Seven of Swords Tarot Card Meaning
Six of Swords |
Seven of Swords |
Eight of Swords |
General Meaning
The Seven of Swords card represents cunning and intrigue. Either you yourself exhibit these qualities to achieve your goals, or another person is lying, causing harm, and harboring ill intentions towards you.
Card Motto
Danger awaits on the straight road — why not take a detour instead?
by Marta Winter
Core Card Meanings Seven of Swords
Description and Symbols of the Card Seven of Swords
This tarot card depicts a scene of a cunning thief or spy stealing swords from a military camp. The thief slinks away from the crime scene with his haul, a sly smirk on his face — his mission accomplished! In the background of the Seven of Swords, tents are visible; the area is deserted, the trickster managed to go unnoticed.
Meaning in Upright Position
In a tarot spread, the Seven of Swords card can be interpreted both as a warning to beware of fraudsters and as advice to employ cunning tactics in your affairs without revealing all of your cards.
The Seven of Swords tarot card in an upright position often signifies that there is a secret adversary in your environment who is scheming, spreading gossip, weaving intrigues, and causing you trouble. Or perhaps it's a thief targeting your property? Your task in this case is to identify this person and expose their deceit, safeguarding your home, money, and possessions.
Furthermore, the Seven of Swords card appears when you need advice regarding your own behavior. Perhaps you are too straightforward? Then this tarot arcana recommends that instead of a head-on attack, try achieving your goals with cunning and diplomacy, adapt to circumstances and lead your opponents around by the nose.
At the same time, it's important not to overdo it and descend into outright villainy. Using dishonest methods and engaging in shady activities to realize your plans, remember that a tainted reputation often leads to disgrace and bankruptcy.
Key Meanings of the Upright Seven of Swords Card
- Lies, falseness, betrayal, cowardice, pusillanimity, hypocrisy, desire to profit at the expense of others.
- A secret adversary, enemy, dishonest person.
- Illegal actions, theft, fraud.
- Cunning, shrewdness, a tactical maneuver, diplomacy, hidden information, ambiguity.
- Obstacles in affairs, complications, unforeseen circumstances.
- Gossip, carelessness, slander, arrogance, betrayal, abused trust.
Reversed Position
The reversed Seven of Swords tarot card indicates that in your affairs there are difficulties and obstacles due to a lack of information, deception, and gossip, but you are skillfully dealing with them, and they are not causing you noticeable harm.
Continue to exercise caution, don't trust unverified rumors, and avoid open conflicts and confrontations. When signing documents, carefully check each point — the tarot card Seven of Swords warns that there is a high risk of deceit. If necessary, consult with an experienced lawyer. Do not expose your vulnerable back to your enemies, be vigilant!
Another meaning of the reversed Seven of Swords card is the return of what's lost, vindication, rehabilitation, restoration of reputation, and a good name. If you have previously been unfairly condemned, suffered from slander and the machinations of ill-wishers, or lost property as a result of fraudulent actions, then the reversed Seven of Swords tarot promises you the restoration of trust from those around you and justice, returning all that was lost.
Key meanings of the reversed Seven of Swords card
- Caution, measured actions, foresight.
- Return of debts or stolen property, triumph of justice.
- Good advice, protection, safety, patronage.
- Vindication, restoration of reputation and trust.
Meaning in Love Readings
In love spreads, the upright Seven of Swords card signifies deceit, cunning, and some insincerity in a relationship. However, this can indicate not only dishonesty or infidelity in a couple, but also the maneuvers that a lover resorts to in order to win over the object of their affection.
So, no one prevents you from assessing your strengths and weaknesses and devising a few tactics and strategies for courting the opposite sex and charming an impregnable "adversary." This is an excellent period for a short-term and vibrant romance, built on communication and shared interests.
In a reversed position, the meaning of the card changes to the opposite, indicating the impossibility of achieving desired results with cunning.
When reading for a suitor or beloved
In readings for a suitor or partner, the upright card suggests that your chosen one is a real heart-stealer! In interactions with the opposite sex, they are charming, cunning, passionate, and capable of the most unexpected, even risky, moves!
The reversed card indicates that in love, your chosen one is a person of honor. They play by the rules, and as a result, sometimes suffer from the actions of more cunning and deft competitors.
Reading for Money, Career
In business readings, the Seven of Swords card suggests devising a cunning plan to achieve success in your ventures. Perhaps, direct and honest approaches are not effective at the moment, so you'll have to deceive and manipulate to sway colleagues or superiors to your side, secure a higher position, or gain a good profit.
Resourcefulness, agility, cleverness, and sharp intellect will aid you in navigating through all challenges and conquering success. There might be a lot of hustle and business-related anxieties, but with the right conduct, a worthy reward awaits you.
When reversed, the meaning of the card changes to its opposite, indicating the exposure of dubious actions and the opportunity to avoid deceit.
Reading for a Person
When reading for a person, the upright card is interpreted as an individual with unique moral principles, someone who enjoys acting in a roundabout way and is willing to compromise certain principles to ultimately achieve their goal.
When the card is reversed, it represents a nimble, adventurous person who is well-versed in the situation, capable of calculating every move, and acting preemptively.
Reading for Advice
In the upright position, the card advises you to be vigilant: you may have to face hidden forces, intrigues, or secret adversaries.
When appearing in a reversed position in the spread, the card advises you to dare a cunning combination that will allow you to hit several targets at once. Remember, where direct paths are impassable, secret detours exist.
Reading for Outcome
If the card appears upright, the forecast for your situation is uncertain. Gossips, intrigues, and cunning moves by ill-wishers may hinder you.
When appearing in a reversed position, the forecast for your situation is quite favorable. As a result, you can achieve your goals if you employ unconventional, ingenious tactics to attain them.
Meanings In Combination with All Tarot Cards
Major Arcana Combinations
With 0 card, The Fool – A sharp-tongued trickster, a freeloader, a lover of easy profits.
With 1 card, The Magician — Cunning in affairs, politics, shirking from work, easy money.
With 2 card, The High Priestess — Crafty scheme, virtuoso strategy, anticipation of substantial profits.
In combination with 3 card, The Empress — Feminine guile, the art of deception, malicious gossip.
With 4 card, The Emperor — Shrewd consultant, profitable plan, brief chance to strike it rich.
With 5 card, The Hierophant — Stealing someone's idea, outsmarting a competitor, benefitting from a high position.
With 6 card, The Lovers — Successful maneuver based on hidden information, promising direction, concealed profits.
With 7 card, The Chariot — Additional opportunities, profiting through acquaintances, useful information.
With 8 card, Strength — Forced departure or move, calculating profits or losses, accidentally learning useful information.
With 9 card, The Hermit — Ability to claim what's yours, those wishing to piggyback on success, hangers-on.
With 10 card, Wheel of Fortune — Unexpected profit, clever trick, pulling the wool over someone's eyes.
With 11 card, Justice — Uncertain about what action to take, loophole in the law, ambiguous interpretation.
With 12 card, The Hanged Man — Loss of profitability, bankruptcy or significant financial loss, living on the bare minimum.
With 13 card, Death — Expectations not meeting reality, going into hiding, scandal for unseemly reasons.
With 14 card, Temperance — Everyone staying in their own lane, termination of contract or separation, being deceived about a lover's intentions.
With 15 card, The Devil — Unfulfilled hopes, vain efforts, always the last to know.
With 16 card, The Tower — Complete disillusionment, looting, someone profiting from misfortune.
With 17 card, The Star — Accidental success, false guidance, unreliable information.
With 18 card, The Moon — Danger of being caught, being in the know, complex machinations.
With 19 card, The Sun — Bad reputation, inappropriate boasting or bravado, exaggerating one's merits.
With 20 card, Judgment — False accusation or planted evidence, tampering with facts, the guise of a swindler.
With 21 card, The World — Managing to escape trouble, avoiding conflict or disputes, sticking to one's guns.
Wands Suit Combinations
With the Ace of Wands - Secrecy, advancing by any means, complex nature, unscrupulousness.
With the Two of Wands - A fallback option, a backup plan, taking precautions just in case.
With the Three of Wands - A clever approach, concealing the whole truth, petty deceit, making a deal with one's conscience.
With the Four of Wands - Worldly cunning, obtaining privileges or subsidies, manipulation with property or theft.
With the Five of Wands - A circumventive maneuver, a diplomatic approach, manipulating opponents.
With the Six of Wands - A devious path, involvement in borderline criminal business, a cunning move.
With the Seven of Wands - Changing opinions or positions, fading into the background, eluding capture.
With the Eight of Wands - Being crafty, plotting a scam, deceit or falsehood.
With the Nine of Wands - Suspecting a trick, exposing fraudsters, hidden awareness or a habit of keeping one's lips sealed.
With the Ten of Wands - A guilty conscience, the burden of guilt, profiting from others' misfortunes.
With the Page of Wands - A guilty conscience, the burden of guilt, profiting from others' misfortunes.
With the Knight of Wands - Quick thinking, creativity, seeking alternative paths or loopholes.
With the Queen of Wands - Discovering unexpected advantages, inventiveness, talent for dubious schemes.
With the King of Wands - Unlawful methods, useful experience or knowledge, a leverage for pressure.
Swords Suit Combinations
The Ace of Swords — Stealing others' ideas, learning from others' experiences, cleverness, and manipulation.
The Two of Swords — Deftly avoiding conflicts, ignoring something or someone, making empty promises.
The Three of Swords — Betrayal or facing betrayal, skillful justifications for unpleasant behavior, making light of a situation or creating a believable story.
The Four of Swords — Pretending to be calm and confident, wearing a mask or acting illogically to deceive others, having a hidden agenda.
The Five of Swords — Outsmarting and shifting blame onto others, benefiting from others' losses, working on one's own agenda and staying unnoticed.
The Six of Swords — A deceptive maneuver, using deception as a cover, going away for a while or pretending.
The Eight of Swords — Self-assurance, seeking justifications, suppressing conscience, trapping oneself, frustration.
The Nine of Swords — Concealing emotions, a mask of indifference, not trusting others, hiding from loved ones.
The Ten of Swords — Outplaying a formidable enemy, a long-planned action succeeded, eliminating a competitor, a fake bankruptcy or complaints about a hard life.
The Page of Swords — Gathering information, secret connections, an informant or a planted spy, working in the shadows.
The Knight of Swords — A planned, bold action, a treacherous attack, a strike from an unexpected direction, it's not what it seems.
The Queen of Swords — Moral degradation, hypocrisy, and flattery, using power for personal interests.
The King of Swords — Corruption, using compromising material, illegal activities, or a charismatic outlaw.
Seven of Swords and Swords Suit Combinations
The Ace of Cups — Concealing feelings or intentions, hidden meanings, playing games with love or relationships, valuing convenience over attachment.
The Two of Cups — Broken promises, lack of sincerity, hypocrisy, or a marriage of convenience.
The Three of Cups — Hidden interests, using friends for personal gain, beneficial connections and alternative paths.
The Four of Cups — Rejecting a shameful proposal, being principled, idealism, and non-acceptance of established norms.
The Five of Cups — Getting less than expected, falling for deception or fraud, conscience causing unrest.
The Six of Cups — Materialism in perceiving the world, childhood complexes, feeling unloved during childhood.
The Seven of Cups — Sudden luck, gaining valuable knowledge, inventing an unusual scheme.
The Eight of Cups — Unscrupulousness, being the first to break off a relationship, caring for one's own benefit.
The Nine of Cups — Exploiting one's popularity, exaggerating or diminishing a problem, caring only about oneself and one's image.
The Ten of Cups — Taking advantage of trust for personal interests, relying on family reputation, obtaining useful information from loved ones.
The Page of Cups — Tempting work or earning schemes, deceitful proposals, attempting to use someone.
The Knight of Cups — An unfaithful admirer, a mercenary person, a liar, or a deceitful seducer.
The Queen of Cups — Envious of someone's free-spirited nature, taking advantage of others' emotions, gossiping or scheming.
The King of Cups — A clever trick, gaining more than expected, being able to play both sides.
Pentacles Suit Combinations
The Ace of Pentacles — Acquiring money or capital, a trophy, illegal business, or an illicit scheme for enrichment.
The Two of Pentacles — Concealing financial difficulties, a crafty manipulator or a player who takes advantage of trust, an extortionist.
The Three of Pentacles — Seizing a profitable business, bankrupting a young company, obstructing progress, encountering a dishonest person.
The Four of Pentacles — Theft, extortion, forgery, or following advice leading to loss of savings, squeezing out the last bit.
The Five of Pentacles — Illegal schemes involving property, black-market realtors, an unfair deal.
The Six of Pentacles — Deliberately downplaying one's wealth, hiding income, seeking assistance and compassion.
The Seven of Pentacles — Losing a significant sum, unwise investments, giving money to scammers.
The Eight of Pentacles — Innovating, inventiveness, production optimization, a talented individual.
The Nine of Pentacles — A swindler, skilled at confusing their interlocutor, a born manipulator.
The Ten of Pentacles — Appropriating family wealth, playing on family sentiments, deception within the family.
The Page of Pentacles — Exploiting the trust of loved ones, a clever scheme for obtaining education, buying diplomas or exam results, an unqualified employee.
The Knight of Pentacles — Taking advantage of others' efforts to become wealthy, organizational talent.
The Queen of Pentacles — Accumulating production resources, cunning schemes to increase profitability, not missing opportunities for personal gain.
The King of Pentacles — Grabbing a large piece of the pie, a highly profitable investment, acquiring real estate at a bargain price, a clever and wealthy man.
Example Interpretation In a Daily Spread
A Card Has Fallen for You Seven of Swords? This Signifies:
Today, circumstances may present you with the opportunity to act using less than honest and straightforward methods to achieve your goals. Bribery, cunning, intrigue, deceit, financial maneuvers, spreading rumors and gossip—today, all of these might prove effective and yield the desired outcome. However, the card of the day warns that the gain may come with a catch: in the future, it could irreparably damage your reputation. Is it worth taking such risks?