The number Seven takes all the energy that has become conscious in the Spiritual World (via Six) and moves it towards the Material World. Thus, Seven effectively intersects the spiritual and the material worlds. Let’s explore how the number Seven shows up in the various Tarot Cards to illustrate this point.

The number Seven is often looked at as the combination of the numbers Three and Four – the Spiritual Trinity and the Material Reality. Although other number combinations also add up to Seven, this combination represents the purest energy of the number Seven. The number is often depicted as a triangle within a square, or as a seven pointed star.

The Meanings of the Number Seven

Since Seven intersects the spiritual and the material worlds, it is the first number that is limited by time. Thus, it brings in age, decay, and death into the picture. It is the number of evolution, and of the cosmos. Perhaps it is due to this that the number Seven also has many symbolic connotations across the board: there are seven heavens and seven hells, seven planets, seven ages of man, seven days in a week, seven colors in a rainbow, and seven tones in music, to name a few. Various myths including Persian, Mediterranean, Indian, and Eastern, mention a seven-headed Dragon. Alchemy has seven metals. Pythagoras considers seven to be a number of the cosmos since it combines the numbers 3 (heaven) and 4 (earth). Christian theology carries references to seven deadly sins.

Seven thus becomes a number of material limits. It is essential condition necessary for transformation.

In the Kabbala, Seven is where one sees a new movement coming out of the harmony of the Six. This is a combination of material stability and the energy of motion, thus opening up innumerable possibilities. To go over our Kabbala number journey so far: at first there was the unending nothingness of Zero that necessitated the singular focus of One, which then needed the connection and comparison, and the duality of Two. When they merged with the creative energies of Three, they needed the stability of the Four to give them structure. But then, that gave rise to the disruption and change of Five, which led to the consciousness that was harmonized by the Six. Now, this energy is moving forward towards the plane of material reality, testing its limits and transforming even further.

The Number Seven in the Tarot Cards

Let’s look at the Tarot Cards where the number Seven shows up, both directly and indirectly as a sum of the digits on that card.

The Number Seven in the Major Arcana

Here are the Major Arcana cards associated with the number Seven.

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  7: The Chariot

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  16: The Tower

Interestingly, if you look closely at the image of The Chariot card, you will notice the square (the chariot) and the triangle on top of it (the charioteer emerging from the chariot), or perhaps a trinity of characters represented by the charioteer and the two sphinxes. Either way, the image does hint at the triangle and square or three and four connection. The most natural meaning emerging from the card’s imagery is that of movement: what is the charioteer doing in the chariot? Moving, of course! And while he doesn’t seem to be using any reins to direct the sphinxes, he does use his will power to tell them where to go (although they may want to go in totally opposite directions). The Charioteer represents a stage where one is moving out of the state of merely thinking about establishing one’s identity to the state of actually doing it, using one’s intent and will to redirect opposing thoughts and energies into the direction of one’s choosing. Transformation is actually happening — and one is using all of the lessons and the wisdom acquired in the journey thus far to make it happen! Here, one is truly manifesting one’s vision of heaven into one’s material world.

The disruption and destruction evident in the image of The Tower card tells a completely different story. However, if you think about it, it also represents a different sort of transformation. Here we witness the total destruction of the long-standing structures of ideas, beliefs, principles that one has held on to. Perhaps these structures and ideas have become resistant to changing times, and therefore need a jolt from the Universe to break them down? Or maybe, they no longer serve the purpose that they were built for – they are not compatible with the current times – which is why they need to go in one fell swoop. Either way, this card shows a transformation that is not in one’s control. This sudden change becomes necessary, and due to our resistance, is put into motion by the Universe itself. Now, the characters in the card are no longer in control – the Universe has stepped in (in the form of a lightning bolt, no less) – and set things in motion. Whether one likes it or not, wants it or not, the change is going to happen. The transformation will take place.

The Number Seven in the Minor Arcana

Let’s see what the Minor Arcana cards associated with the number Seven tell us about the energy of the number Seven manifesting in the everyday, mundane world.

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  7 of Wands

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  7 of Swords

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  7 of Pentacles

In the 7 of Wands, we see the young man trying hard to face the onslaught of the wands coming at him. He is overwhelmed by it all, but he stands his ground, ready to face what comes at him. In the 7 of Cups, the young man looks upon a cloud of floating cups that represent all of his desires, dreams and ambitions. Is it a dream or is he visualizing all his hopes and desires? He stands in the darkness, unsure and hesitant. In the 7 of Swords, a playful trickster steals away with all the swords he can carry – looking quite joyful in his act. Incidentally, he also holds the swords by their blades, making himself vulnerable – showing us that he perhaps doesn’t know much about swords after all. In the 7 of Pentacles, our young man stands in the field, looking tired. He looks at the pentacles that have borne fruit on the plant. One can only wonder what he could be thinking about.

Standing one’s ground to face overwhelming odds. Visualizing one’s desires and questioning one’s ability to go after them. Playful trickery that unknowingly makes one vulnerable to hurt. Exhaustion at a job fulfilled after a long, hard struggle. The Sevens of the Minor Arcana contain different stories that have one thing in common: a sense of a desire to see things through. The man in the 7 of Wands stands his ground to face what comes, while the man in the 7 of Cups questions his ability to go after what he wants. Meanwhile the man in the 7 of Swords playfully accomplishes what he wants, and the man in the 7 of Pentacles is tired of having worked long and hard to fulfill his task.

The Number Seven in the Tarot: Summary

Putting it all together, here’s the summary of the energy of the number Seven in the Tarot Cards:

• The Chariot: Movement, Transformation, Establishing One’s Identity in the World
• The Tower: Disruption, Destruction, Sudden Change
• 7 of Wands: Standing One’s Ground, Facing Overwhelm
• 7 of Cups: Dreams, Desires, Imagination, Visualization, Self-Doubt
• 7 of Swords: Playful, Trickery, Trickster, Theft
• 7 of Pentacles: Accomplishment, Bearing Fruit, Exhaustion

Seven moved the energies from the realm of the spiritual and into the material — now all those energies can transition and take shape and form, and start manifesting into the real world.

Your Turn

What did you think about the number Seven and how it shows up in the Tarot cards? What are your ideas/interpretations for the number Seven in the Tarot Cards? Talk to me in the comments section below!