The Eight of Swords: Reflections & Dreams

Last night I had a dream. It was an almost conscious, or lucid dream. I was aware of the dream I was having and I was aware of another part of my mind, my conscious, my ... whatever ... trying to analyze the dream as I was having it. Since the dream involved the Eight of Swords I thought we would take a look at the card.

The Eight of Swords in the Gilded Tarot has always been strangely alluring to me. A card of self imposed bondage, it shows an inability to move (either forward or back) brought on by our own insecurities, worries and fears.

On it we see a woman surrounded by eight shining swords. Each of the swords radiate energy as they circle, but do not touch her. The woman is dressed in white and kneeling. Her ears and eyes are covered and her hands are bound by a golden chain. Her feet are bare. Her head is positioned downward. However, she does not look distressed. Instead she seems resigned to the fact that she is in this position.

But look a little closer, this is not as desperate a situation as first it seems. As we said before, the swords are not threatening her and the golden chain hangs loosely from her wrists. In fact, if she chose to she could probably free herself from the chains and remove the blindfold covering her ears and eyes. She could then see the energy and wisdom that is emanating from the swords.

The lesson of the Eight of Swords is that we are the creator of our own jails and of our own bondage. When thoughts are racing through the mind telling us we can't ask that person out because they are too beautiful, or we can't start that business because we are not smart enough, or even; we can't take the time to better ourselves by reading a self help book, meditating or going back to school to earn a degree because we don't have the time we feel the influence of the Eight.

Now is the time to step back and take a deep breath. Put our emotions to the side and let our logic show us the way. We need to break the chains and rip off the blindfold so we can see clearly, and we can realize the worries were just illusions constructed by our own minds. As easily as we built them up we can tear them down.

What does this have to do with my dream? Good question. Let's find out.

The dream was more of a thought and sound dream than a visual dream as I don't remember any images. In fact, I don't think there were any. I remember a grandfather. I felt, more than saw an image of the kindly old, smiling grandfather of Hallmark Cards or Norman Rockwell paintings. I don't think it could be my grandfather because all my grandparents passed before I turned one. I don't think it was my ex-wife's grandfather because I never met him before he passed and when he did make his presence known to me it was always through the smell of garlic.

Add to the image or feeling of this grandfather figure the image or feeling of the Eight of Swords. I could not see the card or even recall it's meaning. It's at this point I remember the "other" part of my mind mentally running through the deck to put definitions to the card.

I kept thinking Nine of Swords? No that's a prison built of worry. Eight of Wands? No, that's swift movement. Nine of Wands? No, that's a pleasure becoming a burden. Seven of Swords? No, that's a thief in the night. Seven of Wands? No, that's sticking up for your beliefs. It wasn't until I woke up and checked my Tarot Journal that I remembered the look and meaning of the Eight.

While these two image-feelings where playing around in my head I heard the chorus to "Right Here, Right Now" by Jesus Jones. You know:

"Right here, right now
There is no other place I want to be
Right here, right now
Watching the world wake up from history."

Over and over and over again. Even when the images of the grandfather and the Eight of Swords faded the chorus kept on loud and clear.

So what does it mean?

The Eight of Swords coupled with the chorus of "Right Here, Right Now" tells me that the illusions created by my worry and fear need to stop. Right Here. Right Now. This would also validate the reading I did with my spirit guide.

It's funny, I am currently reading Rachel Pollack's 78 Degrees of Wisdom (yes, I ripped off the title for my blog) and this morning I just finished reading about Justice. The basic theme of which is, we have to learn to accept the past if we are to have any chance of moving forward. We created the present by our actions in the past even as we are creating the future by our actions Right Here, Right Now.

It seems my guides are persistent little buggers!

The only thing I don't don't is who the grandfather figure is.

Ideas? Thoughts?