Make sure you grab the FREE Invictus Tarot TIY (Trust in Yourself!) Tarot workbook, if you haven't already! As a note, I am using the OG Rider-Waite deck for this series of posts, but you absolutely don't have to! Find the deck or decks that speak to you most, the cards you connect to most will always be better for your readings and sharpening your intuitive skills. This is just an example and reference for you to trust in yourself!
Eight of Swords
Feeling trapped? Your confinement may be more mental than physical.
Keywords: feeling trapped, self-imposed limitations, restriction, fear, confusion, feeling powerless, mental prison, victim mentality, inability to see solutions, self-doubt
General Meaning: This card signifies a feeling of being restricted or confined, often by one's own thoughts, fears, or limiting beliefs. It suggests a situation where you feel powerless and unable to move forward, yet the swords are often loosely placed, implying that the escape is actually possible if you can overcome the internal barriers. It's about a mental prison, not necessarily a physical one.
Personal Interpretation: Examine where you might be feeling trapped or powerless. Are you telling yourself a story that keeps you stuck? Are fears, anxieties, or self-doubt preventing you from seeing available solutions? Question the reality of your limitations, realize that the blindfold might be self-imposed, and that the swords, while intimidating, are not necessarily blocking every possible route to freedom. The power to untie yourself often lies within.
Reversed Meaning: breaking free, gaining clarity, realization of a path out, willingness to confront fears
Affirmation: "I recognize and release my self-imposed limitations. I am powerful and capable, and I choose to see the many paths to freedom and clarity that are available to me."
Symbolism: blindfolded and bound figure, swords, murky waters
Imagery Notes: blindfolded and bound figure - unwillingness or inability to see the truth or available solutions; swords - not touching or posing any direct threat to the individual, a confinement that is more mental and psychological than physical; murky waters - murky emotional state or subconscious influences creating feelings of being trapped
People: individuals with victim mentality and insecurity, those feeling overwhelmed by anxiety or fear
Places: being lost in a fog or mist, a confusing maze
Media:
Personal Insights & Other Notes: The Eight of Swords is a profound reminder that our greatest limitations often exist within our own minds. It’s a call to challenge our assumptions, to question the stories we tell ourselves about why we can't do something. The very act of acknowledging that you feel trapped is the first step towards breaking free. This card encourages introspection, self-compassion, and the courage to remove your own blindfold and see the possibilities that were there all along. It's a card of empowerment, disguised as limitation.
Where in your life are you feeling most restricted or trapped? What "blindfolds" might you be wearing, and what small step could you take to begin untying yourself from those mental binds?
