The suit of Wands is associated with daily life.
- Ace of Wands
- Primordial Fire, birth, a fresh start, significant news.
- The key to understanding this card is to know that something is changing; more than that, something new is about to happen.
- It’s important to look at the other cards to determine in what manner these changes take place and when. This is true of any Tarot card though.
- Two of Wands
- Beware of a proud man; partnerships could improve; success with renovation projects.
- When this card comes up, expect an element of competition; factor others into the equation.
- Three of Wands
- Relationships look good; travel in connection with work; a fresh start; new job.
- This is a great card and even when it doesn’t appear to get on well with the other cards in a reading; at most it indicates delays and frustrations. It can’t be stopped.
- Four of Wands
- Can indicate either a business related or romantic related meaning. A great card that focuses on issues of security. At worst, there may be delays before things come good.
- Five of Wands
- Challenges, delayed travel plans.
- Six of Wands
- Success, victory, legal issues will go your way.
- Seven of Wands
- Opposition from others, don’t give up. Can also indicate minor things going wrong on a day to day basis that seems to take way more energy than it should to resolve.
- Eight of Wands
- Travel, ‘arrows of love’, communication and things changing rapidly.
- Nine of Wands
- A defensive approach is needed. This card can also indicate that the person’s sense of security may be threatened.
- Ten of Wands
- Burdens and responsibilities.
- Court Cards
- I actually view the Court cards as separate from the Pip cards, in terms of function, but I thought it would be easier to categorise them together.
- Page of Wands
- Communication, restless youngster, easily distracted, travel. Good news will be on its way. Perhaps this person writes for a living.
- Knight of Wands
- Travel, somebody enters the client’s life suddenly. A home move.
- Queen of Wands
- Good at business, a good talker, good company. Indicates luck, usually in business.
- King of Wands
- Confirmation that things will go well.
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18 comments… Let's discuss
“Beware of a proud man” : while I did have a brief chuckle at this one on the first read, I do like it. Are you inferring that meaning from the RWS image? And I have to ask, have you ever given that advice to a querent where it proved to benefit him or her later?
It sure is a bit cliched, and to be honest, I smile every time I utter those words.
The RW deck does give the impression of a ‘proud man’, but I arrived at that definition from both the Element and the number. Twos are all about partnerships, and Fire (Wands) are all about negotiating with other people. There tends to be a degree of self-interest with this suit (this is not a judgment; nor am I implying an ethic). However, in certain readings the client can be fragile so I like to discuss, or ‘get it out into the open’, the idea of a ‘proud man’. It allows them to think through any insecurities as a sort of preparation.
I do tend to limit this definition to events that involve the client negotiating, in an explicit rather than an implicit sense, with somebody else. This, strangely, can involve their current partner; or more often than not, their family or employer – basically, anybody that can rule them.
Oh, two of wands … how you wish to conquer the world …
I like thinking of the twos as partnerships, but this might be pure self-interest (nicely phrased, Douglas). The fellow seems bored. And restless. And potentially quite proud.
Hi Tabitha Dial,
I agree with you! Frequently, I can see the “twos” as representing partnerships of some kind
One of the interesting things I find about the 2 of Wands is the difference in interpretation some decks bring to the card. For instance, the Thoth deck is a much more dominating force in comparison to the Rider Waite. I wonder, do you think both interpretations hint at some underlying truth about the 2 of Wands; or are both interpretations mutually exclusive. This is something I’ve been thinking about quite a bit lately
I think every deck has its own personality. Each deck is another facet of the intent of each card. Each deck is seen through another person’s eyes (its creator, really).
I’m very interested in readers who use cards from various decks, cobbling them together for what they feel is the closest representation, perhaps, of their own thinking. Readers who may make their own majors and use the minors from a published deck. You have to respect their innovation.
I think it proves that readers know what they want/expect from particular cards in the decks they are familiar with.
Hi Tabitha Dial,
I agree. In fact, I remember reading how members of the Golden Dawn had to create their own Tarot deck. I think that process must have really helped them cement a lot of their knowledge, both conscious knowledge and irrational, intuitive knowledge.
I think people who spend the time creating, and designing their own Tarot deck will be opening themselves up to a very enriching and transforming experience. I was recently reading an interview, at Tarot Elements with the creator of the Gaian Tarot, Joanna Powell Colbert, and you can really get a sense of this ‘transformation’ process at work.
Thanks for the interview link, Douglas. It’s a great source for inspiration and got me back to sketching my own Tarot. I have another person to look to.
Cheers.
Hi Tabitha Dial,
Awesome! I’d love to hear how you get on with sketching out your own Tarot deck
Hi Douglas,
I drew the King of Wands, 3 Wands, Ace Wands. I asked the cards if a guy would tell a girl he loves her. I am not sure if I’m reading these cards right. I read them with the elemental dignities and with their own meanings. With the elemental dignities it says Extremely powerful: promises dramatic change and swift change within the clients life. Then their meanings; King Wands- confirmation things will go well; 3 wands – relationships look good; Ace Wands – significant news and more importantly, something is changing; more than that, something new is about to happen….
Would you say he’s going to tell her he loves her or would you say he’s going to say the opposite? These cards all seem positive, but if this wasn’t a romantic question I’d say it was about a job?
Thanks
Sheri
Hi Sheri,
In answer to your question, I don’t think he’ll say anything. However, passion is indicated. An exciting start but does it lead anywhere?
hi Douglas,
Thank you for your comment. Now can you explain to me where you saw that he might not say anything? I’m just not seeing what you’re seeing.
Thank you,
Sheri
Hi Sheri,
The King of Wands, 3 Wands, Ace Wands is an interesting combination in that it says something will happen. I’m not sure why I don’t see him saying anything – it’s intuition more than anything else.
Analysing the cards, the only real hint towards the direct communication that you asked would be the Three of Wands – but that would be an exception to that cards personality. Essentially, the Three of Wands involves negotiation, but not necessarily open discussion. From that point of view it often involves a group of people. Could this imply that there are more than (the) two people involved that will shape the future of the relationship?
The combination of cards is all Wands. This is good for energy, excitement and change. It suggests speed and possibility.
The next post that I write will be discussing individual cards in more detail. I think it may help you when deciding what the cards might be indicating.
Let me know if that helped
Hi Douglas,
I’m ready to give up trying to read Tarot. I’m only right some of the time. Not even 50% of the time and I’m really frustrated. When you said there could be more than 2 people involved you are right. There is a 3rd person a, a woman he met, but I didn’t think of that when reading because I didn’t know about her until after I read the cards. There’s just so much I miss ALL the time
Thanks,
Sheri
Hi Sheri,
I know it can be frustrating sometimes but don’t give up. Why not try another way of reading for your friends?
I suggest doing only general readings. Avoid doing specific questions. Get comfortable with the idea that the Tarot could be indicating anything whatsoever. That way, when it comes to doing more specific readings, you’ll be in an open mind set.
Often, when people switch from doing specific to general readings they become open to possibilities; they start to see different information and their connection with the cards deepens.
You’ll get there. This doesn’t happen over night. It does take time, and even now I still make mistakes – as do all my friends who have been reading for years. The trick is to keep going, keep learning and keep trying. That’s how you develop.
Let me know what you decide
Hi Douglas,
Thank you. I’ll try but most people have very specific questions about what they want answers to. Even me, so I know how they might get frustrated by what they aren’t hearing. I know me and I will keep trying. I’m just so frustrated. I saw my reader yesterday and he was telling me about my job and i was asking him about two cards paired together: Ace Wands and Magus. It thought the cards meant something happening/changing and perfect communication. He told me that because the cards were together it meant, “How bad do I want to make it happen?”
That’s what I don’t understand is some card pairings. I see it now that he showed it to me, but if those cards show up again with other cards I’ll be back to being confused about their meanings.
Thanks,
Sheri
Hi Douglas,
I drew the 6 of Wands/King of Swords/4 of Wands. Elementally there is very fast action and movement. Passionate and mental. The question was whether or not a couple would make up and get back together. I see the King of Swords as moving fast in this relationship, but the Victory with the 6 of Wands is throwing me. Is there going to be a meeting between them that will result in a Victory for the man? Is the complete lifestyle change for them both or just the man?
Thanks,
Sheri
Hi Sheri,
Interesting combination of cards.
It certainly looks like it’s depended on the man (had it been a Queen, I would have said the woman) whether or not they get back together.
The 6 of Wands would indicate him putting other things before a relationship – work for instance. But the 4 of Wands suggests its possible. This is a tough call. I would say, if I was giving the reading, that there will never be a full reconciliation between the man and the woman. What we could be looking at here is a sort of “on/off” relationship.
Hope that helps
Hi Douglas,
Yes, it is an on again/off again relationship. He’s the one calling the shots. I think the 4 wands represents his house because they always meet there. Maybe with certain readings I should look at the 4 wands as representing his house. hmmm
Thanks,
Sheri