Seven of Wands
A young man on high ground fends off six staves rising from below: courage, conviction, and standing your ground against opposition.
Wands, VII
Upright keywords
- perseverance
- defense
- standing firm
- courage
- competition
- conviction
- holding the advantage
Meaning when upright
The Seven of Wands shows a lone figure holding the high ground while six staves push up at him from below. It is a card of defending your position, whether your beliefs, your work, your boundaries, or a hard-won success, against competition and challenge. Waite calls it a card of valour: six are attacking one, but the one has the vantage position, which is why it also promises success. His mismatched footwear hints that he was caught off guard, yet he fights well anyway, so the card is about conviction under pressure rather than perfect preparation.
On the card
- young man on a craggy height
- Waite's 'vantage position': an advantage that must be actively held.
- staff gripped crosswise in both hands
- Active defense; conviction put into action.
- six staves rising from below
- Opposition, competition, and challenges pressing from many sides.
- mismatched footwear, a shoe on one foot and a boot on the other
- Caught unprepared or acting in haste; courage that does not wait for perfect readiness.
- determined, strained expression
- Resolve under pressure and the stress of sustained defense.
- green tunic
- Youthful vitality and growth fueling the stand.
- clear blue sky
- The struggle is out in the open; clarity of purpose.
In Waite’s words
A young man on a craggy eminence brandishing a staff; six other staves are raised towards him from below.
- Divinatory meaning
It is a card of valour, for, on the surface, six are attacking one, who has, however, the vantage position. On the intellectual plane, it signifies discussion, wordy strife; in business—negotiations, war of trade, barter, competition. It is further a card of success, for the combatant is on the top and his enemies may be unable to reach him.
- Reversed
Perplexity, embarrassments, anxiety. It is also a caution against indecision.
- Additional meaning
A dark child.
Correspondences
- Element
- Fire
- Astrology
- Mars in Leo
- Sephira
- Netzach (7)
- Golden Dawn title
- Lord of Valour
- Decan
- Aug 12 – Aug 22
- Number
- Seven brings assessment and the challenge of faith; here the victory of the Six must be defended, testing conviction.
To reflect on
- What am I defending right now, and is it truly worth the fight?
- Where do I have more of an advantage than I realize?
- Am I standing firm, or simply being defensive?
In your readings
Hasn’t appeared in your readings yet.
Ask about this card
Marguerite, the traditionalist, answers from Waite’s text, what is drawn on the card and its correspondences. You can choose another reader in settings.