The Archetype and The Tarot: The Genius and Seven of Cups
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This post is part of our February exploration of the Genius archetype.
Dearest Readers,
May today bring you clarity amidst the vast sea of possibility. May your heart illuminate the choices before you, guiding you past illusion and into the truth of what your soul most deeply desires. 💖💖💖
It feels so fitting that the next card to accompany the Genius is the Seven of Cups. If the pairing with The Magician was about taking the first steps toward manifestation, then the Genius and Seven of Cups invite us into the space before that—the realm of dreaming, of visioning, of infinite potential. But within that expanse lies an important task: choosing. What is real? What is illusion? And, most importantly, what do we actually want to feel?
Seven of Cups
In the more traditional versions of this card, we see a figure standing before seven cups floating in the clouds. Each cup holds something enticing—a snake, a castle, a laurel wreath, a dragon, treasure, a human head, and a veiled figure—each representing a different kind of emotional fulfillment.
Because this is the suit of Cups, this is not just about material choices, but emotional clarity. What feeling are we chasing? The initial dazzle of the symbols may draw us in—perhaps we long to feel powerful (the snake), or victorious (the laurel), or secure (the castle). But then there’s that seventh cup—the one veiled in radiant light, holding something unknown.
This is the twist. The deeper calling. The feeling beneath all other desires.
This card asks us to strip away illusion and get to the heart of what we truly seek. Not what looks good, but what feels right. When we clear away the dazzle, what remains? What does the soul really want?
The Genius and Seven of Cups: Lifting the Veil
The Seven of Cups is a card of possibility, but also of illusion. When we are presented with too many choices, it can be easy to mistake a glittering promise for true fulfillment. What we think we want—success, wealth, recognition—may only be a reflection of deeper emotional needs: connection, peace, freedom.
But the Genius is rarely concerned with surface-level desires. It sees what lies beyond. And more than that, the Genius is in direct communion with the soul. It does not speak from external pressures but from the vast knowing inside. It offers sudden insight that pulls back the veil, revealing the deeper truth beneath what we really want, as well as our distractions, our indecision, our illusions.
If we find ourselves caught between choices, overwhelmed by too many possibilities, we can turn toward the Genius and trust its guidance. Instead of forcing the “right” decision, we can open to an unexpected realization, a quiet knowing, or a startling moment of clarity.
Here, the Genius reminds us: not every option is meant for us. Some are simply guideposts, meant to help us see past them—to the one that calls from beyond the veil. When we pay attention to where our intuition lights up, where something clicks into place, where an idea or emotion moves from cloudy uncertainty into undeniable truth, this is the Genius removing the veil. And what remains is the choice that was calling to us all along.
The Genius and Seven of Cups: Choosing Doesn't Mean Losing
One of the greatest fears the Seven of Cups stirs is the fear of choosing “wrong.” With so many possibilities, it’s easy for us to hesitate, believing that by selecting one, we are closing the door on all the others. But the Genius holds a different truth: Choosing one path does not mean losing all others. It simply means stepping forward—and opening new doors that could never have been otherwise revealed.
The Genius teaches us that inspiration is infinite. Our creativity, our opportunities, our capacities are never limited by a single decision. In fact, it is often through choosing that new paths unfold. The moment we commit, we gain access to depths we could never have reached by standing at the threshold.
Together, the Genius and Seven of Cups call us to trust the act of choosing. If we find ourselves hesitating, afraid of narrowing our experience, let’s borrow a bit of courage from the Genius. We can take heart in knowing that whatever choice we make will lead to new discoveries, new wisdom, and new inspiration.
This week, choosing is not an ending. It is the first step on an unfolding journey, one that will continue to surprise and delight us in ways we have yet to imagine.
Practical Wisdom: Navigating the Many Possibilities
Here are some ways to integrate the wisdom of the Genius and Seven of Cups into your life this week:
Let Insight Cut Through Confusion. If you’re facing too many options, don’t force clarity, instead, watch for the moment when the Genius speaks. It might come as an inner knowing, an external synchronicity, or a shift in how you feel about a choice. To better hear the voice of your Genius, try free-writing or speaking your thoughts into a voice recorder—sometimes, clarity often emerges when we give our thoughts space to flow. You can also revisit the attunement ritual here.
Ask What Lies Beneath. If a particular dream or goal is pulling at you, ask: What is the deeper feeling I seek? What’s behind the desire? Clarity often comes when we move beyond the surface attraction. Take even five minutes to journal or meditate on this question. Visualize yourself achieving the goal—what feeling arises? That feeling may be what you truly seek, rather than the external outcome. (Bonus: Dive into Danielle LaPorte’s The Desire Map. I can’t even put to words the profound effect this book had on my life.)
Trust That Choosing Opens More Doors. If you’re hesitating to act because you don’t want to lose other possibilities, remember: choosing one thing doesn’t mean forever letting go of the rest. Your path will keep unfolding. Try giving yourself a “low-stakes” experiment—pick one path and commit to it for a limited time period, maybe one week. See what shifts, knowing you can always adjust later.
Let Go of the Fear of Getting It Wrong. What if there is no “wrong” choice—only different experiences? Release the pressure of making the perfect decision and trust that wherever you go, the Genius will continue guiding you. If you’re feeling stuck, flip a coin—not to decide for you, but to observe your emotional reaction. If the result makes you feel relieved, you may already know your answer. If it makes you disappointed, that’s insight too!
Questions for Further Reflection
What is an illusion you have chased in the past, believing it would bring fulfillment, only to realize it did not?
Have you ever had a moment where sudden insight cut through confusion and revealed the truth beneath a choice?
What happens when you remove the external details of a desire and focus only on the feeling underneath?
How can you shift your mindset to see choosing as an opening, rather than a closing?
The Genius and Seven of Cups remind us that we are never truly lost—only standing at the threshold of possibility. The path ahead is not about choosing perfectly, but about choosing authentically.
Not every shimmering cup is meant for us, and that’s okay. But one of them stirs something deep in our soul. The Genius will guide us there.
So let’s take a breath and trust our knowing. When the moment comes, we’ll step forward—not because we have all the answers, but because the Genius walks with us, revealing the way.
How are things going so far with the Genius? Let me know all about in the comments below. Blessings and love to each of you this week!
This is so timely, with things feeling so chaotic and moving at breakneck speed. I deeply appreciate the wise, wide-open space the genius provides in these 7 of cups moments. There is no right or wrong, and creativity is endless. I also love the ideas of focusing on the feeling I'm after, rather than the very mutable external results. And of flipping a coin, not to decide for me, but to help me locate my organic, essential reaction to the idea of the answer. Thank you so much for this goodness.
Again, I am loving this new format Jenna. And the 7ofC is quite the pairing. For me it all comes down to these words you expressed, "we think we want—success, wealth, recognition—may only be a reflection of deeper emotional needs: connection, peace, freedom." It is not saying "no" to our longing and desires, but getting clearer about what they are. Learning from the genius, which I see reflected in my guides and inner Sophia, that I can see beyond the illusion into what I deeply need instead. Beautiful! 💜