The Eight of Swords

In my opinion, the Eight of Swords is one of the most breathtaking cards in the tarot deck. Visually, it’s unmistakable: restriction, limitation, immobilization and stage fright. You can see it instantly in the body language of the central figure. She’s bound, blindfolded, surrounded, and seemingly caught in a moment of emotional paralysis. Whether it’s fear, pressure, or the overwhelming sense of not knowing what to do next, this card captures the energy of being held in place—not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

In a fortune-telling reading, this card can also indicate someone who is literally being restrained. I’ve often seen it represent arrest or temporary incarceration, such as being in a holding cell or waiting room. The broader theme is one of restricted movement, which can include—but certainly isn’t limited to—being kidnapped, held captive, or experiencing physical disability that severely limits one’s mobility. In readings for those within the kink community, it can also show up to indicate consensual bondage, sensory deprivation, or role-play scenarios involving confinement or restraint.

The woman in the image is blindfolded, and it also gives the impression that her ears are covered. Her arms are bound to her sides, and she is surrounded by eight upright swords. It suggests that she may have walked into a trap unknowingly—unable to see or hear clearly, and now unable to find her way out.

The potential for frustration in this card is incredibly high. If she has been distracted or overwhelmed by other things, she may suddenly find herself in a seemingly impossible situation. That can easily lead to resignation, or a sense of learned helplessness—especially if she’s encountered similar scenarios in the past.

But the Eight of Swords doesn’t always depict someone being acted upon. It can also appear when someone is choosing, consciously or unconsciously, to remain in a situation that most people would try to escape. Rather than being a damsel in distress, she may be playing a calculated game—setting herself up as bait to draw attention or sympathy. In that sense, it becomes a strategy, not a crisis. I've seen this card come up in readings where the client has adopted a victim mindset, and while their situation might be difficult, they’re not eager to leave it. There’s something about the attention, the control it affords, or the emotional payoff that makes the discomfort worth it to them. They may resist help, or sabotage rescue, because playing the part of the captive becomes more satisfying than freedom.

Look more closely, though, and you’ll see the key detail: her legs are not bound. Despite the blindfold and ropes, she can still walk. If she can settle herself, regulate her breathing, and quiet her mind—like the still ocean behind her—she may begin to sense her surroundings more clearly. Her body becomes the compass. If she takes her time and moves slowly, feeling her way forward step by step, there is a way out. The timeframe may be longer than she desires, but the situation is not hopeless.

This card reminds us that the exit may not be visible, but it is there. And the route out of the cage isn’t force—it’s creativity, patience, and emotional clarity.

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As Advice:

The Eight of Swords asks you to pause, to pay close attention, and to delay reaction until you can clearly see what’s happening. It may be necessary to voluntarily restrict your movement or response while you gather more information. If you’re on a spiritual path, this card might also be a call to enter a season of prayer, meditation, or fasting in order to receive divine clarity before proceeding.

In practical terms, it may also indicate a need to restrict food intake in order to lose weight. Alternatively, it can also signal that an eating disorder has become out of control, and now requires medical intervention.

Finally, this card beautifully illustrates the insight shared by Debbie Allen:

“…but out of limitation comes creativity.”

If you’re staring down a situation that feels impossible—and your usual strategies have failed—then it’s time to access a different part of yourself. Regulate your emotional state. Get still. Let your body, not just your intellect, begin to process the terrain. You won’t get out of this the old way. It will take intuition. It will take discipline. And above all, it will take creativity.

Your Body Was Created to Heal

“But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds”

Jeremiah 30:17

Healing is not a distant dream. It is your birthright. Your body was created with intelligence, purpose, and a divine desire to restore itself—again and again. This post is a reminder of that truth. Whether you're navigating chronic illness, recovering from trauma, or simply looking to return to yourself, you are not broken. You are in process. You are designed to heal.

“I am grateful for my healthy, beautiful, 

magnificent and wonderful body.” — Louise Hay

The Body’s Natural Drive Toward Healing

Science confirms what ancient wisdom already knew: the human body is a healing system. When we rest, nourish, and care for it, the body does not need to be told how to repair—it already knows. Research in regenerative biology shows that human skin, liver tissue, and even some nerves can regenerate over time. Stem cells remain active within us, orchestrating complex healing tasks quietly and constantly.

Nature offers stunning mirrors of this principle. The axolotl regrows entire limbs and spinal cords. Starfish regenerate lost arms. Some lizards regrow their tails. Even certain plants—like the resurrection plant (Selaginella lepidophylla)—seem to come back from the dead, unfurling once again with just a bit of water. These are not miracles—they are built-in capabilities.

You too carry a design of resilience. Healing may take time, it may not look like it used to, but restoration is always possible. Even one tiny space within the body that still holds vitality is enough for the spark of healing to ignite.

The Power of Partnership in Care

One of the most overlooked elements of healing is the energy of the people helping us. When clinicians are cold, dismissive, or prejudiced, the body feels it. The nervous system enters defense mode. Hope contracts. But when practitioners treat us with empathy, respect, and skill, our system softens. Healing is invited in.

Healing accelerates when you feel seen, heard, and partnered with. So seek providers who treat you like a whole person, not a list of symptoms. When that partnership clicks, their energy combines with yours, boosting your own inner will to heal.

“I am healthy, strong, fully functioning in 

vibrant health all day every day!” — Eartha Stone

Personal Restoration: My Testimony

For years I wore quick weaves—never imagining they would damage my hair. A wise friend warned me early on: give your edges a break. I didn’t listen. She eventually lost her edges to traction alopecia and had to rely on creative styling. It wasn’t until my own edges began thinning that I took it seriously. Menopause didn’t help, either.

I committed to healing. I wore a bonnet daily, massaged in oils, took vitamins, and stopped all tight styles. Slowly, my hairline began to return. Not just the edges—but fullness across my crown. Even through setbacks, I held the line. The same energy I used to nurture my scalp is the energy I now use to nurture my entire healing journey—through illness, injury, and beyond.

There is nothing superficial about healing your crown. Your hair, your skin, your joints, your breath—it’s all connected. Restoration is a message your body wants to send you. Let it be heard.

You were made for vitality. No matter how long it's been or how far you've drifted from feeling whole, your body is still reaching toward healing. Give it the right support, the right energy, and the right faith—and it will reach back.

“The spirit of God, which is active in me, flows through my physical body, in a purifying cleansing healing stream that removes all obstacles and brings peace, health and harmony to my body.” — Catherine Ponder

The Lesson of The Lotus

We tend to romanticize relationships. We’re taught that falling in love is supposed to be this soft, pastel-colored sweep of joy—light, easy, beautiful. That somehow, once you find “your person,” everything wrong with your life will dissolve, and the rest of the path will be sunrises and shared playlists.

But the real purpose of relationship?

• It’s alchemy.
• It’s transformation.

And that process isn’t always pretty.

Because relationship is where our deepest projections come to the surface. That’s not a flaw—it’s actually the point. We come into romantic connection carrying our history, our trauma, our unspoken needs, our shadow selves. And when two people step into something intimate, all of that rises up—not to punish us, but to be seen. To be witnessed. To be worked through.

This is why relationship is sacred ground. Because projection is going to happen. It’s inevitable. But we get to choose where that projection lands.

If I’m out in the world, throwing my unresolved wounds at every passerby, that’s not healing—that’s chaos. But if I’m in relationship with someone I trust, someone who is also doing the work, then projection becomes a doorway. It becomes a conversation. It becomes a mirror we both agree to look into, even when what we see isn’t so pretty.

That’s why I believe relationships should be treated as intentional containers for growth. A shared space where we both agree to hold our own baggage and take responsibility for our own healing.

It’s not about trying to unpack the other person’s suitcase for them. It’s about saying, “I’ll carry mine, you carry yours, and we’ll walk this road together.”

Love can be nurturing. It can be supportive, inspiring, even intoxicating in the best way. But the relationship itself is often a battleground before it becomes a sanctuary. That’s not a failure of love—that’s the pathway to it. As Pat Benatar sang it, “Love is a battlefield.” And she wasn’t wrong.

You get to the light, not by skipping the mud, but by moving through it.

That’s the lesson of the lotus.

The Queen of Swords

 

The Queen of Swords has always held a special place in my heart—particularly the depiction from the Morgan Greer deck. The image at the top of this post was inspired by her. I’ve long felt it’s one of the most beautiful artistic interpretations of this archetype: surrounded by roses, holding her sword high, with eyes that look directly at you and through you.

This Queen has taught me about the right use of clarity and truth—about seeing through fog, illusions, and social conditioning.

A lot of people interpret her through the lens of the Rider-Waite-Smith version and tend to fixate on her shadow aspects. She’s often described as cold, bitter, or hardened. A lonely widow. The language around her has long leaned toward misalignment and misjudgment.

Which, actually, says more about our culture than it does about her.

The Misunderstanding of the Clear-Eyed Woman

It’s no secret that many men are conditioned to romanticize women. Whether through fantasy, hero complex, or the “rescuer” archetype, there’s a persistent cultural narrative that idealizes a certain type of woman while dismissing or fearing those who don’t fit it. Men, often unknowingly, learn to see women through their imagination—not through reality.

The Queen of Swords breaks that illusion. She refuses to fit. She speaks clearly. She doesn’t ask for permission to exist in truth. And for that, she’s labeled detached, conceited, even dangerous.

But look again. This Queen isn’t cruel—she’s clear. She doesn’t wield her sword to wound. She wields it to discern.

She doesn’t accept roles, expectations, or fantasies handed to her by culture. And that makes her disruptive. She embodies the kind of sovereignty that unsettles people still living under someone else’s story.

Wisdom in the Age of Illusion

This archetype could not be more relevant to the world we’re living in now. With bots, deepfakes, AI catfishing, false narratives, and echo chambers—it’s hard to know what’s real. The Queen of Swords cuts through that noise.

When she’s well-aspected, she becomes the Wise Woman. She sees where people are confused—and more importantly, where they are content to stay confused. She understands the emotional cost of seeing life clearly, and the courage it takes to keep your eyes open anyway.

She sets boundaries. Maintains them. And encourages others to do the same. In a society built on manipulation, boundary violations, and coercion, she’s seen as a threat—not because she harms—but because she cannot be controlled.

This Queen Doesn’t Bow

She may not have an academic degree or elite credentials, but her intelligence is vast. She’s intellectually sharp and emotionally precise. It’s a combination our culture doesn’t often celebrate in women, which is why this archetype goes underground. Hidden. Muted. Reframed into something more palatable.

Women who carry this energy are often told they’re “too much,” that they intimidate men, that they should put down the sword and “soften up” to be more desirable. This is nothing more than conditioning designed to keep women from trusting their own discernment.

But the Queen of Swords doesn’t live for approval—she lives for truth.

She doesn’t define herself in relation to men, nor does she rebel for sport. Her clarity isn’t performative—it’s lived. She has no appetite for illusion, no tolerance for deception, and no need to dim herself to keep others comfortable.

She knows that truth is not the enemy of love—it is the beginning of it. Anything  that cannot withstand TRUTH was never safe to build on in the first place.

The Queen of Swords sees. She speaks. She stands. And in a world that thrives on confusion, this is formidable power.

A Warning for the Curious, the Gifted, and the Untrained

Before you light a candle, say a name, or repeat a ritual you found online—read this. We are in a time where spiritual content is everywhere, but spiritual discernment is in short supply. This post is not about fear. It’s about protection, clarity, and responsibility. Whether you’re a curious beginner or a seasoned practitioner, these red flags will help you navigate spiritual spaces with your eyes open and your energy guarded. Some lessons come easy. Others come hard. This is a guide to help you avoid the hard way.

🚩 Red flags to look out for on your spiritual journey 🚩

1. 🧞 Entities That Lie

Not every spirit that answers your call is who they say they are. Some are tricksters, parasites, or ancient beings like the djinn, who thrive on confusion, desire, and ego.

They can mimic saints, deities, ancestors, or guardians. They’ll act helpful just long enough to gain your trust. They’ll give you signs and results to pull you deeper. And once you’re in too far, they’ll take everything they can.

If you didn’t grow up in this practice… If you weren’t trained in a lineage… If you learned it off TikTok… Think twice! You may not know what you’re opening. But something is always listening!

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2. 🎭 Impersonation Is Their Favorite Game

You might think you're calling on Martha the Dominator. You might think you're working with Eleguá or Saint Michael. But these entities know how to play the role, especially when your ritual is sloppy, your sources are shallow, or your energy is unguarded.

They don't need to possess you. They just need you to believe what you're seeing.

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3. 🧪 They Can Tamper With Your Divination

This is one of the least understood deceptions: They can and will influence your readings.

• Cards
• Dice
• Astrology
• Pendulums
• Intuitive flashes

No matter how gifted you are, if you’ve opened yourself to one of these beings—even unknowingly—they can bend your divination. They know you trust your tools. They know you consult them for every decision. So they use that trust to push you where they want you to go.

That’s why every serious practitioner should:

• Keep notes on readings
• Revisit your interpretations over time
• Cross-check with grounded reality
• Use protection before every session
• Be willing to question yourself

Accuracy doesn't mean immunity.
Even skilled readers can be deceived when spiritual channels are compromised.

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4. 💀 They Drain You

These beings don’t just trick you. They feed off of you—your energy, your health, your finances, your mental clarity. They operate like vampires, draining slowly while keeping you spiritually entertained.

They’ll leave you confused, foggy, unstable, paranoid, and dependent.

If your life gets darker the deeper you go, you’re not becoming more powerful, you’re being used.

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5. 🕯️ Most People Have No Business in This Work

There are spirits that require:

• Lifelong devotion
• Cultural responsibility
• Mentorship and accountability
• Clear initiation and ongoing upkeep

Yet today, people are copying blog posts, downloading PDFs, and calling on names they don’t understand. And now with AI, anyone can compile a book about spirits without doing any actual work.

That’s how you end up summoning something ancient, thinking it’s your “self-love goddess.”

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6. ⚠️ Divine Discomfort = Your Protection

If you read this and felt fear rising in your chest—GOOD!
That’s discernment. That’s your system saying: 🚩Don’t touch this. Don’t go further. 🚩

Your intuition won’t just give you goosebumps. It will scream, “Stop. Turn around.” Honor that!

Also, don’t confuse discomfort with a spiritual challenge. Sometimes it’s your ancestors and higher self trying to save you. If it feels off, it is off. Protect yourself. Ground yourself. Stay out of spiritual lanes that don’t belong to you.

…And stop trusting online strangers to be your guides! 🧞‍♀️