The Seven of Swords is a card of change after the period of re-evaluation with the six in the Suit of Swords. The sevens in the Minor Arcana show mystery, spirituality, and depth. The Seven of Swords sometimes displays seven swords set up outside of the enemies’ camp. There is a man who has taken five that is running away while looking back for fear of being caught.
All sevens indicate the need for philosophical and spiritual thought. The individual stealing five of the seven swords is doing so as a part of his attempt at escape. It will, therefore, be through nourishment of the soul and changing for the better that the querent shall have his reward. This is a time for ultimate growth where the querent has to get out of his present circumstances or feels like there is no other way than to run from his problems.
When more than one seven appears in the same layout, there is a more specific message available to the querent. Pairs of sevens reveals that one should take care when making decisions and should take his time while three of them signifies two conflicting ideas or opinions as well as frustration at having to make behavioural changes or lifestyle changes. Having four sevens in a reading heralds a time of having one’s faith tested. There is prayer and a long wait to learn of news on a long term matter. The Seven of Swords may warn that the querent’s attempt to escape his problems will only result in more of them. Using temporary means to fix permanent problems will only result in further angst and conflict.
The Seven of Swords in an Upright Position
The Seven of Swords shows bad luck, theft, and various other setbacks when shown in its upright position. The querent may find themselves in the company of an ill-intentioned person who is bent on stealing either possessions or a lover from the querent. The querent may find that things are changing for the worst as opposed to for the better. The querent is thinking about ducking out before things get too serious or heated, and may be unable to do so. The querent may face a period in his life where he is using controlled substances or alcohol to escape into a numbed out state where nothing will seem to bother him, but this is an unwise choice for him to choose, for it will not change things around him. Strangely, this card may also warn of issues happening within the home with plumbing or fixtures in the bathroom or kitchen.
The meaning of all Minor Arcana cards can be modified by the cards that surround it. Court cards from the Minor Arcana (Pages, Knights, Queens, and Kings) all represent people. They have corresponding physical characteristics as well as their own astrological correspondences. The Seven of Swords signifies a need to escape the current circumstances by any means possible, delays, and bad luck through being the victim of theft. The court cards around the querent may portray individuals who will offer some way to escape to the querent, or they may be the thieves the Seven of Swords is referring to. The presence of Major Arcana cards will help to sharpen the meaning of the Seven of Swords for better interpretation. A Moon card will show that the querent or people around him are acting up in a very confusing and strange way. An ace of Swords will herald the presence of an alcoholic or that the querent may be slowing becoming dependent on alcohol himself.
The Seven of Swords in a Reversed Position
The reversed position of each card of the Minor Arcana is really as it states: an inversion of the card’s meaning. A reversed image of the Seven of Swords shows that the theft of the querent’s objects isn’t going to end well for the culprit. They will be exposed or lose the goods to another. There is no point in engaging in criminal activity as a way to solve issues because it will always result in karmic justice. The querent may also find that his attempts to escape into a world of drugs or alcohol are leading nowhere and taking him down a path where he is about to lose everything himself. The querent could also find out that escaping the situation has exasperated it because his absence doesn’t solve the issues and there is work that must be done in order to find solutions to the conflict and unrest he must be facing. The querent is best served when he sees the Seven of Swords to lay down his own sword and let the fools play in the street. If there is a theft that should be undertaken, the querent can rest easy knowing that the guilty party won’t benefit much, if at all, from the act of stealing itself.
There is a definite need for sitting back and watching everyone else squirm for once. Taking up an addiction will only compound the querent’s issues and there is little drive for it when the reversed version of the Seven of Swords is present anyway. The querent can retreat into himself during this time to lay low on some level, but the feeling with the reversal of this card is that inaction is better than taking action that only elevates the anger against him. The querent will need to figure out what he feels the best course of action to be, but there is a warning to stay put and watch from the cheap seats while the rest of the players in this drama self-destruct. It’s the only course of action the querent can take without also destroying himself. This should be emphasized as much as possible when this card falls in its reversed position during a tarot reading.
Key Terms
- Escape
- The need for retreat
- drinking alcohol
- seeking escape in substances
- theft
- plumbing issues