The Archetype and The Tarot: The Sovereign and Eight of Swords

Mar 02, 2025

This post is part of our month-long exploration of the Sovereign archetype.

Read the introduction to the Sovereign and the attunement ritual here.

Dearest Readers,

May you feel the weight of your own sovereignty today—not as a burden, but as the quiet knowing that you hold the keys to your own liberation. May the places where you feel trapped soften, revealing space where you thought there were only walls. May you see, even in moments of doubt, the vastness of your own power. 💖👑💖

I was astonished when I drew the Eight of Swords as the first card to pair with the Sovereign. What a truly perfect way to begin this journey! Together, this pair asks us to look at what is standing in the way of our sovereignty, both internally and externally. Where have we ceded our power, not only to external forces, but also to the stories we tell ourselves? This pairing is a potent reminder that the path to freedom is not always about external escape—it is also about remembering that maybe we were never truly bound to begin with.

L to R: Somnia Tarot; Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot; Thoth Tarot

The Eight of Swords: The Cage of the Mind

The Eight of Swords card often shows a figure blindfolded, surrounded by swords that seem to form a sort of prison or cage. But when we look closer, we see that the bindings are loose. The way forward exists. The real imprisonment is not the swords, but the belief that there is no way out. In fact, in the Thoth tarot, the card is called ‘Interference’ because it speaks to the way that mental chatter and self-doubt can interfere with our ability to see clearly the openings and possibilities already present.

To me, this card speaks of the moments when we feel powerless, but that powerlessness is not necessarily rooted in external reality—it is something we have internalized. It is the voice of doubt that tells us we cannot, the learned helplessness that convinces us to stay small, the inherited beliefs that whisper: This is just how things are. The Eight of Swords is not about oppression—it is about the illusion of oppression. And illusions, once recognized, can be dispelled.

The Sovereign and the Eight of Swords: Reclaiming the Crown

If the Eight of Swords tells the story of perceived limitation, the Sovereign is the answer. It’s the reminder that, at our core, we are powerful. The Sovereign is the one who does not ask for permission to exist, to choose, to move forward. It does not seek validation from an external ruler because it knows: I am the ruler of myself.

This pairing invites us to recognize the ways we have been giving away our power—especially in terms of our own narratives of restriction. It’s a call to look for where we have convinced ourselves that we are stuck, when in truth, we could simply take off the blindfold and step forward. The Sovereign reminds us that the cage exists only if we believe it does.

Yet, reclaiming sovereignty is not an act of force—it is an act of awareness. The Sovereign does not shatter the swords around them in rage; they simply see them for what they are and walk through the space that was always there.

The Sovereign and the Eight of Swords: Stepping into Choice

Sovereignty is not about control—it is about the power of choice. It is not about commanding the external world to bend to our will, but about recognizing where our will has power in the first place. The Eight of Swords can feel like a state of paralysis, where every option seems blocked, every move futile. But what if that perception itself is the illusion?

To stand in sovereignty is to realize that while we may not always choose our circumstances, we always choose how we meet them. It is the difference between saying, I am trapped and asking, Where do I still have agency?

This pairing reminds us that our choices—no matter how small—can help to shape our reality. The Sovereign does not wait for someone to come along and cut the bindings. It does not plead for rescue. It does not defer to the unseen forces of fate. Instead, it asks:

What power do I still hold, even here?
What would happen if I loosened one belief, one fear, one thread of doubt?
How can I reclaim my voice, my will, my next step—even if it is just a whisper of movement?

Sovereignty is not a single grand moment of liberation. It is a thousand small choices to claim ourselves, over and over again. It is recognizing that even when we feel powerless, we are still shaping something—our thoughts, our breath, the energy we bring to this moment.

When we remember this, the Eight of Swords transforms from a prison into a threshold. The Sovereign sees the walls, feels the bindings, and makes the quiet, unwavering decision: I will not be ruled by illusion.

Practical Wisdom: Reclaiming Sovereignty, Dispelling Illusions

Here are some ways to integrate the energy of the Sovereign and Eight of Swords into your life this week:

Identify Legitimate Obstacles and Find the Openings
Spend some time reflecting on where or what in your life might be genuinely standing in the way of your sovereignty. This could be external circumstances, responsibilities, or other real limitations. Write down one area where you feel blocked. Then, look closely: Within this situation, where is there even the smallest bit of choice? This could be a shift in perspective, asking for help, or taking one small step toward relief. Even within true limitation, there is often a thread of agency.
Identify a Limiting Belief and Challenge It
Take a moment to reflect on an area of your life where you feel stuck or limited. Write down the belief that is holding you in place (e.g., “I’m not good enough” or “There’s no way forward”). Then, write an alternative perspective that empowers you (e.g., “I am capable of finding solutions” or “I deserve to move forward”). Even if it feels small, this act of challenging the illusion can start to loosen its grip.
Create a Ritual of Liberation
Perform a simple ritual to symbolize stepping out of the illusion of entrapment. You might tie a piece of string around your wrist, naming the limiting belief or fear that binds you. When you feel ready, cut the string as an act of liberation, affirming, “I reclaim my freedom. I choose to move forward.”
The Sovereign’s Mirror Practice
Find a quiet space and stand in front of a mirror. Look into your own eyes, connecting with your inner Sovereign. Take a deep breath and ask yourself: What part of me is ready to be seen, acknowledged, or freed today Allow whatever arises to come forward, whether it's a fear, a desire, or a hidden truth. Acknowledge it without judgment and speak to yourself as the Sovereign would, offering words of compassion, strength, or encouragement. End by affirming something like, “I see you. I honor you. I stand in my truth and choose freedom.” This practice invites you to see yourself clearly, moving beyond illusion and reclaiming your power through self-recognition and truth.

Questions for further reflection

How do you respond when faced with feelings of limitation or powerlessness?
What story are you telling yourself about your current situation? Is it a story of being trapped, or could it be reframed as a story of potential liberation?
Where in your life do you tend to defer your power to others? Likewise, where are you waiting for external permission to act or make a change?
How do you relate to the idea that freedom exists even within constraint?

The Eight of Swords may whisper of limitation, but the Sovereign answers with a knowing smile. The walls are thinner than they seem. The locks were never locked. The key was in our hands all along.

I’d love to hear how this pairing lands for you! What illusions have you been shedding? Where are you reclaiming your power? Let’s explore this together.

Spirit Connections with Jenna Newell Hiott

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