Seven of Swords - A New Plan of Faith

I think the image embodied in the Seven of Swords is my least favourite to look at in the Mythic Tarot. When I ask myself why, I find the dark, oppressive, atmospheric sight of Orestes skulking into the palace, who is about to do something that he himself is conflicted over, there is nothing pleasant to see here, and seemingly no positive message to find, that is helpful. There's an overwhelming feeling of foreboding about this card upon first impression. But, I need to dig deeper in order to glean what is really beneath the surface appearance and at first glance in the Seven of Swords.

The weight of those heavy swords on his shoulder is apparent and are a metaphor for the moral burdens he  struggles with in life. Orestes really needs to make a new plan for himself.

Like Orestes, it's easy to betray and deceive ourselves with interfering fantasies. The only way I can apply a new plan is through a strong and realistic faith, and if I don't have one, then I can borrow someone else's, or look to another who can act as a mentor, someone who is an example to me. Eventually, little by slowly, I can set my feet on the right path and build upon my own faith, or rekindle the faith I already have.

I've never been a person to make New Year's resolutions. I do believe in the old adage like there's no time like the present to make a change and that doesn't require a New Year's resolution.

The New Year of 2017 will soon be here, just three days from now, and so I'm glad to see this card today. It's a reminder to make a new plan if I'm not happy with my present circumstance. But I do need to suit up and show up and take concrete action in living a good life with faith and purpose, and pointed in the right direction.

In spite of the Seven of Swords being my least favourite to look at, I believe it to be one of the most important cards for me to study and to look beneath the surface, because is holds many of the key learnings that I need to continue to rekindle and apply to my life, now, in the coming New Year and into the future.

Seven of Swords - Faith

I think this card is one of the darkest in the Mythic Tarot Deck, an always give me a feeling of foreboding. Faith, betrayal, and deception are represented in the Seven of Swords as Orestes scaulks away under the hooded veil of darkness, by the light of the crescent moon. He is unsure and ambivalent about what he is doing.

In life we all come to some kind of a cross roads. Lacking faith and what Orestes is contemplating doing, as a means to an end, is a highly questionable goal, and amorality is not the best choice, because it's really like sitting on the fence, which reminds me of this quote.

 “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”― Edmund Burke


Knowing what Orestes is about to do, makes me wish someone would step in and stop him from making the worst mistake of his life. It is good to know that eventually Athene will come to his defense, later in the Ten of Swords, in spite of what he does, and that there is someone who cares enough to know that even Orestes needs forgiveness.

Having faith in myself, in others and in the God of my understanding is paramount if I'm to avoid betrayal and deception, something we are all capable of doing. It's especially easy to betray and deceive myself with dishonesty and not caring for myself. If I'm honest and loyal to myself, in all likelihood, I will be the same toward others.

Lack of faith is what I see as a cause of so many problems within the world, between human beings, and our relationship to all living things. Our earth is suffering because of our lack of faith, and this is reflected all around us, leaving us very short sighted.

 I am only one person, but my own, personal, individual power through faith should not be underestimated as a way to change myself and my world.