Thoth
Card name: Seven of Swords
First impressions
A very COOL card; turquoise, with six purplish swords’ points, pointing downwards, converging on a seventh, larger, central one pointing upwards. Their hilts bear planetary emblems: Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Mercury, Saturn and the Moon (two rings like crescent moons.) In the background are the geometrical figures like swastikas – five of them, suspended in the air. The hilt of the upward pointing sword bears the Sun symbol.
From the Book of Thoth
THE FOUR SEVENS
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.
FUTILITY SEVEN OF SWORDS
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.
Images and Symbolism
Frieda Harris says in her essays:
Seven of Swords = Futility. Netzach in the suit of Air. Moon in Aquarius.
The card shows six Swords with their hilts in crescent formation. Their points impinge on a much larger upthrusting Sword. Here vacillation and compromise are depicted.
Also:
Seven of Swords = Futility. Moon in Aquarius. Netzach
The hilts of the swords form a crescent, but the card is a tenuous design to show that the mind is confused and undecided.
Snuffin says that the large sword represents the Ruach in Tiphareth . It points upwards, embodying (says Banzhaf) the penetrating mind. Snuffin sees the smaller ones as forming a crescent. He says that the larger swords is struggling against the others – the Ruach versus the other parts of the mind. The struggle is futile (as the keyword says); the emotions – the influence of Netxach and the Moon – cloud the mind and distorting the intellectual influenced of Aquarius and Yetzirah. the blue of the background refers to the moon in Yetzirah; the swords’ purple hue is the colour of Aquarius in Assiah – the material world.
Snuffin also sees the asymmetrical arrangement of the swastikas as indicating disorder and instability.
Banzhaf sees the smaller swords as unconscious shadows which turn against their own objectives – hindering the larger blade’s incisiveness, of which they should be a part.. AS Crowley himself says: “a contest between the many feeble and the one strong.”
DuQuette says that the card shows a planetary battle – six planets versus the sun. He points out that the large sword is damaged; I’m not so sure that’s what the apparent marks on it are – they look more like reflections of the swastikas to me ! but the arrangement is orderly and he says that this suggests the possibility of a negotiated settlement.
Meaning (cribbed from Wasserman)
Seven of Swords: Futility. Unstable effort. Vacillation. Vain striving against opposition too powerful. Partial success by giving up on the brink of winning through lack of energy. Fascination with display. Journey by land. Untrustworthy person.
DuQuette Journey by land: in character untrustworthy.
Partial success. Yielding when victory is within grasp, as if the last reserves of strength were used up. Inclination to lose when on the point of gaining, through not continuing the effort. Love of abundance, fascinated by display, given to compliments, affronts and insolences, and to spy upon others. Inclined to betray confidences, not always intentionally. Rather vacillatory and unreliable.
Traditional meanings – From Thirteen’s book of meanings:
SEVENS
The fives were about instability and loss, losing momentum, losing love, losing an argument, and losing money. The Sixes restored harmony with their give and take. Now comes the Sevens. Seven is a magic number, a number of creativity and individuality. You might want to stay in the comfort and company of the Sixes, but challenges are a part of life, and we often have to face them on our own.
As with the Chariot, the Sevens require that you take control in a tough situation, manage your responsibilities, and find a way to succeed. One constant is the paradox of the chariot, a card that should be about movement, but is pictured at rest. Likewise, the driver of a chariot never moves. He holds fast to the reins and stands still there in the car. It goes from one point to the other at his command, but he, carried along within, remains steadfast.
In the Sevens, that is the most common way to succeed. Remain steadfast within. Thus these cards offer you a chance to show not only what you've learned and retained from your trials, but how well you deal with the unexpected.
Seven of Swords
A thief sneaks off with five out of seven swords. It's no surprise that when it comes to swords, attacks are sneaky and tricky, not direct like with Wands. Yet this is still an attack that requires creativity and steadfastness. The image also us back to number five (stolen swords) and "loss" along with what remains behind, number two, and choices.
This is the "Thief" card, and though it can be taken literally (protect yourself against theft), it usually means a different type of stealing. Being the intellect and communication, what might be stolen are ideas, something you've written, or even an internet password. The querent should be warned to be on their guard, especially against those who are trying to extract information from them.
Stand guard over what you value, and try to outwit the thief. In some cases, in fact, this card might be advising the querent that they have to be the thief. They need to be tricky, sneaky, even dishonest because, in some situations, honesty is not the best policy. Sometimes flattery, lies, dissembling is necessary to get back what you feel belongs to you.
(I include Thirteen’s meanings here, but the way, as while someone else was adding them to her Thoth posts, I found them enlightening in context, even though the descriptions are way different !)
My impressions (appearance of the card):
It’s strange how you do seem to have six against one here. The blue is very calm; I suppose futility is pretty stationary. But the smaller swords do actually look quite threatening, hemming the large one in, and it reaches for the moon – like a little kid aiming for the impossible.
My take (what I make of it/what I might see in a reading where I drew it)
Your objective is in sight – but don’t go for it too fast; there are obstacles just waiting for you not to notice them- and of you don’t see them and avoid them, they will run you through and through !