Card 57 • swords

Eight of Swords

Brief Description

This card depicts a sense of being trapped and a loss of control in a difficult situation. It evokes the legend of a cursed phantom ship whose crew is stuck in futile circumstances, indifferent to surrounding chaos. The immovable swords symbolize restrictive thinking that prevents movement or solutions, while the ghosts and skeletons reflect the paralysis of hopelessness. The card serves as a reminder to listen to what others have to say as a possible way out of that stuckness.

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Story

Legend has it that a Dutch captain named Vanderdecker was unrelenting on his quest to navigate the rough waters around the Cape of Good Hope, despite protests from the crew and warnings from a ghostly figure who appeared on deck. The vessel was transformed into a phantom of the unforgiving seas, cursed to sail for an eternity without rest. The Flying Dutchman appears indifferent to the surrounding chaos. The ghosts and skeletons are trapped by the futility of the situation. The immovable swords symbolize restrictive thinking.

Divinatory Meaning

You feel a loss of control in a difficult situation. This card is a reminder to listen to what others have to say.

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Ghosts and Spirits tarot

✍️ Deck author(s): Lisa Hunt

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