Eight of Cups

General

The Eight of Cups is generally not a positive card to receive, it symbolises walking away or letting go of something. And oftentimes, can represent someone or something leaving you behind. But to me, the Eight of Cups is about releasing things that no longer serve your highest good anymore, this is a period of transition and of growth. And through this period of transition and growth, you learn to move on from the past, and now allow yourself to linger in one place for too long. In traditional tarot, there is a cloaked figure taking off to a barren land leaving behind eight cups that he spent time collecting. This can be a sign of boredom or seeking out a higher purpose.

Upright

The Eight of Cups is about movement and change. As mentioned above, it is about walking away from something or someone/something walking away from you. In some interpretations, the Eight of Cups is about becoming tired of worldly things and an indication that you should be embarking on a more spiritual journey to find a higher purpose. In love, this could mean abandonment and people walking out of your life, or you are walking out of theirs. This could indicate leaving an unhappy relationship or leaving someone behind in search of peace. In career and finances, this is about leaving an unfulfilling job or taking a trip somewhere. This is about choosing your mental and emotional wellbeing or happiness instead of financial or material security.   

Reversed

In the reversed position, there is a bit of a stagnant energy. It’s the threshold between moving forward and getting held back. When I see this card in reversed, it could sometimes mean revisiting a decision to walk away or returning to where you were. In love, this could mean that someone is staying in a relationship, often because of a fear of being alone. But other times, I see it as a person returning to you. Or someone who has not really left your life, even though it may appear so. In career and finances, this could mean taking on an unfulfilling job or choosing material stability over satisfaction. But it could mean a fear of change or transitions, hence a stuck energy.