Eight of Swords: Tarot Card Meaning

Meaning of the Eight of Swords card upright

A blindfolded woman stands bound, surrounded by eight swords stuck in the ground, though there is room to step away. The trap is mostly in her mind. The card says that the limits you feel are largely made of fear and belief, and that the way out is closer than it seems.

Eight of Swords reversed

• freedom
• a new view
• overcoming fear

Reversed, the Eight shows release: the blindfold falls, the bonds loosen and you see a way out. It is the point where fear loses its hold. Take one small step to confirm that you are free.

Eight of Swords in love and relationships

In love it means a feeling of being stuck in a relationship, fear of change or of speaking up. Reversed, you find the courage to act.

Eight of Swords in work and finances

At work it is a sense of having no options, a restricting environment or fear of failure. Reversed, you find new options and break free.

Symbolism of the Eight of Swords card

The blindfold is a refusal to see the options. The loose bindings are a limit that is not fixed. The water and the castle behind her are the free world and the security she thinks she cannot reach.

Eight of Swords in a yes or no reading

In yes or no spreads, Eight of Swords upright reads as “maybe” and reversed as “maybe”. The answer comes from the general meaning of the card (limitations, a feeling of being trapped), so always take the wording of the question and the neighbouring cards into account. Try a yes or no reading.