Responding to the Body: Restricting the Body

VIII of Swords

Upright: Self-Imposed Restriction, Imprisonment, Self-Victimhood, Negative Thoughts, Entrapment
Reversed: New Perspectives, Inner Critic, Self Acceptance, Freedom, Releasing Negative Thought

The eighth card of the Sword suit depicts a woman bound and blindfolded, surrounded by 8 swords that resrict her movement as if caught in some kind of perilous trap. Upon closer inspection, however, this trap is poorly devised and would pose no danger to those who could observe it. Furthermore, the woman’s bindings appear to be loosely applied and her blindfold not tightly applied. The gray landscape reflects her despair, having so given up hope that she makes no attempt to escape her situation, suggesting her entrapment is self imposed. It begs the question, how many of the restrictions and obstacles you encounter could be removed if you saw them for what they are and walked away.