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The Seven of Swords card shows the mystery of the Magician (I), the golden background in them. The power of recognition and clear-minded sharp sense appear in a negative way: in the form of cunning, insidiousness, humility, and fraud. In a more innocuous sense, the card is marked by boredom and refinement, the stamina, "don't look", "don't notice" or "hang out". It is not clear at all that who is going to play, whether to play the role of a thief or a prey. Usually we are the perpetrators.

SEVEN OF SWORDS : FUTILITY

These cards are attributed to Netzach. The position is doubly unbalanced; off the middle pillar, and very low down on the Tree. It is taking a very great risk to descend so far into illusion, and, above all, to do it by frantic struggle. Netzach pertains to Venus; Netzach pertains to Earth; and the greatest catastrophe that can befall Venus is to lose her Heavenly origin. The four Sevens are not capable of bringing any comfort; each one represents the degeneration of the element. Its utmost weakness is exposed in every case.

The Seven of Swords is called Futility. This is a yet weaker card than the Seven of Wands. It has a passive sign instead of an active one, a passive planet instead of an active one. It is like a rheumatic boxer trying to “come back” after being out of the ring for years. Its ruler is the Moon. The little energy that it possesses is no more than dream-work; it is quite incapable of the sustained labour which alone, bar miracles, can bring any endeavour to fruition. The comparison with the Seven of Wands is most instructive.

Netzach, in the suit of Swords, does not represent such catastrophe as in the other suits, for Netzach, the Sephira of Venus, means victory. There is, therefore, a modifying influence; and this is accentuated by the celestial rule of the Moon in Aquarius.

The intellectual wreckage of the card is thus not so vehement as in the Five. There is vacillation, a wish to compromise, a certain toleration. But, in certain circumstances, the results may be more disastrous than ever. This naturally depends upon the success of the policy. This is always in doubt as long as there exist violent, uncompromising forces which take it as a natural prey.

This card, like the Four, suggests the policy of appeasement.

The symbol shows six Swords with their hilts in crescent formation. Their points meet below the centre of the card, impinging upon a blade of a much larger up-thrusting sword, as if there were a contest between the many feeble and the one strong. He strives in vain.

THE SEVEN OF SWORDS - FUTILITY

Astrology: Moon in the 3. decan of Aquarius Tree of Life: Netzach through Air

The Seven of Swords show the element with its reigns lose, storming into the realms of anarchy and destiny, fighting against 'nobody knows what', getting entangled in many conflicting tendencies. 

Now none of the Suits is lucky within the Seven - the Wands burn down, the Cups nearly drown and the Disks are out cold - yet the Swords are least willing to accept their fate and activate every trick and list they can figure to get along. And considering that the Swords are pure intellect, they are embarrassingly good in figuring out tricks.. 

Therefore, the Seven of Swords can talk of trickery, cheating, sudden affronts, juggling and intentional confusing with unrestrained Mercurian amorality. Though, all the lists are bound to fail, even the clever Swords cannot escape the hand of fate.

Drive: List, trickery, cleverness 

Light: Unmasking of illusions and disguises 

Shadow: Treachery, deceit, illusion, amorality, evil tricks, selfpity

THE SEVEN OF SWORDS - Falsehood - Mercury - Greed

Keywords: Moon in Aquarius, discouragement, despair, unsteadiness, fear of existence, negative expectations

Advice: Your fears have nothing to do with reality! Wake up and see what is really happening!

Questions: In what areas of your life do you reduce yourself to your own limiting thoughts? What are your restrictive belief systems?

Suggestion: Pull another tab on this question: What will my life be like when I get rid of my doubts?

Revelation: I have all the practices and tools I need to get what I want most.

Analogies:

Ji-Ching: 44. Kou (Going Ahead, Coming to meet)

Mythology: The Thieves (Hermes)

Keywords: cunning, cheating, filth, dishonesty

A battle trophy for someone who has never fought.

SEVEN OF SWORDS

General Meaning

The Seven of this suit typically refers to mental preparedness, acquired through the use of imagination, including the rehearsing and visualizing of desired results. This card represents the positive mental habits of a natural winner. The image most often associated with this card is that of a canny warrior who has infiltrated into the enemy camp on the eve of a fateful battle, checking out their preparations and stealing their swords. Such a move is guaranteed to demoralize the enemy and undermine their performance in the upcoming confrontation.

Putting it in modern terms, one who draws this card needs to work smarter, not harder. Think long and deep, study all the angles and put yourself in the shoes of your competition. As a result, you will have such a thorough grasp of the whole situation that there will be no surprises — and no excuses for anything but success. Skillful preparation justifies the optimism of the natural winner.

In the Reversed Position

When the Seven of Swords is reversed it reminds us that even heroic effort sometimes does not fully succeed or goes unappreciated. If you have done the best you could do and responded to the calls of conscience appropriately, you are still a noble soul.

When situations resist being helped, don't blame yourself for setbacks. At least you know in your heart that you gave it your best effort.

In the Advice Positon

The Seven of Swords in this position suggests that deep within you already know exactly what has to happen. You know what steps to take and what order to take them in to bring about a desirable outcome in this situation.

You may have enough of an overview to see how to advance through the maze and achieve your goal. Continue to envision unobstructed success. Even as the path you are walking changes and the circumstances around you obscure your view, keep the desired outcome clear and sharp in your mind. You will quite likely reach your goal and gain tremendous self esteem in the process.

Read more:

• » The Book of Thoth - A Short Essay on the Tarot of the Egyptians by Aleister Crowley.
• » Liber LXXVIII - On the Tarot - A complete treatise on the Tarot giving the correct designs of the cards with their attributions and symbolic meanings on all planes. - A description of the Cards of the Tarot, with their attributions, including a method of divination by their use.
• » Manuscript N - The Tarot - A Golden Dawn Manuscript - A Theoricus Adeptus Minor Paper.