Seven of Swords: Cheeky Scurrying
Whilst some kind of festival appears to be in full swing in the Waite-Smith Seven of Swords, off he scurries, arms full of swords. He looks back over his shoulder with sneak in his eyes. His feet – in red boots, representing passion, danger – he tiptoes away. Amongst the hundreds of interpretations that this card might offer, it’s easy to see someone stealing swords that do not belong to them, and to experience this as an ominous sign.
Above: Seven of Swords from the Waite-Smith Tarot
And yet, if we approach the card from the point of view of nature, from wildlife, we see natural behaviour. We can imagine a hungry little animal scurrying off with the food of another. We might see a bird of prey taking a chick from a nest, or a hamster stuffing its cheek pouches with food and running from the scene of the crime.
We think that we are above animal behaviour but we are not, because we are animals too. I’m not saying that stealing is okay, but I am saying that we can understand it in some circumstances, probably more than most crimes. If we can’t, then we might need to work on our empathy, which is an essential tool for any Tarot reader. Greed is ugly, but desperation and hunger are as human as they are rodent or canine. As far as I’m concerned, the (apparently okay) greed of huge corporations that is destroying our planet is disgusting. Someone stealing a block of cheese from a rich supermarket because they are hungry and desperate is something I can understand. Perhaps it’s not okay with you, but it breaks no moral code as far as I am concerned.
Of course, there are many ways in which we can (and should) use our uniquely human intelligence to rise above basic animal behaviours, especially where they cause suffering and harm to others. We can use our smarts for good. But there are other circumstances when our basic animalness is highlighted in the cards, and we might lean into that, see it as natural, and give ourselves or others a break.
I happen to like this guy in the Waite-Smith Seven of Swords. Moving beyond the idea of theft for a moment, we might see a playful cheekiness. Maybe he is cleverly taking back what has been stolen from him. Perhaps he is tip-toeing away with a free offer before that gang of bullies gets them. Perhaps he is avoiding predators, perhaps enjoying his cleverness in sneaking away. (It’s interesting that there is clear emotion in his face; the Waite-Smith faces usually have neutral expressions.)
It’s just so easy to see a tiny mouse running off with a nut in this card, or a robin flying away with a worm before the blackbird sees it. Digging into this spirit, we can admire the intelligence and sneakiness of wildlife; the calm duck who swims in for our seed whilst the others are fighting, the puppy that steals the ball when the other dog isn’t looking. I invite you to notice how you feel when you this kind of activity is played out in the animal kingdom. Compare it to how you respond to similar activity when you find it in humans. Look deeply, and try not to judge.
That’s all for now, friends. Thank you for being here – and please check out my Tarot Therapy Sessions if you’d like us to work together. You can also sign up for the Tarot Blog newsletter (different to my main newsletter) below to receive occasional email updates (roughly monthly) with the latest posts.
Smiles from Scotland,
Stephen
