Eight of swords reversed?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 01 Jan 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

crazydeka	01 Jan 2004
Well I did a quick self searching question today... I asked why do I feel so uninspired and unmotivated lately? I got an eight of swords reversed. I do feel restricted and trapped in myself, I do feel powerless... anyways I do feel lost... But what does it mean? Does it mean that is going to end? I would like to know what do you guys think.

Nevada	01 Jan 2004
crazydeka, I think the reversal means that you're coming to a realization about how you've been stuck, and that you'll now begin to move out of this self-inhibiting phase. Nevada

Indigo Rose	01 Jan 2004
You describe how you feel the bondage of the 8 of Swords; YET, you are reaching beyond that barren place to TAROT and searching for release. Could the reversal be a message that YOU have the POWER after all, to remove the blindfold and the ropes and ESCAPE? :)

crazydeka	01 Jan 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Thirteen Anything less than the moon just won't do for you--at least, that's what 8/Cups reversed says to me. [/b] 8 of cups... I think I said 8 of swords...

Thirteen	01 Jan 2004
Quote: Originally posted by crazydeka 8 of cups... I think I said 8 of swords... You did! My big bad. I think I've had way too much New Year's Breakfast Punch. I'm going to delete the post and go into hiding until those moons and pink elephants go away and I can read the word "swords" without seeing "cups".....

skytwig	01 Jan 2004
To me the 8 swords can be a number of things, but certainly a sense of being trapped... and I would say trapped in our thinking. Look at the picture of the card you picked and write down what it looks like to you (upright)...... then think in terms of all of that being turned upside down..... I suspect the card is saying something about getting out of the thinking you've been in..... change..... DO something, don't sit in your head...... Does that make sense?

crazydeka	02 Jan 2004
I feel unmotivated I have been trying going back on a diet for 6 months now... I keep on giving up... I feel unmotivated to exercise and quit eating excessively. I went to back to Brasil this year in July thinner than ever. I had lost 32 pounds, that was my big motivation to loose weight, to show everybody that I had changed and to get guys atention (it did work) that I had never had before. I had the best time in a long time. I came back here and I gave up the diet because I hate this place and I needed something. Anyways... it got way out of control until today I have not found the MOTIVATION to get back on track. There is also the fact that I love to write and when I sit down and try to get inspired to write something meaningful nothing comes out. I feel really unispired and everything that I write is crap. My songs are not good anymore and I don't feel like writing. I sit in front of my computer and try to type and all I wrote is lack of inspiration over and over again. In all I feel trapped in my mind. Sometimes I feel powerless to change things. I feel lost. Yesterday for some weird reason I felt good enough to go back to work out. I did ten minutes of the stair-stepper, that I have, and today did twenty minutes. with the facts now on the table... maybe you guys can understand better... But everything that you guys wrote does make since. @ Nevada: I did realize that I have been stuck and it seems that now I am going to move out of this awfull phase. @ Indigo Rose: yes you are right I do have the power after all. @ skytwig: Yes I have to do something and stop sitting around on my butt. I have a hard time still in figuring out the reversed meaning of the cards and your idea of visualizing the card upside down was good. I imagined that everything fell and she fell on her butt and sundelly she came into realization of things.

Majecot	02 Jan 2004
Realization is the first step.. that is what the 8 of swords was telling you... remove the blockage. CrazyDeka, I tell my daughter this all the time, it is not the physical place that you reside in that makes the difference, it is your inner place that matters. ( she always thinks that moving will solve her problems) How you perceive yourself is what counts not what others perceive. The rest will come when you let it. :)

skytwig	02 Jan 2004
I hear some depression..... are you in therapy, by any chance..... I know for me, my depression can demotivate all of my good ideas.... Some of us have depression that needs medical attention.... depression can make us eat too much and/or too little too.... it certainly will interfere with any exercise programs, although make yourself workout anyway..... and generally make ALL of life look grey!! Certain forms of depression need medicine because it is based in a physical problem in the brain makeup. I respond very well to medication. You may want to check that out, deka..... Just a thought. :) skytwig

ros	02 Jan 2004
Hi, I know I'm late posting this but ... Mental Prison- 8 Swords. with some clients I tell them that they have built a mental prison with thier thoughts. I explain to them also that they have built a wall around themselves with their thoughts. So repetitive actions have got you in this situation. The wall of thoughts has to be broke down to free you from the prision you have made yourself, & of course they are only thoughts.

crazydeka	02 Jan 2004
Quote: Originally posted by skytwig I hear some depression..... are you in therapy, by any chance..... Certain forms of depression need medicine because it is based in a physical problem in the brain makeup. I respond very well to medication. You may want to check that out, deka..... Just a thought. :) skytwig Well thanks for your concern... yes I am depressed. I am aware that it's not being overly upset. I know there is something wrong with me. I tried once years ago to go to therapy and it did not work out...I ended up not getting anywhere and more upset than I already was, but at that time I wasn't depressed. I don't have the money to spend on therapy though. I need to worry about how am I gonna pay for college. Thanks for your concern.

ros	02 Jan 2004
Do not spend all this time worrying about paying for college. It is only money & it will all work out. It always does. You will be given what you need, everything will be o.k. you, take care of you ros

Nevada	02 Jan 2004
(((crazydeka))) The following are just ideas, I'm not trying to tell you how to live your life. The choices are all yours. :) Are you currently a student? If so, does your college provide access to health facilities, and perhaps a counselor you could talk to there? You may find that trying a different individual or type of counseling may help, even though you didn't have good luck with it in the past. Be kind to yourself! This includes watching out for your health. You know we're often told that we need to be good to others. But to do that we have to first take care of ourselves. It's the first step. It sounds like you're a little homesick? Maybe you need to put down some temporary roots by getting in touch with nature in the locale where you're living. Take a journal out to a park or natural setting and let your feelings out on the page. Get to know the trees, plants, birds, etc., in your current home. Put some pleasant pictures of home (Brasil?) and family up in your room, and keep some comforting things from home around you. You know there are probably other students who are also feeling this way. Perhaps they're your next new friend, and perhaps you can support each other through this experience. Take care, Nevada

crazydeka	02 Jan 2004
Well I am not in college yet... I am still in high school. This is my last year and I a have already been accepted to go to UNCC. I am dying to go to college I have a feeling that every thing will change for the better. But my mom doesn't want to pay for college which means.. I might not be able to go to college untill I have money to pay it for myself. I really don't want to stay at home during this time or I will go insane. As for the diet stuff... I believe the secret is to eat less... instead of eating one pack of cracker eat only 3 crackers. The thing is I can't seem to be able to do that anymore. Anyways thanks everyone.. Sorry for bringing my problems to the message board.

crazydeka	02 Jan 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Nevada It sounds like you're a little homesick? Maybe you need to put down some temporary roots by getting in touch with nature in the locale where you're living. Take a journal out to a park or natural setting and let your feelings out on the page. Get to know the trees, plants, birds, etc., in your current home. Put some pleasant pictures of home (Brasil?) and family up in your room, and keep some comforting things from home around you. Take care, Nevada [/b] yes I am homesick... I do have pics all over my room... I do have things that conforts me all over my room. The thing is: now I live here and things have to get better over here before I have a breckdown. Thanks everyone... you guys are awesome...

VenusStar	02 Jan 2004
Hi crazydeka, :) Its a good thing that the 8 of swords wasn't upright. I believe when it is reversed it takes on a more favorable meaning. I think that deep down you really don't want to be trapped. Its as if you are making a conscious choice to stop restricting yourself. So it shows that you are aware of it. Whether or not its going to end is up to you. I think it means that you most likely will put an end to it. I think you are fed up with it. Perhaps you've made a new year's resolution? Hope this helps... Blessings, Venus* :)

Thirteen	04 Jan 2004
Hey, Crazydeka--you've been getting great advise--Don't be shy about bringing your problems here. We all do--and it's good to know we can, that there's a place for us to vent and work thing through if need be. Here's one more thing about the 8/Swords reversed (I promise, this time it's "swords" not cups!): 8/Swords upright is usually being stuck between a rock and a hard place, often being stuck there thanks to outside circumstances. So, for example, you want to tell a friend a painful truth, like her boyfriend is cheating on her, but you know she'll get mad at you if you do. But she'll also be mad if you don't tell her and she finds out later. You're damned if you do, damned if you don't. Reverse this card and the rock and hard place become INTERNAL, not external. It's not a friend or job or circumstance that has put you in trap, but your own, internal excuses, worries, fears and depression. Look at what you've written: "I want to lose weight, but I can't," and "I want to write, but I can't...I want to go to college. But I'm scared I won't be able to...." Your original question was about motivation. And the answer the cards gave you was that you are undercutting your own motivations. We all do this. We say, "I want a new job." And a friend answers, "So quit your job and look for a new one." And we say, "Yeah, I would, but the job market's so bad now...." And they say, "Hey, that place across the street is looking for people!" And we say, "Yeah, but they'll get a lot of people applying, I wouldn't have a chance...." We keep ourselves trapped with those "Yeah...but's...". Fear, anger, frustration and especially depression are the most common reasons for saying such things, for keeping ourselves trapped; it's especially hard to escape depression and fear when you're a teenager, feeling powerless, feeling alone, feeling strange and not pretty. And, most especially, when you look at ALL your problems and feel overwhelmed, as if surrounded by a lot of swords. I don't know if you really want answers. Maybe you just want to talk, and maybe that's enough. But let me propose one thing you can do if you really, really want to escape this internal (and external) trap: Make a deal with the cards. Set down the 8/Swords reversed. Promise the cards that you will try, really try any single answer they give you. You won't make excuses, you won't back down, you won't say "yes--but..."--you'll fight the depression best you can, and you will really try to do what the cards advise. Then shuffle the cards and ask them: "How can I get out of this trap?" Put down a card, just ONE conquering card over the 8/Swords. Take that as the advise you need to follow. Likely this one bit of advise will not remove ALL those swords. You may still feel overweight or still feel you can't write or still feel homesick. But the advise you get will tackle ONE of the problems. And once ONE of those swords is gone, you can start to walk out of the trap and leave the others behind as well. It's only when you stare at all of them, and brood upon trying to solve them all, that you trap yourself. When you feel that way, by the by, when you think "I'm surrounded by swords, how to I get past them all? There's so many!", let this be your mantra: "One sword at a time." Tackle just one, and the others won't be so much of a problem. And if you can't decide which one, as I presume, from your posts, that you can't, let the cards decide. It's what they're good for. Just promise to follow through. That alone will make all the difference.

crazydeka	04 Jan 2004
Thanks... I'll handle better this situation now... I am actually feeling a little bit better...

Nevada	04 Jan 2004
One more thing, if your high school has a counselor, you might want to make an appointment with them and tell them your worries about being able to afford college. I'll bet they have lots of ideas. Nevada

The Eight of swords reversed? thread was originally posted on 01 Jan 2004 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.