Two cards

The World Tarot Card Meaning

The World is your oyster when you see this card in your reading.

Like with the Wheel of Fortune card, it is indicative that there is luck on your side and that the universe is looking at you favorably. However, when the World is present it says that things are definitely looking up and that what you want is at your fingertips, you simply have to reach out and take what you want. When you see this card in a reading it is a reminder that all things are possible and that there are endless forces at work that you can’t see.

This card is a very personal card. It is often compared to the Wheel of Fortune card because it carries similar weight and meaning. The main difference between the cards is that the World reflects the present and now. Even in a past or future position in a reading the card carries positive energies that affect your present standing. The luck from the Wheel of fortune card pays off and becomes true reward. The reward from the World card is similar to the feeling of winning or being triumphant. Thy symbolism on the card in the Rider-Waite deck is largely based on completion or reaching the end. The World is the last card in the major arcana of the tarot and at the point in which the story would normally start over. It can symbolize a prosperous end to an aspect in your life and new beginnings coming forth soon.

Now is a time to allow yourself to shine, relish in what you have accomplished, and perhaps even brag a little bit. There are aspects in your life that one would consider worthy accomplishments and it’s okay to take a little bit of time to celebrate them. Also, understand that with the ending of one journey that it is simply the beginning of another. Strive for greatness in a task that you are working to complete right now and be assured that the hard work you are putting in will pay off.

The World in Love

When a person in love finds the World card in their relationship reading they can know for certain that they are on the right track. Usually, you will see this card come up when one stage of the relationship has ended and things are ready to take a more serious turn. In a future position in a reading, it is very promising and shows the potential for growth and a deeper level in their relationship. Consider taking a step forward on your own in the relationship at this time. Whether it is moving in with your partner, making a purchase together, or if you have been thinking about having children now is an excellent time. The World also is a good sign of fertility in general. For women looking to get pregnant, it shows that the timing is also right.

This card talks about bounty, completion, and satisfaction. For those seeking love or feeling on the lonely side, it is a favorable sign that you are internally and emotionally ready to move ahead into something new. Consider how you have been coping with the past regarding love and you will likely find that a weight has recently been lifted or that you are feeling more ready to proceed to find something new

The World in Health

Regarding health, the World is a card of healing or defeating illness. Have you been feeling sick lately or worried about someone around you? The World bodes well for recovery and is often seen once the illness has passed. In some cases, it will also be a good indicator of mental or spiritual health as well. It shows that you have found completeness or a sense of happiness or peace that you have been much needing.

Specifically, concerning surgery or a trip to the hospital, this is a favorable card. Especially common, the World will present during times of intense worry in order to reassure you that you will be alright. At this point, everything has already been set in motion and you have done everything you can. Allow for help and assistance to increase health and let the professionals do their job.

The World in Work and Wealth

The World card brings news of wealth to the financial department and is sometimes accompanied by winning or finding a decent amount of money. It is not a good time to take risks… rather you should allow time right now for hard work to pay off. The work you have already put into place will find a reward for you. If you have been looking for a job you have likely already applied or interviewed for the job that you are going to get.

Reversed World in a reading

Like many reversed major arcana cards in the tarot, the World card carries an opposite meaning when in the reversed position. This card placed upside down indicates stagnation, lack of success, and disappointment. Consider what you have been putting a lot of energy into and seeing no rewards from. Focus your energies on healthy outlets and make sure that you are doing all you can to ensure positive outcomes. Avoid high-risk behavior or making drastic changes. You will likely know what area this card is referring to as the efforts you are putting out are stronger in one area of your life than all the others. Rather than indicating that everything is wrong in your life, the reversed World card is calling you attention to one aspect. The World is one of those cards that tend to be positive, no matter whether upright or reversed.

While upright it shows everything that you need or want at your fingertips and is positive for the future, the reversed World still states that you have opportunities around you, you’re moving forward and that positive situations are coming. However, changes may be slower than expected or not as great as initially anticipated. You may need to work harder to get the results you want. There may one more unexpected hurdle ahead of you. Don’t give up. You may feel like the weight of the world is resting on your shoulders, but the end is near. Keep moving forward, trusting in the original plan but being mindful of any changes that you can make to improve your chances of an outcome.

Associated Keywords: The World in reverse position: Reminder for self-reliance, Perseverance, Determination, Lackluster rewards, Feeling frustrated, Extreme stress, Fleeting success, Life lessons, Anticlimactic results, Narrow mindedness

World Reversed Love and Romance

For love, the World in any form indicates growth and symbolizes positive changes in the department of love. Romance is in the air but you want to be sure that you are making time for it. If you’re looking for love, chances are that you are about to find a potential partner without looking. There is someone for you out in the world and the reversed position of this card is a good sign that that person is close. You likely know your next potential lover but are not close friends. Keep an eye out for a special someone flirting with you and remember that love sometimes comes from where it is least expected. For those with an established relationship, the World card reversed shows slow but positive changes. It is a reminder that you may need to make more time for your partner or that you should let the little things go.

World Reversed Family and Home

When we see the World reversed, it often reflects on a person who is not seeing the whole picture. If a vacation or travel is in the works, be wary about your plans. There is a warning for you in this card saying that your travels may not go as planned. It’s not a horrible omen indicating danger, however, it can show travel delays and minor difficulties that may leave you feeling frustrated, especially if your travel plans are strict. Be flexible and you should come out okay. This is the same lesson for family interactions. Troubles at home are likely being caused by some narrow-minded beliefs, pickiness or critical thinking. Remember that your home and family are the foundations for your world. Encourage growth, seek opportunities for interpersonal connection and allow for others in your family to do their own thing. Consider ways that you may be judgmental or unfair regarding people who live in your home or that you consider family.

World Reversed Work and Finances

A good sign for new work and promotions, you’re going to get what you have worked for but unless you really polish your efforts at this time, you may not be as pleased with the results. Lack of flexibility or inability to go with the flow can restrict success. Consider your views about your work environment, people that you work with that may rub you up the wrong way and these feelings can be hindering your efforts to advance your position or finances. Take time to network and to think outside the box. Additionally, be mindful of your own attitude. Narrow-mindedness is a common association with the World reversed and chances are that you are not being fair in your assessment of others. On a larger business scale, the World reversed indicates business and government setbacks, symbolizing a hostile world or business environment wrought with friction, sometimes caused by a point of corruption within the ranks.

World Reversed Health and Wellness

In a reading regarding earthy topics of health, wealth or wellness, the World reversed shows a rigid or traditional world view that is stubborn in sticking to traditions. With the World reversed, you may want to check your health. Physically or mentally, you are likely feeling fatigued. Stressors in your life may have recently turned your life upside down, but realize that there is a lot of positive going on around you right now. The World reversed reminds you to take stock in small positive changes and to not to be too hard on yourself.

World Reversed Personal Spirituality

Consider the repeating patterns in your spirituality. These can be seen clearly when you focus on emotions that you feel on the regular. Your emotions are a good indicator of your overall spiritual wellness. With the World reversed in your reading, chances are you are feeling angst or lacking inspiration. Think about broadening your world sense, take from religions or cultures around the world or travel to see the world in a new way. If you have been actively working to manifest through spellwork, prayer or other means, the World reversed reminds you to be vigilant in your faith and to be mindful of negative thought patterns that may be thwarting your efforts. Incorporate awareness and mindfulness techniques into your practices, such as affirmations or positive mantras, to reinforce any desires that you may have been aiming for on a spiritual or magical basis.

The World Tarot Card Keywords Upright

• A new order
• Victory and success
• Obsession
• Someone thinks the world of you
• Good health and strength
• The world is your oyster

The World Tarot Card Reversed Card Keywords

• Depression
• Excessive demands from others
• Opportunity to start again

The Eight of Swords is commonly known as the card of victimization.

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 the destructive phase that you are in and that in fact if you were to try, devastating repercussions would follow. You fear pain and restriction, yet that which you fear is exactly what is blocking you the most. You are going through a season where you do not trust anyone and you worse you are constantly doubting your own abilities. You are perpetuating this cycle by trying to battle more than one issue at a time and that is part of what is causing you debilitating indecision.

You need to stop thinking that your emotions make up who you are entirely. Drowning in your emotions, which are as fluid as the tides, is not an appropriate way to work on your goals. The 8 of Swords can at points be harsh to take in because there is a level of personal responsibility that you must recognize on the role that you play in your own life’s miseries. 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 you to be a complete stress case.

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 this 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 very fact. Perhaps this was how you were raised, or you developed a habit due to a series of negative experiences, however now the 8 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 regarding the potential 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 these 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 coworkers 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.

The Eight of Swords in Outcome / Future Position

The eight of swords in an outcome/future position is connected to our own limitations in life. In a positive spread, the outcome can indicate that their have been emotional upheaval and that you will not give up and that you need to face the truth of the matter. There is also a focus on over-analyzing elements and this becomes a cycle of problems. In the future, it is likely that you still will not see things that you don’t wish to see. If she actually could see what has happened in the past there is no reason for her to continue. In terms of an analogy, it is telling you to open your eyes in the future to all the things that tried to hold you back.

Reversed Eight of Swords in a reading

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. 

Upright Eight of Swords Meanings in Keywords

• Limited by obstacles
• Mental barriers
• Feeling trapped
• Wrongly accused
• Seeking for freedom
• Confusion and anger
• Feeling lost

Reversed Eight of Swords Meanings in Keywords

• Inner strength
• Awaiting salvation
• Escaping problems
• Being the victim
• Feeling comfortable
• Carelessness
• Avoiding issues