Deirdre of the Sorrows - Eight of Wands

shadowdancer

This card has associations with speed, movement or progress. Certainly we get a feel that there is the potential for things to start moving at a certain pace, just by looking at how the water has been drawn.
Deirdre has already aptly described the relevance of each of the people and objects depicted, so there is not a great deal to add.

THE BOAT AND BOATMAN
Here we see a small wooden boat about to be moored, the occupant looking a little nervous and tense. It is interesting to note there does not appear to be any oars. What with the river being quite fast flowing, we can only ask how he would have been able to control the boat. Is this why he is perhaps looking a little tense? In general this could show that you may want to go with the flow of a situation to see where it will take you, but you have some niggling doubts. It can be quite liberating at times to just let things unfold, but if you fail to take any control, you really have to accept you may end up being swept along to an outcome you would not have actively chosen.

MOORER
His friend is in the process of securing our small wooden boat. It is quite intriguing to see the dynamics of the card at play. On one hand we get the feel of fast flowing water, yet the rope securing the boat is quite lax. Why is the rope not stretched taut? What could that tell you about the effect of the water is having on the boat? (Or not having in this case). How does this relate to what you are experiencing? It could show that there is a natural impetus around you, but for some reason you have been stalled and are not actually moving in line with this. Yet there is no obvious indication you have been held back by someone else, thus the lax rope. We assume his friend is actually mooring the rope. How would the energy of the card differ if we reversed our assumptions whereby we realised he is in fact releasing the rope?

COUPLE ON THE BRIDGE
The woman is more focussed on her beau, whereas he is watching the boat scene with interest. What does that tell you about how they each in turn view their relationship? They are standing close to each other, arms intertwined behind their backs. There is only a barrier shown on one side of the bridge. How safe would you feel walking across this bridge, and why? What is the significance of the fact only one side is showing a protective barrier?

If this card could tell a story, what would it be? Is the house in the background owned by our couple? Why does the path leading to the house appear to stop? How would you gain access to the house bearing in mind the path does seem to come to an abrupt end?