Upright Eight of Swords Meaning
The general meaning in the Eight of Swords is that of a feeling of being trapped and victimized. You may feel powerless because, in your mind, you feel that changing the situation might be beyond you. This feeling of helplessness that you have, the feeling that you have no agency in your life, has played a major role in making your situation worse.
Surrendering one’s power to an unknown entity, whether it's fate, or God, the government or something else means that you are giving away your own personal responsibility to affect change. You have willingly relinquished the driver's seat in the journey of your own life, and it isn't going well for you. It is advisable for you to avoid making an important decision at this time since your judgment is likely clouded.
The good news is that because these traps are things that we create ourselves, we can also leave them if we put our minds to it. It is simply the matter of taking off the blindfold, and seeing beyond the limited perspective that we created for ourselves - to see the possibilities, and to recognize that you have your own internal power.
Upright Eight of Swords Tarot Meaning: Love
When the 8 of Swords appears in a love tarot reading, you may be feeling trapped; do you feel smothered in a relationship, or in a now stale partnership you cannot leave? You may feel as though you have no choices, but this usually isn’t the case if you look at the bigger picture. We deny ourselves possibilities when we are too scared of doing the hard work of communicating our boundaries or standing up for ourselves. In order to make changes, you must be the one to take action and control. Freedom doesn’t come with passivity. If you’re single, this card can also point to being too passive in your love life. You may be unwilling to venture and meet others, hoping that the solution to your romantic life will be a person that can sweep you off your feet. This often doesn’t yield results.
Reversed Eight of Swords Meaning
Getting the reversed Eight of Swords is a good sign, since it shows maturity and self-acceptance, and a recognition of one's own power and responsibility - especially after a long struggle of doubt. It means that one is capable of making conscious decisions because they are confident in who they are, and their power to affect change in both themselves and the world. It's time to free ones self from the past and proverbially clear out their closet, creating room for new things and experiences.
Reversed Eight of Swords Meaning: Love
As you take off the blindfold, take a long clear look at your romantic life. The 8 of Swords tarot love meaning can suggest that your perspective is changing now that you have a more clear and objective understanding of your relationship. Anxieties may be lifted, and it can now be clear to you what needs to be done in order to feel happier in your romantic life. If you’re single, you may find yourself more willing to take your love life into your own hands. Fears and anxieties that have blocked you from truly pursuing romance can be lifted.