seven of wands: fire & the number 7

hello, friends. in an effort to make this newsletter even more valuable for y'all, i announced earlier this month that i'll be combining my elemental and numerological essays into one piece and sending more tarot spreads to everyone — and we're starting now! i deeply appreciate y'all flexing with me as i work to move away from social media and invest even more deeply into my newsletter and podcast, and i hope you enjoy this slightly different format that we'll be using moving forward.

and if you're in NYC, reminder that i'm hosting COVID-conscious monthly tarot meetups at the wonderful astoria bookshop! get the details for our next meetup and RSVP here.

as ever, thank you for being here. i know this has been a busy, wild, scary, and stressful week for so many reasons, and i'm sending y'all a lot of love.

earlier this month, i wrote about the fiery torch of the seven of wands. while there are a lot of ways to talk about this card, i love this particular torch/lantern metaphor because it brings to mind using light to explore and navigate, to wander into the darkness, to peer into shadowy nooks and crannies.

but this particular visual doesn't come out of nowhere. it's based on the element and number combination that serves as the building blocks for this card: fire and the number seven. so let's unpack how they both contribute to the broader meanings of this card.

fire as an element is passionate, active, charged. it builds and burns, consumes and destroys and transforms, weaves stories of desire and momentum and evolution. with fire, we are in a constant state of movement, pursuing and changing. fire requires fuel to keep burning, and must be thoughtfully tended lest it either burn out or rage out of control.

in the suit of wands, we tell the story of fire, and learn more about the various forms that fire can take. we've seen how a spark of an idea, a passion, a creative idea, or an erotic charge can ignite within us and demand our immediate attention — and how, over time, that spark can be fed and tended until it becomes a consistent flame that many can care for and utilize in a consistent, reliable way. by the time we reach this card, we have already had to clarify what it is we want to create, intentionally invest in its cultivation, collaborate with other people, protect our vision, and stabilize what we've made, among other things.

we've gone beyond simply being excited that the fire exists, and are now using it as a tool. fire is now no longer just beauty and excitement and drive, but is also practical, reliable, and able to be wielded with intention. we know that our project or idea or desire has merit, worth, value — and we are finding ways to expand its reach, share it with others, and refine it into exactly what we wish it to be.

the number seven points us to analysis and interrogation: a desire for understanding, a spiritual deep dive. this is seeking and searching, being willing to ask questions that might have really complicated or challenging or even impossible-to-fully-comprehend answers. seven is more interested in the process of the search than they are in necessarily finding something — this is an energy of assessing, questing, grasping, hunting.

my brilliant friend bee scolnick talks about seven as an invitation to stay in the question: to not be in such a hurry to find a clear or tangible answer; to allow ourselves to live in that liminal space of wondering and wandering. seven may be a practical number, but it also knows the value in the seeking process. we cannot see if we are too afraid to look.

the seven of wands is taking that burning, well-tended, reliable flame, and popping it into the heart of the lantern so that we can use our light to seek and find. it's using our fire as a torch and companion, allowing what burns within us to light our path and help us find our footing. we may not be able to see everything at once — we may even find ourselves stumbling, struggling to see anything at all! but the seven of wands serves as a beacon in the dark, staying by our side and helping us peer into the shadows.

and the one who holds the lantern (that's you, dear reader) — well, you become a beacon too. because when you're brave enough to let that light shine into the dark places, when you're willing to walk into the unknown with only your own brilliant light to guide you, others take notice.

it's okay to not know things. it's okay to be in the process of discovering things. it's even okay to be afraid of what we cannot see. but don't stop searching. with the seven of wands, we hold space for our courage and our doubts, allowing both to take up space, letting both help us understand our own truth more clearly.

what are you willing to look for? what are you willing to hold up? what is helping to light your way?

i'll be back next week with some creative prompts inspired by the seven of wands, for you to explore in any format you like!

and for all of those who have asked about my partner's recovery, who have sent gift cards and money to help support her rest, who have lit candles or sent healing magic or expressed kindness, thank you. jeanna is doing very well, and we are both incredibly grateful for our generous communities.

if you've benefitted from jeanna's work and would like to extend support, please check out her incredible newsletter astrology for writers and sign up for a paid subscription. jeanna also will be hosting another round of her creative container showing up for the work soon, and you can learn more and sign up here.