Tarot Card Study - The 8's

[LisaT4P]

8 of Wands
8 of Swords
8 of Cups
8 of Pentacles

Strength
Star

Please put pictures of your favorite versions of these cards if you have them. They can all be from the same deck or different decks. If you have more than one favorite, feel free to post all of them! Part of the fun of this will be showing off our decks and the fun for others will be seeing the images!

Please discuss why this / these are your fave version(s) of the particular card. What in the card speaks the most to you? How does it relate to the other #8 cards? Can you see Strength or The Star cards in the minors? The suits in the Majors? Does looking @ the cards in this way change your perspectives?

How would you interpret this card in different types of readings? What is your most frequent interpretation of this card, or what is your keyword or phrase for it?

[LisaT4P]

8 Positive Traits: Executive character and abilities, political skills, expert handling of power and authority, working for a cause, achieving recognition, exercising sound judgment, decisive and commanding.

8. Negative Traits: Workaholic, overly ambitious, lacking humanitarian instincts, mismanaging money, repressing subordinates, impatient with people, stressed, materialistic.

[pentacledreamer]

My only Deck is the Mythic and I plan on making my own deck when I need to retire the current one I have.

Strength: Overcoming a great obstical in your path, or the need to have strenth in a situation. A time when you need to let your strength out and use it.

The Star: Unleashing of problems, chaos released. Yet from this chaos there is a chance to better yourself or the situation. The innocence of one person.

Cups: Taking an unwanted journey into the unknown, the fear yet hope that by doing so you will gain what you are looking for. Leaving behind something dear for something unwanted.

Wands: A journey, the steady pace after much turmoil in ones life. The joy of companionship at your side. Meeting good a few good friends.

Swords: A difficult descion is in the making, you need to chose between one or the other. You can't sit in the middle anymore.

Pentacles: Your very talented at what you do and have found that job your really good at. Good finacal balance in on the way.

[LisaT4P]

Here are the images of the 8's from the Magical Forest Tarot (http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b321/lkrough2/MagicalForest.jpg).

[Taliesyn]

http://a474.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/26/l_ced7cddda54124e9004f06960bc3e0e9.jpgthat's a photoshopped color version of my 8 of swords - the only eight I have done.

Eight of swords- being boxed in- prisoner of society- forced to conform.

eight of cups- running away from your feelings

Eight of pentacles- preserverance, hard work, gain.

eight of wands- speed, the written word , communication.

strength- inner power, making a stand. the strength isn't the strength to overcome, like the chariot. it is the gentle strength that lets you stand, even if you fail.

The Star- all good things. the best omen. things turning out for the best. this is the only card i don't read inverted- it is always a good thing coming.

I gotta get painting! I don't even have sketches for most of these yet!

[LisaT4P]

I gotta get painting! I don't even have sketches for most of these yet!Stop being a slacker! _wedgie_

That dude in the box is scary. I would NOT want to trade places with him! He looks like the victim of a very sadistic Magician. *makes note to self not to anger the Taliesyn*

[Zephyrstorm]

Wow, that's an intense image, Taliesyn.


I mentioned an idea to Lisa when I pmed some spreads, and she suggested that we try it here.

My thought was pulling a symbol out of a card, such as the ropes that often bind the figure in the 8 of Swords, and talking about what rope symbolizes for us personally, and talking about what rope symbolizes traditionally.

To me rope is a symbol of not just being bound up and restrained, but it's also a symbol of hope.

ACK! I'm late for work. Will edit when I get home. heh. :o

[LisaT4P]

The rope is a great choice, Zephyr! I think it has sort of a dual meaning for me... rope can hold things down, restrain and bind... but it can also provide the means of escape, as in lowering someone or something down a rope.

Lasso, anyone? ;)

[Zephyrstorm]

Exactly what I was thinking when I wrote that. :)

Think about the sayings we have. "She's tied up", He's "asking me to throw him a rope." I'm "at the end of my rope."

My book on symbols (Penguin's guide to symbols) talks about ropes being a symbol of the desire to ascend as well as the means to do so. It's associated with freedom and with being bound. Ropes are also related to the Fates, because of the threads of Fate, and because the Roman Goddess Fortuna often held ropes, demonstrating that she can decide when your Fate will come.

[Taliesyn]

great Idea, Zephyrstorm!

ropes. well, to me I see them as binging and restricting- in the eight of swords, I see the rope as the ties of society, mom's apronstrings, the chain of events, emotional "cords" .

ropes are also symbolic to me of the obligations we have chosen to take- feet neither bound or free. to me it is this sence that they allow us a means to escape, or free ourselves. because it is the accecptance of such obligations that we are given the wisdom to find freedom.

[pentacledreamer]

That is a wonderful idea. I've always seen my ropes as binding me down.. until these past few months where they have been my means to climb out of the hole I was living in!

Ropes are wonderful tools. There is good binding as well, like in handfasting! Ropes can symbolize the union of people, not just as lovers and mates, but as friends and family!

[Zephyrstorm]

So what about the fact that in the Rider Waite, the eight of Wands shows them seemingly flying through the sky?

The sky is a place that is, to me, for dreams and hope, but also a changeable. Yet there are sayings like "head in the clouds" or "floating on air".

Or what does it mean that the R-W Eight of Cups shows the figure walking away from the cups? What does the act of walking away mean to each of us?

It can mean leaving something that is/once was valuable, but it can also mean setting aside something that has been weighing you down. "Leave all your cares behind you."

and the Pentacles? How about the hammer?

"Hammering something home" It's a tool of work, of the craftsman, but also of the laborer and artisan. Hammers also have a sense of other earthy endeavors. Many of the euphemisms that various languages use for sex relate to words like pound, nail, hammer. ;) Hammering away at something means you are working as hard as you can to do it.

I enjoy this stuff. *notes that when she finishes her degree, she needs to specialize in semiotics and symbols*

[Taliesyn]

the wands in the air- to me that relates quickness, like they are arrows.

the running from hte cups, that's the whole meaning of the card to me- running away. escapeisim.

the hammer on the eight- well, I've done a bit of balcksmithing (made my own armor in the SCA days) and belive me, that's hard work!

[Zephyrstorm]

I agree, Taliesyn, Smithing is one of the toughest jobs I've been witness to. (I did SCA from the time I was 12-19 or so.) I remember watching the heavy fighters struggle to keep their armor in good shape and to make good armor to replace damaged goods.

[Taliesyn]

heh- I graduated to knifemaking- I have a friend who has a forge. if you think cold-froging 16 gauge looked hard, try making a bowie knife out of an old crowbar! it's really neat though. the metal really shows it's spirit when it is hot. I just recently gave away my athame- which I forged myself. I guess it's timeto fire up that forge again....

[Zephyrstorm]

I'd love to learn to work metal hot. I need to get enrolled in some classes for it. :D

[Shatril]

In general eights correspond to the Sphere of Hod, the sphere of form, science, books, learning, law, teaching communication. The also are about control or restriction. This quote from Dion Fortune applies to many of the interpretations of these cards; “The mind of any being of a sufficient degree of development to have achieved an independent will works objectively on it environment, thereby modifying it.” We are the creators of our reality, through the thoughts that we think for good or bad.

Eight of Wands—Hod manifesting in air, mind in the sphere of logic—This is about learning something new through study. You are placing your mental activity on science, books, learning and other such activities. Communication and truthfulness.

Reversed—Dishonesty, falsehood, particularly with self, this to me equates to the negative self talk that we sometimes engage in. Failure to learn. Learning by rote with little understanding of the process, monkey see, monkey do. Rigid adherence to method, without considering that there may be other and even better ways to do something. Your way is the only way, and all must do as you do or they are wrong.

Eight of Swords—Hod manifesting through fire, action/will in the sphere of logic—The querent is has a clear direction. They are choreographed moves. Think before you leap if you want success. Legal action.

Reversed—Stalemate, bound and unable to act.

Eight of Cups—Hod manifesting through water, emotion/intuition in the sphere of logic—Common sense, logical action wins the day. Emotions with thought. Mind and intuition are in accord. It feels and looks right.

Reversed—Automaton, little or no feelings. Eyeballs are eyeballs, if I can’t feel, or touch it, it isn’t really. Lack of faith.

Eight of Pentacles—Hod manifesting through earth, the physical in the sphere of logic—As a man thinketh so will he be. Mind over matter. Mind has effect on the physical form. Healthy life style and program. No physical nerve problems. Wealth can be obtained through logical action.

Reversed—Your negative thoughts are affecting your body’s health, such as tension, stress, and diseases related to this. Foolishness

VIII Strength—The might of mercy; the mercy of might—The path between Geburah and Chesed (Pillars of Severity and Mercy). A man with no female aspects would be nothing but a fist, and a woman with no masculine aspects would be a cat’s paw with the nails extended. Real strength is due to our duality of nature, and gives us the gentle strength necessary to survive. This card is about strength and severity controlled and balanced by affection and gentleness, and gentleness strengthened and protected by might.

Interpretation—Strength of will. Stand firm, even if it causes pain. Pulling the thorn from the foot of the lion. The way to let evil rain is for good people to sit idol; this cannot be done here. Let the punishment fit the crime, mercy tempered by severity.

Reversed—Give a bit of tolerance and understanding here instead of only severity. Love and mercy are not weaknesses.

XVII The Stars—The victory of the foundation; the foundation of victory—Path between Netzach and Yesod—This path is inspiration and aspiration; and aspiration is reaching for the stars, which is exactly what you should do for inspiration.

Interpretation—Creative energy, and inspiration inspire the Querent. You know what you want to think and say to create. This is the energy of motion added to your magic.

Reversed—Striving for success, or creativity. Desire, aspiration, looking for emotion. The need for creativity. May want to work in the arts or other creative field.