A cat’s cradle of dark quills criss-crosses a piece of bright parchment with a blood red seal. Traditionally a card of bondage, both mental and emotional, the Eight of Quills indicates fear, self-doubt and a false sense of imprisonment. By holding fast to malignant beliefs—about ourselves or our place in the world—we force ourselves into repetitive patterns of failure. The seal in the middle of the cross of quills doesn’t actually hold anything together or closed; it is just a symbol. The seal can be popped off at any point, just as negative patterns can be broken by rooting out insecurity and having the courage to nurture positive change.

Reversed: Liberation, release of mental/emotional constraints. Understanding the source of self-doubt and resolving self-fulfilling prophecies of failure.