Seven of Wands in the Rider Waite Tarot

We are introduced to a young man in the seven of wands, and we find him standing on a hill or a cliff of some sort, defending himself against unseen competitors below. He wields his own wand in defense to the others, which poke and prod at him from all sides. The look on his face is one of determination, and frustration - he passionately stands his ground despite the mounting attempts to take his position.

Seven of Wands Tarot Card Meaning & Symbolism

The seven of wands is essentially about our desires to maintain our status and power. We have struggled to achieve and raise ourselves up to some position of honor, but there is always competition. We are always searching to do more, to do better than what exists - and this can lead us to greater challenges and successes. And so, nobody at the top of the mountain can relax, it can all come toppling down at any moment if we do not continue to push ourselves further.

Simplifying the Seven of Wands Tarot Card

I took the more complex imagery of the original rider waite seven of wands card and translated it into its basic form: something mounting a defense to the wands. While the original card used one wand battling the others, there was a theme within my own deck that started emerging: using hands, gestures and motions to describe a state of mind. The immediate emotional reaction I have to the seven of wands is visceral and striking: STOP. It translates to a simple hand position of a rigid palm, raised to block off continuing contact. From there, other associations came to me with the deck.

The Hamsa Symbol Meaning in the Seven of Wands Tarot Card

Sometimes, the darker side of human nature prevails, and jealousy and envy can lead to us doing harmful things. The Hamsa is a traditional middle-eastern protection symbol that wards off the evil eye - a form of ill will that was once believed to cause death, or illness. At the center of the palm is a single eye that looks back at those who gaze upon it - reflecting the belief that the eye of God watches all, and nothing escapes its gaze. It is the eye of our conscience, and when we gaze into the Hamsa, all guilty actions that bring harm are illuminated, and our guilt also brings with it the punishment of karmic law.

The Seven of Wands in the Luminous Spirit Tarot Deck

The Luminous Spirit Tarot Deck is the second deck of my creation, after the Golden Thread Tarot. I've been posting bits and pieces of the artwork on Instagram, but I'm going to start logging my progress here with every piece of work that I do. Please follow along with me here on Labyrinthos Academy.