Eight of Cups

When the Eight of Cups shows up in a Tarot reading, you may feel compelled to walk away from a disappointing situation. It could mean turning your back on an unfulfilling relationship, job, career path, living arrangement or creative project that was once a source of great happiness to you but now only brings you pain. You have invested yourself emotionally but, despite your best efforts, are disappointed; it hasn’t turned out the way you had expected it to, and you realise that you are no longer getting anything out of this situation. Now, the only choice is to put it behind you and move on with your life, even if it brings you sadness as you say goodbye.

The Eight of Cups suggests you sense that something is missing, particularly on an emotional or spiritual level, and instead of waiting

around for things to get better, you know you need to leave that unfulfilling situation. It may not make sense to others because on the face, it looks as if you have everything you had wished for – but, deep down, you know it’s not serving your Highest Good, and it’s time for you to let it go and move on.

The Eight of Cups can be a sign that you are trying to escape a problematic emotional situation or avoiding some major psychological issues and concerns. The Cups in the foreground represent emotional issues that remain real and present in your life. Yet you are trying to pretend as if they no longer exist, refusing to deal with them. You may repress your emotions or refuse to have open conversations with others about what’s happening, instead preferring to pretend as if everything is okay, or avoiding the scene altogether.

The Eight of Cups invites you to ask yourself what brings you joy, contentment and fulfilment on a deeper level. Without it, you might pursue goals that fail to give you the satisfaction you’re seeking. For example, you may think being in a long-term relationship is what you want, but when you manifest it, you realise that it’s not just the long-term relationship you want but a deep soul connection with someone. If that’s not there, then the relationship will not fulfil your needs no matter how long you stay together. So, if you find yourself repeatedly in these Eight of Cups situations where you have no choice but to walk away, spend time exploring what will bring you true happiness and realign your goals with your values.

Source: Biddy Tarot