Seven of Wands

 

Primary Element:

Fire

Secondary Element:

Air

Seven of Wands card

 

Upright

    • The spread of information.
    • Discovery in general.
    • A paradigm shift.
    • Discovering a hole in one's comprehension, or a shortcoming in one's worldview.
    • Changing one's mind, perhaps significantly.
    • A notice, a signal, with extensive implications.
    • An impetus to see things in a different light or to conceive of something differently.
    • An instrument of prevalent constructive change in the world, like a technology which sweeps the globe.

The Seven of Wands is Fire (change, destruction, raw energy) related to the element Air (knowledge, mind, logic). It could represent the spread of significant or jarring news, and the flow of information in general. It might also indicate that a discovery has been made, of a novel item or natural process, a new concept, a fresh way of thinking about something— any kind of discovery.

 

Abstract

(Reversed)

    • Having a contrarian mindset; challenging accepted norms.
    • Rebelling against accepted norms.
    • Going against what the majority of people are advising.
    • Independent thinking, wanting to test everything for oneself.
    • Wanting others to "see the light".
    • Parody, satire.
    • Consuming material for the sake of laughs, or with the sole aim of deriding it.

The Abstract Seven of Wands deals with abstract Fire phenomena (desire, conflict, ego) related to the element Air (concepts, independence, understanding, knowledge). This may represent someone who is a contrarian, an independent thinker who goes against convention, and possibly a lone wolf. It also may represent a person who deeply desires that other people could wake up and "see the light".

When it represents contrary thinking, such thinking could be against prevailing norms, whether those norms are beneficial or detrimental. Independent thinkers may be natural contrarians because they want to test all ideas for themselves. This card may represent rebelliousness, like that of teenagers who want to test their own limits and discover what they're all about. While such brazenness can sometimes lead to recklessness and disaster, it is also oftentimes necessary to learn the ways of the world for oneself.

When it signifies the desire of other people to see the light, it may be related to the tendency toward contrary thinking. Someone who has cast off arbitrary norms and doctrines, and has found better ways for doing so, may wish to shake things up among their contemporaries. Wanting the best for others can often coincide with wishing that they could see beyond what their experiences have allowed them to understand.

Likewise, if a friend is struggling with addiction or is headed for disaster, this could represent wanting them to change their ways, or trying to get them to do so. This card may signify the drive to get a person to seek professional help.

Just because someone holds an unpopular opinion in some circles, it doesn't necessarily mean that their opinion is universally unpopular. The Abstract Seven of Wands may also represent a contrarian who is a part of a larger movement. For example, such a person may be a converted Buddhist who is attending their Pastafarian family's reunion.

This card may also represent a dramatic reversal of course, taking a path which is contrary to many previous undertakings or decisions.

Card Affiliations

Incorporate this into definition later: this could be someone who is not intentionally rebellious with different ideas, or it could be someone all the way on the other side of the spectrum who challenges everything without considering it.

The Subjective Seven of Wands is more intellectually inclined than Folly, Major number 0. Therefore it could represent nuanced parody or satire of certain people or ideas, or a satirist.