Eight of Swords Tarot Card Meaning

This tarot card is a symbol of restrictions and prohibitions. It depicts a woman with bound hands and blindfolded eyes, leaving her sightless. Everything suggests that the card portrays an unfortunate victim - around her are swords like a palisade, hindering movement; the road is blurred by water, and her long dress entangles her feet.

In the backdrop of the Eight of Swords card, a castle is depicted - it evidently represents the woman's past, from which she is fleeing. At the same time, the woman's doom and fear on the card are surmountable - her hands are bound rather carelessly, and it would take just one movement for her to shake off her shackles.

The Eight of Swords tarot card can predict illness, job loss, imprisonment, the shattering of plans — in other words, any circumstances that make movement or doing what you desire impossible. At the same time, this tarot Arcana points not only to external obstacles but also to internal problems and complexes that bind you and prevent the realization of your talents and potential.

When seeing the Eight of Swords card in a spread, try to adopt a less dramatic and more patient attitude towards the circumstances that have victimized you. Look at your problems from a different angle — don't they seem to be contrived or exaggerated? Perhaps you simply overlook the obvious solutions or escape routes? Or maybe it's not the time for action — you need to recover, regain strength, and reconsider your plans.

In any case, the Eight of Swords tarot promises that this unfavorable period of your restraint won't last long. Expect a change for the better and be ready to act!

Key meanings of the upright Eight of Swords card

• Obstacles, impediments, a thorny path to the goal, a period of waiting.
• Powerlessness, doubts, helplessness, fear, deprivation of freedom.
• Influence, pressure, opposition, criticism, depression.
• Shattering of plans or illusions.
• Severe illness, unfavorable circumstances, a trap, a snare.

The reversed Eight of Swords card is a direct call to action! The path is open, plans are ready to be realized, but you are the one creating difficulties, obstacles, and reasons not to move forward.

If this tarot arcana falls in the reversed position, you may be too caught up in listening to the advice of others or may not dare to make a fateful decision because you doubt your own strength. The stalemate is an illusion, invented by you or imposed by others.

The reversed Eight of Swords tarot promises — a correct mindset, a positive attitude towards reality, enthusiasm, and will can help you escape from the captivity of your delusions and shake off the shackles. Don't panic, do what you need to do, believe in yourself and your success!

Also, the reversed 8 of Swords tarot may mean that you are afraid to step outside of accepted frameworks and patterns, acting in the old way and depriving yourself and your business of the opportunity to develop, grow, and keep up with the times. Try to calm your fear and take a step forward — the reversed Eight of Swords card affirms that you will definitely succeed!

Key meanings of the reversed Eight of Swords card

• Delay, slowdown, oppression, uncertainty, apprehension, anxiety, weakness, routine.
• End of a period of helplessness, relief, revival.
• Incentive to action, escape from a dead-end situation, liberation from illusions.

In love spreads, the upright Eight of Swords card speaks of disharmonious relationships, as well as loneliness due to inner complexity, shyness, and fear of taking the initiative.

You become a hostage of your own attitude towards the world and people, or a hostage of another person who turns you into a victim of their ambitions and desires. As a result — stress and depression, a feeling that nothing can be changed. The Eight of Swords advises you to break free from psychological paralysis and not to shift the problem-solving to others. You are capable of overcoming your inertia and changing your personal life for the better!

In its reversed position, the card's meaning changes to the opposite, signifying a warming in relationships and the first steps towards reconciliation.

When reading for an admirer or a loved one

In a reading for an admirer or partner, the upright card implies that your chosen one creates a host of barriers for himself in love. Conventions, fears, illusions, complexes make him feel bound hand and foot.

The reversed card suggests that in love, there are many conventions and obstacles for your chosen one — both real and imagined. Because of this, he cannot act as he would ideally like to.

In business spreads, the Eight of Swords card speaks of a thorny path to success, where one has to face obstacles, their own and others' incompetence, unclear directions from superiors, or, on the contrary, excessive control over every step when performing professional tasks.

You feel restricted, caught in the vise of demands and circumstances, which leaves no room to unfold your talents and pursue your true goals. The Eight of Swords can also predict wasted efforts and time on futile endeavors. The prospects are grim, calling for a change of course.

When reversed, the meaning of the card shifts to the opposite, indicating false difficulties and the possibility of successfully overcoming problems.

When interpreting this card in a reading for an individual, the upright position signifies a person who feels confined by internal or external limitations, conventions, or circumstances. Currently, they lack confidence in their abilities and feel incapable of doing what they must.

In the reversed position, this card represents an individual who is fearful (or unwilling) to take an important step. They know that action is necessary, but for now, they prefer to remain inactive and wait.

In the upright position, the card advises you to accept and wait: for now, changing the situation is beyond your power.

Appearing in a reversed position in the spread, the card urges you to gather courage and take action. Lack of self-belief is the only thing that can hinder you.

When the card appears upright, the forecast for your situation is uncertain. You might be hindered by self-doubt, feeling restricted by internal or external limitations, and circumstances.

When the card appears reversed, the forecast for your situation remains uncertain. Lack of determination and self-belief might hinder you. Stop doubting your abilities and take action!

With the 0 card Fool – Finding oneself in a dilemma, wrong path chosen, complete uncertainty.

With the 1 card Magician — Limited opportunities, lack of resources or information, bureaucracy, interference of power structures.

With the 2 card High Priestess — Inaction, fear, inability to move forward.

In combination with the 3 card Empress — Dangerous game, a streak of bad luck, escalating problems.

With the 4 card Emperor — Lack of clarity, testing new systems, developing an interesting product.

With the 5 card Hierophant — Ignorance, danger of losing authority, shaky position.

With the 6 card Lovers — Yielding positions, renouncing the struggle, danger of losing everything.

With the 7 card Chariot — Seeking a way out, the emergence of courage, attempt to pay off debts or a loan.

With the 8 card Strength — Being put in frames, restriction of powers or influence, claims from spouse.

With the 9 card Hermit — Midlife crisis, difficult circumstances, fall behind the times or suffer from ignorance.

With the 10 card Wheel of Fortune — Getting out of difficulties, figuring out life's path, minor accident.

With the 11 card Justice — Dangerous situation, flirting with power structures, trying to get off scot-free.

With the 12 card Hanged Man — Denying oneself everything, lack of resources or knowledge, hitting rock bottom.

With the 13 card Death — Waiting for instructions, incapacity, crisis of beliefs.

With the 14 card Temperance — Keep cool, complicated situation, stay calm.

With the 15 card Devil — Being led, trust the wrong person, end up in a dead end.

With the 16 card Tower — Danger of falling, carelessness leads to trouble, failed attempt to break away from vice.

With the 17 card Star — Many obstacles, poor analytics, storm of minor problems.

With the 18 card Moon — Get into a dead end, need a fresh look or help from outside, prostration.

With the 19 card Sun — Misinterpret the situation, help from outside, unexpected luck in important business.

With the 20 card Judgement — Bad attention from the authorities, working in unclear conditions of change, shaky business.

With the 21 card World — Temporarily step away from affairs, emergence of serious obstacles, not noticing betrayal.

The Ace of Wands — Unfavorable circumstances, the system cannot be outplayed, assertiveness won't help here.

The Two of Wands — An overwhelming endeavor, narrow-minded thinking, confusing rules.

The Three of Wands — Getting entangled in information, acting haphazardly or relying on luck, a dangerous situation.

The Four of Wands — Lack of communication or problem-solving skills, an unsettled home life, leaving home.

The Five of Wands — Falling victim to deception, having insecurities, being overly dependent on others' opinions.

The Six of Wands — Getting into a trap, being uninformed, usual methods not working.

The Seven of Wands — Being made a scapegoat, slander, or false accusations, a bad turn of events.

The Eight of Wands — A lonely path, a difficult situation, lack of support or skeptical attitude from loved ones.

The Nine of Wands — Keeping silent about difficulties, fabricated reasons, getting stuck in solitude.

The Ten of Wands — Fear of responsibility, inaction in a critical situation, nothing to be proud of, or making a mistake.

The Page of Wands — Prejudice, reprimands, or public criticism, being at a dead-end.

The Knight of Wands — Caution, being careful in affairs, danger of failure, going in the wrong direction.

The Queen of Wands — Fear of the unknown, not showing concern, usual behavior pattern not working.

The King of Wands — Limited possibilities, miscalculations in affairs, an unpleasant and confusing situation.

The Ace of Swords — Getting caught in someone's trap, the need for decisive action in a difficult situation, lack of knowledge.

The Two of Swords — Argumentative nature, being in the captivity of contradictions, not knowing where to find the truth, lack of one's own opinion.

The Three of Swords — Being left out, an unfamiliar state and reevaluation of what has happened, a depressive state.

The Four of Swords — Restrictive circumstances, resigning to fate and going with the flow, waiting for an inevitable resolution, a bleak outlook.

The Five of Swords — Being held hostage by public opinion, surrendering under the burden of past failures, lack of belief in one's abilities.

The Six of Swords — An imposed decision, leaving to escape hopelessness when pressed from all sides.

The Seven of Swords — Self-assurance, seeking justifications, self-delusion, trapping oneself, annoyance.

The Nine of Swords — A dangerous situation, confusion of the mind, feelings of guilt and heaviness.

The Ten of Swords — When one's hands drop, powerlessness, reaching the limit, clouded consciousness.

The Page of Swords — Chaotic actions, lack of a clear plan, acting haphazardly or constantly changing sides, gossipmonger.

The Knight of Swords — Competing within clear rules, a situation where it's easy to make a mistake and go in the wrong direction, hasty conclusions.

The Queen of Swords — Independence, a double-edged sword, distrust and aloofness, a lady with a sharp mind.

The King of Swords — Uncertainty in affairs, unclear threat or consequences, chaotic process, carelessness, and negligence.

The Ace of Cups — Yielding to an unworthy impulse, condemnation for a corrupt connection, being a slave to one's own emotions.

The Two of Cups — An uncomfortable agreement, being bound by one's word, overcoming oneself for someone else.

The Three of Cups — Not knowing whom to trust, too many different opinions and advice, being stuck due to a lack of understanding of what is happening.

The Four of Cups — Suffering for an idea, being cornered, a hopeless situation and a forced compromise.

The Five of Cups — Temporarily falling out of life, a difficult situation, losing moral guidance.

The Six of Cups — The firstborn, a young mother or parents, trying to do everything right, getting tangled up in methodologies.

The Seven of Cups — Getting entangled in dreams, negative dependence, finding oneself in unfamiliar conditions or circumstances.

The Eight of Cups — Getting tangled up in unfamiliar circumstances, suffering due to isolation, lack of support.

The Nine of Cups — Uncomfortable questions, the risk of losing reputation, keeping cool in a dangerous situation.

The Ten of Cups — Tangled family relationships, feeling like an outsider in a group or among family members, falling into the trap of illusions.

The Page of Cups — Agreement under pressure or due to circumstances, making concessions, giving up progressive ideology.

The Knight of Cups — Making a deal with one's conscience, making a decision under pressure, a hopeless situation.

The Queen of Cups — Cornering someone or throwing them off balance, being a prisoner of one's own emotions.

The King of Cups — Quieting one's conscience with excuses, attempting to avoid punishment or loss of authority, turning a blind eye to others.

The Ace of Pentacles — Depending on someone financially, lack of independence, hiding behind a more influential companion, shifting responsibility for misdeeds.

The Two of Pentacles — Loss of flexibility and compromise, unjustified expenses, spending someone else's money, getting caught in a trap.

The Three of Pentacles — Narrow-mindedness, inability to see the situation from another perspective, the usual course of action does not work, suffering from inattention.

The Four of Pentacles — Rigid thinking, outdated beliefs, excessive dependence on public opinion.

The Five of Pentacles — Losing property due to debt, legalized fraud, fear of being financially unstable in important matters.

The Six of Pentacles — Higher interest rates on loans, difficulties with mortgages, receiving help from parents or government subsidies in a challenging financial situation.

The Seven of Pentacles — Last savings, waiting for the result of a deal, hopes for a successful marriage or assistance from relatives.

The Eight of Pentacles — Uninteresting job, punitive sanctions, routine and decline in energy, forced labor.

The Nine of Pentacles — Risk of losing reputation or a familiar way of life, uncertainty about the future, fear of losing a lucrative position.

The Ten of Pentacles — Depending on a family decision or assistance, being in a subordinate position, adhering to unnecessary traditions.

The Page of Pentacles — Gaps in knowledge or education, an unfamiliar situation, the need for additional classes or practice, finding a tutor or consultant.

The Knight of Pentacles — Stagnation and stagnancy, unskilled help or advice, reaching one's limits.

The Queen of Pentacles — Acting in an unusual way, missing out on benefits, lack of practicality and common sense, being afraid of consequences.

The King of Pentacles — Dependence on the wealth and honor of others, trying to elevate one's own status, giving unsound advice, becoming impractical.