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The Eight of Cups Tarot Card Meaning

The Eight of Cups can be a very hard card to have in a reading.

From the looks of the card itself, you can get the feeling of loss. On the Rider Waite deck, a man walks through stagnated water and is leaving the cups behind him. The card symbolism represents that you are moving on by your own accord. The sand around you right now is stagnant like that which the person in the card walks through. This is not healthy emotions in your life and you need to do what is best for you. Often, especially because this is a cups card, it is exceptionally difficult to go through this card because at one time the pools that were around you were wondrous, creative, and positive energies that have now died down.

It is interesting to note that while the blue representing spirituality or emotional issues is still present, the colors are darker. The issue in your life is not an easy one at this time. The card usually comes up during a time of loss and often this is revolving around a relationship of some kind. There is darkness to the card that in turn will usually represent aspects of your life right now. This card represents less of holding on to the past as it is a fear of moving forward. This is something that you need not fight as really, where else are you going to go? Now is the time to seek the higher road for your own health and sanity. It is obvious when this card comes up that you have tried your best and you have taken the steps to make the right choices for you. In the end you cannot change the past and you must accept what is in the present. Our lives are not stagnant things and while the energy around you may be turning sour, it is up to you to save yourself from that around which is unhealthy or holding you back.

The Eight of Cups vibrates the same goals and lessons of the Hermit card. It is sort of like the beginning of the Hermit’s journey where he heads to solitude to seek out wisdom and understanding. With the Eight of Cups, there is a spiritual sense to the card and the search you could be heading on is one of wisdom, but not wisdom alone. The path you are heading from, even though it did not end well – you will gain knowledge from this strife and grief. Little help is that now while you are still feeling the effects emotionally but with the card coming up now it also appears that you are doing what is best for yourself (or that you will). That can be a lot and later when you look back on this time you will know that you did all that you could.

The Eight of Cups in Love

Since the Eight of Cups is in the cups suit, it is often referring to relationships. In this case, unlike many other cup cards, it isn’t all good. In fact, it’s a pretty negative card for a relationship reading of any kind being that it shows a lack of positive energy in your current relationship if you are with someone. That doesn’t mean that nothing can be saved, but typically it will reflect a very bad place. The stagnation of the card shows that there is no real way to rekindle the fire of the relationship or that the well is poisoned. What has happened in the relationship is something that usually won’t be bounced back from. There are cases when the relationship can be salvaged but it usually indicates a need to start from scratch or that there will be a break up and then time will pass before any hope can be had for the future.

In the case that you are looking for love the card refers to a place for you now that is not one that is truly ready to be in a relationship. You appear to still be moving and healing from a past relationship and you have a bit more work before you are in the right place to start something new. The Eight of Cups in health means it is now is a time to focus on your healing. Not always but usually, the Eight of Cups will come up when there is a known health issue that is especially trying such as a cold that has turned into pneumonia, mental illnesses taking a turn for the worse, or any other health that continues to wane. There can be a sense of increased worry or anxiety over health which will continue to exacerbate the problem. It is important right now to break routines and buck the system. That doesn’t mean to stop following doctor’s orders, but rather… you need to be more compliant and find the desire to get better.

Often with this card there will be a sense of dwelling on the negative which is unhealthy in itself. Work on finding out all you can about what is going on with you as education is the best defense. Take time to focus on the positive in your life and the reasons that you want to be healthy. If you are feeling that you don’t trust those around you, get a second opinion. Do what you can to get in a better place mentally about your health so that you can be in a better place for healing physically.

The Eight of Cups can also refer to negative mental states and increased depression or psychiatric breaks. Since the card comes up often in very trying times in a person’s life, it can also be a difficult time emotionally. The card offers the advice that what you are going through right now is not permanent. Remember that you are not alone in this journey and if you choose to open up there are likely people around that can help and support you at this time.

The Eight of Cups in Work and Wealth

Financial losses and job losses often accompany this card, not because of bad work or poor financial judgment, but because of economy, poor business practices overall, or mismanaging money on a large scale (like in the case that your IRA or 401K made a bad choice with YOUR money). Now is a good time to take a look at your work and finances and get the facts. Know what is going on around you and be prepared for any negative changes that could end up affecting you negatively. Be smart with your finances and keep tabs on what others are doing with your money if they have access. Also, for the person looking for work, be mindful to look at all available career options that you can. Usually job issues – whether losing a job or seeking a job – are most effected by issues of layoffs and economy with this card and it can be a tough time in finding solid footing in work issues.

Reversed Eight of Cups in a reading

The Eight of Cups in reversed is almost a positive card. It does still represent loss, but the loss that is felt is not as deep. While you may find that you are walking away from something in your life, the darkness is not present and the view is bright. It is likely a move for the better on your path and one that you can feel good about. Even if you are feeling sad about moving on, know that the progression you are making now is for the best.

Upright Eight of Cups Meanings in Keywords

• Waking away
• Think about options
• Breaking up with a lover
• Emotional problems
• Abandonment

Reversed Eight of Cups Meanings in Keywords

• Trying once more
• Driving through situations
• Animalification
• Overwhelmed 

The Ten of Wands has appeared in your reading to tell you that you have taken on far more then you can handle.

The image of the young man carrying ten wands seems like so much, yet he continues to walk, heavily burdened to the city. In this the pressure that you have been under is clear. Your plate is too full, and you are overburdened by the expectations that you have placed on yourself. Now you feel utterly blocked both emotionally and physically, and your spirit is downtrodden. At this point, the idea of making a change might seem impossible for you, because the load that you are carrying is so heavy. However this is the time in your journey where you must complete a major spiritual initiation. Initiation periods in life are extremely uncomfortable, but if we didn’t have to experience them, we would never make any progress. These are the times that feel the most constricted, the most painful, and the most difficult to work through.

The initiation phase for the Suit of Wands is placed in this part of the tarot because you have traveled through the suit, making different choices and have ended up here. Now you have put so much on your shoulders that you have set yourself up for failure. You simply cannot continue on trying to carry all of these sticks across the entire desert nor should you try. You are making life too difficult on yourself. Consider this lesson that the Ten of Wands is preparing for you: Do you enjoy living this way or are you afraid to change?

As of now you have no time for yourself, you are helping too many people at once and you are stuck in a cycle of perpetual self sabotage. Just because you are busy, does not mean that you are functioning in a healthy, productive manner.

The initiation period of the Ten of Wands tells you that it is time for you to begin the process of reconnecting to your inner self through meditation and direct communication or prayer to a higher source energy. The reason for this is the situation you have gotten yourself into, carrying the burdens of everyone else; you require time in the presence of the sacred energy of reverence and prayer to help you through.

The merging of God inside of you and the God that is all around you is necessary so that you might recognize the importance of slowing down, and letting go of that which does not truly belong to you. You deserve to have a fruitful life. The cycle that you are in right now will not help you do that. You must put the wands down, stretch out your body and drink a glass of cool water from the Fountain of Wisdom.

The Ten of Wands is asking you now to consider the quality of life that you have. Has your willingness to help others proved to make it impossible for you to do much for yourself? Do you feel at this time that you have the freedom that you would like to travel or venture out and pursue new things? When you are in a relationship, do you take on the entire burden alone? If so, why do you do this? Do you feel that you are living a full life for yourself?

Take some time to yourself to start breaking out of the limits of these boundaries that you have placed on yourself. Work through the fear that you have of acquiring success in your life and release yourself. Allow yourself the pleasure of experiencing the unfamiliar so that you can move to the next phase. If you do not give yourself this time to learn from this lesson, you will continue to repeat the cycle over and over again. Better to let yourself move on. Practice makes perfect!

Ten of Wands in Love

In love the Ten of Wands is telling you that you have taken on too much in your relationship and that you are not appropriately communicating your needs or expressing yourself and you are creating a passive aggressive spiral that would be avoidable if you would only allow yourself to open up and be honest. You need help, everyone does. In the pursuit of love, vulnerability is of key importance. You cannot continue to be the only one taking on the responsibility. You are robbing yourself and you are robbing your loved one of the opportunity to be there for you. If you are single, this card is telling you that you are too busy and therefore setting yourself up for failure. You want what you are not willing to create for yourself. The first step is to start to make room in your life for a valuable person. Seek counseling if the concept of letting go or being vulnerable with someone in a real healthy relationship is too hard for you. Having a third person, an outsider’s perspective can help tremendously in letting go, one step at a time.

Ten of Wands in Health

In health the Ten of Wands is depicting you as someone who is a tense ball of nerves, whose immune system could be breaking down leaving you open for all manner of sicknesses and diseases. If you want to live a long and healthy life, you must remove all that causes you tension in the center of your being, usually felt the most in the solar plexus. If you feel tense more then half of the day, then you are not pursuing a healthy life and this is going to catch up with you fast. Learn to let go via meditation, gain freedom from what burdens you and you will live a long and health life.

Ten of Wands in Work and Wealth

As we have mentioned, the Ten of Wands represents a time in your life that is overburdened. In work, the symbolism is the same; you are doing too much and are not getting enough reward. Let go of some your work load, a little bit at a time. Keep in mind you are not being asked to negatively affect your financial stability but could evaluate your life style and may want to see if you can live with less. Even if you will have some adverse repercussions, you need to have more free time so you can relax and get to you know yourself. Anything that makes you work more than the required amount of time and is not paying you appropriately is something that should be let go. If you are the type to work overtime without getting paid: stop it right now. Try going home and sitting in silence for a half-hour and see what happens. Can you do it? Was it uncomfortable? Question your work-a-holic ways. If you are looking for work, question what thoughts/chores you are doing that stop you from attracting work because you are too emotionally overburdened.

Ten of Wands As An Action

In love, as action, the ten of wands means you need to keep the love afloat rather than do nothing. It means your the one who has to do all the running in order to change it into the relationship that you want and need. The success of love does carry a price and you need to ask yourself if you are ready to do all the chasing. If it is worth it, go for it. If not, move onto someone else. In other parts of life the ten of wands represents that you need to do all the work to chase the goal, it may be worth it or it may not.

Reversed Ten Of Wands In A Reading

When you have received the Ten of Wands in the reversed position, this means that you are ending a phase in which you were overburdened, thankfully and are finding your way out. You learning what freedom is and you are beginning to delve into a life of self reflection and joy. The card is still showing up in your reading, because there are still elements from this phase that you are purging. This card is telling you to check in with yourself to make sure that goals you have set for yourself are being accomplished. If so, great, if not, fine-tune the process so that you do not add more then you can handle and will get in the way.

The Ten of Wands Card Keywords Upright

• Irresponsibility
• Two-way success
• Fake ambitions
• Uselessness
• Being overwhelmed
• Repression
• Suppressed fear
• Insecurity
• Obstacles
• Backstabbing
• Breakup
• Emotional

The Ten of Wands Tarot Card Reversed Card Keywords

• Self-love
• Improvement
• Making progress
• Promotion
• Taking it slow
• Honor
• Having faith