The Eight of Swords is commonly known as the card of victimization. The eight of swords can suggest low self-esteem or a breakup in life. The women is blindfolded in the picture so this suggests that this is unable to know which way to turn. The other part of this card suggests being restricted or isolated from others. The town is in the distance suggests that their is a problem socially with others. The blindfold prevents the women from seeing which way to go. This means that you are currently going through a phase where you are completely bound by your circumstances. You feel as though you are not capable of getting yourself out of a destructive phase and fearing that devastating repercussions follow. You are going through a time in your life where you do not trust anyone. The eight also means you are constantly doubting your own abilities. You are perpetuating this cycle by trying to battle more than one problem at a time – this is causing debilitating indecision.

You need to stop thinking that your emotions are out of control. Drowning in your emotions, which are as fluid as the tides, is not an appropriate way to conduct yourself. The eight of Swords can at times be a harsh reality. This is because one must understand the level of personal responsibility in life.

As previously mentioned, the maiden that is depicted in the card is blindfolded as well as tied up. She is surrounded by swords and for all intents and purposes is indeed stuck. However on closer inspection you can see that her binds are only loosely wrapped around her, and there is a clearing in the swords behind her which would make escape possible if only she allowed herself to try. The key to this card is the lack of the desire to try, exemplifying where you are right now. You have complete control over your circumstances at this moment but you have allowed yourself to get addicted to the way things are – even though the way things are causes stress. You are absolutely consumed by a victim mentality. And up until this point it was working for you. Now you are seeing the issues that can arise from a lack of decision-making and a belief in your own ineptitude. It may be a way to survive, but it is most certainly not a way to live. The only opposition that is holding you back is your mental training, the habit from the practice of victimization and a certain level of blind acceptance or even ignorance to this fact. Perhaps this was how you were raised, or you developed a habit due to a series of negative experiences, however now the eight of Swords is giving you a warning, letting you know that it is time to improve your circumstances, and if you choose to ignore this warning, life will get worse for you.

The way out of this cycle is to balance your mind and your spirit. Recognize that you are actually an extremely creative individual who is absolutely capable of handling their life and can have anything that they want. The mind is going to open for you to include the extensions of your personal self with a partner and children as well as the necessity to widen your circle of close friends. You must stretch passed your comfort levels. The first response that you have to new situations is to close your eyes and hide because there is so much to do. But you must meet these challenges head on should you hope to escape death by swords.

The Eight of Swords in Love…

When the Eight of Swords has appeared in a reading regarding love and relationships, you will find that you feel as though you are completely stuck in your situation. This card often comes up at the end of a marriage. Usually there is a deep level of unhappiness that has been going on for a long time, but the lack of deciding to leave the marriage is what creates a situation that is not easy to simply resolve. Many in love are afraid to change their circumstances because they have grown so comfortable with the unhappiness and worse, are afraid to be alone. Question yourself at this time; are you perpetuating something that makes you unhappy so that you do not have to be alone? How are you keeping yourself in chains? How are you behaving as if you are a victim? How could you better strengthen yourself and take control of your life?

The Eight of Swords in Health…

The Eight of Swords in a reading about health is referencing a hypochondriac nature. That of a person who is constantly saying they are sick enough that they actually become sick. These are the people who are overindulging in medication that is prescribed by a doctor and who have a million ailments. In essence these issues that they have are self-created and self-perpetuated, and if you find yourself stuck in this kind of situation then you are going to need to learn how to live without believing that you are just a sick person. Consider learning how to break the habit of indulging in medicines so that you can perpetuate your own health. Some medications are important to survival, this is true, but some take medication just to dull out life. If this is you, seek substance abuse health. The Eight of Swords makes this recommendation so that you can gain control over your life before matters get worse.

The Eight of Swords in Work and Wealth…

When the Eight of Swords shows up in a work and wealth reading, there is a feeling of being victimized by co-workers or supervisors.  You feel as though you are entitled to have more than what you have received thus far. Sometimes you are being overlooked for promotions because there is nowhere to go in your position, or money issues with the company. Other times you are being looked over because you are not working hard enough. When the Eight of Swords is influencing a work reading, the latter is more probable. If you are struggling in your work environment, consider how much time you actually spend working and see if there is a gap or you are taking too many breaks and the like. See how you can become a better employee.

(Reversed) The 8 of Swords reversed is blessing you with the energy of freedom. You have done the work to improve your circumstances and you are now able to take off the blindfold of victimization and you can see clearly what is going on around you. Now you can truly use all of the creative energy that you have inside of you, freely. You are able to focus on wonderful ideas that set you apart from everyone else. You are no longer backed in a corner, so make sure not to fall back in old habits. You also might be so excited by your new found freedom that you may preach too strongly this message to others and this could prove to alienate yourself. Expressing gratitude and thankfulness for your healing is one thing, trying to recruit others against their will is something else. Keep this in mind.