8 of Cups as a postive card (RWS)

[TheBabelite]

First time posting in this sub forum so I hope I'm not breaking any rules.

 

For my morning readings I've been doing Assistance - Obstacle - Advice. However, I recently got the 8 of Cups in the Assistance slot, and I've having trouble seeing it as a card that can assist me. It just seems so negative!  Does anyone have any advice?

 

Best,

Babelite

[Emilija]

It’s hard to say without knowing about the particular obstacle, but my initial thoughts are that it signifies you walking away from a situation or moving on from something that is toxic. Could that make sense in this situation? Sometimes the more we stay in a situation, the more pain we endure. It is only by moving on can we begin the healing process that will give us peace. I looked at the card on Biddy Tarot and the first paragraph seems to mirror this sentiment: https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/minor-arcana/suit-of-cups/eight-of-cups/

[FindYourSovereignty]

Without knowing what the other cards are, is it possible that it means you will be assisting someone that is in a sad or unhealthy situation? Helping others is a gift that, in most cases, assists us as well as the recipient.

[Rodney]

The 8C as Assistance could be saying that someone will help (or force) you to realize that you need to move away from something or someone. Maybe someone puts the final piece in place for you. Maybe something that on the surface appears as an obstacle (someone else putting up those cups to keep you out, forcing you to pursue another path) actually turns out to be a good thing as that new path takes you places you never would've imagined or considered. It could even say that someone will put up a barrier between you and something/someone else - closing a door so you're not bothered by a loud conversation or music, putting up a Wet Floor sign so you don't slip and fall, pulling down a shade so you're not bothered by the Sun, etc.

[Guest]

Hey TheBabelite,

 

It's interesting and understandable that you see the 8 of Cups as a negative card, but I also see it as a motivational card. 

 

In the Rider-Waite Smith deck, the 8 of Cups card shows a person walking away from the cups: we can interpret that image as someone walking away from a situation, but we can also interpret it as someone starting a journey of emotional exploration, or walking towards emotional self-awareness. (So it's possible that your own emotional self-awareness, or checking in with yourself, can help you in some way.)

The specific Tarot deck I use (The Numinous Tarot) helps me to remember both interpretations. If you go to this webpage : https://www.noelheimpel.com/numinoustarot/ and scroll all the way down, you'll see the Eight of Vials (Cups) card. It shows someone stepping away from a lively party, taking a smoke break outside. This person is self-aware enough to realize that they want to step away from the party, and that they most likely want to leave (since their eyes are looking away). Since they're checking in with themself, this person knows what they don't want (an overstimulating party) and what they do want (solitude). Our emotional and spiritual needs tend to become clear when we're by ourselves.

[Grandma]

@TheBabelite - do you consider your morning readings to be three separate one card readings or one cohesive three card reading?  If it's the first, then all the above suggestions are good but not necessarily relevant to your situation. 

 

However, if as I suspect, it's the second, then I don't think it makes sense to focus on just the one card.  The point of using more than one card in a reading is the interrelationship of the cards and the totality of the spread.  Why don't you consider posting the whole reading in the Personal Readings section.  Don't forget to explain how you laid the cards out and provide your own interpretations first, and then others will probably offer theirs.  And then of course you will need to give feedback to everyone who helps you.

[Grizabella]

As "assistance", I'd say the cards are telling you that it will benefit you most if you've already dealt with some emotional issues that have been a problem for you in the past.

 

For instance, I'm a recovering alcoholic/domestic abuse survivor and a huge part of my recovery was making a thorough inventory of things in my past and then discussing it with someone else. It's no small task---it took me a long time and there were so many realizations I had to come to that I wasn't able to see before.  When I see the 8 of Cups this is what is brought to my mind. Setting out on my healing journey required doing thorough and honest evaluation and a whole new way of thinking and feeling before I could finally put the destructive patterns behind me and move forward to a healthier life.  Putting it all away and setting forth without anything but my new knowledge was scary and I had no idea where it would lead. I don't know your question, but this is just some insight from with with relation to that card. I'd interpret this card as something similar.