8 Cups

[Knight of Wands]

I use the Universal Tarot, which is based on the Rider Waite, and one thing that sruck me was he has stacked them up all neatly, but there is one cup too short to make it right, so this makes me think the man is setting out into the unknown, possibly dangerous territory (the mountains in front of the man) to recover his 'lost cup', or the thing thats missing in his life.

Thats my random thoughts

KOW

 

[michellemd]

i get a sad feeling... the person seems dejected, leaving his past/problems behind and moving to something else?? He may be leaving everything behind and moving away...The crescent moon indicates that there may be enemies who may have had something to do with his emotions at the moment??

 

[Susi]

it is my card of today and i found this thread thanks to kiltsknave overview on top of this thread-section
"the decline of a matter, or that a matter which has been thought to be important is really of slight consequence"
is written in the http://www.sacred-texts.com/tarot/pkt/pktcu08.htm
it reminds me of cup_V (deception) but as sacredtxt says i am convinced of the fact that regarding the eclipse the card has also its positive meanings.

 

[BodhiSeed]

I see the Eight of Cups as a carry-over from the Seven of Cups. In the SofC, there is a choice to be made - what will bring happiness and fulfillment?
Obviously, the wrong choice was made, because on the EofC you see a gap in the stacked cups (that feeling of emptiness and lack of fulfillment). The good news is the fellow doesn't sit there whining saying 'Why me?", but instead decides to move on.

Bodhran

 

[Susi]

he moves an and away from the cups in a rather resignated position.
the lack of cups in the upper row in my opinion gives an emphasis on the person and his movement away (from this deception)

 

[Teheuti]

These different responses to the 8 of Cups are why I ask querents to describe the cards themselves. I might assume that walking away is a bad thing but sometimes the person is just burned out and needs a vacation at the beach. Or, if I assume it is a good thing (looking for the missing cup) the querent might feel that the person on the card doesn't recognize all the good things he's left behind. Some feel the person is headed into the unknown, while others think the person knows exactly where s/he is headed. I always find that these projections exactly fit the situation that the reading is about. One querent felt that the person was looking for a way to ford the stream and get to the cups. Another querent felt the person was temporarily retreating to lick her (psychological) wounds after a quarrel with her husband.

The red cloak, suggests to me that the person is cloaked in desire. There's something s/he wants and is willing to forego immediate, known pleasures to brave the unknown (eclipsed Moon) to discover what that is.

Mary

 

[Teheuti]

Having seen it, I felt that I had truly overextended myself. I allowed myself to fall into mind games, manipulations, mixed messages (the moon/sun combo), just generally confused by this union.
I had spent much time and energy stacking these cups into place and yet it simply was not enough.
I had no choice but to cut my losses and finally move on.

When I look at this card I can really see this happening. A term I used to use for the card was "psychic drain."

Mary

 

[psychic sue]

It's a moving on card of course but it's leaving a situation that on the srface looks fine. Those upright cups are full. To a passer-by there is no need to leave or move on - what's wrong?

But it's somethign the querant has to do - something within them which is urging them to make that choice to move forward. The moon in the background always draws me too - the querant's intuition that they should leave this situation. The going may be tough - they have to climb that
rocky mountain - but it's a journey that has to be taken.

 

[Stormwitch]

My view on the 8 of cups is that it shows a situation that is over and done with and no matter if you are happy about it or not - tis time to move on. The missing cup is the lesson you take with you as you move on and while it might be a hard journey forward for a while - the lesson you take with you will see you through it.

 

[cdabs]

Eight (8) Of Cups

I see some similar things that have been mentioned by others.

Every time I see this card I think of a person leaving an "unbalanced" situation (the blatant "missing" cup issue). This person tried to get the cups to even out, but the manner in which he stacked them (approached a situation? his ideas/beliefs about a particular issue?)....leaves him feeling like he's failed and cannot balance it/them out. So...he leaves...gives up....heads for higher ground....to "get away from it all" and clear his thinking....start over(?).

I also noticed, by chance, that the Roman Numeral VIII (at top of card) is "broken" on the V-portion. The line above the V is incomplete. I'm wondering if this ties into the idea that this card maybe be about "out of whack" things or emotions...or things over which we have no control, therefore...we need to move on from them...or accept them as they are. Also, the missing line above the V may coincide with/get us to focus on the idea of a "missing cup?"

Anyway...I checked the other "Eights" in the Minors....and the Eight Of Cups is the only one with the broken line above the "V."

Just my observation.