Upright Keywords:
Abandonment, Abandoning plans, Walking away, Letting go, Traveling, Escapism, Reaching limit, Self-analysis, Self-discovery, Introspection, Looking deeper, Withdrawal, Disappointment, Looking for the truth, Loneliness, Leaving a bad situation, Emotional strength, Courage, Fatigue, Weariness
Reversed Keywords:
Fear of moving on, Stagnation, Monotony, Accepting your lot, Lack of self-awareness, Lack of emotional maturity, Staying in a bad situation, Faking happiness, Low self-esteem, Lack of self-worth, Clinginess, Fear of commitment, Fear of abandonment
Upright Meaning
In a general context, the Eight of Cups represents abandonment. It can signify walking away from people or situations in your life or abandoning your plans. It can indicate disappointment, escapism and turning your back on or leaving bad situation. The Eight of Cups can also represent the exhaustion or weariness that can prompt such a decision. Strength and courage are necessary to walk away from what you know into an unknown future and these qualities are also represented in the Eight of Cups. It is a Minor Arcana card representing travel so you could find yourself embarking on an adventure when this card appears in your Tarot reading. The Eight of Cups can signify loneliness, introspection, self-analysis and looking for the truth.
Reversed Meaning
In a general context, the Eight of Cups reversed can indicate stagnation. When it appears you may be accepting your lot in life or staying in bad situation that makes you terribly unhappy because you are afraid of moving on or worried about what the future might hold if you leave. You may appear happy to those around you but underneath it all you know you need to get let go of certain people or situations in your life in order to move forward. You are resisting this change because you are paralysed by fear. It can also be a sign of running away from situations, not because they are bad but because you are afraid to take a chance and be vulnerable. This Minor Arcana card in a reversed position can show a lack of emotional maturity and can also be an indicator of low self-esteem or low self-worth. It can also represent returning home after a long period of travelling or living abroad.