TAROTSeven of Wands
Upright
Holding your position following success.
A need to continually prove yourself once success comes your way.
Maintaining ideals and passions that brought about success.
Intuition
The card shows perhaps one of the greatest feats of ‘holding your position’ in history; the Battle of Thermopylae.
The figure is the Spartan ruler King Leonidas I holding the ground in front of the pass at Thermopylae, with his men at his back and the invading Persian army to his front.
Reversed
Exhaustion after success. Resorting to compromise too easily.
Becoming overwhelmed by the responsibilities that come with success or promotion.
Inability to keep everyone happy.
Not standing your ground on things that are important to you.
Astrologia
Assertiveness, passion, desire, and courage. Taking the lead and initiative. Usually has a good control of their life and direction. Prone to self-centered behavior, leading to mistakes through over-confidence.
Seven of Wands
After the success of the Six of Wands, we arrive at the Seven: a time when others are now after a piece of your success for themselves.
Although the Five of Wands may seem similar in describing conflict, the Five represents battles fought on the route toward success. The Seven, conversely, is about protecting the spoils once you have attained it.
The Seven is about staying true to your original passions after achieving your goals, while fiercely protecting what you have gained. This can be a difficult task, as there are often many people looking to bring the successful down.
Looking at the astrology associated with this card, we see Mars in Leo. This conflict is not about rational discussion; it is about assertiveness, independence, and force of will. It is often a matter of pride over logic.
The Seven of Wands is all about holding your ground in the face of challenges, and the most famous such situation is depicted on this card.
King Leonidas I
Prior to the Persian advance, Ancient Greece consisted of city-states frequently at war with one another. During the Greco-Persian Wars, however, these city-states united to fight a common enemy.
Sparta possessed significant strength in land warfare, while Athens dominated at sea with its large navy. The greatest advantage Greece held was a unified command structure, with all city-states agreeing to a central military authority. This level of cooperation was entirely unprecedented.
One of the critical pinch points the Persians had to cross to enter central Greece was the narrow pass at Thermopylae. This was defended by King Leonidas I and his Spartans, alongside contingents from eleven other city-states. This pass was heroically defended just long enough to give the rest of Greece time to organize. Subsequent naval battles led by the Athenians, alongside land battles at Plataea and Mycale, ultimately ended the Persian invasion.
Many view the battle at Thermopylae as a major turning point in history. Although the Persians did eventually breach the pass (and King Leonidas died in its defense), the later rise of the Western World might not have occurred without this critical, delaying stand.
Description and Symbology
We see King Leonidas I facing off against the Persian army at Thermopylae. The sun shines behind him and onto his spear, signifying the astrological sign driving his passions and will; Leo.
He stands on a rocky outcrop that elevates him as the leader, but also limits his movement and makes him a target. The king pays this no mind. He has earned his place here, and he will defend it or die.
He is well defended by his shield, armor fit for a king, his skill as a Spartan warrior, and the loyal men at his back. They all know they will likely perish, but their will to defend the land goes beyond mere earth and water. They will not budge on their principles, standing entirely ready to fight for them.
The defending Spartan
The Spartan warrior King Leonidas stands in the way of his adversaries, the Persian army. He will not budge and also stands at ease… for the moment.
Raised ground
The king stands on a raised outcrop. This can mean many things: his success, his greater acumen and experience compared to his adversaries, or his high position. This raised position also limits his movement. It gets harder at the top, and high visibility sets you out as a target.
The opposing armies
Behind the king, we see other Greek hoplite warriors defending the pass at Thermopylae. The king has resources and men to help him. We also see the many spears from the unseen Persian army in front. There look to be more Persians (which was certainly the case). Again, the king does not care. He will defend his position irrespective!
Tips for Readings
The following table shows the upright and reverse meanings for general questions. The last row ('Yes/No') is useful when you are picking a single card to decide a yes or no decision.
Upright
Reversed
You will need to defend your position, ideals, or passions in a relationship. This may require assertiveness as well as rational argument, as the issues may boil down to preferences and personalities rather than any rational discussion.
You may also need to set boundaries between you and the other person to set expectations for the future.
You are lacking confidence or afraid of losses when defending something you feel is important within a relationship.
You may be falling back to compromise too easily, or lack assertiveness, causing you to avoid necessary hard discussions.
Remember that although compromise is often the diplomatic solution, it does not work when you are giving so much away that you are no longer true to yourself or are delaying small skirmishes today that will become all-out battles tomorrow!
You will experience co-workers who think you need to be brought down a little after your recent successes or current position.
The issue may also be between you and external competitors.
In either case, you need to consider what you stand to lose by backing down and defend what you believe to be right.
As with all such conflicts, it will be important to set boundaries and stick to them.
You may be feeling overwhelmed by new responsibilities. Although backing down is an option, consider carefully whether this undermines the position you spent so long getting to and whether you are giving up things that will make you unhappy or cause continued conflict in the future.
At the same time, ensure that you are not damaging your position by being too aggressive. It is possible to not budge, but doing it with patience!
There will be a need to face difficult health problems head on, rather than ignore what your body is telling you and hoping the matter will sort itself out.
Do not ignore your body if you are being called to defend yourself in other areas of your life, and remember your health is often your shield in many situations. A well body creates a strong mind that can defend itself better.
You may be feeling vulnerable because of health issues, plus a need to defend your position in other spheres of your life. Illness or the lack of focus it creates may be making you back down or not put up a fight at all.
The best cures are holistic, but so are the best defenses. Both your mind and body must be ready for the battles ahead so they can work together for a holistic solution.
You will face criticism for your beliefs or how you implement them.
Be careful of those who judge you as a distraction of what you are successfully doing. It is the ‘successfully doing’ that may be their real issue! In all things be assertive in your true beliefs as they are a major part of who you are and what stands behind your success to drive you forward.
You may be uncertain on how you see yourself or your inner path forward. This is probably because of external criticism rather than you being right or wrong. Remember that your mind is your own space and your core beliefs are a major part of any success so far, and always worth defending!
You have faced challenges in the past, but success has come from an assertiveness and will-to-succeed. You must maintain that assertiveness moving forward to retain your rewards.
A fear of taking risks and especially a fear of failure or being challenged by others is preventing you from making the most of your wealth, or even of making any decisions regarding investment.
This cycle of fear needs to be broken so you can move forward.
Expert advice may be needed.
Yes, through assertiveness and an ability to stand your ground.
Indeterminate. You may be avoiding issues, so it may be better to wait until you feel able to move forward with confidence.
Reading the Card
The Upright Card
This card represents a need to protect the fruits of your work, your position, your space, or your beliefs from others, and hold your ground with confidence.
You may have navigated a period of success, and the recognition that comes with it has made you a target. Others may be after something from you, or they may simply demand that you prove yourself.
More importantly, this is a challenge to who you are, where you stand and what for. Talking your way through it rationally will not be enough. You will need to show your will and courage in standing up because sometimes you need to step up and be your own hero.
Sometimes you need to step up and be your own hero.
The Reversal
The Reversed Seven of Wands suggests you have moved to a position (possibly via a promotion or a change of social status) where you feel highly vulnerable to attack. This vulnerability could stem from a lack of confidence, feeling outnumbered or outmatched, or simply being worn out by the obstacles your new position has placed in your way.
You must judge for yourself whether you need to hold your ground to retain your values and your sense of self. This may well mean fighting a losing battle, so retreat or compromise are certainly other options. However, the Seven of Wands warns that retreat and compromise should not be your default answers here; you will likely be picked off as you retreat.
Card Design Process
The idea of using King Leonidas for this card arrived almost immediately. However, the physical character actually started life as something much more mundane than a historical hero: it was based on the author's photographs of a toy hoplite soldier.
Final Words
The Seven of Wands reminds us that compromise, decision-by-committee, and 'agreeing to differ' are not always the way forward when dealing with beliefs or passions you hold strongly. Sometimes, stepping back means stepping away from your true identity and your sense of self.
