Two cards

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

The Seven of Cups Tarot Card Meaning

The Seven of Cups shows up when you least expect it.

Things are going fine in your life, you seem to be on the right path and then… BAM! Suddenly you are faced with a choice and that choice really does come out of the blue. The choice that you are faced with or will be soon is one that will throw you for a loop and one in which you will feel torn between two really good or possible really bad choices. It’s one of those choices where there doesn’t really seem to be a good choice, but you are faced with a fork in the road and you have to choose.

The test that you could be coming to could be a real test to your relationships or work. It can result from a mistake that is made but one that you don’t even think will be an issue until it is already made. It’s not something that you can be told, “Watch where you step.” The symbolism on the card also shows a man with many choices in front of him but you will notice that the cups that are representing the choices are floating amidst the clouds. The background color of teal is a representation of spirituality. This Seven of Cups will often represent being a dreamer or wishful thinking. Once you are faced with your decision you need to be careful that you are looking at the whole picture. Avoid building your plans on a poor foundation and make sure that you focus on the best aspects of your life.

That may sound a little vague; however, you have to realize that it can indicate many different avenues in your life. There are a lot of options ahead of you and you will find that you are not limited to one choice in one area. What is coming for you is going to be like multiple doorways and you need to take all aspects of your life into account.

The Seven of Cups in Love

Because of the options before you, in love this can be a great card or a highly confusing one. In a relationship it can indicate having a new choice come along and disrupting the flow of your current relationship. If you are looking for love it can indicate that options (usually highly unexpected ones) coming your way. It’s an overall positive card regarding increased chances, reconnecting with older interests, and new faces coming your way. Out of all the cups the seven is about dreaming of a romance. It can represent the fact that as an outcome this represents the next step in love. This can be a “wish card” but could mean you will get what you want but it is just an illusion.

The Seven of Cups in Health

The Seven of Cups can act as a warning that you need to be paying better attention to your health. With all that is going on in your life it is likely that you have overextended yourself or haven’t been paying attention to smaller health concerns that could turn out to be larger concerns if you continue to ignore them. Rest assured, typically it is not a dangerous card for health so long as the warning is not ignored. The Seven of Cups tells you that it is better safe than sort when it comes to health and wellness.

The Seven of Cups in Work and Wealth

When dealing with issues of work and finance with the Seven of Cups you can trust that there are a lot of good things ahead for you. Because the nature of your question is more grounded, the card usually has more positive meanings for you. With the card it indicates possibilities opening up for you that usually are in your best interest when it comes to finance. The one caveat is that you need to be mindful of where you place your trust right now.

The Seven of Cups In The Reversed Position

In the reversed position the Seven of Cups indicates the opposite of the upright meaning and can often lead a person feeling trapped or lacking options. There is a morose feeling associated to the reversed position of the Seven of Cups and when this card comes up in your reading you need to be highly mindful of the choices that you are making at this time. You want to be sure that you are taking all information into account in your life before deciding on which way to go. There is still a feel for a NEED for change, but in the reversed case there is not a clear avenue for that change to take place. Typically when the Seven of Cups comes up in the reversed position there will be excess worry or feelings of insecurity. Know that there is options present that you aren’t seeing. You may have to be creative in your solutions to find them. The seven of cups reversed in my view indicates that you are waking up from a situation. The card dictates that you or someone else will have clarity and in the past a "situation" has been hiding under illusions. Think of it like emerging from a clouded situation and now you can see the light.  This is a card of not knowing what to do in the past but now a decision can be made.

Upright Seven of Cups meanings in keywords

• The choice is yours
• Think about options
• Casual flirting
• Romantic alliance
• Illusion
• Desires

Reversed Seven of Cups meanings in keywords

• Swayed by temptation
• Settling for what is
• Choice is confused
• Overwhelmed