The Meaning of
the "Seven of Wands" Tarot Card
Tarot Quick Info
What is the inverted meaning of
the "Seven of Wands"?
The Meaning of
Tarot Card
The Symbolism of the Seven of Wands
On the Seven of Wands, a young man appears to be under attack. He wards off six wands with one that he holds in his hands.
His facial expression is full of seriousness and defiance. He is clearly outnumbered, but he holds the high ground and has the advantage of elevation.
Holding his wand with two hands, he appears to be acting defensively, rather than attacking. His feet are widely spaced, giving him as much balance as he can hope for on the rocky hilltop.
NOTE: Notice anything strange about the man's clothes in the Seven of Wands? If you look closely, you'll see that the man has a shoe on his right foot, and a boot on his left. In other words, his shoes are "mismatched" — as is this fight.
How to Interpret the Seven of Wands
When you're on top, everyone wants to take you down. The Seven of Wands references a need to defend one's rightful place or property from those who would take it.
A fight fought to keep what's yours, rather than to win something.
This is a defensive fight, and not an offensive one; A fight fought to keep what's yours, rather than to win something.
When the Seven of Wands appears in a tarot reading it may herald an attempt to take something away from someone. Or, depending on the card's position in a tarot spread, it may reference a time in the past when a defensive fight over property, position or title had to be fought.
The card should also be seen as referencing an active defense. In other words: Stand up and fight for what's yours. Hold your ground, even if the opposition seems greater than you. Don't curl up in your shell and hope the problem goes away.
The Seven of Wands Inverted
In most cases, the reversed Seven of Wands means someone is feeling overwhelmed by a current struggle. The opposition feels too great, and perhaps winning just doesn't seem worth it at this point.
... someone's heart just isn't in the fight ...
The card may also indicate that someone's heart just isn't in the fight. Perhaps the reasons for fighting in first place seem less important now.
The card may also represent smaller aggressions, or even microagressions; Maybe soemone is getting tired of fighting off all those tiny barbs and just wants the constant barrage of painful words to stop.
Alternatively: In some cases the Seven of Wands may be an indication that someone is being overly defensive about something. Perhaps all those wands aren't really trying to knock you off your hilltop? Consider the possibility that getting defensive might not be the best response.
Common Symbols Found On the Seven of Wands Card
Tarot cards often use a symbolic or iconographic language to communicate information about each card. The Seven of Wands includes one well-known, repeating Tarot symbol. This symbols which repeats throughout the deck can add an greater level of interpretation to the card.
A common symbol which appears on the Seven of Wands card is:
Uneven Ground
Uneven ground symbolism appears on the Seven of Wands card:
Rocky or uneven ground in Tarot symbology, indicates a time or place of unsure footing and the potential for mistakes. It may also indicate the potential for a reversal of fortune, or for an unexpected event . When uneven ground appears on a Tarot card, it often suggests that a heightened sense of caution is recommended because pitfalls abound — and the possibility for injury or loss is underfoot.
NOTE: At first look, the stance of the man perched on the high-ground suggests firm-footing and balance in the face of aggression. However, the unevenness of the rocky ground, and the man's mismatched footwear, are a reminder that this battle too is mismatched — and the potential for slipping is very real.
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