The Eight of Swords is about feeling hopeless and bound when one is not. The woman in our card stands behind what seem like bars, but is that truly what they are? Her mental state is her cage. When this card appears for you, you are being encouraged to examine your relationship with what Sufis call the Nafs Al-Lawwama, your hesitant, self-questioning self. This is the part of you that puts yourself and your needs last and is deferential and a harsh judge of both yourself and others. It is this state of being that makes us feel powerless and find comfort in nonaction. Is there something in the past that keeps you so trapped that the way out is no longer visible?