A strong theme of number 7 emerges from the cards this month. In the Qabalistic tradition 7 signifies victory. The suits of the cards align to the themes of thoughts and ideas, action and hard work, but most importantly of inner and outer alignment.
The easiest and often attractive way to chase victory or success is to lift off of others’ ideas and frameworks, to take what is not necessarily yours but attractive because it’s shiny and ‘ready’. More than it impoverishing someone else, it is doomed to lead to an emptiness and stagnation within, for one has arrived at victory through self-deception (7 of swords). It does not grow further, it has no roots, it feels cold to the touch. And eventually it also loses its shine.
But there is another way to victory, which involves sitting in the dirt, working with one’s hands, praying for rain, going through the seasons of hope and despair, and working through them all, with patience, with quiet dignity. And there one eventually finds something that grows, develops, sustains. That one can look at with a feeling of pride, even in tired moments (7 of Pentacles). It is manifesting magic, a little every day, something that has a life of its own.
Getting there involves both alignment (Temperance) and conflict (7 of wands). What is no surprise to anyone is that manifesting anything in the real world requires struggle and conviction. We often have a negative reaction to the terms struggle and fighting. And yet, even the calmest or least ambitious among us would recall fighting for something where the exertion and struggle actually had the effect of making us feel alive. Like our very insides expanded and rose higher than everything around. An exhilaration that convinced us we could conquer anything.
These are the fights where we struggle to create in the world that which aligns with our deepest desires, values and elements of personality. However the desires, values and elements of personality themselves are many and diverse. They are not one monolithic arrow pointing in a single direction. And yet, here lies the secret of victory. As well as the challenge. There is an internal alchemy involved- Before you even begin fighting with anything outside, the inside needs to align. The different internal elements need to combine in a way that flows together (notice the mixing of liquids from the cups in Temperance card), and then flows naturally into the outside world. Once the internal alignment happens, then the force of conviction is nothing short of magic in manifesting one’s goal.
A different way that 7 of swords energy plays out is to disconnect from everything and operate as a ‘lone-wolf’ (rather than stealing existing templates of others). But neither imitating others blindly nor disconnecting completely in rebellion is fruitful. It is as well a form of self-deception that we can create something of value in the world without being connected to it. Temperance calls upon us to balance these tendencies.
The cards for September ask the questions:
• What does victory look like, for you?
• What does it feel like, on the inside?
• Are you willing to slowly build it, putting your shovel in the dirt while others may have swords in the air?
• What are you willing to fight for? What are the struggles that expand your soul? Are there victories that constrict it?
• Are there parts of you that do not agree to fight for what you want? What needs do these disagreeing parts have? If you agree that their voice is legitimate, what will you need to change in your goal or path?
