Pearls of Wisdom - 8 of Cups

Sulis

Below a blazing orange sun we see a winding path which leads down between pine trees to a stream in the foreground.
Right at the front of the card (so on the other side of the stream), are a stack of 8 golden goblets. The goblets all bear a red heart and are overflowing with liquid so that the liquid in the top goblet flows into the three beneath which in turn flow into the four goblets which form the base of the 'pyramid'.
Red roses bloom all around the stack of goblets and are strewn on the path.
The borders of the cards also contain goblets stacked on top of each other with liquid flowing from those at the top to those below them.
On the path is a horse and rider, heading away from the goblets in the foreground and galloping towards the sun. The rider's hair and cape stream out behind her.

Eights to me relate to Justice and are all about balance. Eight comes almost at the end of the numerical sequence 1 -10 and to me they also show the balancing of energies following the upset of the sevens and the 'race towards the finish' (a bit like the increase in action towards the end of a movie).
So this person has had enough of a situation and can get no more out of it emotionally. The rider has neatly stacked the goblets on top of each other and has gone in search of the ninth cup.
I like the way the tower or pyramid of goblets looks slightly uneven and so isn't balanced and that is why the rider must search for the ninth cup; something is missing and she must move to find that balance (eight).

There is a lot of movement in this card; the rider gallops towards the sun which could well be setting and the water flows freely from cup to cup.
The roses link the cups to the emotion of love and also make me think of passion... Has she gone in search of passion?

I know nothing of runes but hopefully Rede Seeker or 6 Haunted Days will be along to help me out.
 

Rede Seeker

Eye of the Sun?

Interesting how the shape of the horizon and the arch that borders the card forms an 'eye' shape with the sun as the pupil and the corona and clouds form an iris. The heat and energy of this Eye of the Sun is in opposition to the cool verdent greeness of the landscape, the river and the liquid flowing from cup to cup. It doesn't really look like it belongs to this scene. Yes - I agree there is passion calling the Rider.

An oddity - the shoreline is looks like a mini-cliff, it has a sheer drop into the river, no shoreline that I can see.

The Rider's costume imitates the river. The horse's livery repeats the rose color as does the Rider's boots. The bridle is edged in Pearls of Wisdom. The vibe I get from this is that the mounted Rider is more important than the eight cups. The cups may be what's driving the need for action, but it the horse and Rider that take up the quest.

The Rune Raidho (left column) reinforces this vibe - the Rune of right action and movement; the 'vehicle on path to cosmic power' (ref. Introduction to the Germanic Tradition' by Edred Thorsson). The rock texture makes Raidho look like Berkano. It takes a close look to see which Rune is there. Berkano appears on the right column. This is the Rune of Birth, of something that lies hidden and is nurtured until it is fully developed and released into the World; a Rune of New Life. Numerically Raidho = 5; Berkano = 18. The Rune Total is 23, Dagaz, the Rune of the Day-Star (Sun), of Breakthrough or an Epiphany. Raidho is connected to the Sun's course, often being interpreted as 'right interval' referring to the distance one can travel in a single day.
 

Skydancer

I also think the eye of the sun looks like a flying saucer. But that might be neither here nor there.

Much to ponder on in these cards. I have several Rune references and so far they are holding up to the meanings (I have) for the cards.

Wonderful.
*S*