8 of Swords as spiritual advice?

[seaglass]

The next step spiritually - 8 of Swords. The only swords card in a "how is the querent doing at life right now" spread.

Full RWS deck, no reversals.

It's tempting to interpret this simply as - "stop thinking so much" or "free yourself from the prison of the mind" but I'm looking for a more positive, esoteric sort of definition.

I guess, somewhat weakly, I view it as saying "think through your problems - sort out your values - THINK."

If you've got thoughts on this, I'd love to read them!
Thank you!

 

[seaglass]

I think this card is sometimes associated with Jupiter in Gemini - very interesting because that is the current transit of Jupiter. Could possibly suggest that the path to spiritual growth is taking in a little bit of everything, being open to all stimuli and just trying to get it all in. Or, perhaps, shutting the door to too much stimuli.

Hmm..

Going in circles on this one.

 

[PAMUYA]

You feel trapped/stuck. You must see the world differently, your mind is too cluttered. Excessive force will only make your situation worse, so let them go and accept the mental clarity and peace of the Sword. With that new vision you should be able to see the way out and start down the spiritual path. You need to start a meditation practice, you are unable to be in the moment.

 

[rwcarter]

Especially since you're using RWS, if you look at the woman, she is incapable of accessing the senses of sight, sound and touch. Smell and taste are available to her, but I'd suggest that they aren't as distracting as sight, sound and touch would be. So the spiritual advice might be to block out those distractions so that her next spiritual step becomes clear to her.

 

[seaglass]

Especially since you're using RWS, if you look at the woman, she is incapable of accessing the senses of sight, sound and touch. Smell and taste are available to her, but I'd suggest that they aren't as distracting as sight, sound and touch would be. So the spiritual advice might be to block out those distractions so that her next spiritual step becomes clear to her.

Do you mean - you think the spiritual advice is to block out smell & taste - or to block out the ones that are already blocked (sight, sound, touch)?

This interp is resonating with me and just wanted to clarify...

EDITED TO ADD: I re-read it and I think you are saying that blocking out smell & taste as well will lead to clarity? As if by totally cutting off sensory distraction, the querent can experience a lucid moment?

 

[seaglass]

You feel trapped/stuck. You must see the world differently, your mind is too cluttered. Excessive force will only make your situation worse, so let them go and accept the mental clarity and peace of the Sword. With that new vision you should be able to see the way out and start down the spiritual path. You need to start a meditation practice, you are unable to be in the moment.

I like this interp too. I think it goes quite well with rwcarter's notion of "blocked" senses. Clearly, something is blocked here.... And as advice... it suggests an unblocking. Perhaps the channel is through the mind?

 

[rwcarter]

Do you mean - you think the spiritual advice is to block out smell & taste - or to block out the ones that are already blocked (sight, sound, touch)?

This interp is resonating with me and just wanted to clarify...

EDITED TO ADD: I re-read it and I think you are saying that blocking out smell & taste as well will lead to clarity? As if by totally cutting off sensory distraction, the querent can experience a lucid moment?

Sorry, I meant to block out sight, sound and touch like the woman in the picture in order to find what the spiritual path would be. (Basically block out all the external "noise" so that she can hear her inner voice.)

 

[Trogon]

I rather feel that this card is about shutting out the conventional ways of thinking that are being imposed on her. I wonder if she isn't in a position where there are others around her who are ... hmm ... I guess I'd say "strictly religious". Meaning there are people who are in a position to have influence on her who are, well, rather narrow-minded about actual spiritual growth. She's going to have to blind herself to the this strict-thinking in order to take a step away from it. Basically, what I'm feeling is, since this represents a step to take towards spiritual growth, the swords are the strict-thinking that is preventing the spiritual growth - the advice is to blind herself to the outside influences.

[Edit:] I just read the rest of the replies (wanted to post mine while it was fresh in my mind). RWCarter's is similar to mine, so I'd go with his and add mine.

 

[seaglass]

I rather feel that this card is about shutting out the conventional ways of thinking that are being imposed on her. I wonder if she isn't in a position where there are others around her who are ... hmm ... I guess I'd say "strictly religious". Meaning there are people who are in a position to have influence on her who are, well, rather narrow-minded about actual spiritual growth. She's going to have to blind herself to the this strict-thinking in order to take a step away from it. Basically, what I'm feeling is, since this represents a step to take towards spiritual growth, the swords are the strict-thinking that is preventing the spiritual growth - the advice is to blind herself to the outside influences.

Glad I logged on one more time for the night and read this post, Trogon. The querent isn't a particularly religious person in the conventional sense - more spiritual than anything, I would say. I do think, though, that the tie-in to Jupiter in Gemini is particularly interesting and suggests expansiveness - perhaps you're right about staying true to oneself. Though, I wonder why it would come up as 8 of Swords as opposed to the Hermit? Or even 4 of Swords?

I actually just found out that the querent is experiencing a Mercury Conjunct Jupiter in Gemini transit, too. I personally feel that this card suggests the act of thinking - of really working out one's thoughts - in a leadership capacity. I think, regardless of how one interprets this card, it truly seems to suggest meditation and reflection and perhaps a bit of self-sufficiency.

This is a really interesting placement, in my opinion...

 

[oddtarot]

Hi, when I see this card in the RWS, I always think about how the blindfolded person can cut herself free with the swords, although she may cut herself as well.

To me it seems as though it is a reminder to be careful in a situation.