Seven of Swords Tarot Card Meaning

Seven of Swords Keywords

Deception, lies, underhandedness, deceitful, trickery, avoidant, strategizing, cunning, cautious, resourceful

Seven of Swords Numerology

7

Seven of Swords Astrology Zodiac

Air: Aquarius

Seven of Swords Tarot Suit

Minor Arcana, Suit of Swords

Journal Prompts for Seven of Swords Tarot Card

– Am I being honest with myself (and/or others)?

– Is someone being dishonest with me and/or withholding information?

– Am I better off keeping this information/situation/etc to myself?

Seven of Swords Card Meaning

A male figure, wearing a red hat and red shoes, carries five swords over his shoulders–two on his right side, three on his left. He is looking back over his shoulder and appears to be suspiciously sneaking off. As he walks away, he leaves two swords behind with the tips of their blades planted firmly in the ground.

This presents the viewer with the sense that he will need to return for the remaining swords. Yellow dominates the image, coloring both the background and the foreground.

*Card description dased on the Rider Waite Tarot Deck

Seven of Swords Upright

The Seven of Swords appearing in your tarot reading can be an uneasy card to receive at times, mainly due to its nature, rooted in shady behavior.

This card is often associated with deception and/or dishonesty, in that something and/or someone may not be all that they appear to be. Someone could be lying to you and/or telling you one thing when they really mean something else. You may not be seeing a situation or person clearly and are being advised to take a second look.

When it comes to romantic relationships, you and/or your partner could be holding back from communicating openly and honestly. You and/or your partner may be feeling suspicious about something. There may be certain things that one of you may be reluctant or resistant to discussing or bringing up. Whether the reluctance is for a good or bad reason, someone is feeling the need to withhold information.

Keep in mind that the Seven of Swords card tends to lean on sneakiness, so the behavior associated with this card would be that of someone who is more than likely intentionally hiding something. Lies can be unhealthy and can create strain, even resentments, over time. Make sure that you and your partner feel safe in terms of opening up and speaking truthfully with each other.

On the other hand, deception is not necessarily a bad thing.

You may be better off keeping certain details or information to yourself rather than sharing it with others. For example, you may be trying to put together a surprise for someone and therefore would need to be a little sneaky, keeping things low key and/or hidden.

Sometimes the upright Seven of Swords card also appears as advice for you to be witty and/or strategic about your circumstances.

When it comes to executing plans, this card could serve as a reminder to be thorough and mindful so that you are not having to repeat yourself. Make sure that your plans are solid and that you are not overlooking anything or leaving out certain details. This will help you in the long term and prevent you from having to go back and redo your work all over again.

If you are dealing with competition in your career or at your workplace, you may be best served by keeping your plans and/or ideas to yourself. There have been so many times when people have not protected their intellectual property, only to have it stolen by a colleague and/or a friend. However disappointing it is to have to consider it as a possibility, the upright meaning of this minor arcana card suggests this may be one of those times.

You may feel the need to watch your back with the 7 of Swords present in its upright position. You may be dealing with someone who is untrustworthy. They may be doing something differently than you originally thought and/or discussed.

Do your best to communicate clearly and effectively while keeping your eyes and ears open. If you find that you cannot trust the person (or situation), do not hesitate to address matters accordingly and do what is best for you.

Seven of Swords Reversed

There are various ways to interpret the reversed Seven of Swords. This card may appear as a sign that you are deceiving yourself. You could be in denial about uncomfortable truths that you are not ready or willing to address.

For example, you may struggle to see someone for who they are, thereby denying your own thoughts and/or feelings. There are moments when we lie to ourselves and/or make excuses for others, usually to avoid conflict. Do not be afraid to address things head on as best as you can. Not doing so can create toxic, unhealthy situations; potentially creating resentments, disappointments and/or pent up anger over time. More than anything, make sure that you are being honest with yourself first and foremost. In doing so, you will be better able to express yourself, opening up to more healthy communications and interactions. 

The Seven of Swords in its reversed position may appear during moments when you and/or someone else is in a position to reveal a hidden truth. If the nature of this card (upright) leans into dishonesty, the reversal of it would indicate that anything hidden will be revealed. Someone may be experiencing feelings of guilt and could be ready to speak up. On the other hand, someone may be lying and the reversed meaning of the Seven of Swords indicates that any deceit is being uncovered. That being said, anyone trying to “get away” with something will likely be caught if they do not turn themselves in first.

Someone and/or something from the past may be returning if you receive the reversed Seven of Swords. Depending on the circumstances as well as the surrounding cards, this person and/or situation from the past may or may not be a welcome energy. If an ex-lover is returning to reconcile, be clear about your own wants and needs first. Unless there has been growth and healing where you are both concerned, you may prefer to keep that door closed.

It is possible that you overlooked something and will need to repeat or redo your steps. For example, if you thought that you completed something, the reversed Seven of Swords would indicate that you may have missed a detail. If so, you will need to review things, go back over your work and/or do something over again.