The Seven of Wands depicts much activity – both exhilarating and yet also defensive. Standing on a grassy knoll, we see a man holding his wand like a weapon as six other wands encroach on his space. His expression is one of focus and fierce determination as he raises his staff against the aggressive tide impinging upon him. His tunic is a vibrant green while his pants are an intimidating shade of red, but when looking closely we see something is amiss as he wears two different types of footwear – a boot on one foot and a common medieval turnshoe on the other. Did he not have enough time to properly prepare for battle? This mismatch suggests he was not expecting a conflict and had to hastily ready himself. Does he feel unsteady on his feet since his shoes are not the same? One would think the same pair of shoes would be preferable when taking a defensive stance against trouble.
And yet here lies the secret to the Seven of Wands – when life often throws us unexpected curve balls, the true test of our courage and strength is shown in how we defend ourselves during a surprise encounter. Even if we feel unsteady on our feet, standing up for ourselves or our beliefs is paramount, and when we act with courage and take a stance, regardless of how prepared we may or may not be in the moment, the end result is profoundly altered by our sheer strength and courage. In a sense, this type of situation can make us feel vulnerable or even victimized. Indeed, unexpected threats are often quite effective for this very reason – for who expects a surprise attack? But life is literally littered with them and if we think that any of us can experience a lifetime without sudden conflicts or drama, then we are sorely mistaken. The beauty of the Seven of Wands is that despite not having adequate time to fully prepare, the man in this card is undeterred. He is ready, he is willing to act, and he will fight for what he believes in. His fierceness, his courage and his determination have transformed his storyline from one of victimhood to one of empowerment and strong self-confidence.
Perhaps we’re experiencing a manager who is pushy and unfairly demanding. Or a coworker is trying to offload all of their work onto our laps. Perhaps the neighbor’s dog keeps barking and lunging at us when we try to take a walk around our neighborhood, or a family member is attempting to guilt us into doing something we feel isn’t right. In all these situations, the Seven of Wands is here to support our endeavors to draw strong boundaries and protect our work, our livelihood and our dignity. There is no judgement here – only the desire to make our own voice heard, and to support our words with actions that let everyone know where we stand. It may never be easy to ward off aggressive energy, but it is at times, necessary, and the though it is unpleasant task, when we align our actions with our hearts and do what we feel is right even in the face of adversity, our self-esteem soars. For our own positive self-regard is priceless.
The perfect ally to help us in times of vulnerability is Devil’s Club (Oplopanax horridus), a large understory shrub that often grows in thickets throughout the Pacific Northwest, particularly in well-drained forests from coastal Alaska to Northern California and the Northern Rockies. Devil’s Club is from the Araliaceae family, which includes well-known adaptogens Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) and American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius). This sparsely branched, somewhat rangy plant has enormous maple-like leaves and crooked, cane-like stems. But its most noticeable feature by far is its thorns. And the plant is entirely covered by them except for the roots and flowers which ripen into small red berries by late summer (and are a favorite among bears). Even the leaves are appointed with spikes. Harvesting this plant takes practice and caution as the thorns can easily lodge into the skin of the hands like small splinters which may take weeks to completely remove. Traditionally, Devil’s Club was harvested by Native American tribes of the Pacific Northwest such as the Tlingit, Haida, Salish, Tsimshian, Hesquiat, and Nuxalt to treat a variety of conditions from arthritis and tuberculosis to ridding head lice or as a deodorant. More spiritual applications of the plant involved purification and cleansing ceremonies to help combat witchcraft or even using the wood to make charms that were attached to fishhooks to increase the chances of a large catch. The main chemical constituents of Devil’s Club are polyacetylenes, glycosides, triterpenoids, sesquiterpenes, and volatile compounds – of which, the polyacetylenes have recently been discovered to have anticancer and antimicrobial effects. The mechanisms of polyacetylenes on anticancer activities are still not well known but the root bark has been shown to inhibit the proliferation of several ovarian, breast, and lung cancer cells. Similarly, though it has been extensively recommended for the treatment of diabetes in indigenous communities, research has been limited to support this – the need for further study and exploration of its various healing attributes is obvious.
Armed with our mighty wand and the support of Devil’s Club, we can create healthy, respectful boundaries with those around us, especially those attempting to trespass or violate our personal space, energy or time. Standing up for what we believe and asserting our rights to be treated fairly, equitably and civilly may seem daunting, but the Seven of Wands inspires us to speak out. And when we do so, we build a type of inner dignity that nothing else in life can diminish.
References
Daschbach, Alissa Bronwyn. "All-Healing Weapon: The Value of Oplopanax horridus Root Bark in the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes" WWU Graduate School Collection, Spring 2019. https://cedar.wwu.edu/wwuet/886
Geer, Mary K. Tarot for Your Self: A Workbook for the Inward Journey, 2nd Edition. New Jersey, The Career Press, Inc, 2002. P258
Heutte, Tom. “Plant of the Week: Devil's Club (Oplopanax horridus).” U.S. Forest Service, accessed 20 August 2024. https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/oplopanax_horridus.shtml
Kai Wu, Chong-Zhi Wang, Chun-Su Yuan, and Wei-Hua Huang. “Oplopanax horridus: Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Diversity and Structure-Activity Relationship on Anticancer Effects.” National Center for Biotechnology Information, 13 September 2018. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6158975/