In the interest of comparing two cards with similar images, I am changing things a bit today. When I threw my Inner Focus card and got the 7 of Wands, I realized the image was in many ways similar to that of the 8 of Chalices, which we have already examined. I know that I can understand a card much better through comparing it with another, so rather than throwing an Outer Focus card as usual, I dug out the 8 of Chalices. Let's compare.
The image on the 7 of Wands is of a woman laying on a bed with a dark background, with a man leaning over her. We only see their heads, shoulders and arms. The woman is laying on a pillow, with her nightgown untied and pulled open so we can see her breasts. The man is leaning over her with one hand over her mouth and the other index finger near his lips, as if he is telling her to "ssshhhhh." Her eyes are wide and her arms spread, one with palm open and fingers spread and the other in a fist, as if she has been startled awake. The key phrases for this card are: surprise and daring, and a part of the undertaking is complete.
The image on the 8 of Chalices also shows a man and a woman, but in the broad light of day. The man has a knife (a single-edge blade, as opposed to a dagger or sword, which usually has two edges) in one hand, held up threateningly, with his other arm around her neck from the back, gripping her jaw and chin. His eyes are open, his brows are furrowed, and his mouth is open as if he is angry and shouting. The woman has her eyes half closed and her mouth open and she looks like she is startled and crying for help. Her blouse is pulled off one shoulder and her breast is visible. The key phrases for this card are: deceit, threats, shame, and change of plans.
The suit of wands represents the element of Fire, strong passions, and extreme experiences. Fire can be cleansing, but it can also be destructive. Burning something changes the chemistry of whatever is being burned. While we can easily see who is dominant in the image on this card, we don't know the circumstances. Is he saving her, or punishing her? Wands cards usually encourage us to take action, but the number 7 is about pausing and considering whether or not more action would be advantageous to the situation. This decision to pause, although presented in a startling image, could very well be saving them both from harm. We just don't know.
The suit of Chalices corresponds with the element of Water and with the soul. Water is about feelings, emotions, visions and dreams. The soul is constructed of energy, and it can be damaged without injuring the physical body. The knife wielded by the man looks like it could be a kitchen tool; knives represent liberation, sacrifice, division or severance, and betrayal. A knife can also represent either survival or death. The number 8 is most definitely a card of action, action that is needed in order to balance out approaching degeneration. Because this suit can represent being grounded in our emotions rather than our intellect, and the number can represent taking action to manifest a desire or dream, the 8 of Chalices feels far more threatening in the end than the 7 of Wands. Neither is fun, but one is more a warning while the other is an "I might be in trouble" situation for the woman, or an "I can't lose this" situation for the man.
That was illuminating!
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