In the Eight of Cups, we are confronted with the moment of transition. We see a cloaked figure taking off to a barren land leaving behind eight golden cups. He is tired of what those cups that he has spent so much time collecting and is now setting out to seeking a higher purpose. It may be a result of boredom or unhappiness that comes with realizing that whatever they have been looking for in life isn’t as pleasurable or as satisfying as they once assumed it would be.

The person undertaking this journey might also signify to be seeking excitement in the unknown. The mountainous barren lands that he sets off to can also be symbols of facing new challenges. Their stark emptiness seems to indicate that they are waiting for one to come and shape the. The journey that is taken can be done in the guise of trying out new things that have the potential to help one grow both mentally as well as spiritually.

It also shows the willingness to detach oneself from others so that one can work on self-improvement, self-understanding, and growth.

Upright Meaning Guide

Eight of Cups Upright Tarot Card Key Meanings:
Abandonment, abandoning plans, walking away, letting go, traveling, escapism, reaching limit, self-analysis, self-discovery, introspection, looking deeper, withdrawal, disappointment, looking for the truth, loneliness, leaving a bad situation, emotional strength, courage, fatigue, weariness

General Meaning and Interpretation (Upright)

In a general context, the Eight of Cups represents abandonment. It can signify walking away from people or situations in your life or abandoning your plans. It can indicate disappointment, escapism and turning your back on or leaving a bad situation. The Eight of Cups can also represent the exhaustion or weariness that can prompt such a decision. Strength and courage are necessary to walk away from what you know into an unknown future and these qualities are also represented in the Eight of Cups. It is a Minor Arcana card representing travel so you could find yourself embarking on an adventure when this card appears in your Tarot reading. The Eight of Cups can signify loneliness, introspection, self-analysis and looking for the truth.

Love & Relationships (Upright)

The Eight of Cups is not a great omen in a love or relationship Tarot spread. It represents abandonment or abandonment issues. If you are in a relationship, it can signify either you or your partner walking away from the relationship. It can represent leaving a bad relationship. You may be so weary from the relationship that you feel you have no other option but to let it go. This Tarot card can also be an indication that abandonment issues may cause arguments in your relationship. If you are single, the Eight of Cups can indicate loneliness or be wary of getting into a new relationship. It can also be a sign that abandonment issues, perhaps due to a bad past relationship or abandonment by a parent, are preventing you from believing in love or trusting people you are in relationships with, look to supporting cards to confirm this.

Money & Career (Upright)

In a career context, the Eight of Cups can indicate that you may walk away from a job that you no longer find fulfilling. You may be feeling like you are not on the correct career path and maybe considering a complete career change. If you are in business, you may find yourself walking away from a business that is no longer viable or searching for new innovations or ideas to make your business competitive. The Eight of Cups can also simply indicate traveling in relation to work. In a financial context, the Eight of Cups warns to make prudent financial plans and to be smart with your money. Be sure you are aware of what’s going on with your money and if you are not happy with your financial advisers don’t be afraid to let them go and hire someone you trust. In some cases, the Eight of Cups can indicate a financial loss, look to supporting cards for confirmation.

Health (Upright)

In a health context, the Eight of Cups indicates that you may be spending too much time dwelling on the negative things in your life which could be having a negative impact on your health. Try to shift your focus as a positive outlook may help your health improve. A holiday might do you the world of good and give you a much-needed boost.

Spirituality (Upright)

In a spiritual context, the Eight of Cups indicates that you may be taking a voyage of self-discovery. You could find yourself doing a lot of soul-searching and introspection when this Minor Arcana card appears in your Tarot spread. You could find yourself abandoning old spiritual beliefs in your search for your own spiritual path.

Reversed Meaning Guide

Eight of Cups Reversed Tarot Card Key Meanings:
Fear of moving on, stagnation, monotony, accepting your lot, lack of self-awareness, lack of emotional maturity, staying in a bad situation, faking happiness, low self-esteem, lack of self-worth, clinginess, fear of commitment, fear of abandonment

General meaning and interpretation (Reversed)

In a general context, the Eight of Cups reversed can indicate stagnation. When it appears you may be accepting your lot in life or staying in a bad situation that makes you terribly unhappy because you are afraid of moving on or worried about what the future might hold if you leave. You may appear happy to those around you but underneath it all, you know you need to get let go of certain people or situations in your life in order to move forward. You are resisting this change because you are paralyzed by fear. It can also be a sign of running away from situations, not because they are bad but because you are afraid to take a chance and be vulnerable. This Minor Arcana card in a reversed position can show a lack of emotional maturity and can also be an indicator of low self-esteem or low self-worth. It can also represent returning home after a long period of traveling or living abroad.

Love & Relationships (Reversed)

In a love Tarot spread, if you are in a relationship, the Eight of Cups reversed can indicate that you may be unhappy in your relationship but unwilling to let it go for fear of being alone. You may be doing a great job of appearing to the outside world to be happy in your relationship while on the inside things have become monotonous and stagnant. It can also indicate fear of commitment or lack of emotional maturity causing problems in a relationship. If appearing in relation to a divorce or separation, the Eight of Cups reversed shows things being handled badly, for example, a father or a mother abandoning the family or a divorce turning nasty. If you are single, the Eight of Cups Tarot card in a reversed position can indicate that you may be putting off potential partners by being too clingy. It can also indicate that you accept bad treatment from partners due to low self-esteem or self-worth. Alternately, you may be running from relationships as soon as they get serious as you fear commitment. Whatever the issues are, you will need to work on them in order to have a healthy relationship in the future. Once you resolve your own issues with relationships and raise your self-worth you will attract the right partner to you.

Money & Career (Reversed)

In a career context, the Eight of Cups reversed indicates that your career may have become stagnant and unfulfilling to you but you are sticking with it because you are afraid to change. You may have not explored all the options available to you, instead choosing to accept your lot in life. When this card appears you need to be embrace change. If your career is unfulfilling to you, the only person who can change that is you, even if that means making a total change in career path. Be brave and go for what you want. Even if you don’t get everything you want, you will at the very least know that you tried. If you are self-employed, the Eight of Cups reversed can indicate that you may be holding onto a business that is no longer profitable for fear of letting it go. Similarly, in a financial context, it can signify clinging to a job or business that you should be walking away from because you are afraid of losing the financial security it gives you.

Health (Reversed)

In a health context, the Eight of Cups reversed can be an indicator that you are keeping yourself in a situation that is having a negative impact on your health. You need to evaluate what is impacting your health and what you can do to improve things. You have the power to improve your health, whether that means changing your diet, taking up exercise or letting go of the things in your life that are causing you undue stress.

Spirituality (Reversed)

In a spiritual context, when the Eight of Cups reversed appears in a Tarot reading, it indicates that you may be lacking in self-awareness or your spiritual growth may be stunted at the moment. You may need to do some soul-searching to connect with your spiritual self and discover your true life path. If you find yourself drifting through life without any direction, a connection to spirit might help you see your path more clearly and give you the strength and courage to leave behind that which no longer serves you. Don’t be afraid! Spirit is always there lovingly guiding us to fulfill our destinies, all we have to do is listen.

 

Reference:
Labyrinthos, 2019, 10/31/19, (https://labyrinthos.co/blogs/tarot-card-meanings-list/eight-of-cups-meaning-tarot-card-meanings)
Lisa, 2019, 10/31/19, (https://www.thetarotguide.com/eight-of-cups)