General Interpretation and Meaning of the Eight of Swords - Upright & Reversed

by astrology valley Oct 25 2021

Eight of Swords depicts a woman blindfolded and tied up. The Eight swords are placed strategically around her restricting her movement as if she is trapped in a jail. This symbolizes the limiting beliefs and thoughts that restrict her from progressing in her life. However, if look closely it seems that whoever it was who build the trap was either in haste or lazy, leaving some free space from where she can run away very easily. But she has a blindfold on she cannot see anything so she cannot find her way out of this trap. The barren land depicts a lack of creativity while the gray sky above her depicts hopelessness since she has lost all hopes of breaking free from the situation, she is in. She can easily walk out of this situation only if she manages to remove her blindfold. The pool of water beneath her feet indicates that what she cannot she, her intuition can.

General interpretation and meaning of the Upright Eight of Swords

In a general context, the Eight of Swords Tarot card indicates the feeling of being victimized, restricted, confined, or trapped. You might feel helpless, in your mind, you have this feeling that changing your situation is out of your control. This feeling of being powerless has contributed only to making your condition worse. This minor arcana card signifies anxiety, psychological issues, terror, and fear. It is a card of slavery, powerlessness, helplessness, persecution, hopelessness, and being censored or silenced. When this card appears upright in your Tarot reading you might be feeling that pressure or going through a crisis or drama or dilemma. The overall meaning of this card is that your negative thinking is not letting you get out of this situation and numbing you with fear. The swords shown in the card are all around you, you have the option of removing the blindfold and getting away from it anytime. This card also indicates judgment and consequences which can come forth as imprisonment, trial by jury, and punishment.

Love & Relationships (Upright)

In a love Tarot reading, if you are committed or in a relationship, the appearance of the Eight of Swords Tarot card is not considered a great omen as it indicates a feeling of confinement, trapped, or thrown into a dark corner in your relationship. You may have this feeling that you have no way to escape but that is only in your mind. It may not look easy at first but if you look closely, you can easily find a way to escape. This card can also indicate relationship crisis, dilemmas, negativity, and drama so your relationship might not be at its best currently. To the utmost negative, it can represent an abusive relationship as it depicts feeling hopeless and powerless and being victimized. Don’t forget, there are various organizations that provide you with all the support to get out of this situation. It can also indicate judgments and outcomes so if there was any kind of cheating in the relationship, this card notices the betrayal appearing. If you are not in a relationship, this card can represent that you are waiting for somebody to dive right into your life and correct everything that you think has gone wrong. Do not forget that pure and true happiness comes from inside. It is not the other person’s duty to fix your life and if that is what you are waiting for to happen then either you will push away the ones who are actually good for you as they will notice your desperation or attract the wrong ones for a relationship. You need to learn how to find happiness from within. When you learn that, the right person will automatically get attracted to you.

Money & Career Interpretation (Upright)

The Eight of Swords in a career Tarot reading indicates that you are feeling restricted and trapped in your current position or job. You might be feeling hopeless, helpless, and powerless to make your current situation better but remember that you are the creator of your own destiny. If you do not like your situation at the moment then you have all the powers to change it.

The Eight of Swords in a financial Tarot reading, also indicates that you are confined in your current financial position but again it has more to do with your negative thinking than the actuality of your situation. You need to put your creative side into work and think out of the box if you wish to make more money. Your fear is not letting you see the numerous ways to get what you desire.

Health Interpretation (Upright)

The Eight of Swords in a health Tarot spread, in some cases, can represent anxiety and mental health disorders such as depression, panic attacks, agoraphobia, or PTSD. Although this is also the card of extreme weight loss so if you are considering losing some weight then this card is a good omen for you. It can also indicate eyesight issues or blindness.

Spiritual Interpretation (Upright)

In a spiritual context, the Eight of Swords Tarot card tells you to not let yourself get restricted. When this card appears, you might be feeling powerless and you can be confined or trapped to a spiritual path or religion. You can change your path whenever you wish. You have power in your hands.

General interpretation and meaning of the Reversed Eight of Swords

Reversed Eight of Swords, in general context can depict escape, freedom, and finding options and solutions. It signals to release anxiety, relieve pressure, and face truths and fears. This minor arcana card when reversed is a card of self-belief, raising voice against abuse, taking back control, and ignoring criticism. When this card appears in your Tarot reading, you might be feeling hopeful, mentally strong, clear-minded, and empowered. This card signals that you are ready to ask for help, overcome obstacles, and for healing. It can also indicate getting out of prison and the end of punishment. On the other hand, the Eight of Swords can indicate surrendering to pressure, extreme oppression, or getting completely numb by severe depression and fear.

Love & Relationships Interpretation (Reversed)

In a love Tarot reading, if you are in a relationship, the reversed Eight of Swords Tarot card can indicate releasing your anxiety or fears related to your relationship and overcoming hurdles so this card can be considered a good omen. If you have been in an abusive or toxic relationship where you felt restricted and trapped, this card signals that you will be able to get out of that relationship. However, on the other side, this card indicates severe depression or oppression. It can also represent that severe depression can negatively affect your relationship or if you are in an abusive relationship, your partner’s dominating behavior can take you to extremes. If you are single, this card when reversed indicates that you need to release any anxiety or fear that was holding you back from searching for love. You should feel hopeful and empowered when it comes to finding love. Alternatively, it can signal that your anxiety levels related to dating have got to such an extreme level that it is paralyzing you while finding a partner. Look at supporting cards to confirm what it is indicating.

Money & Career Interpretation (Reversed)

In a career Tarot spread, the reversed Eight of Swords can indicate that you might have learned how to release your stress, fear, and anxiety regarding your work and you are having a great time at work. It can also indicate that you might have left a job or career path that was restricting your abilities or making you feel trapped. However, on the other side, this card can represent that you have become even more tyrannized by a career that was already giving you anxiety. In the upright version, you can leave the job if you are unhappy with it and if you want to.

In a financial Tarot reading, the reversed Eight of Swords can indicate that either you have released your fears and worries related to finances and experiencing a much more mentally healthier state or you have gotten more trapped in your anxiety. If your financial position is good, you need to save some money to make you feel more secure financially.

Health Interpretation (Reversed)

In a health Tarot reading, this card represents recovering from or overcoming anxiety or mental health disorders such as depression, agoraphobia, or PTSD. It can also signal successful treatment of eye problems. However, on the flip side, it can also indicate severe depression or feeling that your only way out is suicide. Do not forget that there is always a much better option. Consult a mental health professional or talk to friends or family. You can go through this, do not give up.