Seven of Air

A hiker has paused on his journey to consult his map and to consider his destination.  He needs to make plans for the next stage of his walkabout.  Shall he climb the mountain, or follow the river down into the valley?  Shall he seek the company of others, or continue to go it alone?  Shall he take a shortcut, even though he might get caught in the "slough of despond?" What inner journey does this outer journey symbolize?  He makes his plans and his strategies and — if he's wise — he leaves room for serendipity.

I'm working on the Sevens, and here's where I depart a bit from some of the more established meanings of the number cards.  I see the 7-8-9's as forming the third set of three little dramas. The first card of each set is a new beginning (Ace, 4, 7).  Each of the middle cards (2, 5, 8) is a challenge card.  The third card (3, 6, 9) is a resolution card (assuming you have successfully met the challenge of the middle card).  (I first heard the number cards described as three sets of three mini-dramas by Teresa Michelsen at an ATA conference in Sacramento a few years ago.  Thank you, Teresa!)

So, to the Sevens.  In the Sevens, we set a new goal for ourselves, one that reflects our inner work (as opposed to a goal in the everyday world).  Sevens are numbers of initiation. Air, as we know, corresponds to thought, communication, study, knowledge.  Keywords for the 7 of Air include:  strategy, planning, preparation, setting a goal for inner work. The shadow side of the card includes deception, sneakiness, trying to get something for nothing.

When we examine a map and consider all the alternate routes we might take, the map itself begins to form our worldview.  We might stop to consider these questions:  What has been left off the map?  What is there that we haven't noticed?  And what landscape lays just beyond the edge of the map?

Comments

[Ellen-Mary]

Once again you've made a beautiful card that speaks to me more clearly than most others. Wonderful.

[Teresa Michelsen]

I'm honored to have been an inspiration for how you look at numbers, and to see that incorporated into these cards, which I am so happily waiting for :) It's fun to get to watch them unfold, I don't think I've had that opportunity before.

[JLB]

Your Seven of Air could not have arrived at a more appropriate time. I feel like I've been staring at that map for weeks, scratching my head! One of these days, the wind is going to rip that map right out of my hands, and I'm just going to have to take a look around, take a breath, and follow a distant bird-call. :)

[Carly]

I'm so going to be switching to your deck when it's completed. This card is just so clear and to the point - as well as being beautiful.

[Joanne]

I love this Seven! I am also on that path...not knowing which way to go. Like the image in your Seven, I am remaining positive that what lies ahead is spectactular - no matter which direction I'm lead.

[Hecate Demetersdatter, Runnymead Conspirator]

Wow, what a lovely card. And what odd serendipity w/ my post last night on dreaming. I have always loved maps.

[Bev Haskins]

I like the idea of the groups of three cards, each being their own mini story...I had not heard that interpretation before. With that in mind I can relate to this card well... several things come to mind...
...I know that time well when you look for the "map" rather than just moving forward confident that you will find your way....unable to move forward, or not sure where.... I want to say to him "trust the journey one step at a time.. you don't need to see the destination before you arrive".
ALso I think of male energy as active energy, so for me this person represented as a male here is only coming in to this energy.... moving from the feminine (gestating ideas) into the active. Again, after all the studying of the map... to move means to put it down.
The fact that the background is mountains (i pine for the west coast from central Ontario, canada) makes me even more impatient for this character to move the map aside for a moment and look.
Beautiful work, Joanna

[joanna]

Once again, you are all teaching me about multiple layers of meaning for this card. I thank you!

[kerrdelune (Cate)]

Joanna, I just love this card! Blessings, Cate

[kerrdelune (Cate)]

Joanna, I just love this card! Blessings, Cate

[Lupa]

Your work is incredible; I just wanted you to know I'm thoroughly impressed :)