Known also as the Lord of Shortened Force and aligned by Jupiter in Gemini, the Eight of Swords represents worry, over-thinking and indecisiveness. Jupiter represents expansion and Gemini brings variety and choices, and so you are called to stop playing it safe and move into the possibilities presented to you to expand your life and your happiness.
The Eight of Swords advises you to take a pause, not feel pressured to make a decision or take a course of action. There are two choices between which you are unable to decide and so you are in something of a deadlock, but also feeling compelled to take some sort of action even though neither choice appears palatable.
This card warns that when you stand for everything, you stand for nothing. You may have a history of reluctance to express your real views in fear of offending someone, or because you have a fear of confrontation. You need to examine this situation honestly, with clarity and with a willingness to create balance by taking action and facing the issues presented.
This card gives you the opportunity to use the gifts of your mind, your intellect, to disentangle yourself from this situation by biting the proverbial bullet and taking the action that is the least distasteful. By turning away from problems now, you will be no closer to moving out of this dilemma. You are on the brink of a discovery about yourself, and a lightening of your burdens, finally, although this is not without a degree of discomfort, or painful realisation.
The secret is to take the action and you will move through it rather quickly - more so than if you stay reluctant to act through fear, or the illusion that you can keep things as they are. The past has happened and the future will move in, and refusing to look at it coming towards you will not turn it's course.
The advice is to remain calm, keep your composure. In the image, the swords are not actually touching the woman, they represent her thoughts only that keep her immobilised. Time to take action decisively, regardless of the consequences, and restore your balance. If no option is possible to take, then wait until the situation resolves but keep your eye on the possibilities for resolution.
Image Voyager Tarot @thetarotclub.com