Seven of Swords Tarot Card Meanings

Seven of Swords Keywords

UPRIGHT: Betrayal, deception, getting away with something, acting strategically
REVERSED: Imposter syndrome, self-deceit, keeping secrets

Seven of Swords Description

The Seven of Swords shows a man sneaking away from a military camp with five swords in his arms. He looks over his shoulder at the two upright swords he has left behind. The smile on his face suggests that he is proud of himself for having slipped away without being noticed.

Seven of Swords Upright
Traditionally, the Seven of Swords indicates theft, betrayal, deception and trickery. You may be trying to get away with something and are sneaking around behind other people’s backs, hoping to go undetected. If you are lucky, you might get away with your secret intact. But if you are unlucky, others will soon find out what you have done, causing you shame and embarrassment. Be aware that any time you use cunning or deception to gain an advantage over someone or something else, you are at risk of being found out. And even if you are not, the cover-up will require a tremendous amount of effort, and it may not be worth it.

Alternatively, you may be the victim of someone else’s betrayal. Others are not being candid with you, and you may be unaware of their lies and deception. You may trust someone who then turns out to be running their own agenda, leaving you high and dry. Look out for any sneaky behaviour and listen to your intuition when something does not feel right or seems too good to be true.

On a more positive note, the Seven of Swords points out that you need to be strategic in what you do. You know you cannot do everything at once – nor should you. Instead, you must prioritize what’s important to you and direct your focus and attention on the few tasks that will move you closer to your goals. It’s the 80-20 rule: 20% of your work will account for 80% of your results, so focus on the 20%. You may be able to accept some responsibilities or duties, but not all of them. Or you may say ‘yes’ to some projects at the expense of others.

The Seven of Swords also suggests that you may need to use shortcuts or the ‘backdoor’ to get what you want. Rather than dutifully following the process, you may need to find ways to resolve your problem quickly so you can move towards your goals. For example, if you missed out getting into your preferred course, you might write a letter to the Dean or draw on your networks to get a mid-year entry. You may need to think on your feet and act in a way that isn’t exactly all ‘above board.’

At times the Seven of Swords suggests that you may need to put yourself first to get what you want, even if it means letting others down or putting others off-side. For example, you may be asked to travel for work to attend a high-profile event, but it would mean missing your child’s birthday, so you decline the travel opportunity, even though you know it will upset your boss. Here’s the thing: you can’t be everything to everyone, and sometimes you need to put your own needs and priorities first, even if others may not agree with you or understand where you are coming from.

The Seven of Swords could also imply that you are trying to escape from a situation that is not working for you anymore rather than dealing with it head-on. You may attempt to run away from commitment, responsibility, hard work or love. You may procrastinate, letting problems slip and become worse because you do not want to deal with them. Sometimes you just have to face what has to be faced.

Seven of Swords Reversed

The Seven of Swords often appears reversed when you feel like a fraud and are suffering from ‘imposter syndrome’. You may doubt yourself and your abilities. For example, if you have started a new business, you may ask yourself, ‘Who am I to be doing this?’ Know that this is fear talking. Get out of your head and trust that you have everything you need to make your new venture a success.

Similarly, the Seven of Swords reversed can suggest that you are deceiving yourself, trying to trick yourself into believing something even though it is out of integrity with your true self. You may attempt to fool yourself that everything is okay when it is not. Now is the time to get real with where you are and confront your situation head-on.

As a card of inner deceit, the reversed Seven of Swords represents keeping secrets hidden from others. You may be harbouring a dark secret that you hope will never be revealed. Keeping this secret may bring you stress and tension, along with deeper feelings of guilt and shame. While the thought of confessing may be horrifying, it will free you from the negative emotions you are experiencing. First forgive yourself, then confide in someone you trust. You will no doubt feel much lighter as a result.

If you are involved in an affair or extra-marital relationship, the reversed Seven of Swords shows a growing reluctance to keep up the charade. You or your partner may feel increasingly uncomfortable with this relationship and would much rather come out in the open

Every 30 days or so, the Sun visits a new zodiac sign. During this “season” you’ll feel the prevailing astrological energy—no matter what day of the year you were born. Sagittarius Season 2021 begins November 21 and ends December 21.

Have you been flying under the radar during Scorpio season? Come out, log in, wherever you are! The spirit of adventure may overtake you in a big way during Sagittarius season 2021—and what a refreshing change of pace. After a month of obsessively focused Scorpio energy, you can adjust your viewfinder to the broadminded, wide-angle lens that Sagittarius is famous for. 

Sagittarius is the third of the zodiac’s three fire signs and part of the “mutable” quality (or triplicity). Mutable signs (the others are Gemini, Virgo, and Pisces) are all about change and variety. While this monthlong cycle might not be the best time to make binding decisions, it is an optimal window for adventurous exploration. Seek and ye shall find!

Here are seven ways you can tap into the spirit of Sagittarius Season 2021 to channel the Archer’s fiery courage:

1. Unleash your optimism.

As the star sign of the courageous Archer, high-minded Sagittarius represents endless possibilities. Studies have shown that positive thinking enhances well-being and leads to a richer, more fulfilling life. After the intense, tunnel-vision of Scorpio season, philosophical Sagittarius pulls you back so you can view the big picture. Step into other people’s hiking boots and check out the whole deciduous forest—not just that small grove of maples.

True, positive thinking alone can’t erase the struggles. But a mindset shift can fill the glass beyond its half-empty state. It was Sagittarius Dale Carnegie, born November 24, 1888, who penned, the world’s first truly influential self-help book, How To Win Friends and Influence People

A word of warning: This does not mean painting a shiny coat of B.S. over reality.  To help the future, sometimes you got to go back to the past, and sometimes you got to stay in the present.” 

2. Take a calculated risk.

High-rolling Sagittarius is the zodiac’s gambler. During this four-week cycle, tossing the dice on an opportunity can yield breakthrough results. If you feel the need to shake up the status quo, set up a safety net. Check out multiple options prior to casting your final vote. Seek expert advice and play out worst-case scenarios: What could you stand to lose—and what would leave you out in the cold?

Even if you’re taking a huge chance, you don’t have to place all your chips on the table. Calculated risks can move the needle without requiring blind optimism. So don’t just fall in love with people’s potential or pour your life savings into an investment that “intuitively feels” like it could be the next Bitcoin. While this solar cycle can make us all a little luckier than usual, handle the due diligence and know what you’re getting yourself into…before you leap.

3. Employ humor as your superpower.

Wisecracking Sagittarius is the master of the mic drop, finding the divine comedy in life. During this solar season, humor is a sharp tool for dealing with circumstances that feel too overwhelming to comprehend. Take a cue from Sagittarius comedian Margaret Cho, whose mother inspired hours of stand-up material that was both hilarious and heartwarming.

4. Sharpen your media literacy.

Build your platform and unleash your truth! This media-savvy fire sign can help you spread a crucial message. Many famous authors and lyricists were born while the Sun was in Sagittarius, including Jane Austen, C.S. Lewis, Jay Z, and Mos Def. It’s a busy time of year, but that doesn’t have to derail your dreams of becoming the next publishing mogul. Think like a journalist. Every walk you take around your neighborhood could be a story lead or report waiting to unfold. Those mind-blowing conversations you have with your best friend could inspire others to think outside the box if you record the dialogue as a split-screen Instagram Live. 

Even if you’re more of a consumer than a maker, you can sharpen your media literacy. We can’t stem the tide of information in the digital age, but we can learn to read and digest it critically. The power of the pen (and pixel) goes both ways. Remember to post and consume mindfully. Don’t believe the hype! Check the “facts” against credible research from multiple sources. And even then, remember that every story also has the writer’s spin on it. Take it all in, then form your own opinions.

5. Embrace inclusion and equity.

We live in a diverse world, and astrological ambassador Sagittarius is here to stretch us beyond familiar terrain. Fortunately, a passport is not required to broaden your horizons. Just focus on your mindset. In recent years, organizations and individuals have come to understand that promoting diversity does little to effect change. In order to move beyond mere “optics,” embracing inclusion and equity is a must. 

 Inclusion “is about folks with different identities feeling and/or being valued, leveraged, and welcomed within a given setting.” Or as one facilitator interviewed put it, “Diversity is being asked to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.”

Equity, on the other hand, “is an approach that ensures everyone access to the same opportunities. It recognizes that advantages and barriers exist, and that, as a result, we all don’t start from the same place. Equity is a process that begins by acknowledging that unequal starting place and makes a commitment to correct and address the imbalance.”

Sagittarius season 2021 is the perfect time for people to open their minds and hearts. For some of us, that looks like taking a difficult personal inventory. For others, it’s directing privileged friends toward these resources so as not to have to educate them on their own unconscious biases.

6. Expand your repertoire during Sagittarius season 2021.

Whatever your upbringing, this is a time to wander beyond the familiar. Read novels by authors who hail from varied cultural backgrounds. Explore world music, like Quechua rap, which has given voice to young Peruvian activists. Watch independent films or series with lead characters who don’t usually make it to the Hollywood mainstream, like Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You and Ryan O’Connell’s Special.

But before you start piling on fashions from around the world or starting an international food blog, educate yourself on the difference between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation. That way, your homage will hit the mark instead of offending the very people you wish to applaud.

7. Teach, don’t preach!

This is a time for speaking your truth, even if it isn’t the popular opinion in the room. We all wish the holidays could bring some peace at last. Warning: Sagittarius season 2021 can make you preachy, but under the influence of this impulsive, impatient fire sign, you may fail to back up those zealous words with action. Have you been shouting in the metaphoric bullhorn? Step down from the fiery soapbox and walk your talk. 

Have you mastered a skill? Maybe it’s time to turn it into a bona fide workshop to pass on your knowledge—and hey, even leave a legacy. Or better yet, how about leading a virtual retreat? It won’t be the same as escaping to a beachside enclave, but with a little creativity, you can still transport your students in the metaphoric sense. 

Tip: You could declare some spaces (like a Zoom holiday gathering) a politics-free zone. But the personal is political, so come prepared to listen and discuss. During Sagittarius season 2021, there’s a chance to create dialogue and step into other people’s shoes. Unity might just be possible after all.

The Hanged Man reversed. (Yeah I know it’s late, maybe I should rename my post about this Tarot Tuesday eh)? She said with a Canadian accent.
Anyway……….
The Hanged Man Tarot Card Meanings
The Hanged Man Keywords
UPRIGHT: Pause, surrender, letting go, new perspectives
REVERSED: Delays, resistance, stalling, indecision

THE HANGED MAN DESCRIPTION
The Hanged Man shows a man suspended from a T-shaped cross made of living wood. He is hanging upside-down, viewing the world from a completely different perspective, and his facial expression is calm and serene, suggesting that he is in this hanging position by his own choice. He has a halo around his head, symbolizing new insight, awareness and enlightenment. His right foot is bound to the tree, but his left foot remains free, bent at the knee and tucked in behind his right leg. His arms are bent, with hands held behind his back, forming an inverted triangle. The man is wearing red pants representing human passion and the physical body, and a blue vest for knowledge. The Hanged Man is the card of ultimate surrender, of being suspended in time and of martyrdom and sacrifice to the greater good.

The Hanged Man Reversed
The upright Hanged Man encourages you to pause for a moment and see things from a different perspective. Reversed, this card can show that you know you need to hit the pause button, but you are resisting it. Instead, you fill your days with tasks and projects, keeping busy and distracting yourself from the actual issue that needs your attention. Your spirit and body are asking you to slow down, but your mind keeps racing. Stop and rest before it’s too late. The Universe will only dial up the volume if you ignore it, and as a result, you may end up crashing. So, as soon as you hear the call, clear your schedule and make the space so you can tune in and listen.

You may already be in a position where everything has been put on hold, much to your frustration. The reversal of The Hanged Man can indicate a time when you’re getting blocked, stuck or restricted because other people or other circumstances have left you on hold. While you feel resistant, it’s important that you surrender to ‘what is’ and let go of your attachment to how things should be. Be in flow with life, even if it’s not as you expected it (seriously, when does it ever go exactly as you expected!?), and loosen your grip.

If your life has already been on pause for a period, The Hanged Man Reversed may come as a positive sign that you can now move forward with a new perspective and a renewed sense of energy. You may find that events line up with more ease and flow, and you’re ready to go again. There may have been a break-through or stark realization about how you need to do things differently. You’re prepared to make those changes and move ahead with a new mindset.

In a reading where a relationship is on hold, The Hanged Man Reversed suggests that you are content to wait around… to a point. You realize that this relationship will evolve and, due to its complexities, you cannot rush it. However, you also do not want to wait forever, and you acknowledge that there will come a time when you must decide.

The Hanged Man Reversed can also signal that you are stalling a decision or action. You may think you’re waiting until you feel 100% ready – but guess what? You’re probably never going to be 100% ready. So, what are you waiting for? Take the leap! Make that decision! Do it before the Universe decides it can’t wait for you.

The Hanged Man Upright
The Hanged Man reminds you that sometimes you have to put everything on hold before you can take the next step, or the Universe will do it on your behalf (and it may not always be at the most convenient time!). You may have heard the saying, ‘What got you here won’t get you there’, and that indeed is at play in this card. The Hanged Man calls you to release the old mental models and behavioral patterns that no longer serve you so you can see your world from a new perspective and embrace new opportunities that would have otherwise been hidden from you if you didn’t hit the brakes.

Here’s the thing. These ‘pauses’ can be voluntary or involuntary. If you’re in tune with your intuition, you’ll start to have a sense for when it’s time to hit the brakes and put things on hold – before things get out of hand. But if you’re out of alignment and oblivious to those intuitive signs, the Universe will probably put things on hold for you, in the form of continued obstacles, ill-health, and breakdowns. When you sense the ‘pause’ coming, pay attention to it; otherwise the Universe will turn up the volume until you can’t ignore it any longer.

When The Hanged Man appears in a Tarot reading, your projects and activities may be coming to an unexpected and abrupt halt. Don’t keep pushing forward, hoping that more force will drive you to where you want to go. Instead, surrender to the opportunity to pause and view it as your chance to reassess and re-evaluate where you are on your path. Something new is emerging, and you won’t be able to see it unless you allow the time and space for it to come through.

The Hanged Man is your invitation to welcome these ‘pauses’ with open arms and surrender to the ‘what is’ – even if it is different from what you expected. Take time away from your routine to connect with a new way of thinking and seeing. Sure, you might have to put important projects on hold while you do this (and it might be super inconvenient) but trust me, it’ll be worth it. This is the Universe’s way of helping you see new perspectives and preparing you for the next uplevelling that is happening in your life. If you push or resist, you will meet more obstacles along the way; instead, ‘allow’ the opportunities to flow smoothly and effortlessly to you.

The Hanged Man can sometimes reflect that you are feeling stuck or restricted in your life. What is holding you in this ‘stuck’ position? What is preventing you from moving forward? On one level, The Hanged Man is asking you to surrender and let go. Instead of investing in specific outcomes or resisting your current circumstances, accept them and allow yourself to flow with life. On another level, you are being called to change your perspective and shift your energy and may find that separating yourself from your everyday life is helpful, whether it’s going for a walk in nature, going on a retreat or moving to a new country. Change up your routine so you can start to shift your energy and flow more freely again.

As the year winds down and we’re increasingly distracted from our daily grind by all things shiny, warm, and festive, we’re also heading into the second eclipse season of the year. (The last was in late May and early June.) As the sun wraps up its stint in mysterious, magical fixed water sign Scorpio, a full moon will sit in its opposite sign, fixed earth sign Taurus, kicking off a whole new cycle of eclipses through the second and the eighth signs of the zodiac that lasts into late 2023. 

The full Beaver Moon in Taurus will be on Friday morning, Nov. 19, 2021, at 3:58 a.m. EST and  will be the longest of the century.. The Moon will appear full for about three days around this time, from Wednesday night through Saturday morning. This will be a partial eclipse of the Moon. And Because Taurus is a fixed earth sign, this full moon helps us to get in touch with our bodies and seek security when it comes to matters of love, finance, and self-worth. The full moon in Taurus delivers big changes around love, money, and self-worth.

Full moons — which happen when the confident sun opposes the security-seeking moon — are culmination points when we often reach the finish line on goals or find that a particular relationship or undertaking has run its course. In other words, it’s about endings that have to happen in order for us to make room for beginnings, which is undoubtedly full of swimming in big feelings and often requires tuning into and applying your intuition. 

And when a full moon is accompanied by a lunar eclipse — which happens when the earth sits between the sun and the moon and casts a shadow over the moon — the emotional ante around all of that is amped up. The energy of the moment is often extremely intense and possibly even overwhelming. All of these elements of a full moon and lunar eclipse come together to create a powerful change-making brew.

With this month’s full moon falling in down-to-earth, sensual, security-focused Taurus — ruled by the planet of love Venus — shake-ups are most likely to be tied to romantic relationships, money, and self-worth.

A square to Jupiter only serves to magnify the eclipse’s theme. One of the main aspects this Taurus full moon and lunar eclipse makes is a square to Jupiter, the planet of fortune. That sounds fairly benevolent, but Jupiter’s the planet of “go big or go home,” bringing an exaggerating effect to everything it comes in contact with, so whatever the takeaway of this event is for you will only be bolded, italicized, and underlined by Jupiter.

Jupiter’s effect could also have us believing more is better — even if that couldn’t be further from the truth. For instance, you could be tempted to put work on the backburner or indulge a little more than usual only to have to deal with the consequences — the intensity of which could be ratcheted up by the eclipse — later on.    

Mercury blurs our thinking and communication. With the most recent Mercury retrograde in the rearview, you probably thought you were through the worst of this vibe. Bad news: Because the messenger planet is sitting opposite the moon during this eclipse, we’ll have less clarity and more confusion, which could lead to a war of words. Because both Mercury and the moon are moving through fixed — aka stubborn — signs, they’re fueling a tendency to dig your heels in and declare, “I said what I said.” This could of course be applause-worthy if you’re taking a stand on something worthy of commitment, but could very well be problematic if the situation calls for embracing a more open-minded point of view. 

As the year winds down and we’re increasingly distracted from our daily grind by all things shiny, warm, and festive, we’re also heading into the second eclipse season of the year. (The last was in late May and early June.) As the sun wraps up its stint in mysterious, magical fixed water sign Scorpio, a full moon will sit in its opposite sign, fixed earth sign Taurus, kicking off a whole new cycle of eclipses through the second and the eighth signs of the zodiac that lasts into late 2023. 

This game-changing event, which will be exact on November 19 at 3:58 a.m. ET/12:58 a.m. PT, will push the release of anything that’s no longer serving you so that you can more readily make space for the building blocks of a more deeply fulfilling, security-bolstering life.

The World

The World Keywords

UPRIGHT: Completion, integration, accomplishment, travel

REVERSED: Seeking personal closure, short-cuts, delays

The World Description

The World card shows a naked woman wrapped in a purple cloth, dancing inside a large laurel wreath. She looks behind her to the past, while her body moves forward to the future. In her hands are two wands or batons, like the one The Magician holds. It is a symbol that what was manifested with The Magician has now come to completion with The World. The wreath is circular, symbolizing a continual cycle of successful completion and new beginnings because, as the woman steps through the wreath, she is completing one phase but beginning another one almost straight away.

Around the wreath are four figures (a lion, bull, cherub and eagle), similar to those in the Wheel of Fortune. Both The World and the Wheel of Fortune speak to the cyclical nature of your life and your progression through its cycles. The four figures represent the four fixed signs of the Zodiac—Leo, Taurus, Aquarius, and Scorpio. They are symbolic of the four elements, the four suits of Tarot, four compass points, four seasons, and the four corners of the Universe. They are here to guide you from one phase to the next, bringing balance and harmony to your journey.