Eight of Wands Tarot Card Meaning

responsive energy

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Tarot Alley uses the Rider Waite type of deck for our meanings, symbols, interpretations, etc.

When determining the Eight of Wands tarot card meaning, you should consider that it’s a Wands card and an Eight. The Suit of Wands represents energy and inspiration. Eights represent movement, swiftness, and action.

In this way, we can determine that the Eight of Wands represents responsive energy.

Times are changing and the Eight of Wands is ready to adapt without hesitation.

Take a look at the Rider-Waite Eight of Wands displayed to the left (or above).

What is your first impression?

Where are the wands coming from? Where are they heading? How long have they travelled for? How long until landing?

There’s no right or wrong answer here, just your interpretation.

Astrology: Mercury in Sagittarius
Element: Fire
Numerology: 8

Common Symbols

• Flying Wands: the flying wands represent action
• Empty Sky/Landscape: the barren landscape represents the calm before the storm.

Keywords & Concepts

The Eight of Wands for Personal Growth

Affirmation: I adapt quickly to change.

Learn to handle issues now, not later. Taking action as soon as possible can stop a small issues from becoming something much larger.

Ask Yourself:

• When things change, when do you respond?
• How quickly do you adapt to change?
• What would your response be to overwhelming and sudden changes?
• What changes are on your horizon? How well have you prepared for them?
• Are your actions driven by reflection or reflex?
• By what criteria would you judge your own response to a crisis?
• If your worst case scenario suddenly became a reality, what would your action plan be?

Interpreting the Eight of Wands

Generally, the Eight of Wands represents responsive energy. There’s no resting around on your laurels here. The Eight of Wands is all about taking swift and decisive action.

Don’t just adapt to changes, embrace them. React quickly to problems and setbacks. Make sure you keep moving forward as quickly as possible.

The Reversed Eight of Wands

How you read reversals is a personal choice. You can ignore reversals and read them as if the card is upright (this is what I often choose to do) or you can interpret reversals as variations of what they would mean upright. There are 3 common ways to read reversals: as a negative interpretation, as an opposite interpretation, or as a block on the upright interpretation. Check out How to Read Reversals for more information.

Typically, a reversed Eight of Wands represents an inability to change. Examples include:

• Repeating the same mistakes
• Insisting that things stay the same
• Refusing to re-evaluate something that’s clearly no longer working or appropriate

Examples of the Eight of Wands

Specific Interpretations

Specific situations are the general interpretation (from above) used for a specific situation (love, career, etc). There is no need to memorize these (or even look them up) if you understand the general interpretation. However, here are some basic interpretations for some specific situations:

the Eight of Wands Tarot Card Meaning