The essential meanings of this Minor Arcana card from the Rider-Waite-Smith deck.

Upright: The Seven of Swords upright represents stealth, strategy, or deceit. It often appears when someone is being sneaky or when you need to be strategic in your actions. This could be as innocent as acting tactfully to surprise someone positively, or as serious as lying or cheating. Upright, this card asks you to consider your approach: are you being honest and aboveboard, or trying to "get away with something"? If you feel the need to keep plans to yourself for now, make sure it's for good reasons and not to the detriment of trust. The Seven of Swords can also mean you need to pick your battles and perhaps quietly leave a situation that isn't working, taking with you what you’ve learned and leaving behind what you cannot change.

Reversed: The Seven of Swords reversed often indicates that secrets are exposed or that honesty is prevailing. You or someone else might be coming clean about something that was hidden. It can also mean that a cunning plan didn't go as expected – maybe you left evidence behind or underestimated others. Reversed, this card encourages integrity: if there's something you've been hiding, it might be better to own up to it now rather than get caught later. Alternatively, it can suggest imposter syndrome or self-deceit – you might be lying to yourself about a situation. The advice is to face the truth and act with transparency; in doing so, you can avoid further complications and earn trust.

Three Possibilities

The secrets of this card for heart, mind and soul.

Love: Deception lingers in the air. This card warns of dishonesty, hidden motives, or avoiding confrontation in a relationship. Are you or your partner being completely truthful? Transparency is needed—only honesty can rebuild trust.

Career: A situation at work may involve secrecy, strategy, or behind-the-scenes manoeuvring.  The Seven of Swords warns against cutting corners or being misled. Be discerning and act with integrity, even when others do not.

Spirituality: The path is unclear—are you avoiding a truth you need to face? The Seven of Swords suggests self-deception or a reluctance to confront spiritual challenges. Be honest with yourself, for only through truth can you grow.