Archive for December, 2010

The keywords of Ten of Wands card are Trouble and Anxiety. It also means persistence, reliability, strength, and will.

Position of this Tarot Card on the Kabbalistic Tree of life – Sephirot Malkut

Astrological characteristics: Saturn in Sagittarius. Here we are faced with the greatest aversion; Sagittarius is spiritual, swift, illusive, light, and bright. Saturn is material, slow, heavy, dark and stubborn. This combination can be understood as an imaginative ambition with a direct etheric manifestation. The awkwardness of Saturn is being changed in Sagittarius – there is a visible stimulus, there are self conscious principles, and there is added inspiration.

Description:

This card depict a male figure crushed under the burden of the ten wands in his hands. The staves are arranged so closely before him that he is unable to see where he is going. There is a strange atmosphere suggesting that the someone or something may suffer from the stave once the person carrying them come to the intended location. He carries a great burden, but obviously he is able to do so.

Psychological characteristics:

This card represents a strong personality.

• On the positive side, we have a constructive, dynamic and powerful person equipped for handling difficult responsibilities. We see enthusiasm, common sense, logic and patience. People born in the third decan of Sagittarius (13th to 21st December) are productive and honest. They are not driven by fame or popularity, rather they tend to achieve success in all the fields of life. They are able to influence other to become better workers themselves. They have high ideals and very high goals. Faithful friends and disciplined workers, they have a strong sense of responsibility.
• On the negative side, this card depicts an unstable individual, cruel, impatient, stubborn, and without compassion for others. They can go too far in demanding strict discipline. They could put themselves in a position to resist new ideas and can be overly critical.

The best balance is achieved if they cultivate compassion and pity. The true strength is always gentle and forgiving. They need to amend their strictness with nobility and tolerance.

Commentary:

The potential of 10 of Wands as expressed in the number 10 is persistence. Saturn, on the other hand, brings intensity. Fire, as an element of this card means dynamic energy.

Here, we move from the individual accomplishments of Nine of Wands to contributing to the wellbeing of the community.

Number 10 symbolizes the totality of all things. It is also a symbol of the returning path to Unity (1 plus 0 = 1), to the original state of non duality whose symbol is Ayin (Nothing, Zero). Read more about the Kabbalistic Ayin here. This Tarot card is not given the name Trouble by chance. We get in trouble when we exert force, and only force, all the time. The sluggish and heavy Saturn squashes and suppresses the etheric fiery side of Sagittarius. It’s a force separate from its spiritual origin, blinded fire in its most destructive form. Yes, there is a willing in manifestation, but this will is not able to understand anything apart from its blunt purpose, eventually leading to its own annihilation in the self provoked fire.

Divinatory meanings:

Cruel and arrogant powers and energies applied only to achieving selfish and material goals. Sometimes it means failure and too strong a resistance provoked by the stubbornness of the person who the reading is being performed to. It may signify resentment, superficial conclusions, lying, malice, slander, hostility, and speed in wrong doing. Exuberance may suffer from the burden of duty. Otherwise, it may hint toward generosity, self-sacrifice, business deals, something big and consolidated. It all depends on the position of the Ten of Wands Tarot Card.

Traditionally, the reversed meanings of 10 of Wands hint toward difficulties, intrigues and work without results. Other interpretations suggest that the weight has been lifted and that the difficulties are over. Or maybe there is a denial and refusing to take responsibility of the situation.

The alternative names for the King of Wands Tarot Card are “Lord of Flames”, “Lord of the Lightning Bolt” and “King of the Spirit of Fire”. King of Wands belongs to the Court Cards. Its place on the Kabbalistic Tree of Life is Sephirot number 2 – Chokhmah or “Wisdom”.

This card is the fiery part of the Fire element.

This card is depicted as a figure holding a flowering, living staff in his right hand. The staff is a representation of the fire element itself – meaning creativity and vital force. We can discern two symbols on his throne -  a lion (2 instances) and a salamander (3). The salamander is a symbol of the fire element (actually, the elemental beings of the fire element are named Salamanders), whereas the lion is a symbol of strength and royalty. The fact that the salamanders are biting their own tails, forming a perfect circle, symbolizes infinity. King’s robe is of orange color, resembling the color of the flame. His crown is likewise shaped to resemble the tongues of fire.

King of Wands hints toward the physical and emotional attributes of warmth, exaltation, and nobility. It represents the maturity of Aries, Leo and Sagittarius – the 3 fire signs in the Zodiac. Furthermore the character features of this card are activity, generosity, intensity, impetuosity, vanity, impulsiveness, speed, malice, cruelty, hypocrisy, and brutality. There are no capabilities inherent to this card that are adaptable to the environment. Hence, the actions are being conducted rather poorly in most of the cases.

Divinatory meanings of King of Wand:

The appearance of this card in a Tarot reading will most likely signify the appearance of a person with corresponding features in the querent’s life. That is, a dark man will appear, and he will be friendly, honest, and scrupulous. This card can also mean new enterprises, projects or schemes, important decisions in the future, or a leading role in some group activities.

The reversed King of Wands shows some characteristic features of nobility, for instance, severity, arrogance, pride, authority, even absolutism. Furthermore it may signify unwise or unrestrained use of power, loosing temper, error of judgment, overlooking some marginal but nevertheless important details.