Rider Waite - 7 of Wands - Interesting Observation

arizonagirl

I'm sure that all you experienced tarot readers have noticed this, but I find it interesting that the young man in the 7 of Wands has a boot on his left foot and a shoe on his right.

What are your ideas as to the symbology of this?
 

arizonagirl

Attached is a copy of the 7 of Wands

I'm going to try to attach a copy of the card here.
 

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Kiama

I'd never noticed that before. But I think maybe its just because one foot is further away from the reader than the other, giving the look of one being a boot, one a shoe, when really they're both the same...?

Maybe I'm wrong, but so far, I can't think of any meaning for it!

Kiama
 

Briarfoote

He got dressed in a hurry to go out and fight. :)

I had never noticed that either. Now I have to go look at my deck and see if it is different foot gear or supossed to be a foreshortening of a boot.
 

Mateo06

I could be like that saying "on the other hand" or " on the contrary" but instead it's "on the other foot" Where you have to weigh the other side before you step out into the world. Or else your feet will be on even and you'll fumble when you try to fight. I am going out a very long limb here. But its the first thing that came to my mind
 

slinky_jo

those rider waites - things keep popping up!!

A-ha!

Have you also seen the same kinda thing on the seven of pentacles card? He's wearing different coloured boots. The same interpretation could be read for this card too? To me, it means that there is indecision about a change of job, or whether to accept a promotion, or does the querant need a bank loan, etc. It seems like a card of monetary hessitancy and ponder.
 

Mojo

Ah! Finally someone notices the shoes!

When I teach Tarot, I always have my students tell stories using every image on a card. The 7's are always favorites because I always ask them to explain the shoes!

Makes for some really interesting stories!

(and once you figure out the shoes, try explaining the birds on the court cards in Swords)
 

Butterfly

Re: those rider waites - things keep popping up!!

slinky_jo said:
A-ha!

Have you also seen the same kinda thing on the seven of pentacles card? He's wearing different coloured boots.
That's strange, on my Rider Waite the boots on this card are the same colour. Could it be a different edition?
 

Strange2

In Isabel Radow Kliegman's book "Tarot and the Tree of Life", she suggests that the two different shoes in the 7 of Wands indicates that this is a card of standing up for ourselves and for our passions and eccentricities.

As Kliegman states, the 7 of Wands says :
"I have the right to my eccentricities as long as they don't hurt anybody. ... If I'm doing something that strikes you as very peculiar -- back off. It's not your business, and I have a big stick here to encourage you not to mind it."

Highly recommend this book, by the way. Very entertaining and insightful.
 

VGimlet

I just got done studying that card this week, and noticed the different footware. I couldn't find anything about it in any of my books. I finally decided it indicated that although you might feel a bit off-balance, you still have the advantage in the challenge you're facing.
I like the idea of standing up for our passions and eccentricities, too, that works well for me also.