Eight of Swords
The Eight of Swords depicts a blue jay trapped in a cage of its own making, symbolizing isolation that is often self-imposed. It highlights mental restraints—fear, self-pity, and pessimism—that convince us we cannot break free even when escape is possible. The card urges examination of whether perceived limitations are real or created by thought and emphasizes the personal agency to change one’s situation. In reverse, it indicates a release from mental imprisonment, a fresh perspective, and openness to new opportunities and optimism.
Keywords
Card Title
Eight of Swords
Poem
Trapped and troubled by the ties that bind but the hardest chains to break are those of the mind.
Meaning
A single blue jay sits dejected in his cage. However, this is a cage of his own construction. The Eight of Swords is a card of isolation, but often of a self-imposed nature. Notice how the bird can poke his entire head out between the swords. He could escape his imprisonment if he so chose. But either the thought does not occur to him or he has convinced himself that he is undeserving of such freedom. The Eight of Swords therefore asks us to consider if we are truly as trapped as we feel.
Reversed
In reverse, this card could indicate that you feel a sudden release; you are finally able to escape mental imprisonment.
Upright keywords
self-imposed isolation, fear of change, perpetually questioning happiness, self-pity, pessimism
Reversed keywords
an open-mind, release from mental imprisonment, a fresh perspective, open to new opportunities, breakthroughs, optimism
Visual Description
An oval-framed image shows a blue jay perched behind eight tall, vertical swords that create a cage-like barrier across the foreground. The swords have ornate hilts and pointed blades that extend from the top to the bottom of the frame, their tips aligned like prison bars. The bird sits quietly on a branch inside the enclosure, head bowed slightly, against a layered, pastel sky of purples, pinks and yellows. At the top of the oval a small banner displays the Roman numeral VIII.
Children of Litha tarot
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