SunChariot
Me too. It's a pretty educational thread, and shows new ways of thinking about things. Always a good thing. 
Babs
Babs
About a picture 8 of Swords
Ace
Wanting to be rescued does not fit in with my meaning for the 8 of Swords. Which is of course about our thoughts. For me anyway, I don't tend to sit around hoping someone will rescue me from my thoughts.
That is my take on the card meaning too. She CAN escape and any time, just that she does not know or realize it. But as EmpyreanKnight said, she could just stand up at any time and step out of it. Maybe to stand up tall and take pride in herself. Could be those thoughts are related to her self-esteem?
Babs
To me, waiting to be rescued is EXACTLY what the 8 of swords is about. In the RWS deck, the person has a smug little grin on her face, something I noticed when I first saw the card. She has tangled herself up so badly, Now, she says, somebody HAS to rescue me. But with swords around her, she CAN rescue herself, although as EmpyrianKnight say below, she may cut herself in the process. But if takes responsibility for her own actions and allows herself a little pain, she would be free again....all on her own.
This photo and the bell jar version do speak to much more to her self esteem
I don't see it with this version, Nemia. Here, she has been trapped and is being held by someone else. she is not a prisoner of her MIND but literally. So for me it doesn't work so well.
Of course it would cut her, but she would be FREE. See my comment above.
hubbabubba
Beautiful image!
I like that she is imprisoned in glass for the 8 of swords because glass is a see-through barrier that can not seem like a prison at first glance... Until you notice you have lost touch with reality after a prolonged time of being trapped in feelings of hopelessness...
A jar is perfect as a "sneaky" prison you might not try to escape from and get a little to comfortable in. Doesn't look likes she even sees it!
I like that she is imprisoned in glass for the 8 of swords because glass is a see-through barrier that can not seem like a prison at first glance... Until you notice you have lost touch with reality after a prolonged time of being trapped in feelings of hopelessness...
A jar is perfect as a "sneaky" prison you might not try to escape from and get a little to comfortable in. Doesn't look likes she even sees it!
Elnor
When you are honestly trapped in a situation and can't get out, the advise always given is to seek help, (especially in the case of severe, ongoing depression.)
Thinking of all those women with postnatal depression who've committed suicide, or going back to Sylvia Plath as an example... perhaps with the right sort of counselling she might not have opted to kill herself, (instead of the treatment of electroshock therapy and the antidepressants she was given instead.)
Perhaps another aspect of the Eight of Swords is to know when you've hit rock bottom and can't find the bootstraps to pull yourself up with any more... it's time to ask for help.
Thinking of all those women with postnatal depression who've committed suicide, or going back to Sylvia Plath as an example... perhaps with the right sort of counselling she might not have opted to kill herself, (instead of the treatment of electroshock therapy and the antidepressants she was given instead.)
Perhaps another aspect of the Eight of Swords is to know when you've hit rock bottom and can't find the bootstraps to pull yourself up with any more... it's time to ask for help.
Ace
Looking back at my previous post, I hope I was not sounding too unsympathetic. I was talking about the woman in the bell jar, not the mason jar photo. I agree that when we get too low, we think there IS no help, but there is and we must reach out for it. And sometimes it gets so bad, we can't do it ourselves.
In the case of 8 of swords--and the woman in the bell jar--they CAN still free themselves. I see it in my own family: depressed people who make it their career to STAY depressed and get everyone's attention rather than get help and get on with their lives. They are not going to harm themselves--they are toxic to others.
But it is possible to become a prisoner of such sorrow that you cannot get free. That is where WE--the outsiders--must step in and help. And we must have enough compassion to see it.
barb
In the case of 8 of swords--and the woman in the bell jar--they CAN still free themselves. I see it in my own family: depressed people who make it their career to STAY depressed and get everyone's attention rather than get help and get on with their lives. They are not going to harm themselves--they are toxic to others.
But it is possible to become a prisoner of such sorrow that you cannot get free. That is where WE--the outsiders--must step in and help. And we must have enough compassion to see it.
barb
Carojulie
I think this image is extremely beautiful.
As many people have remarked in this thread, I find the situation a little too hopeless ; I think there should be a way out (even if the women does not see it yet) for the image to represent all the aspects of the 8 of swords (IMO)
I find the way you represented the trap of her own anxieties, extremely smart. The feeling of doom, entrapment, is very strong. I love the fog, the rain, the dejected look of the person trapped inside. Also, the idea that the trap is made bigger than it truly is, by her own imagination (after all, a jar is not bigger than a person, in real life ! so it is an aspect of her imagination that made the jar so big that she can be trapped inside)
I would just either unlock the lid (so it is still closed but not locked, so that she can, for example, shake the jar and make it fall to its side and get out, or swim to the surface when the rain has filled the jar, and push the lid open) ; or add some kind of tool with her inside the jar that, if she only noticed it was there, she could use to break the glass. A sword maybe ?
Someone has noticed that the "way out" int the traditional eight of swords, is easier if you get help from the outside, but even without help you should be able to find it - though if you have no help, it is not going to be easy and you might get hurt in the process, but that will be worth it because you will be free.
So, if you can get help, do not hesitate to ask for it, the way out will be smoother. If you cannot get help, do not despair, you can free yourself.
I totally agree with this remark (sorry I do not remember who made it ! it is in the thread)
I really want to add : this picture is REALLY GRAND, it is beautiful, moody, well done ! and also it triggers a lot of interpretations (just see how many responses you had !). And it is so beautiful. A deck that would be made of pictures of that quality, I would put on my wishlist right away !
As many people have remarked in this thread, I find the situation a little too hopeless ; I think there should be a way out (even if the women does not see it yet) for the image to represent all the aspects of the 8 of swords (IMO)
I find the way you represented the trap of her own anxieties, extremely smart. The feeling of doom, entrapment, is very strong. I love the fog, the rain, the dejected look of the person trapped inside. Also, the idea that the trap is made bigger than it truly is, by her own imagination (after all, a jar is not bigger than a person, in real life ! so it is an aspect of her imagination that made the jar so big that she can be trapped inside)
I would just either unlock the lid (so it is still closed but not locked, so that she can, for example, shake the jar and make it fall to its side and get out, or swim to the surface when the rain has filled the jar, and push the lid open) ; or add some kind of tool with her inside the jar that, if she only noticed it was there, she could use to break the glass. A sword maybe ?
Someone has noticed that the "way out" int the traditional eight of swords, is easier if you get help from the outside, but even without help you should be able to find it - though if you have no help, it is not going to be easy and you might get hurt in the process, but that will be worth it because you will be free.
So, if you can get help, do not hesitate to ask for it, the way out will be smoother. If you cannot get help, do not despair, you can free yourself.
I totally agree with this remark (sorry I do not remember who made it ! it is in the thread)
I really want to add : this picture is REALLY GRAND, it is beautiful, moody, well done ! and also it triggers a lot of interpretations (just see how many responses you had !). And it is so beautiful. A deck that would be made of pictures of that quality, I would put on my wishlist right away !
ana luisa
Sorry for being late but I wanted to thank all members who gave their insights. 
It was truly fascinating to see how many nuances a card may have and how many feelings a picture may evoke. Alas, I'm not the creator. I couldn't draw a straight line if my life depended on it... I found it on Pinterest and loved it so that it went to my personal bank of images and under the heading 8 of Swords
Thank you again for your posts !
It was truly fascinating to see how many nuances a card may have and how many feelings a picture may evoke. Alas, I'm not the creator. I couldn't draw a straight line if my life depended on it... I found it on Pinterest and loved it so that it went to my personal bank of images and under the heading 8 of Swords Thank you again for your posts !
Maru
I think the image of the jar is self-created. The image is merely symbolic of how someone feels. The room itself is abstract. Could be any room. Also, have you ever seen a gigantic mason jar? Has anyone ever locked you in one? Also know anyone who is 5-6 inches tall? They wouldn't be able to breathe for long. Their fight or flight response would surely be kicking off with the rising water in the very least so you'd think they'd frantically be looking for a way out before it's too late.
Other than that, I don't think there is an escape. Mason Jars are thick glass and fairly heavy for their size. Comparing the size of the human to the jar, that would mean a 3-5 inch thick window pane to punch through. Very difficult to break with hands. Would have to have something hard to chip or break through. (at least to realize the water and get oxygen).
Mason Jars covers usually stay closed very well even without much pressure as there is plastic/rubber onside to make a "seal". Even when opening, they have to continuously apply a greater amount of pressure to open even with latch released as they "pop" when pulled off. Takes a good pull (with a normal sized hand on a jar). In this case the latch is fully on so completely impossible. Other than that I'm not an expert on Mason Jars, but they're great for trapping out the air so I can keep my leafed tea nice and fresh (and also preserves...)
I only get this when the card is ill-dignified tbqf. Otherwise, I've run into this being more of an ignorance situation. The RWS card has a blindfold, so the woman may or may not be aware of the swords. It depends on the overall energy of the card or of the spread, etc.
On the other hand, I have seen when ill-dignified, that someone sets up this type display to "illicit" a certain type of response from others. Still self-imposed, but definitely from less of an ignorance filled perspective, less of a "true" blockage. Usually more about the person wanting to relinquish responsibility for whatever reason.
I don't think the card itself has a selfish tone, even if the person engages in magical thinking, as magical thinking is a form of liberation and cutting through would certainly be less painful, more of a long-term liberation... if not ill-dignified or a steady behavioral/mental pattern of sorts.
Selfishness though often comes with various mental disorders, such as the case with addicts. Addicts can be extremely selfish. I had a childhood friend who took people on a ride like you mentioned, put her entire family (and myself at the time) through hell with her threats of suicide etc, but they also saw every therapist, did every therapy possible, took every drug and still they can't "shake" their condition... I agree with you in general they needed to take on a little bit more suffering in order to endure through their program(s) successfully. Especially in being more choosy the type of people they surrounded themselves with. However, like with most addicts, when you have enablers who are there to handle the hard stuff for you they won't hardly be arsed get up to help themselves. They'll just keep mooching/grifting off others until either they have no one else to rob in terms of money for drugs, no more places to crash, no more places to go to avoid their demons, etc... only then can they finally turn a new leaf. Even then, takes a while for them to get through recovery and get a handle on the disease, their state of mind, etc.
Other than that, I don't think there is an escape. Mason Jars are thick glass and fairly heavy for their size. Comparing the size of the human to the jar, that would mean a 3-5 inch thick window pane to punch through. Very difficult to break with hands. Would have to have something hard to chip or break through. (at least to realize the water and get oxygen).
Mason Jars covers usually stay closed very well even without much pressure as there is plastic/rubber onside to make a "seal". Even when opening, they have to continuously apply a greater amount of pressure to open even with latch released as they "pop" when pulled off. Takes a good pull (with a normal sized hand on a jar). In this case the latch is fully on so completely impossible. Other than that I'm not an expert on Mason Jars, but they're great for trapping out the air so I can keep my leafed tea nice and fresh (and also preserves...)
I only get this when the card is ill-dignified tbqf. Otherwise, I've run into this being more of an ignorance situation. The RWS card has a blindfold, so the woman may or may not be aware of the swords. It depends on the overall energy of the card or of the spread, etc.
On the other hand, I have seen when ill-dignified, that someone sets up this type display to "illicit" a certain type of response from others. Still self-imposed, but definitely from less of an ignorance filled perspective, less of a "true" blockage. Usually more about the person wanting to relinquish responsibility for whatever reason.
I don't think the card itself has a selfish tone, even if the person engages in magical thinking, as magical thinking is a form of liberation and cutting through would certainly be less painful, more of a long-term liberation... if not ill-dignified or a steady behavioral/mental pattern of sorts.
Selfishness though often comes with various mental disorders, such as the case with addicts. Addicts can be extremely selfish. I had a childhood friend who took people on a ride like you mentioned, put her entire family (and myself at the time) through hell with her threats of suicide etc, but they also saw every therapist, did every therapy possible, took every drug and still they can't "shake" their condition... I agree with you in general they needed to take on a little bit more suffering in order to endure through their program(s) successfully. Especially in being more choosy the type of people they surrounded themselves with. However, like with most addicts, when you have enablers who are there to handle the hard stuff for you they won't hardly be arsed get up to help themselves. They'll just keep mooching/grifting off others until either they have no one else to rob in terms of money for drugs, no more places to crash, no more places to go to avoid their demons, etc... only then can they finally turn a new leaf. Even then, takes a while for them to get through recovery and get a handle on the disease, their state of mind, etc.
Ace
Sorry for being late but I wanted to thank all members who gave their insights.
Thank you again for your posts !
Thank you for posting it. I love a good PHOTO and this was a GREAT photo.
barb
