Eight of swords tarot card meaning: feeling trapped, self-limitations
Key Points
• Feeling Trapped – The eight of swords is generally depicted as someone who feels trapped and limited, frequently psychically instead of bodily.
• Self-Limitations – This speaks to the things we impose on ourselves and within us, versus externally. It encourages self-awareness and allows you to recognize the areas in which you become mentally stuck so that they can be improved purposefully.
• You Need To See With Fresh Eyes: The Eight of Swords says now is the time to clear your head and see with new eyes too. It means that turning a difficult situation around requires nothing more than an alternative view and perspective.
Table of Contents
The Eight of Swords
The Eight of Swords is a card that speaks to the idea we are feeling hopeless and helpless as though whatever course has been charted for them cannot be avoided.
Rachel Pollack calls it in 78 Degrees of Wisdom, The Wanting to Get Away and the Not Being Able to Syndrome.
It describes a circumstance where the querent feels stuck, usually because their mind is caught up in its own limitations and anxieties.
Symbolism and the Imagery of The Eight of Swords
The card traditionally depicts a woman who is blindfolded with her hands tied behind her back while surrounded by eight swords that are creating an enclosure around her. This is an image of confinement depicted through a visual metaphor.
Blindfolded — her sense of sight disabled by the complete lack of any brightness and understanding;
Chained — laced together from his despair-filled point of view on the entire world, nor can she hope to act, but instead lay here.
Yet still, the swords come crashing towards her only to pass through one another as she finds a way of overcoming them. That she too can be free if and only if she stopped crying to her mother about how scared she is.
- Blindfold: Failure to see or understand.
- Bindings: This represents being stuck or restricted. If your suit choice is swords, it would mean emotions for you to overcome — Swords: Mental challenges and obstacles.
- Sometimes blank. Open space: A place to escape from something.
Conclusion: Sobering and insistent, the Eight of Swords threatens to find places for you in your own head. It is when we understand this symbolism and the imagery that we can truly appreciate the much deeper messages behind it, as a way of overcoming ourselves mentally by breaking through all those emotional chains which hold you back personally.
Eight of Swords Interpretation
The Eight of Swords is a card that often symbolizes limitation and bondage. It represents feelings of being trapped and restricted by one’s own thoughts and perceptions.
8 of Swords Starting
The image often shows a woman tied and blindfolded, surrounded by swords. Yet, she is free to choose between the seven restricting influences. This can suggest the querent is feeling overwhelmed and unable to see or understand something.
The swords are walls, probably mostly mental — so the outer boundaries may be more perception than anything else.
Modern Approaches to the Eight of Swords
The current understanding is that this card now represents empowerment. It can signify limitation as an ancient meaning, but most modern readings say the querent will be able to break free from it.
They can remove the blindfold and free themselves from captivity. This type of view encourages self-awareness and preemptive treatments for the mischievous mind.
Psychological Readings
As with all Eights, the Eight of Swords looks at the theme from a psychological perspective, realizing that many times we seem to hold ourselves back and that these chains are forged in our own minds, consciously or unconsciously.
A blindfold represents not seeing or being conscious of the truth; the swords represent thoughts and beliefs that obstruct energy. The first step you can take is by just being aware that these mental obstacles are there.
The card is a meditation calling on the querent to relinquish something they are too comfortable with and create belief systems based on positives.
Summary Table
| Aspect | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Traditional Meanings | Bondage, limitation, feeling trapped |
| Modern Perspectives | Empowerment, self-liberation, overcoming mental barriers |
| Psychological Interpretations | Mental entrapment, self-sabotage, inner conflicts |
The Eight of Swords in Rachel Pollack’s ’78 Degrees of Wisdom’ is a card full of possibilities and reveals different kinds of baggage as well as the promise of breakthrough.
It is viewed traditionally, through modern eyes, or even analytically, as a barrier for the querent to see what it has been doing wrong and correct its path.
Other readings around it
Rachel Pollack in 78 Degrees of Wisdom has the most cogent reading calling this card the lord of short-term success, and anyone who reads Tarot knows exactly what she meant because confinement is immediately apparent.
In most instances this card will show a woman who is tied up, or there may be just the blindfold over her eyes with 8 swords around it total meaning she has 7 stabbing from behind and one sword which ever way you see as representing entrapment of mind that feeling where it’s like you’re stuck in your head and can only see darkness.
This is how Pollack reads this card, as a blockage of the mind or soul… not something outside.
Contextual Readings
The meaning of the tarot card, 8 of swords may differ greatly depending on where it lands within a spread.
Past Position: Use when boxed in, trapped and could not do anything about it. It might reveal how you or someone is behaving now and where that comes from in the past.
Future Card: This shows you a card that alerts you to what may be preventing you in the future so you can avoid dragging yourself down. It is a reminder of the readiness that must exist in our minds to handle these issues with calm, composed emotion.
Eight Of Swords Reversed
In the case of the Eight of Swords Reversed, in its inverse sense, the Eight of Swords simply implies cutting or loosening mental shackles.
There may be some possible options opening up to the querent, allowing them to see things more clearly and leave fear behind. As a result of this phase change, the claimant can become free — someone recently unshackled from supposed immobility.
Applications in Real Life
Rachel Pollack writes ’78 Degrees of Wisdom’. The Eight Swords is a card of restriction, entrapment and helplessness.
The card imagery often sees a woman who is bound and blindfolded and has swords surrounding her, which symbolizes feeling confined by your own consciousness or some other issue that you feel trapped by.
Diatto mentions that the trap is often with psychological sabotaging, focusing on flaws or lacking faith in themselves. It encourages you to see them from a different vantage point that would allow you to break free from the confines of mental bondage.
Simulated Annealing Applications In Real Life
In most personal growth readings, the Eight of Swords reflects self-imposed restrictions. Those who think they are sinking into negative speech and behaviors, or that their entire lives will be fear-inducing and full of self-doubt.
That being said, the fact that we know where these misconceptions are is more than enough to set a giant within you loose from your cocoon. Mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and positive affirmations are some of the ways that help in breaking off from such mental chains.
Eight of Swords in a Love (Relationship) Spread
In love readings, the Eight of Swords tarot card can be a sign that you might feel trapped. This may take form in staying with a bad relationship out of fear; or by silencing your truth under the guise that if it is heard then you will be judged or non-accepted.
It tells people to evaluate their relationships and determine whether these fears are warranted or made up. Two things that can help prevent these pitfalls are open communication and counseling.
Eight of Swords in a Career & Life Path Position
When it comes to work, career-path, or your calling, the Eight of Swords would suggest feeling doomed and stuck with no clear way out.
The card suggests that we need to move on and see ourselves objectively in the adversity, watching where there are any self-limitations that got set up after something kicked us so hard. Over time, a strategic plan or mentorship can lead the way in helping to tackle these obstacles and bigger career growth.
Case Studies/Examples
In 78 Degrees of Wisdom, Pollack defines Eight of Swords as “restriction and limitation” (241). An upside down woman bound and blindfolded by eight swords illustrates feeling trapped or stuck. Pollack explains these confines are often self-imposed and that freedom can come from within or through action taken.
There are many examples, case studies that can reflect the meaning of Eight of Swords by Pollack.
Case Study 1: Professional in a Dead-end Job
While they may even have the strengths and realistic avenue to do so, they fall victim to failure, paralyzing them from taking action.
Case Study 2: A Person Who Is in a Toxic Relationship
The person claims that they cannot leave because of trauma bonding, manipulation, or low self-worth. Think of the Eight of Swords, then — because here too it now comes to imply that those manacles are all in your own mind.
Sample Readings
Sample readings for the Eight of Swords tend to focus on self-limitations.
- Reading 1: The Eight of Swords: Confidenceless Bondage. Applies To Reading(s): Sacrifices Made, Financial Fortune. The suggestion could be something like, maybe it is time to revisit your personal strengths and weaknesses.
- Reading 2: Two of Pentacles — This card in a relationship spread might mean that the person asking feels bogged down by being undervalued. The tip: Figure out if they are a part of your life, and learn to stop entwining.
Situations With Common Scenarios:
The Eight of Swords in these cases could stand for:
- Blockage
- Restriction
- Loss
- Error
- Inaccessibility
- Career Stagnation – When feeling like not able to advance and move on with work because of fear.
- Emotional Suffocation: Struggling in a relationship or stuck mentally and cannot see any way out.
- Decision Paralysis: Overthinking and terrified of the consequences, making you incapable of making a move.
Takeaway from The Eight of Swords:
The Eight of Swords shows us that becoming self-aware and empowered is available and even opens up the door to new starts.
- Finding the self-imposed barriers: Knowing that most of the limitations we have are mental.
- Empowerment of Vision: Instruct to look out for another point of view with much better alternatives.
- Implement change: Accept small changes that might spur you to break free from emotional confinement. The Eight of Swords is all about this feeling of being locked into a situation where there seems to be no way out when in fact it’s only us who hold our freedom (the key).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What do the Eight of Swords symbolize in tarot?
The Eight of Swords often symbolizes feelings of entrapment, barriers, and limitations. It suggests that someone may be feeling stuck in their current situation due to external or self-imposed restrictions. The card encourages individuals to face their fears and realize that many of these constraints are within their control.
What insights can the Eight of Swords provide about someone's mental state?
The Eight of Swords can indicate a state of mental anguish and confusion. People might feel overwhelmed by their thoughts, anxieties, and fears, causing them to believe they have no way out. It suggests a need to confront these internal struggles and seek clarity.
How does the imagery in the Eight of Swords contribute to its meaning?
The imagery in the Eight of Swords typically shows a woman bound and blindfolded, surrounded by swords. This visual representation emphasizes feelings of restriction and helplessness. The surrounding swords act as symbolic barriers, reinforcing the theme of entrapment and the need to break free from mental constraints.
What life aspects does the Eight of Swords usually pertain to?
The Eight of Swords can relate to various life aspects including relationships, career, and personal development. It highlights moments when people might feel trapped or restricted in these areas, prompting them to re-evaluate their perspectives and actions.
How can recognizing the Eight of Swords help in real-life decision making?
Recognizing the messages of the Eight of Swords can empower individuals to realize that many of their limitations are self-imposed. By understanding this, they can take proactive steps to change their mindset, remove constraints, and move forward with confidence.
What role does fear play when drawing the Eight of Swords?
Fear plays a significant role in the interpretation of the Eight of Swords. The card often suggests that fears and anxieties are major factors contributing to one’s sense of entrapment. Acknowledging these fears is the first step towards overcoming them and breaking free.
In what ways does the Eight of Swords suggest taking action?
The Eight of Swords advises taking deliberate actions to reassess one’s situation and challenge perceived barriers. It suggests seeking external help or advice if necessary, and focusing on solutions rather than dwelling on problems.
How can the surrounding cards affect the reading of the Eight of Swords?
Surrounding cards can significantly influence the interpretation of the Eight of Swords. For instance, positive cards like the Four of Wands may suggest upcoming relief or celebration after overcoming obstacles. Negative cards could indicate deeper challenges or a need for more introspection.
How does the Eight of Swords relate to other suit cards like wands or cups?
The Eight of Swords primarily deals with mental struggles (air element), while wands (fire element) deal with inspiration and actions, and cups (water element) deal with emotions. Together, they can provide a comprehensive picture: for instance, feeling mentally trapped (swords) may hinder emotional fulfillment (cups) or practical action (wands).
How can studying the Eight of Swords improve one's understanding of tarot as a whole?
Studying the Eight of Swords can enhance one’s understanding of tarot by illustrating how deeply connected tarot readings are with psychological states and real-life scenarios. It shows how symbolism and context work together to deliver powerful messages that encourage growth and self-awareness.
