Tarot and Your Daily Life
The
Minor Arcana
Eights in Motion
by James Ricklef
From a numerological standpoint,
we may consider the number eight to be near the end of the line,
so to speak, since it is the second to last single digit. As such,
it indicates penultimate events, and it involves characteristics
such as movement, power, and progress. (For an illustration of this
concept, consider how the action in a movie accelerates as the climax
draws near.) Thus, we typically find the “Eight” cards
in the Tarot’s Minor Arcana dealing with issues like strength
and power, progress and movement, and final preparations such as
planning and hard work.
In the Eight of Wands, we see the simple image of wands racing across
the sky, an unambiguous depiction of movement and progress that says, “Go
for it!” Similarly, it can indicate an unavoidable rush of
circumstances, such as when it feels like everything is happening
all at once. Sometimes this card may be a sort of “heads up” that
warns us to get ready to act – either to leap out of the way
or to brace for impact. At other times, we should be prepared to “go
with the flow,” for this may accelerate our spiritual progress.
The trick, of course, is to know when to jump out of the way of an
oncoming train and when to leap onboard, but the fact that the wands
on this card are all in alignment implies a solution to this problem.
Their unity of direction advises us to rush forward if that aligns
our will with our spiritual purpose. So when faced with such a choice,
we should search deep inside ourselves to see whether we are pursuing
noble ambitions or merely chasing base desires.
The Eight of Cups shows a lone figure walking away from eight neatly
stacked cups as he begins a long trek up a mountain trail. An obvious
interpretation is that of setting out on a pilgrimage, or maybe this
card is saying the time has come to leave behind old emotional attachments
that we have outgrown and move on to find deeper meaning in life.
As we can see from the somewhat mournful attitude of the figure in
this card, such a transition can bring regret, reluctance, and misgivings
for it will involve walking away from things that we once held dear.
But when we are ready for it, a change like this can set us on a
path of spiritual awakening (as symbolized by climbing to a mountain
top), which makes such sacrifice worthwhile.
As noted above, the number Eight indicates movement, strength, and
progress, but in seeming contradiction to this, the Eight of Swords
depicts a woman blindfolded, bound in ropes, and surrounded by
swords that seem to trap her in a cage. However, this card is about
motion, but it is motion that is blocked or inhibited, and this
card suggests ways to overcome such obstacles. Since it is in the
suit of thoughts, ideas, and beliefs, it suggests that our blindness,
constraints, and obstacles are all in our mind, and so the solutions
to them are within us as well. Sometimes these problems are imposed
by our own thoughts or self-doubts, while at other times they arise
when we allow ourselves to be constrained by the ideas or beliefs
of others. The encouragement of this card, then, is to consider
how a change of attitude, point of view, or opinion may allow us
to overcome our troubles.
On the Eight of Pentacles a craftsman sits surrounded by seven completed
pentacles as he diligently works to create one more. According to
Theodore Roosevelt, “Far and away the best prize that life
has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” The
key is either to find such work or to find a positive attitude toward
the work we are already doing. Once we take time to carefully assess
the work we have chosen – to see where our skills lie and what
kind of work fulfills us – we will discover what work we should
be doing. Unfortunately, we don’t always have much choice about
what work is available to us, but in that case we should assess how
we approach our work. Are we trying our best to be competent, dedicated,
and productive? When we are, we can find fulfillment in the work
we do, and even the most mundane tasks can become a meditative and
healing yoga. So not only is it important that we choose the right
work, but also that we work with a sense of fulfillment, gratitude,
and satisfaction.
James
Ricklef is a professional Tarot reader, teacher, and writer. His
new book, “Tarot: Get the Whole Story,” explains
how to create your own spreads, and it presents a variety of spreads
which it illustrates using sample readings for well-known historical,
mythical, and fictional characters. For more information about the
author’s work, see his website: www.jamesricklef.com
