VII. Victory

Element: Water

 
Achievement / Defeat

Fulfillment / Depression

Building Momentum / Losing Steam

Conviction / Hesitation
 

Victory card
 

Upright

    • Dedication and devotion which make an effort unstoppable.
    • Fulfillment derived from working toward a goal, from the work itself or from the worthiness of the goal.
    • Recognizing the importance of past achievements, and deriving fulfillment from that recognition.

Victory is a card representing the process of a thoroughly concerted effort, riding a wave of dedication and devotion to success. Alternatively, it could represent such a success in itself.

Fulfillment is central to the essence of this card. An aim which is fulfilling in itself, a project which is fulfilling to work toward, and the fulfillment of remembering past achievements: these are all things which help a person to stay motivated, and to keep striving for future victories.

Because Victory's prevailing force is the powerful emotion of dedication or devotion — which directs all drives toward the task at hand — and because it signifies fulfilling efforts and accomplishments, it is a major in the realm of Water.

Card Affiliations

Victory is the Two Worlds Tarot counterpart to The Chariot, Major Arcana number VII in the Waite-Smith tarot and in many universal tarot decks. This card's meaning differs moderately from the universal meanings widely used for The Chariot. Universal meanings for The Chariot can be substituted or used to alter this card's meaning if the reader desires.

 

Reversed

    • Feeling demoralized.
    • A movement or an effort losing steam, fizzling out.
    • People abandoning a movement, or discontinuing their support at a crucial time.
    • Grinding to a halt.
    • Giving up, no longer striving.
    • Even accomplishments can seem like not-so-great things.
    • Possibly feeling depressed, like nothing is worth anything.
    • Clinical depression.

Victory Reversed represents the loss of emotional momentum, which may have been able to pave the way toward some kind of achievement. It may represent a movement fizzling out or losing steam, or a group of people losing enthusiasm for a project. On an individual level, it may represent feeling demoralized, and not feeling like there's any point to achieving anything. From this perspective, even past accomplishments may seem diminished in worth. This card could be symbolic of depression.