6 of swords v 8 of cups

[rylla]

Shortly I see the main difference between these 2 cards as

in the 8 of Cups you are moving away from something that you used to love/like (or be content with) but it's no longer satisfying to search for something better

in the 6 of Swords you are moving away from a difficult situation to something better (basically, your situation changes in better)

so the motivation and circumstances that pushes you to move forward are different

ETA I haven't read the other comments yet (I'll be doing it now), sorry if I am repeating some ideas already mentioned above.

 

[Sirena84]

I've always seen the 8 cups as a solitary decision to leave. In the card (RW deck I use), the figure is moving away by foot. I don't think it's a swift decision necessarily. But it's a decision made alone. The 6 SW. shows a woman ( and Child?) being transported by a male fgure across a body of water. She is not alone. She has help. She's moving to something new where still water = calming of the emotions. There's a feeling of peaceful transition in this card that I don't seen in the 8 C. See the trees in full leaf on the distant shores? While in the 8 C the figure travels across jagged rough terrain. It was a difficult decsion, but it's been made and he's seeing it through.

Hi

Yes like you I don't see the 8 of cups as a swift decision.. I feel that this person was sitting on the decision for a while as indicated in the 7 of cups.. ad 6 of swords is definitely about moving to mentally calming places..
I don't use the RWS.. I use the transformational tarot deck.. slightly more modern.. some interpretations are based on the RWS and some are a bit different..

for instance the 8 of cups is not a solitary journey.. but there is couple that are moving away together from the oppression of tradition and the holy grail.. but still walking on foot and into unknown.. 6 of swords, shows a father on horse back with his two children leaving a situation of turmoil and into calmer places and towards a rainbow ..

that is why I see the 6 of swords sometimes as improvement of a situation and not necessarily leaving things behind in a physical sense..

many thanks again

 

[Sirena84]

I didn't use decks with fully scenic minor cards for most of my long association with the tarot, so I have no special attachment to the "mini-stories" they tell. Instead, I use an "energy model" and pay more attention to elemental (suit), astrological and numerical significance. The Sixes are about a temporary state of balance and harmony that eventually gives way to further unfolding of the elemental idea, ultimately being "disrupted" by the Sevens in the same way the Fives disrupt the momentary stability of the Fours, but less energetically. The 6 of Swords is therefore about a transient state of mental equilibrium or suspension of stress and anxiety - perhaps a brief, introspective recess from over-thinking a situation. The passive (maybe contemplative) figures in the boat of the RWS card could be saying the same thing.

The Eights represent a partial recovery from the instability of the Sevens, in which there is a futher refinement - and also attenuation or "enfeeblement" - of the elemental energy. I like Crowley's take on the 8 of Cups: "This card is not exactly 'the morning after the night before'; but it is very nearly that." The departing figure in the RWS card gives something of the same impression of disillusionment, resignation and discouragement. The hope in this card lies in achieving an escape from the doldrums.

hiya..

I can't say how I love the way you just read the two cards.. and this is how I try to look at them.. mainly because sometimes images can confuse the issue.. as there are many decks with many images and I think its best to look at the numbers and status and place of the cards first and then look at the images..

for example in my deck the 8 of cups is not a solitary journey at all.. in fact there is couple that are walking away together.. and in 6 of swords in my deck, there are no waters and no shores etc.. so its really about changing of the state of mind..

I also see 6 of swords as a temporarily mental balance after the chaos of 5 and the 8 of cups is about finally picking one of the options in 7 of cups after a period of confusion and illusion.. and I feel that whether the people/person in 8 of cups find what they are looking for, all depends whether they made the right decision and not just walking away as a means of escapism..

many thanks again

 

[Sirena84]

Such a pertinent question! Thank you for bringing it up. Although I agree with the other posts, I believe it depends SO on the other cards coming with it. And the question asked. For instance, if the 6 of Swords showed in a reading on which means of transportation should I opt for while travelling - it could only mean , "take the boat/ship" instead of a plane or car. To me, the 8 of cups is more "abstract" in the sense that you can leave an m.o. or emotional habit without actually moving somewhere. Once it showed as a person leaving a party before getting too drunk . So, it does require a context but a great thread !

yes I agree with what you said there

although if you like to take things literally, looking at my 6 of swords means journey on horse back.. . not sure it would apply haha

but yes the 8 of cups could certainly be a habit of some sort.. I like your drinks at the party analogy.. but also the habit could be about someone who has got into a habit of never sticking around to solve a life issue and is always to ready to pack their bags and leave for something better, whether they find it or not its another story.. this card could also be a grass greener on the other side too..

whereas 6 of swords is actually dealing with chaos and trying to bring harmony with actual results..

many thanks for your input

 

[Sirena84]

Shortly I see the main difference between these 2 cards as

in the 8 of Cups you are moving away from something that you used to love/like (or be content with) but it's no longer satisfying to search for something better

in the 6 of Swords you are moving away from a difficult situation to something better (basically, your situation changes in better)

so the motivation and circumstances that pushes you to move forward are different

ETA I haven't read the other comments yet (I'll be doing it now), sorry if I am repeating some ideas already mentioned above.

Yes I completely agree with you here as well..

I see 8 of cups as someone who looks at his/her life and is no longer satisfying and hence gets up to find something else.. but this doesn't mean that what they have is not good enough etc.. like grass greener on the other side sort of thing sometimes too..

where as 6 of swords is actually bettering the situation.. and that is why when I read the 6 of swords as an outcome I don't always see it as leaving people behind.. I see it as leaving a bad situation behind, bettering something.. and sometimes this is alone and sometimes this is with the other people involved in the situation.. like moving to more harmonious grounds..

many thanks

 

[Thirteen]

so would you agree if I said that for instance in a case of a relationship, the 6 of swords could be the next phase of the relationship when the couple try to find some balance together and coming out of a difficult situation but the 8 of cups is leaving the person behind to find something better that will fulfil them.. ??

That sounds about right. And, again, remember that there's the Swords/Cups difference. We can usually recover from miscommunication, even profound disagreements--6/Swords shows that we're seeking a balance, common ground, or just to make peace. So, yes, couples argue, disagree, find out they don't share the same thoughts on something. Usually, this doesn't sever their relationship. Usually, it leads to them trying to get past that. Especially if friends, family or a counselor helps them to get there.

The card may be as simple as the two apologizing to each other for what they said or admitting that the other person has a point and they can agree on that.

But Cups are emotions. And 8/Cups is often about having your fill of someone or there being nothing left to keep you. That's difficult for a couple to recover from. And the 9's are cards of solitude. At best, the couple need time away from each other because they're emotionally tapped out. This can not be resolved with an apology. "Feelings" on at least one side are effectively over. It's going to be hard and take major changes to restore things.

 

[Sirena84]

That sounds about right. And, again, remember that there's the Swords/Cups difference. We can usually recover from miscommunication, even profound disagreements--6/Swords shows that we're seeking a balance, common ground, or just to make peace. So, yes, couples argue, disagree, find out they don't share the same thoughts on something. Usually, this doesn't sever their relationship. Usually, it leads to them trying to get past that. Especially if friends, family or a counselor helps them to get there.

The card may be as simple as the two apologizing to each other for what they said or admitting that the other person has a point and they can agree on that.

But Cups are emotions. And 8/Cups is often about having your fill of someone or there being nothing left to keep you. That's difficult for a couple to recover from. And the 9's are cards of solitude. At best, the couple need time away from each other because they're emotionally tapped out. This can not be resolved with an apology. "Feelings" on at least one side are effectively over. It's going to be hard and take major changes to restore things.

Thanks for clarifying this.. and yes I do see 6 of swords as people trying to find some harmony after the chaos f 5 of swords perhaps..

At its worse sometimes I also see the 8 of cups as the card of grass greener the other side sometimes.. and sometimes the card of mid life crisis.. someone who is in search of something that feel they have been missing in their life and not always making sense to other people.. and also people who don't know how to stick with a situation and try to resolve it and instead resort to packing their bags and moving on..

whereas the 6 of swords is more mature way of handling problems.. trying to fix them with a clear goal in mind and move on to better place..

I guess their main difference like you mentioned is that 8 of cups is about emotions and emotions don't always make complete sense, whereas 6 of swords is more an intellectual card and there is thinking and problem solving involved in it..

 

[GotH]

Great thread Sirena..

This better helps me understand that 6 of Swords I pulled for you yesterday but my question is how do the surrounding cards effect the direction of this card? If the card that precedes the 6 is a negative card, then this might tell you what one is moving away from but if the card before is a "nice" card, what is that saying? I didn't see any troubled cards to move away from so what could that indicate, mental fires he's dealing with on his own? That's what I was getting..

 

[Sirena84]

Great thread Sirena..

This better helps me understand that 6 of Swords I pulled for you yesterday but my question is how do the surrounding cards effect the direction of this card? If the card that precedes the 6 is a negative card, then this might tell you what one is moving away from but if the card before is a nice card, what is that saying? I didn't see any troubled cards to move away from so what could that indicate mental fires he's dealing with on his own? That's what I was getting..

thanks..

I generally had a big trouble with distinguishing the cards and I have seen other readers read them practically the same, so I gathered its high time opening a thread to clear the differences..

I personally always saw 6 of swords as bringing some harmony after some turmoil..6 being the number of harmony and balance and swords being the suit for communication and thoughts..

so to me 8 of cups is walking away completely to find a missing cup and maybe the person finds it or not

and the 6 of swords is bettering a situation.. whether it be alone or with the people involved.. But like thirteen has mentioned above, its about communication and more times than not, people learn to sort their differences.. its the stage after the 5 of swords.. to fix the chaos..

 

[Thirteen]

whereas the 6 of swords is more mature way of handling problems.. trying to fix them with a clear goal in mind and move on to better place.

Well, but maturity is in the situation, not the card, right? I mean, if it's someone bailing on kids and partner to go off and have fun, then yes, it's immature. But it could equally be a middle-aged person with kids now grown, finally leaving the security of an empty marriage. That's a very brave and mature thing to do--to walk away not knowing if there will be love or safety in the future.

Putting it another way, if you wake up and realize you're not happy, not fulfilled, and not getting what you want from a relationship, it isn't real mature to stay in it, is it?

And on the flip side, 6/Swords can be shallow. The boat is floating on the waters. Which often means that the people are dealing with the words said, but not the emotions behind them. So they may make-up after an argument, but may not talk about what was really behind that argument. And so the issue isn't really solved at all.

I guess their main difference like you mentioned is that 8 of cups is about emotions and emotions don't always make complete sense, whereas 6 of swords is more an intellectual card and there is thinking and problem solving involved in it..

Good point!