Tarot exploration - Eight of cups

Eight is a symbol of death and rebirth, the symbol of infinity, two O's joined so as to be self-reflecting, from inner to outer world; so this card urges change. At this point the water in the cups has dried up, the emotions are sapped and it is time to move on. It is a human tendency to cling to the familiar, to want to stay in warm and well-known patterns and relationships. It is difficult to leave even those places that have become stagnant and stale. This card tells us that we must see the signs of change. It is time to abandon the past; leave; make a new way; find a new direction, new relationship or even a new life.

In this card a woman is leaning on a railing staring into space, as if dreaming and dwelling on the past, while a map urging her on to new adventures and new changes flies by. The cups look like they are made of fresh verdant grass or bushes representing nature, a constant source of renewal and change.

We must learn to move with the flow of events rather than fight against them. It is always time to move into the present, always time to leave the past behind, carrying only what we need to sustain us. This is the way of nature, to change and evolve, the death of the old and the birth of the new bringing change to every living creature with each passing season.

The negative of this card would imply a refusal to change, a refusal to see that change is necessary and certain relationships, old ways, old patterns must be left behind. It might also imply that one is over-reacting to a situation; and it is not a time to leave, not a time for change.