confinement, it can also signify a shift in your mindset towards greater clarity and understanding. This card suggests that you have the ability to untangle your thoughts and find solutions to the challenges you face.
- Finding inner strength: The 8 of Swords reminds you that you possess the strength and resilience to navigate difficult situations. This card encourages you to tap into your inner wisdom and trust your intuition. It serves as a reminder that you have what it takes to overcome any challenges that come your way.
Remember, Tarot cards can be interpreted differently depending on the context of the reading and the surrounding cards. Always trust your intuition and personal connection with the cards to get a more accurate understanding of their message.
Feeling Into the 8 of Swords Energy
The 8 of Swords (Jupiter in Gemini) is the card of the person who has not yet learned to observe and release their thoughts. Their personal power is tied up by the cunning of the ego-mind which keeps us prisoner to fear, worry and anxiety.
The 8 of Swords also represents the noise of our society in general and how stillness for the sake of being still is frowned upon. It is in silence that we are able to connect with that still small voice within. And that voice is the enemy of the noise of the world.
“If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it’s not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever.”
~ Dalai Lama XIV
The 8 of Swords corresponds with Jupiter (planet of expansion) in Gemini (Mutable Air) and a propensity for utterly self-defeating hyper-activity of the mind. Think hamster on speed in an exercise wheel. While we should never use Tarot cards to diagnose a condition, the energy of the 8 of Swords resonates with several types of non-neurotypical patterns and behaviours.
Becoming the Observer
The first step to freedom is the realisation that we are not our thoughts. Only through silent meditation and contemplation of deep philosophical truths can we learn to observe the mind with compassion from the point of view of the Higher Self.
The paradox is that only through the mind can we liberate ourselves from the self-defeating power of the mind. The difference lies in if the ego controls the mind or if it defers to the compassion of the Higher Self. In the case of the latter, we strive to feed the mind with spiritually uplifting literature, meditation, prayers and affirmations.
Metacognition is the secret treasure found in the 8 of Swords. This energy forces us to analyse how we think. It’s the ‘thinking about thinking’ card.
“Our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strengths.”
~ Charles H. Spurgeon
Affirmation: “I am free to observe my mind from a place of peace and stillness within where new opportunities soon become apparent to me.”
8 of Swords Prayer
Dear Mother-Father God, thank you for curing the blindness and busyness of the ego mind. Help me become the Observer of my thoughts from a place of pure compassion. Amen and so it is!
Correspondences for 8 of Swords
Zodiac Sign: Gemini
Planet: Jupiter
Archangel: Raphael, ruler of the Element of Air
Gemstones: Lapis lazuli, green agate and aquamarine
Essential oils: Frankincense, chamomile and lavender
The 8 of Swords in Love and Relationships
If this card symbolises you in a love or relationship reading, your mind is working overtime and holding you captive. You could be imagining the worst about the relationship without evidence. Your partner working late turns into fantasies about them cheating. Any time they spend on the computer makes you suspicious of emotional cheating. You may even be tempted to rummage through their mobile phone messages.
STOP! You are on a negative downward spiral. You need to reintroduce the element of trust and find a way of freeing yourself from suspicion, mistrust and jealousy. Try communicating instead but first, you need to calm your mind.
The good news is, it’s literally all in your mind!
If this card symbolises the energetic connection between you and your partner, it is probably riddled with miscommunication or withholding… or both. As we all know, communication is the key to building trusting and lasting relationships. There are simply too many crossed wires here and there may be a need to ask for help via, for instance, a relationship counsellor. But it all depends on the surrounding cards. Sometimes, the 8 of Swords is a good indication that you are better off parting ways.
Single and looking
In a single person’s love and romance reading, this card signifies severe self-doubt and comparing oneself to others. It’s the head operating without the heart. There is a need for liberating the mind and reconnecting with the heart. Compassion and loving-kindness have to start with the Self before the heart can open up to love another.
Intimacy
On a physical level, impotence or frigidity brought on by mental stress could be present when the 8 of Swords shows up. It is not a card indicating physical intimacy or any kind of intimacy for that matter. It’s a card of impotence, frigidity and sterility and not a good sign when trying to conceive.
Forget about TTC and focus on falling in love with yourself, your partner and life again so that vitality, abundance and fertility can start flowing once more.
Take me to the Angelic Tarot Card Meanings Index
