Below is an excerpt from the Dark Days Tarot Guidebook by Emily Mundy:
Eight of Swords:
The Eight of Swords upright highlights feelings of self-imprisonment, worry, and mental isolation. You may not be able to see the danger surrounding present situation, and the blindfold must be removed to transform muddled thinking into clarified awareness. This card pulled in reversed invites the querent to release concern of these things, and to open up to others and the healing power of togetherness. How might you release some of your fear? How might you be empowered by it?
Suggested prompts:
upright: worrisome blindfold; isolation
right: fear of the unknown
left: worry providing insight
reversed: openness to experience
This Eight of Swords is one of a few cards that reveals where we may be blocking our own way forward. As infinity symbols, eights represent a cyclical pattern or stuck feeling. The Eight of Swords shows us a state of being without an accurate sense of the change-making resources available to us.
It may not be time to take the blindfold off, but when you do, you’ll find your situation is less tricky than you’d previously thought. You’ll likely discover solutions within your struggle to budge. This card isn’t revelatory of anything but the state of being blind to the whole truth.
A flickering candle flame or sunset is a marvelous thing to watch having the Eight of Swords fall in a reading. As time goes by, the truth may or may not be revealed.
Purchase your own Dark Days Tarot Deck here.