The Eight of Wands tarot card is about important news flying through the air and coming straight at you. Expect to be busy soon, but don’t worry, you’ll be presented with new opportunities and excitement! \
Remove all the distractions in your way and focus on your goals with absolute clarity. You’ve already done a lot of the work, but you’ll need to stay focused in the home stretch. Everything you’ve fought for is quickly coming to fruition.
When you see the Eight of Wands card reversed, it can mean you’re moving forward with speed and urgency, but maybe you’re rushing into things.
Try to avoid jumping from one idea to the next and do the necessary research and preparation before starting something new. Also, remember to keep an open mind and try not to resist the changes coming your way. That will only make things harder.
This reversed card also shows that you’re frustrated by obstacles in your path and things slowing you down. Try to have patience and know that everything will work out in the end.
Look for ways around your challenges and don’t give up on your goals. But if things keep getting in your way, it might be best to take some time off to get refocused. You can hop back on track when the situation is more stable and comfortable.
Reading this reversed card using the “blocked/restricted” meaning
Alright, let’s jump into how to read your reversed Eight of Wands card. First, you can use the “blocked/restricted” reversed card meaning. When you read your cards like this, you look for an obstacle standing in front of the card’s upright meaning.
For the Eight of Wands, this means something is blocking your progress and ability to move forward quickly. What’s standing in your way?
Say you pull the reversed Eight of Wands thinking about selling your house. You have a 5-bedroom colonial that you’ve owned for years with your husband.
The two of you raised three kids together, so there are a lot of memories in your home. But after all the kids left the nest, things started falling apart. Finally, after over 30 years of marriage, the two of you divorced last year.
You ended up with the house, but it’s such a big, empty place now. You want to sell it and get something more suited to your needs. But the problem is, going through everything will be a painful process—one you want to avoid.
You’re also afraid to do something so big on your own, and it’s scary thinking of packing up your home. You’ve been hesitating and holding off on listing your house, even though you know you’ll be much happier.
Here, the reversed Eight of Wands card tells you to take things one step at a time. This process can be overwhelming, so it’s best to enlist help. See if any of your friends can suggest a great realtor who will work with you.
Reach out to people who can help you organize and pack some of your things. Once you get support, you’ll feel better equipped to take on this change. So start by contacting people who can help and don’t rush yourself through the process.
Reading this reversed card using the “opposite” meaning
Another way to read your reversed Eight of Wands card is using the “opposite” reversed card meaning. When you read your cards like this, you look for the opposite of the card’s upright meaning.
So for the Eight of Wands, instead of moving forward with speed, things are dragging along. Remember, good things are worth the wait, but you can also choose the best option for yourself.
For example, you might pull the reversed Eight of Wands card thinking about your new relationship. You started dating someone a month ago and things have been going well.
She’s a CPA who always puts her work first, and you admire her intelligence and dedication. She’s a mature woman who knows what she wants out of life and sticks to her boundaries.
You love these qualities, but one of her boundaries is that she wants to wait to be physical. She’s had some bad experiences in the past, and now she doesn’t want to rush into anything.
You were okay with this, but after your 5th date, you’re getting frustrated. You’re a physical person and you’re not sure how much longer you want to wait, especially since she can’t give you a clear idea of when she’ll be ready.
Here, the reversed Eight of Wands card tells you to consider your options. First, you can stay with your girlfriend. If you do this, you can’t pressure her and must wait until she’s ready to move forward.
If that’s not something you want to do, you’re free to leave the relationship. Think about the benefits and drawbacks of your options and make a choice. You both need to be on the same page if you’re going to stay together, so decide what you want and then move ahead.
Reading this reversed card using the “worse” meaning
You can also read your reversed Eight of Wands card using the “worse” reversed card meaning. When you read your cards like this, you take the card’s upright meaning and put it in a negative light.
For the Eight of Wands, this can mean you’re jumping into things quickly, but you’re rushing and not putting your best foot forward.
Say you pull the reversed Eight of Wands card thinking about your job. You own an art gallery in downtown Denver.
Even though it’s small, you’ve had some great shows there and have built a name for yourself around town. But you’re still inexperienced and don’t yet have a lot of connections.
You want to build a much bigger name for yourself, so you’ve set up a bunch of new shows. But they’re all so close together that you are booking artists without vetting them properly.
Your last two shows were a flop and there were no standout pieces or artists at all. Instead of gaining more steam, you’re losing the people who were already on board.
Here, the reversed Eight of Wands card tells you to slow down and take your time. If you need to, cancel one of your upcoming shows so you can spend more time and effort on the others.
Having one amazing exhibit beats out five bad ones, so focus on quality over quantity. You’ll build your name back up once you start putting on great shows.
Reading this reversed card using the “no/not” meaning
Finally, you can use the “no/not” meaning to read your reversed Eight of Wands card. When you read your cards like this, you put a “no” or a “not” in front of the card’s upright meaning.
So for the Eight of Wands, this can mean “no progress.” Sometimes, you need to recognize when your efforts are being wasted and save your strength for the important things.
For example, you might pull the reversed Eight of Wands card thinking about a disagreement with a family member.
Every Sunday, your mom hosts family dinner. It’s often a big event with 10-12 people, including one uncle who you don’t get along with. He has outdated views in your mind and is very conservative and outspoken.
His perspective angers you since you’re very liberal, and you see him as a bigot. You’ve been trying to change his views at the past few dinners and help him see things more progressively. But it’s brought nothing but trouble and it’s ruining the dinners.
Here, the reversed Eight of Wands card tells you to save your energy for other things. At this point, your uncle is pretty stuck in his ways, and the constant fighting isn’t fair to anyone.
If you really can’t avoid arguing, go to dinner when your uncle won’t be there. But again, this can cause family tension, so it’s best to just discuss other things. You can make everyone agree with you, so save the politics for like-minded people in a proper setting.