VIII of Swords
Date pulled: May 1, 2026
Deck: Tarot del Tango
Question / meditation: How is my energy after moving & travel?
Astrology: Mercury in Libra
Archetype: Intellectual Skill
Imagery & intuitive interpretation
In Waite-Smith symbology, the VIII of Swords depicts a figure, bound and blindfolded, surrounded by the eight swords. She appears contained, but not trapped— her feet are unbound and she has the freedom to walk away. Each card also depicts a distant castle, representing the riches and stability of a different life that may await, if only she decides to unblind herself.
On the right, from Tarot of the Divine, we see depicted the myth of Donkeyskin, a 17th century French fairy tale written by Charles Perrault. According to Yoshitani, Donkeyskin was ‘forced into hiding to escape a bad situation. Now she is faced with the decision to continue the life she has created or to step out of her self-made prison.’
From the images of these cards we can interpret that the figure (representing the subject or querent) feels trapped, and perhaps is to some extent, but the prison feels stronger in her mind than in reality. In reality, she is capable of changing her circumstance. Choosing to unblind means choosing to see things as they are—including uncomfortable truths about ourselves.
Let’s analyze in relation to my question (How is my energy?). The past few months have been a whirlwind for me, including an engagement, a cross-country move, and attending an international wedding. Although I’ve loved jumping back into my DC community I’ve felt the burnout of a social battery in overdrive. Seeing this card appear and carefully studying the various interpretations reminds me of what I could already sense— I feel overwhelmed but it is largely due to my own choices (like saying yes to too many things, over-extending myself, and not making time to recover adequately).
To tie in some of our previous lessons on suits and numerology, we can recall that eights are cards of mastery, ripening, transformations, and rebirth, while swords rule the intellectual sphere. To me, this indicates that my mental state and focus (for example, my writing) is going through a period of transformation and upheaval, but one that I am capable of navigating by letting go of old, toxic patterns.
Formal interpretations (upright)
Challenges
Difficulty in becoming free from restrictions, feeling surrounded by obstacles and without good choices (Sharman-Burke & Caselli, 2012).
Caught up in one’s own insecurities. Anxiety, victimhood, feeling trapped; paralysis, crisis (Yoshitani, 2020).
Feeling stuck, trapped, backed into a corner. Lonesome and melancholic energy; isolation, even exhaustion (Siegel, 2019).
Narrow or restricted surroundings. Bondage. Imprisonment through indecision. Betrayal. Fear to move out of a situation. Temporary sickness (Gray, 1972).
Bad news, violent chagrin, crisis, censure, power in trammels, conflict, calumny; also sickness (Waite & Smith, 1909).
Solutions and recommendations
Solutions exist if only the blindfold is removed. There is need to recognize one’s own contributions to the current situation in order to make change. When this card appears in a reading it may suggest that a sign will appear— one should take care to recognize it (Sharman-Burke & Caselli, 2012).
Formal interpretations (reversed)
If you are new to tarot and are not yet familiar with reversals, fear not. We’ll have an explainer on this soon!
Freedom, new perspectives, taking a stand, strength and healing (Yoshitani, 2020).
Mental breakthroughs and sudden clarity; clearheaded perseverance. May currently still be embattled, but the clouds are clearing and the sun is in sight (Siegel, 2019).
New beginnings are now possible. Impulsive, generous nature. Relaxation from fear; freedom (Gray, 1972).
Disquiet, difficulty, opposition, accident, treachery, the unforeseen, fatality (Waite & Smith, 1909).
References
Costa, Marianne and Groch, Ana, Tarot del Tango (2020)
Gray, Eden, A Complete Guide to the Tarot (Bantam Books, 1972)
Sharman-Burke, Juliet and Caselli, Giovanni, Beginner's Guide to Tarot (U.S. Games Systems, Inc., 2012)
Siegel, Minerva, Tarot for Self-Care: How to Use Tarot to Manifest Your Best Self (Adams Media, 2019)
Waite, Arthur and Smith, Pamela Colman, Rider-Waite Tarot Deck (William Rider & Son, 1909)
Wang, Robert, The Jungian Tarot (U.S. Games Systems, Inc., 2017)
Yoshitani, Yoshi, Tarot of the Divine (Clarkson Potter, 2020)