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Breaking Free From Limits With The Eight Of Swords

The Eight of Swords Tarot card often comes to us when we feel trapped, helpless, and with nowhere to turn.

It is a reminder of the power of the mind to create our perceived reality. On first impression, the card appears to represent this difficult situation, but on closer inspection (and taking into account its corresponding Astrology) we can see that we have more agency than we think we do!

Read on for how to break free from self-imposed limits with the Eight of Swords, including its full Tarot card description, Astrological and Numerological correspondences, what it means reversed, and in a career, love, or general reading:

The Eight of Swords Tarot Card

The Eight of Swords Minor Arcana card represents a sense of entrapment, victimhood, and dire circumstances.

If we look at the Tarot as a story arc, we can see what happens if we allow ourselves to self-betray in the Seven of Swords, leading to a feeling of complete powerlessness and hopelessness.

However, this card is a reminder of the power of the mind and how we can use it to manoeuvre (or MacGyver) ourselves out of any situation!

It is an invitation to look at things from a fresh perspective for how we can overcome any imposed limitations, restrictions, or obstacles (either from ourselves or others).

In the Pamela Colman Smith Tarot deck, we can see a woman surrounded by eight swords and bound by fabric with water rising and a citadel in the distance.

If we look closely we can see that the ropes are fairly loose, we can easily shrug them off! By look at things from a different perspective, we can also use the swords— things we may have otherwise perceived as blocks— to cut ourselves free!

The swords are also only behind the person, they could simply walk away. It is important to note they are clothed in red— we are more powerful than we give ourselves credit for!

When this card shows up for us, it can be an invitation to not let the mind makes things appear more extreme than they are (or else we’ll have the Nine of Swords to answer to)!

Civilisation visible in the background is also often an indicator that help and salvation are nearby in the Tarot.

If we look at the card more figuratively, the blindfold can be an invitation to turn to our inner knowing for the answers, and the waters of emotion are a reminder to balance head with heart.

When this card shows up for me, I often find it similar to The Devil, where I may be making things seem worse than they actually are— don’t be your own worst enemy!

I find it quite interesting that if we count the swords, the person is standing in front of a gap, almost as if they are completing the line…

If we look at the left as the past and the right as the future, there are three on the left of the person and five on the right— don’t let future-spiralling take away from your now!

Numerologically 8 is considered a number of manifestation, growth, and abundance. It is connected to eternity and infinity as it appears to be an upright lemniscate. In this we can see the capacity to make lemonade when life hands you lemons.

This also connects it to the Major Arcana Strength card, another reminder of just how strong we are and the importance of mind over matter!

Astrologically, this is a Jupiter in Gemini card, where it is in its detriment. On the one hand, being a card of Jupiter can make it naturally benefic and cause for hope. On the other, Jupiter— Planet of faith and belief— can struggle to call upon its usual trust in the Sign of facts and figures. Don’t let the need for proof obscure your sense of hope!

In the Thoth deck this card is called Interference, which I just love because it is a reminder of how the worries of the mind can interfere with our perception of reality! I believe it may have been T. Susan Chang who compared it to the static interference noise of old TVs.

Eight of Swords Upright Tarot Card Meanings

Generally, the Eight of Swords suggests a sense of entrapment, powerlessness, and hopelessness. Things may appear worse than they really are, or our mind may be making mountains out of molehills. Don’t let it run away from you, take your power back and harness your mindset for good!

Reversed Eight of Swords Tarot Card

If you choose to read reversals, the Eight of Swords reversed can represent a refusal to look at our role in a situation or see things as they really are. It can reflect and overly-negative mindset, or a resistance to changing our minds.

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Eight of Swords in a Love Reading

As with all Tarot meanings, the actual significations of what the Eight of Swords represents in relationship Tarot readings will depend entirely on the situation at hand, the question asked, the position in the spread it has fallen, the cards surrounding it, and your own intuition.

Overall, however, the Eight of Swords can suggest a sense of entrapment, either in the relationship itself or a dynamic within it. It can be an invitation to take your power back and make an effective plan of action from how you can free yourself from any limiting beliefs regarding it. Own your power!

Eight of Swords Card in a Career Reading

Again, the true nature of its meaning will depend on the context, but in general in a career Tarot reading the Eight of Swords can suggest you may feel blocked and hindered at every turn, stuck between a rock and a hard place, but that this may not actually be the full picture! It is an invitation to look at a situation with a fresh perspective and craft a plan for how you can free yourself from any stickiness— things may not be as bad as they seem this time!

So that’s an overview of the Eight of Swords Tarot card, I hope it’s insightful for you! Let me know in the comments section below if you have anything else to add or any questions.

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