The Seven of Swords is known, traditionally, as "The Thieve's card."  Best case, it can speak of craftiness, slipping through the cracks, or getting away with something.  Honestly, we all need to be a bit sneaky sometimes, don't we?  Avoiding the traffic ticket, calling in sick when you're really not, postdating a check - all of these could be not-so-harmful Seven of Swords behaviors.

The Seven of Swords can also reveal out-and-out dishonesty; basically, a fox in your chicken coop.  It calls personal integrity into question, and asks us to examine ourselves, and the people around us, for breaches.

I have, on two notable occasions, also seen the Seven of Swords show up as an indication of a serious health issue, specifically, cancer.

Now, I hesitate to share this, because I do not want tarot students to panic when they see this card, or to insist to someone that they have, or will have, cancer.  But the possibility needs to be considered.

It does make sense that cancer might be viewed, in tarot, as a thief.

When we see the Seven of Swords, it may be wise to see it as a call for examination.  We need to figure out where integrity has been breached, and recognize that the breach could be emotional, financial, communicative or even physical.

It may take time to figure that out; longer than the time it takes to complete the reading.  But once the cause for the Seven of Swords is determined, the opportunity for healing begins.

Each of the Sevens asks us to take personal inventory and personal responsibility.  The Seven of Swords gives us the power to seek out the "thief," whatever it may be.  From there, it advises deep personal introspection as a tool to accomplish healing.

If we can see this sometimes-disturbing card as a tool for the unflinching introspection that can lead to healing, we can often avoid the energies that come next - the anxiety and entrapment of the Eight of Swords, the depression and hopelessness of the Nine of Swords, and the complete devastation of the Ten of Swords.