Wands

Ace of Wands

• Someone has the "hots" for you
• A new job offer is coming your way
• Walk softly, and carry a big stick

• desire
• inspiration
• vision
• creation
• invention

Upright

• Being inspired
• Identifying an important goal
• Being given the opportunity to do whatever you want to do
• Giving or receiving direction
• Seeing a solution
• Creating something new
• Being aroused, sexually or creatively

Reversed

• Failing to take advantage of a great opportunity
• Being ineffectual or lazy
• Making an inadequate effort
• Working toward a goal, but lacking the resources or initiative to achieve success
• Setting inappropriate goals
• Failing to take a stand

Two of Wands

• Beware false friends
• Don't be mealy-mouthed; say what you think and do what you want to do

• conflict
• decision
• option
• individuality

Upright

• Having a choice
• Offering or being offered an option
• Seeing the value of another person's approach
• Understanding there's more than one way to "skin a cat"
• Successfully doing more than one thing at a time
• Being empowered to make a choice

Reversed

• Misrepresenting your intentions
• Doing one thing while desiring another
• Changing course mid-stream for no good reason
• Refusing to change your goal even when pursuing it no longer makes sense
• Disregarding the input of others

Three of Wands

• You'll be planning a trip soon
• Be on the lookout: your ship is coming in

• implementation
• action
• exploration

Upright

• Putting a plan into motion
• Taking that critical first step
• Making good things happen
• Going beyond your limits
• Blazing new trails
• Hitting the ground running
• Seeing your plans come to fruition

Reversed

• Procrastinating
• Knowing what to do, but refusing to do it
• Launching a project without a clear definition of who should do what
• Rejecting an opportunity to try something new
• Failing to finish what you start

Four of Wands

• Someone is watching and evaluating your work
• You may get a wedding invitation soon

• celebration
• jubilation
• community
• teamwork
• completion

Upright

• Sharing in a great celebration
• Sharing in a communal sense of achievement and success
• Preparing for a party
• Working together toward a common goal
• Giving or winning awards

Reversed

• Keeping your nose to the grindstone
• Recognizing good work by demanding more work
• Failing to share in a group celebration
• Allowing sour grapes to poison your moment in the sun
• Refusing to do your part

Five of Wands

• Prepare for a fight with your best friend
• Remember: once you let words loose, you can't take them back

• confrontation
• disruption
• distinction
• objection
• strife

Upright

• Calmly expressing a dissenting opinion
• Allowing someone to use his or her own methods to get a job done
• Opening the floor for discussion or debate
• Comparing progress made so far to standards set earlier

Reversed

• Berating others for their ridiculous opinions
• Picking fights
• Offering destructive criticism
• Baiting people with barbed remarks
• Disrupting progress with an endless stream of pointless objections

Six of Wands

• Someone is planning a party for you, but not everyone feels so good about your recent success
• Watch out for envious friends

• victory
• achievement
• success
• triumph

Upright

• Outperforming your peers
• Winning a competition
• Being recognized as a capable person
• Having your "moment in the spotlight"
• Being cheered on by the crowd
• Getting an award
• Earning the admiration of others
• Telling someone, "Good job!"

Reversed

• Being a bad winner
• Allowing your achievements to inflate your ego
• Looking down on people who seem less capable
• Craving to be the center of attention
• Giving or receiving insincere praise
• Envying the achievements of others

Seven of Wands

• Don't be surprised by a personal attack
• Prepare to defend yourself or someone you love

• bravery
• resolve
• determination

Upright

• Refusing to be silenced through fear or intimidation
• Continuing a fight against all odds
• Being fierce
• Defending yourself against physical and emotional attacks
• Refusing to put up with abuse
• Clinging to your values despite all pressure to abandon them

Reversed

• Having a chip on your shoulder
• Taking unnecessary risks as a means of proving your fearlessness
• Looking for an opportunity to take offense
• Responding to constructive criticism with defensiveness
• Refusing to stand up for yourself and your beliefs

Eight of Wands

• Watch for a surprising letter in the mail
• Your whole world is about to be turned on its ear

• speed
• swiftness
• responsiveness
• change

Upright

• Taking swift action
• Moving forward with a plan as quickly as possible
• Energizing yourself
• Adapting to sudden changes
• Taking setbacks in stride
• Embracing the idea that nothing stays the same forever
• Reacting quickly and appropriately to unforeseen problems

Reversed

• Giving in to panic
• Running in circles and screaming
• Insisting things must always stay the same
• Stirring the pot just to see what will happen
• Rushing others
• Refusing to re-evaluate a schedule or program, even when it's clearly no longer appropriate

Nine of Wands

• Don't relax yet; there's more to come
• The test you're facing now is happening for one reason: to show you who your real friends are

• toughness
• persistence
• stamina
• loyalty
• release

Upright

• Sticking with it for the duration
• Fulfilling your promises and obligations
• Bearing up under incredible duress
• Dragging yourself across the finish line
• Picking yourself up by your own bootstraps
• Refusing to quit
• Going as far as you can go and being satisfied with your performance

Reversed

• Making yourself a martyr
• Abandoning your post
• Giving up at the first sign of opposition
• Being prevented from fulfilling an obligation
• Failing to be dependable
• Refusing to let something go that needs to be released
• Beating a dead horse

Ten of Wands

• You're worn out
• Back off, take a time out, and let someone else handle things for a while

• exhaustion
• resistance
• burden
• oppression

Upright

• Holding your own in extreme circumstances
• Helping others carry their burdens
• Coming to the aid of the oppressed
• Knowing and being honest about your own limits
• Recognizing when you are not well-categoryed for a particular task

Reversed

• Taking on more work than you know you can handle
• Refusing to say "No" when you're already overloaded
• Making a habit of working overtime
• Shielding others from facing the consequences of their own poor judgment
• Over-extending yourself on a regular basis

Page of Wands

• This card represents a young man or woman with a fiery, enthusiastic demeanor, likely born a Cancer, Leo, or Virgo, who wants to start a new relationship with you

• enthusiasm
• eagerness
• confidence
• validation
• affirmation

Upright

• Leaping at a new opportunity
• Being a cheerleader or ardent advocate for your cause
• Being a True Believer
• Taking first steps toward independence
• Trusting in your own abilities
• Asking for feedback

Reversed

• Basing your entire self-image on what others think
• Seizing every new idea that comes your way without question
• Habitually discounting input or feedback from others
• Being so eager to "do it yourself" that you hinder your own progress

Knight of Wands

• This card represents a man with a bold, passionate personality, likely born between July 12th and August 11th, who wants to sweep you off your feet

• boldness
• bravado
• passion
• persuasion
• advocacy

Upright

• Charging ahead
• Making rapid progress
• Refusing limits
• Dazzling those around you with your wit and charm
• Convincing others of your right to leadership
• Convincing others to follow you
• Being a catalyst for change

Reversed

• Blundering forward with inadequate skill or information
• Running roughshod over the feelings of others
• Using sex appeal to manipulate others
• Forcing your leadership or ideology on others
• Beginning many projects without finishing any

Queen of Wands

• This card represents a woman with an attractive, appealing personality, likely born between March 11th and April 20th, who wants to charm you into doing things her way

• attention
• attraction
• unification
• collaboration

Upright

• Paying close attention
• Helping others focus on the issue at hand
• Getting everyone to work together
• Identifying common ground
• Bringing people together, despite their differences
• Using reverse psychology

Reversed

• Being distracted, or using your charms or skills to distract others from the goal
• Calling attention to yourself with negative or unhealthy behaviors
• Disrupting group activities as a means of feeding your own ego

King of Wands

• This card represents an older man with a commanding, charismatic personality, likely born between November 13th and December 12th, who prefers to give directions and have them followed

• creativity
• ingenuity
• achievement
• direction

Upright

• Putting old things together in new and exciting ways
• Coming up with unexpected solutions
• Using your experience to solve puzzles and problems
• Doing what you set out to do
• Directing the efforts of others

Reversed

• Using your creativity to get out of honest work
• Investing great energy in avoiding responsibility
• Boasting about achievements without putting your expertise to practical use
• Lording it over others