The Seven of Swords represents creativity on the intellectual level of human expression. Seven of Swords upright: principled thinking. Seven of Swords reversed arbitrariness.
The respective faculty of consciousness is creative thinking. Creative thinking connects dots, meaning it combines known ideas into new ones. Example: Smartphone + touchscreen = iPhone.
Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. – Steve Jobs
While artists thrive on the creative-feely level of human expression, inventors excel in creative thinking.
Despite appearances to the contrary, thinking is a subconscious activity. This is how it works: we focus on a problem or question, and that prods subconsciousness to think. After a while, subconsciousness presents us with the thoughts it came up with.
Subconsciousness also thinks while we sleep. When we wake up, subconsciousness presents us with epiphanies, which is the respective experience of the Seven of Swords.
We can improve subconscious thinking processes with convergent/divergent thinking. Divergent thinking is the same thing as brainstorming. Brainstorming prompts subconsciousness to come up with new thought combinations. Convergent thinking evaluates thoughts and selects the most promising ones.
As mentioned, intelligence is prone to manipulating people and situations. Uninspired people may get crafty instead of creative. This is where the secondary meanings of lack of conscience, trying to get away with things, betrayal, deception, trickery, tactics, deceit, lies, theft, cheating, scheming, and spying come from.
If the querent is uncertain about the difference between strategy and scheming, offer the following advice: she may fulfill her desires by any means, except at the expense of someone or something else.
The sphere of the Seven of Swords is also the sphere of desirous thinking. It is natural that desires prompt thought processes (through the path of the Awakening/Tower card). However, this can turn into wishful thinking. Wishful thinking triggers rationalization. For instance, we may rationalize behavior, even if the behavior isn’t appropriate. Or we may rationalize a cherished truth despite contradicting experiences.
The opposite may be true as well. Intellectual people can be prone to suppressing desires. There are two types of oppression: repression and suppression. Repression is unconscious, suppression is conscious. We repress traumas. Ideologues suppress desires that don’t conform to their morality.
Repressed desires will always find a way to express themselves. Usually, this takes the form of mental health symptoms — the so-called return of the repressed. The spectrum of mental health symptoms is huge. On the low end, we have Freudian slips and nervous coughing. On the high end, we have abuse, fetishism, and perversion.
A better way of managing uninvited desires is sublimation. Sublimation transforms undesirable desires, wishes, fantasies, and needs into socially accepted behaviors. Examples: burning bad vibes in the gym, or turning heartache into a poem or song. But the best way to get rid of desires is by fulfilling them. You may fulfill any desire, but again, not at the expense of someone or something else. Sounds difficult? That’s where creative thinking comes in.
An auspicious Seven of Swords calls for openness and creative thinking to overcome challenges.
An inauspicious Seven of Swords may signify that subconscious desires, drives, and emotions dominate the querent’s thought processes. You know this also as subconscious thinking. Desires, drives, and emotions are volatile, and so is subconscious thinking. This is where the secondary meaning of instability comes from.
If the querent’s question pertains to an undertaking, the Seven of Swords may indicate that a textbook approach won’t work. She needs to get creative. For instance, the querent may be stuck in her job. A creative solution to this challenge would be to find a new job (leave the box).
We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations. – Charles R. Swindoll
It is not possible to fulfill objectives (Ten of Swords) to perfection. Circumstances always demand compromises. If the querent’s question pertains to an undertaking, an inauspicious Seven of Swords may indicate that the querent may screw up an undertaking by compromising too early or not compromising at all.
In combination with an inauspicious Six of Swords (pride), an inauspicious Seven of Swords may indicate that the querent’s insolence threatens her undertaking and that the querent is in danger of neglecting good advice.
An inauspicious Seven of Swords may also signify that the querent is prone to wishful thinking and rationalization.
Seven of Swords Symbolism
The geometry in the picture suggests a seven-pointed star.
There is no method for drawing a seven-pointed star, and we can only draw it by trial and error. For this reason, the seven-pointed star is a symbol of skill and experience.
Indeed, creative thinking is a skill, and we need to exercise it before we can have epiphanies, i.e., creative insights.
The more we practice creative thinking, the more effective we become at solving challenges.
The Five Psychological Core Meanings of the Seven of Swords
We derive the psychological meanings of Tarot cards from their position on the Tree of Life. In the Enlightenment Tarot framework, the Seven of Swords represents Netzach of Hod, i.e., desire and creativity on the intellectual level of human expression.
Every Tarot card represents a faculty or power of consciousness. We can use faculties of consciousness constructively and destructively, which produces either a fortunate or an adverse state of mind. Hence, every Tarot card has five core meanings.
These are the five core meanings of the Seven of Swords:
- Enlightenment Tarot title: Epiphany
- Power of consciousness: Creative thinking
- Constructive use: Principled thinking
- Unconstructive use: Arbitrariness (in thinking)
- Auspicious state of mind: Epiphanies
- Inauspicious state of mind: Cognitive bias
Reflective Questions
If the Seven of Swords appears in your spread, it may be beneficial to ask yourself the following questions:
- What is the true source of my current objective — creative thinking or wishful thinking?
- Am I trying to fulfill a wish creatively or at the expense of someone or nature?
- What unfulfilled desires might be influencing my thoughts without my awareness?
- For my current challenges, how would creative — rather than conventional — solutions look like here?
- Have I confused principled thinking with rigid ideology?
- What recent epiphany am I ignoring, robbing me of an opportunity?
Seven of Swords Summary
The Seven of Swords invites you to exercise creative thinking to arrive at epiphanies that advance your undertakings or solve your challenges.
Where Do Tarot Card Meanings Actually Come From?
The meanings of Tarot cards come from various sources. The most common are:
- The position of the Tarot cards on the Tree of Life
- Astrological correspondences (signs, planets, & houses)
- The symbolism of Tarot cards
- Intuition
- Meanings that pertain to fortune-telling
Most of the Tarot card meanings you can google are astrological correspondences and go back to the Golden Dawn and Arthur Edward Waite. Astrological meanings have dominated because Astrology favors fortune-telling. But Astrological meanings are unsuitable for (psychological) Tarot readings.
If you are interested in an overview of the astrological correspondences, you can download a high-resolution chart by subscribing to the Enlightenment Tarot.
Tarot card meanings are a bit of a mess since the meanings that pertain to their position on the Tree of Life mingle with astrological correspondences, symbolic interpretations, and fortune-telling connotations. That’s tedious to memorize. Further, tarotists’ opinions, knowledge, and linguistic backgrounds shaped some of these interpretations. Last but not least, many meanings are fuzzy, contradictory, and overlap. If you want to understand why they overlap, read the article How to Deal With the Overlapping Meanings of Tarot Cards.
The meanings of the Enlightenment Tarot are based on an objective and holistic framework: the Tree of Life and the four levels of human expression. The resulting meanings are transparent and logical and, hence, easier to memorize.
What Various Tarotists Say about the Meanings of the Seven of Swords
Let’s explore what various tarotists wrote about the Seven of Swords.
Tarotists emphasize the astrological significances of Tarot cards since these lend themselves to divination and fortune-telling. The Seven of Swords corresponds to the third decanate of Aquarius, ruled by Saturn and Uranus, sub-ruled by Libra and Venus.
Aquarius is associated with the Revelation/Star card.
The main Libran characteristics are friendly, inventive, and humanitarian.
The third decanate vibes add the following characteristics to the mix: brotherly, humane, and polite.
Venus rules Libra. Venus adds love and a sense of beauty to the Aquarian vibes, which kindles friendliness, charm, love of peace, and a talent for social intercourse.
Aquarius rules the eleventh house of social networking, aka the house of friends. This house rules the collective influence of society and other groups, as well as friendships, acquaintances, and other non-transactional relationships. Think of this house as the house of kindred spirits who enjoy each other’s company.
This is also the house of meditation, dreams, and revelations, including revelations that lead to the invention of new technology.
Last but not least, it is the house of hopes and fears, wishes and aspirations, and gain or loss through acquaintances and friends.
The Libra connection links the Seven of Swords to matters of the seventh house, which rules karma, adjustments of all kinds, marriage and partnerships, legal matters, and open opposition.
What Paul Foster Case Said About the Meanings of the Seven of Swords
For the Seven of Swords, Paul Foster Case proposed the keyword
instability.
Indeed, desires at the intellectual level are unstable. Mercurial (airy) energies are high-paced and unpredictable, like the wind. They produce unstable desires and moods, which lead to uncertainty. Subconscious thinking (see above) is also volatile.
Paul added that the person in question may be too easygoing or lack the stamina to go the last mile. Or, the querent may have good opportunities but achieve only partial success, for instance, by making too many compromises.
Lacking determination, the querent may also be prone to love of ease, and may suffer from the insolence of others or may be insolent herself.
Last but not least, there may be a danger that the querent’s confidence may be betrayed, or that she may be tempted to betray the confidence of others.
What Arthur Edward Waite Said About the Meanings of the Seven of Swords
Arthur Edward Waite suggested that the Seven of Swords is a good card, signifying counsel, instruction, and good advice, but which the querent is likely to neglect.
How Arthur arrived at these meanings is unclear. The seventh Sephirah is the sphere of desires, not the sphere of wisdom. Maybe he considered the connection with the 7th house of karma and legal advice.
An inauspicious Seven of Swords may indicate the opposite of good advice: slander or babbling.
Arthur honors the position of the Seven of Swords on the Tree of Life (creative thinking) by offering the meanings of wish, hope, and design/plan.
However, the design/plan in question is likely uncertain, because the of emotional instability and subconscious thinking (see above). Hence, this card may signify a design or plan that is likely to fail, failed attempts, quarrels, and annoyances.
Psychologically, this card may signify confidence or, if inauspicious, overconfidence.
Last but not least, this card may foretell the appearance of a dark girl or promise a country life after a competence has been secured. This pertains to fortune-telling, hence, no comment.
What Etteilla Said About the Meanings of the Seven of Swords
Etteilla, a French occultist wrote that an auspicious Seven of Swords may signify expectation and wise advice.
The meaning expectation conforms to the position of the Seven of Swords on the Tree of Life (desire on the intellectual level).
Likely, Etteilla arrived at wise advice considering the connection to the seventh house of legal advice.
What Papus Said About the Meanings of the Seven of Swords
Papus, another French occultist and the founder of the Martinist Order, wrote that an auspicious Seven of Swords may indicate that the querent’s enemy will succeed.
He may have proposed this meaning by considering the traditional title of the seventh sphere, which is victory. But with that, he takes only the inauspicious meaning of this card into account. An auspicious Seven of Swords could predict victory over an enemy.
As already mentioned in a previous article, the term enemy is tinged with the sense of separation. Adversity will succeed would be a broader and more inclusive term.
What Gregor Mather Said About the Meanings of the Seven of Swords
Gregor Mather, the founder of the Golden Dawn, believed that the Seven of Swords signifies hope, desire, and wishes. These meanings take the position of this card on the Tree of Life into consideration.
Accordingly, this card may signify attempts — shots at fulfilling one’s desire(s).
However, the meanings of desire, hope, and wishes pertain more to the creative level and the Seven of Cups (Wish). On the intellectual level, desires manifest more as creative thinking and epiphanies.
Like Arthur, Gregor suggested this card indicates confidence, as well as wise advice, good counsel, wisdom, prudence, and circumspection.
What Mme. Le Marchand Said About the Meanings of the Seven of Swords
Mme. Le Marchand, a celebrated 19th-century Parisian fortune teller, believed this card foretells that a lost letter would reveal a secret, which would cause the querent much sorrow. But an officer would restore the letter, and all would end well.
The Psychological Framework of the Enlightenment Tarot
Every Tarot card represents a faculty of consciousness. We can use faculties of consciousness constructively and destructively. This produces favorable and adverse experiences.
We can express faculties of consciousness on four levels:
- The spiritual level (wands/fire/intention)
- The creative-feely level (cups/water/imagination)
- The intellectual level (swords/air/intelligence)
- The bodily level (pentacles/earth/bodily action)
The four tools on the magician’s table symbolize these four levels:
- The wand (spiritual)
- The cup (creative-feely)
- The sword (intellectual)
- The pentagram (bodily)
These tools correspond to the four so-called elements: fire, water, air, and earth.
For this reason, the Enlightenment Tarot wands are made of fire, the cups consist of water, and the pents are composed of earth. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to illustrate something made of air, since air is invisible. For that reason, all swords are made of crystal to show at least transparency.
The Enlightenment Tarot derives its meaning from the Tree of Life and the four levels of human expression. This is an objective, holistic framework that reveals the psychological imports of Tarot cards and their faculties of consciousness. Read more about this framework in the article The Psychological Framework of the Enlightenment Tarot.
The Enlightenment Tarot project attempts to rediscover the original meanings of the Tarot cards that pertain to their position on the Tree of Life. These meanings are simple, clear, and easy to memorize.
*This framework is compatible with Paul Foster Case’s qabalistic system.
Do you want to learn more About The Enlightenment Tarot?
If you want to delve deep into the psychological meanings of Tarot cards, read the book Tarot of Life.
If you are curious about how the Enlightenment Tarot came about, read this article.
If you are interested in learning how to perform psychological Tarot readings, subscribe to receive a free copy of a guide on how to perform psychological Tarot readings.
If you are looking for a psychological Tarot deck, you have come to the right place. The Enlightenment Tarot derives the cards’ meanings from a holistic and transparent framework that is easy to learn and memorize. All major and minor arcana carry psychological titles, and the court cards display psychological profiles. Have a look at the Enlightenment Tarot deck here.
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Delve into the psychological mysteries of the Tarot with the Enlightenment Tarot deck — a contemporary Tarot deck with authentic Tarot symbolism yet immersive illustrations designed for psychological Tarot readings.
Trace your querent’s challenges back to her weaknesses or inner demons. Shadow work made easy.
This exceptional Tarot deck is based on an objective and holistic, psychological framework: the Tree of Life. All minor and major cards feature psychological titles. For example, the Magician has the title ‘Attention’, and the Six of Cups has the title ‘Decision’. The court cards exhibit psychological profiles. For instance, the Queen of Wands stands for a willful woman: generous or stubborn, resolute or revengeful, intense or tyrannical, magnetic or dangerous.