The Eight of Cups prompts a reassessment of what truly fulfills us,
Encouraging a shift away from stagnant or unfulfilling scenarios towards a path of genuine emotional growth.
This card brings to light the necessity of honouring our own needs and aspirations,
Pushing us to seek environments and connections that offer true engagement and satisfaction.
In this Active Imagination exercise,
We will delve into recognising and embracing the changes necessary for our emotional and personal development,
While maintaining awareness of our interactions with others and their impact.
So first,
Just making sure you're comfortable.
You can do this exercise seated or lying down.
So just close your eyes.
And take a couple of deep breaths,
Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth.
Just allowing yourself to breathe normally now.
And bring your attention to the sensation of the breath.
Whether it's the air moving through the nostrils,
Or the rise and fall of the chest or abdomen.
We do this just to settle the mind.
And allow ourselves to let go of any disparate inclinations.
So if at any point you do get distracted,
Simply bring the attention back to the exercise.
And now imagine yourself standing beside a gently flowing river.
Take some time to allow this scene to form in your mind.
And now imagine that along the bank of this river,
You see eight cups.
Each representing different aspects of your life that you've clung to out of habits or fear.
And now examine the cups more closely.
Noticing their design,
Material,
And perhaps their contents.
And now approach just one of the cups.
One that particularly seems to grasp your attention.
And now examine this cup even more closely.
You might even choose to pick this cup up.
And now ask this cup,
What do you hold for me?
Why am I holding on to you?
Pay particular attention to any feelings,
Thoughts,
Or words that arise.
And now engage in an open dialogue with this cup.
You can ask it questions.
And importantly,
Allow it to speak.
And ensure to bring an ethical stance to this interaction.
And now,
You feel a deep inner call to leave these cups behind.
But before you do,
Just ask yourself,
What am I truly searching for?
Beyond these cups.
So leave these cups behind now.
And begin walking along the riverbank.
Watch as the scene around you changes.
As you walk beside the river,
You start to see a figure emerging on your path.
This is an inner guide.
They might appear as a wise person,
An animal,
Or even some kind of mythical being.
So approach this figure.
And examine them more closely.
And now ask this guide a question.
Ask them,
What must I learn or let go of in order to find what I'm seeking?
Be open to any insights or advice that they share.
Remember,
This is just one aspect of your unconscious.
It won't necessarily give you the final answer on everything.
But it no doubt can give you valuable insights,
Which you can synthesize with your conscious position.
So take some time now to engage in a two-way dialogue with this figure.
Again,
Treating it as though it was a regular person,
Meeting it as an equal,
And bringing the same truth,
Kindness and directness that you would bring in daily life.
As this dialogue comes to a close,
The guide offers you a token,
Some kind of symbol of what it is you need to embrace or understand to continue on your journey.
Accept this gift now.
And examine it more closely.
Don't worry if its meaning is not clear to you right now.
Trust that your psyche has the symbolic language it needs.
And that purely by having this experience,
A level of integration with this part of you has been achieved.
So just allowing the scene to fade now,
And remember it can be useful to journal this experience,
And to continue to reflect on it over the coming days and weeks.
So just bringing your attention back to the space around you now,
Noticing any sounds or sensations,
Taking a deep breath,
And in your own time,
Opening your eyes again.
