Radiant Edition: Rider-Waite-Smith, Eight of Cups
The Rider-Waite-Smith-Eight of Cups card illustrates the meaning of "The Lord of Abandoned Success". The person on the Card has successful organized and stacked the eight cups, but without the balanced order of 4 above and 4 below and then wanders off as if losing all interest in them and leaving them abandoned and unused. Waite's card shows the deadened effects of Saturn on the element of water which produce discontent, disillusionment, and decline of interest in anything. Here is seen a man of dejected emotional aspect, as in drowning in his own previous emotional concerns, causing him to desert the happy emotions of his felicity, enterprise, and/or undertaking.
The Prophet Tarot-Eight of Cups
The Prophet Tarot Cards, are a silver and black interpretation of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot. Here, abandoned success, instability and/or leaving material success for something higher are the primary meanings of this card. Hence, feeling and intuition are more important to this card, than thinking. The 8 of Cups is a card of romantically flitting from one idea to another. Here amusing parties are pursued, most often which captivate only briefly.
There is very little mastery in any area, although music and dance are the favorites and there may be an intellectual grasp of many subjects, but this "understanding" is always superficial. Hence, when this card shows up in a layout, it says that no matter how hard you worked at it, or how much love and emotion you have poured into a project, or relationship, it is time to step away as things are just not working out. For example you may have poured your heart and emotions into teaching your goldfish to ride a bicycle, but this is purely an impossible fantasy, so let it go and know that wisdom also comes from knowing when something is hopeless, learning from it, and moving on!
This card may also represent an immature personality who is unable to make commitments. However, affiliations with partners, societies, associations and companies is indicated and although such affiliations may be short lived, they are profitable.
When the 8 of Cups is thrown during a divination, the querent (or the one they queried about) will be or is experiencing:
- A depressive state of emotions. Success is abandoned, as there is a decline of interest in anything.
- Positive things are thrown aside as soon as gained; not lasting even in the matter at hand.
- Misery and repining without a viable cause.
- A continual seeking after riches, without the emotional energy to gain them.
- Relinquishing control.
- Transformation.
* If there are a lot of positive cards accompanying this negative one, there will be temporary success, but without further result.
If ill defined by surrounding cards and/ or reversed it implies:
- Suicide.
- Depression,
- Self-pity.
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