RitualVision Posted August 15 Posted August 15 In researching the 7 of Swords, the majority of meanings are negative. While we need these types of cards to deal with all realities of life, what meanings have you gleaned where the 7 of swords was a positive? Here's what i came up with: Looking out for themselves because they're in a hostile environment Being extremely strategic in their moves and communications Not revealing all of their cards or even deception by omission as self preservation Coming up with temporary means of communication in order to not have a paper trail Communicating in a way that gets others to reveal secrets or sensitive information to your benefit I'm trying to see if the 7 of swords can be used in a way that's ethical at best and ethically ambiguous at worst, or is the 7 of Swords about gaining through underhanded/deceitful and unethical means?
geoxena Posted August 15 Posted August 15 (edited) I think it can come up to let a person know they need to work hard and even fight to protect what belongs to them. It may also be saying to use their intelligence and cunning to strategize and outsmart whatever liars, cheaters, and scammy situations are in their life. And yeah, sometimes we have to be sneaky and secretive to protect ourselves or others. Clearly, all these attempts to turn it into a positive message are still warnings against being deceived, cheated, or stolen from. Some cards are just plain about crappy things that happen in life and can't be sugar-coated all that much! Edited August 16 by geoxena
DanielJUK Posted August 15 Posted August 15 I think this card is good for problem-solving, finding strategies and clever answers. Like using logic to work it out. Depending on the card art and how you see it, this card is also about getting away with it. I think the guy gets away with it in the RWS image, he is taking all the swords together and sneaking out of the camp. I think he is going to make it but in a reading, it might look like he doesn't, depends on the context and reading. Often we do a mistake at work or in our lives and we might just get away with it this time. For example, not getting a speeding ticket in the post when you think you were caught, that would be an example of this. Sometimes things we do are deliberately illegal or unethical, an intention to deceive or steal but other times it's accidental and a mistake. Final idea, there is something about this card about putting yourself first, the person is leaving the "group" and going out alone. Maybe the group were horrible to the person or they just don't fit in, so they are sneaking out without saying goodbyes. I think one thing about this card (and there is a whole ethical scale here from innocent to duplicity) is about doing something that is advantageous for you. Putting yourself ahead of others.
RitualVision Posted August 15 Author Posted August 15 2 hours ago, geoxena said: I think it can come up to let a person know they need to work hard and even fight to protect what belongs to them. It may also be saying to use their intelligence and cunning to strategize and outsmart whatever liars, cheaters, and scammy situations are in their life. And yeah, sometimes we have to be sneaky and secretive to protect ourselves or others. Clearly, all these attempts to turn it into a positive message are still warnings against being deceived, cheated, or stolen from. Some cards are just plain about crappy things that happen in life and can't be sugar-coated all that much! 26 minutes ago, DanielJUK said: I think this card is good for problem-solving, finding strategies and clever answers. Like using logic to work it out. Depending on the card art and how you see it, this card is also about getting away with it. I think the guy gets away with it in the RWS image, he is taking all the swords together and sneaking out of the camp. I think he is going to make it but in a reading, it might look like he doesn't, depends on the context and reading. Often we do a mistake at work or in our lives and we might just get away with it this time. For example, not getting a speeding ticket in the post when you think you were caught, that would be an example of this. Sometimes things we do are deliberately illegal or unethical, an intention to deceive or steal but other times it's accidental and a mistake. Final idea, there is something about this card about putting yourself first, the person is leaving the "group" and going out alone. Maybe the group were horrible to the person or they just don't fit in, so they are sneaking out without saying goodbyes. I think one thing about this card (and there is a whole ethical scale here from innocent to duplicity) is about doing something that is advantageous for you. Putting yourself ahead of others. You know, this made me think of 7/Swords like advice I received long time ago. Life isn't fair, so make it fair for you.
Rose Lalonde Posted August 16 Posted August 16 For RWS, I agree with @DanielJUK that on the lighter side, it may just point to something like getting to work late, but no one notices, so you get away with it. Especially in a daily draw. A fairly neutral outcome. Technically you could say you're wrong for being late, but likely the main feeling is pleased relief. (In the Thoth, this card is 'Futility', and the bittersweet upside is knowing when to redirect your energy to something that can realistically happen. It can also remind us that in situations where ethics are involved, compromising a lot to appease others can lead to more problems than being true to what you believe.)
Chariot Posted August 16 Posted August 16 One of the least obvious 7 of Swords cards I've run across is the Druidcraft one: There are certainly 7 Swords pictured, but the elderly man in the picture doesn't seem to be stealing them. The book that comes with the cards is sort of vague on the connection between the swords and the man. It says, in essence, that there is a courageous, voyaging quality to the number 7, which creates an exciting atmosphere, like a breath of fresh air. New ideas challenge old assumptions, etc. It can also be about a controlled use of the intellect, designing a strategy that could be bold and daring, OR cunning and manipulative. There is a danger of slipping into Machiavellian behaviour to achieve results. The reversed card indicates 'getting caught.' So what is this elderly bearded man doing in this picture? Plotting something? It's not one of those cards (unlike most of the cards in The Druidcraft Tarot) that is easy to interpret intuitively. He doesn't look clever, so much as discouraged or depressed by what he's seeing or doing. But hey....
November Posted August 16 Posted August 16 Of course there is! It can mean thinking outside the box for solving a problem or being able to get around it. It's also about the ability to do something without "being caught", so that people mind their own business and not yours.
geoxena Posted August 16 Posted August 16 (edited) 21 hours ago, DanielJUK said: Depending on the card art and how you see it, this card is also about getting away with it. I think the guy gets away with it in the RWS image, he is taking all the swords together and sneaking out of the camp. I've always seen the RWS image as illustrating that he thinks he's getting away with it but he's not. He's looking back at the tent, but there is a group of people outside of the tent, in the background, who are clearly able to see him. They may be occupied with some kind of meeting or game, and aren't in pursuit of him now, but he's out in the open. That's why, when I did the artwork for this card (Seven of Air) for our We Are One deck, I put a cop in the background watching the shyster as he ropes people into his game of three-card monte (which no one can win) and a pickpocket works the crowd. The cop knows exactly what's going on! I feel like this card is more about waking up to the fact that you're not fooling anyone, including yourself, and whatever you're doing will eventually catch up with you. The message might be "don't be so smug." Edited August 16 by geoxena
JoyousGirl Posted August 17 Posted August 17 (edited) In RWS He's getting away with something - but not everything. Two swords stand upright. Does he get to choose what he gets away with? Unlikely. His eyes are closed, and he's looking backward, not forward, so what isn't he seeing? The black and white flag, or whatever it is, to me means he's not taking something into consideration - he's got a one sided view - seeing things in Black and White. That's not good for anyone or anything. My sentiments are there is a sense of an objective here - and a plotting something - now that can be for good or ill. BUT the images on the card will tell us more. The RWS shows us one guy's objective (but we don't know what that is). Foresight is needed. There's other people in the scene. 5 hours ago, geoxena said: when I did the artwork for this card I love this artwork @geoxena Edited August 17 by JoyousGirl
RitualVision Posted August 17 Author Posted August 17 19 hours ago, Chariot said: One of the least obvious 7 of Swords cards I've run across is the Druidcraft one: There are certainly 7 Swords pictured, but the elderly man in the picture doesn't seem to be stealing them. The book that comes with the cards is sort of vague on the connection between the swords and the man. It says, in essence, that there is a courageous, voyaging quality to the number 7, which creates an exciting atmosphere, like a breath of fresh air. New ideas challenge old assumptions, etc. It can also be about a controlled use of the intellect, designing a strategy that could be bold and daring, OR cunning and manipulative. There is a danger of slipping into Machiavellian behaviour to achieve results. The reversed card indicates 'getting caught.' So what is this elderly bearded man doing in this picture? Plotting something? It's not one of those cards (unlike most of the cards in The Druidcraft Tarot) that is easy to interpret intuitively. He doesn't look clever, so much as discouraged or depressed by what he's seeing or doing. But hey.... I wonder if the 7/Swords has to do with contemplating and working through a moral dilemma? Like the situation isn't ideal and a person would rather not, but the environment is putting them in the position to think/strategize in ways that toes the line of ethics?
RitualVision Posted August 17 Author Posted August 17 18 hours ago, November said: Of course there is! It can mean thinking outside the box for solving a problem or being able to get around it. It's also about the ability to do something without "being caught", so that people mind their own business and not yours. Interesting perspective on being slick enough that a person doesn't get caught. Would you say this would be the upright description and the reversed would mean the person would most likely get caught? A warning perhaps?
RitualVision Posted August 17 Author Posted August 17 7 hours ago, geoxena said: I've always seen the RWS image as illustrating that he thinks he's getting away with it but he's not. He's looking back at the tent, but there is a group of people outside of the tent, in the background, who are clearly able to see him. They may be occupied with some kind of meeting or game, and aren't in pursuit of him now, but he's out in the open. That's why, when I did the artwork for this card (Seven of Air) for our We Are One deck, I put a cop in the background watching the shyster as he ropes people into his game of three-card monte (which no one can win) and a pickpocket works the crowd. The cop knows exactly what's going on! I feel like this card is more about waking up to the fact that you're not fooling anyone, including yourself, and whatever you're doing will eventually catch up with you. The message might be "don't be so smug." The deck I'm using is the Zombie tarot. Here, the glamorous woman is not sneaky at all. She's facing the zombies head on, with 3 planes flying forward in the window. This is what's making me wonder about any positive aspects to the 7/Swords that don't involve deceit, trickery or stealing. There's no one watching so what are the consequences in this case? Could this symbolize revenge?
Chariot Posted August 17 Posted August 17 2 hours ago, RitualVision said: I wonder if the 7/Swords has to do with contemplating and working through a moral dilemma? Like the situation isn't ideal and a person would rather not, but the environment is putting them in the position to think/strategize in ways that toes the line of ethics? Yours is an excellent interpretation of this card, I reckon! I will immediately adopt it for my own readings with this deck. I suppose illustrating that concept on a card wouldn't be easy. But yes. This person looks as if they are facing a dilemma regarding an issue, and isn't sure how to proceed. He certainly doesn't look happy or self-satisfied—as the faces of the sword stealers in other versions of the 7 of Swords often are. He looks troubled. The fact that he is writing a letter, rather than stealing a sheep or robbing a house, might indicate it has something to do with a personal ethical matter or governmental ethical matter.
Chariot Posted August 17 Posted August 17 10 hours ago, geoxena said: I've always seen the RWS image as illustrating that he thinks he's getting away with it but he's not. He's looking back at the tent, but there is a group of people outside of the tent, in the background, who are clearly able to see him. They may be occupied with some kind of meeting or game, and aren't in pursuit of him now, but he's out in the open. That's why, when I did the artwork for this card (Seven of Air) for our We Are One deck, I put a cop in the background watching the shyster as he ropes people into his game of three-card monte (which no one can win) and a pickpocket works the crowd. The cop knows exactly what's going on! I feel like this card is more about waking up to the fact that you're not fooling anyone, including yourself, and whatever you're doing will eventually catch up with you. The message might be "don't be so smug." Wow. That 7 of Air card is fantastic. Certainly illustrates many aspects of this card. Maybe the pickpocket gets away with it, while the card sharp doesn't? Certainly the obvious surveillance means the event isn't going unnoticed. Excellent.
RitualVision Posted August 17 Author Posted August 17 13 minutes ago, Chariot said: Wow. That 7 of Air card is fantastic. Certainly illustrates many aspects of this card. Maybe the pickpocket gets away with it, while the card sharp doesn't? Certainly the obvious surveillance means the event isn't going unnoticed. Excellent. Oh, the idea of surveillance is a good point! Maybe that's the also something to consider even if it's positive, that there is always the chance that someone IS watching so strategize wisely.
geoxena Posted August 17 Posted August 17 (edited) 5 hours ago, JoyousGirl said: I love this artwork @geoxena 42 minutes ago, Chariot said: Wow. That 7 of Air card is fantastic. Certainly illustrates many aspects of this card. Maybe the pickpocket gets away with it, while the card sharp doesn't? Certainly the obvious surveillance means the event isn't going unnoticed. Excellent. Aww, thank you both! When I look at it, I can't help but be very critical and want to change or fix some things. But I was happy with my concept for it and am glad that comes through in how I drew it. Anyway, I do love seeing the different ways a tarot card can be illustrated. Since I don't have a large collection myself, I will often scour the internet for card images. I'll come back and post here again if I find some unusual takes on the Seven of Swords. It is an interesting card. Edited August 17 by geoxena
November Posted August 17 Posted August 17 4 hours ago, RitualVision said: Interesting perspective on being slick enough that a person doesn't get caught. Would you say this would be the upright description and the reversed would mean the person would most likely get caught? A warning perhaps? Yes, I think this could apply.
JoyousGirl Posted August 17 Posted August 17 6 hours ago, RitualVision said: The deck I'm using is the Zombie tarot. Here, the glamorous woman is not sneaky at all. She's facing the zombies head on, with 3 planes flying forward in the window. In this image she has the upper hand. She's higher up on the stairs. Also, the troops are coming, so help is on the way. That would be a positive for this. Unless it was reversed.
geoxena Posted August 17 Posted August 17 (edited) @RitualVision, I have been pondering that Zombies card since you showed it. It is unusual. The thing that strikes me about it is that the zombies' faces are all in black and white, but that guy she's kicked down the stairs is in full color, so he isn't a zombie yet. He's looking at the zombies, terrified, because now he'll become one of them. What did he do to incur her wrath and send him down the stairs to join the zombies? It's a positive card for her, but a negative one for him. To me, it's about both defending oneself and consequences. I took a look at some of my decks last night. The Napo Tarot's image for 7 of Swords isn't too far off from the RWS version, with a man running away with seven swords while looking behind him, but no other figures are present. The keyword on the face of it is Persevere. Huh? The LWB is a bit perplexing. It says, "It is a time of affliction, but this card brings hope, encourages one to continue the struggle despite pain, to persevere. Possibility of robbery." So, have hope and keep going, but you might be robbed? In the Wild Unknown, this card has a fox curled up on top of a sword with one eye peeking out and six other swords above its head. To me, it seems to coincide with the idea of keeping your eye on what you've got. The LWB (actually just a sheet) offers these keywords: secrecy, self-interest. The secrecy is a form of self-protection. This card in the Sacred Rose Tarot reminded me of the Druidcraft one that @Chariot shared, because to me it appeared to show a monk bent over some papers he was reading or writing. But the LWB says he's a clown and what I thought was his papers is actually a dunce cap. Oh well. I like my first impression better. Anyway, he's got all these swords coming at him while he holds his hand up in a gesture that says, "Stop!" The LWB says this card is about "insufficient planning, unwise decisions, or lack of perseverance" which "brings failure." Okay, that connects to the perseverance idea, but I don't see any of that in the image. Also, "looking for the easy way out." The LWB indicates that this card reversed can be positive: "Wisdom, counsel. Return of what is rightly owned." Below are some other depictions of the Seven of Swords, which I found online. Some stay fairly close to RWS, some are quite unusual. Not being a collector, nor someone who funds Kickstarter projects, I am ignorant of many newer decks that are out there. But these caught my attention. Some food for thought: Barbara Walker Tarot (this one came with the keyword Opposition) Cosmic Tarot Spiral Tarot (I love how this one was painted!) Tarot of Why Tarot of the Elves Tarot of a Witch's Garden (just gorgeous!) Edited August 17 by geoxena
RitualVision Posted August 17 Author Posted August 17 @geoxena So many depictions of the Seven/Swords! I still see the self preservation aspect in each of the cards regardless of whether they were inspired by the RWS or not. Maybe that's a key component in the message-look out for yourself or be aware of others doing the same. In the Zombie tarot, there is this mistrust factor in there with the woman kicking the man down. Yes, he's not a zombie, but in her eyes he might as well be. Since it's the Swords i wonder if it's also about protecting your mental peace? A person would have to be detached from consequences in order to steal, or to see the truth for what it is when someone steals from them. Maybe it's also about self preservation through detachment? If we think about the mental cage that's in the 8, the 7 could be telling us to remain mentally detached to what we see or experience in order to not put ourselves into a mental prison as a consequence.
RitualVision Posted August 17 Author Posted August 17 12 hours ago, JoyousGirl said: In this image she has the upper hand. She's higher up on the stairs. Also, the troops are coming, so help is on the way. That would be a positive for this. Unless it was reversed. Interesting point about the planes and help. Where is the help coming from? Hmm, something to ponder.
JoyousGirl Posted August 18 Posted August 18 (edited) 2 hours ago, RitualVision said: Where is the help coming from? The guys in the other 'camp' know. There are consequences. One thing I have been pondering all along in many of these cards is that there is 2 'sides'. There is the sense of battle, me and them or us and them. Now that could be in terms of warring factions, or class hierarchy, or religion, or interpersonally. There is a justification in the mind of the person stealing the swords. The expression "All is fair in love and war" is in my little home made tarot book from long ago. We justify our actions as being right in our own circumstances and from our sense of injury - we're entitled to do what we do. 7 is an odd number - so there's an imbalance. If we go to the 10 commandments, thou shalt not steal. So there's social rules that are really based on "do unto others" because we don't like it when it happens to us. Community is eroded now and othering is par for the course. The old awareness of strength in unity has been bent and twisted. There is always a question of reasoning regarding someone's ethics, and personal (or group) positioning in this card, I believe. ETA in your Zombies card - the glamorous lady and the zombies are possibly a good example of class hierarchy. "The great unwashed". So it may be those planes are representing an abuse of the common people. Wars are generally fought by governments on behalf of maintaining the status quo for the wealthy. So there's self interest there, certainly. I forgot to mention that we need to identify with who is who in the card. For example, are you a zombie in the card or the woman on the stairs? And does the zombie in transition getting kicked represent a person who has lost everything as of a result of this woman and now becomes part of the masses. Is the woman justified? Self preservation for her feathering her own nest - but with integrity? , Edited August 18 by JoyousGirl
Elaina Posted August 18 Posted August 18 I read with the zombie deck frequently and this card screams getting away with murder. But if you look, she isn't really getting away with it; she has trapped herself because the zombies are below and the planes could carpet bomb the house. This card to me takes the basic meaning of betrayal and trickery vs the RWS showing theft and sneaking about. Often (with this deck especially), if it shows up it's really about thinking outside the box, ie, want to get rid of a pesky husband? Zombie feed. So mostly it simply is a signifier that I need to look at the question in a different light to find a solution.
RitualVision Posted August 19 Author Posted August 19 On 8/18/2025 at 6:05 AM, Elaina said: I read with the zombie deck frequently and this card screams getting away with murder. But if you look, she isn't really getting away with it; she has trapped herself because the zombies are below and the planes could carpet bomb the house. This card to me takes the basic meaning of betrayal and trickery vs the RWS showing theft and sneaking about. Often (with this deck especially), if it shows up it's really about thinking outside the box, ie, want to get rid of a pesky husband? Zombie feed. So mostly it simply is a signifier that I need to look at the question in a different light to find a solution. Good to learn from another person who's familiar with the Zombie deck! You've brought up great points regarding how the woman is trapped even if she does get rid of the guy, that won't be enough for the zombies. Which makes me question, is the 7/Swords asking not just to think outside of the box, but to ask is that enough to solve the problem? Is one husband enough for all those zombies? How far ahead must one think in order to solve the problem?
RitualVision Posted August 19 Author Posted August 19 On 8/17/2025 at 8:25 PM, JoyousGirl said: The guys in the other 'camp' know. There are consequences. One thing I have been pondering all along in many of these cards is that there is 2 'sides'. There is the sense of battle, me and them or us and them. Now that could be in terms of warring factions, or class hierarchy, or religion, or interpersonally. There is a justification in the mind of the person stealing the swords. The expression "All is fair in love and war" is in my little home made tarot book from long ago. We justify our actions as being right in our own circumstances and from our sense of injury - we're entitled to do what we do. 7 is an odd number - so there's an imbalance. If we go to the 10 commandments, thou shalt not steal. So there's social rules that are really based on "do unto others" because we don't like it when it happens to us. Community is eroded now and othering is par for the course. The old awareness of strength in unity has been bent and twisted. There is always a question of reasoning regarding someone's ethics, and personal (or group) positioning in this card, I believe. ETA in your Zombies card - the glamorous lady and the zombies are possibly a good example of class hierarchy. "The great unwashed". So it may be those planes are representing an abuse of the common people. Wars are generally fought by governments on behalf of maintaining the status quo for the wealthy. So there's self interest there, certainly. I forgot to mention that we need to identify with who is who in the card. For example, are you a zombie in the card or the woman on the stairs? And does the zombie in transition getting kicked represent a person who has lost everything as of a result of this woman and now becomes part of the masses. Is the woman justified? Self preservation for her feathering her own nest - but with integrity? , These are great questions and the planes bring back the surveillance aspect to the card as well. I wonder how does the imbalance of the 7 lead to the 8, which isn't a relief either. With this image specifically, I see the zombies as dead or coming back from the dead thoughts or communication that needs a different solution than what would normally be advised. Not in a truth moment like Judgment, but coming from a place of protection.
Recommended Posts