Wands (tarot)
(Revision as of 22:04, 28 Mar 2005)
Part of the Thoth Tarot series.
Wands are one of the suits in the Thoth Tarot deck.
The four suits of the Tarot are: Wands, Cups, Swords, Disks
Unless otherwise noted, all quotes are from Aleister Crowley's The Book of Thoth.
| Table of contents |
The Court Cards
Knight of Wands
- Title:
- Astrology:
- Tree of Life:
- Description:
- Interpretation:
Queen of Wands
- Title:
- Astrology:
- Tree of Life:
- Description:
- Interpretation:
Prince of Wands
- Title:
- Astrology:
- Tree of Life:
- Description:
- Interpretation:
Princess of Wands
- Title:
- Astrology:
- Tree of Life:
- Description:
- Interpretation:
The Small Cards
Ace of Wands
- Title: The Root of the Powers of Fire
- Tree of Life: Kether
- Description: A phallic, flaming torch made of ten "yods" in the formation of the Tree of Life, with lightning shooting out in all directions.
- Interpretation: "This card represents the essence of the element of fire in its inception...It is the primordial Energy of the Divine manifesting in Matter, at so early a stage that it is not yet definitely formulated as Will" (188). "It symbolizes Force—strength, rush, vigour, energy, and it governs, according to its nature, various works and questions... It implies Natural, as opposed to Invoked, Force." (LXXVIII)
Two of Wands
- Title: Dominion (The Lord of Dominion)
- Astrology: Mars in Aries
- Tree of Life: Chokmah
- Description: "The pictorial representation is two Dorjes crossed. The Dorje is the Tibetan symbol of the thunderbolt, the emblem of celestial Power, but more in its destructive than its creative form... Six flames issue from the centre. This indicates the influence of the Sun, who is exalted in Aries." (189).
- Interpretation: "This card, pertaining to Chokmah in the suit of Fire, represents the Will in its most exalted form. It is an ideal Will, independent of any given object...This is the creative Will." (189). It "represents the energy of fire; fire in its best and highest form" (177). "Strength, domination, harmony of rule and of justice. Boldness, courage, fierceness, shamelessness, revenge, resolution, generous, proud, sensitive, ambitious, refined, restless, turbulent, sagacious withal, yet unforgiving and obstinate...Influence over others, authority, power, dominion" (LXXVIII).
Three of Wands
- Title: Virtue (The Lord of Established Strength)
- Astrology: Sol in Aries
- Tree of Life: Binah
- Description: Three yellow rods crownd with white lotus flowers. Behind them is a field of flames and a ten-rayed white starburst.
- Interpretation: "This card refers to Binah in the suit of Fire, and so represents the establishment of primeval Energy. The Will has been transmitted to the Mother, who conceives, prepares, and gives birth to, its manifestation... The meaning is harmonious, for this is the beginning of Spring. For this reason one sees the wand taking the form of the Lotus in blossom. The Sun has enkindled the Great Mother." From LXXVIII: "Established force, strength, realization of hope. Completion of labour. Success after struggle. Pride, nobility, wealth, power, conceit. Rude self-assumption and insolence. Generosity, obstinacy, etc."
Four of Wands
- Title: Completion (The Lord of Perfected Work)
- Astrology: Venus in Aries
- Tree of Life: Chesed
- Description: Four red wands crossing in the middle, with flames erupting out of their junction, and the ends headed by a Ram (representing Aries) on one end and a Dove (representing Venus) on the other, which fall on the rim of a yellow circle.
- Interpretation: "Being below the Abyss, it is the Lord of all manifested active Power. The original Will of the Two has been transmitted through the Three, and is now built up into a solid system: —Order, Law, Government...one cannot establish one's work without tact and gentleness...In the symbol, the ends of the wands touch a circle, showing the completion and limitation of the original work...there is no intention to increase the scope of the original Will. But this limitation bears in itself the seeds of disorder." From LXXVIII: "Perfection or completion of a thing built up with trouble and labour. Rest after labour, subtlety, cleverness, beauty, mirth, success in completion. Reasoning faculty, conclusions drawn from previous knowledge. Unreadiness, unreliable and unsteady through over-anxiety and hurriedness of action. Graceful in manner, at times insincere, etc.."
Five of Wands
- Title: Strife (The Lord of Material Trouble)
- Astrology: Saturn in Leo
- Tree of Life: Geburah
- Description: Three wands cross: in the fore is the Wand of the Adept, with two wands of the "Second, or Major Adept", headed by a phoenix, and a pare of wands of the "Third, or Minor, Adept," tiped by the lotus. Ten flames shoot forth from their junction.
- Interpretation: "...a purely active force. It is ruled also by Saturn and Leo. Leo shows the element of Fire at its strongest and most balanced. Saturn tends to weigh it down and to embitter it. There is no limit to the scope of this volcanic energy...authority is derived from the superiors; were it not so, this card would be thoroughly disastrous...idea of destruction (or rather purgation) through fire, and the resurrection of the energy from its ashes....One of the most difficult doctrines with regard to Geburah is that, while it represents all this tameless irrational energy and disturbance, yet it derives from the benign and gentle influence of the feminine." From LXXVIII "Violent strife and boldness, rashness, cruelty, violence, lust, desire, prodigality and generosity; depending on whether the card is well or ill dignified."
Six of Wands
- Title: Victory (The Lord of Victory)
- Astrology: Jupiter in Leo
- Tree of Life: Tiphareth
- Description: "...the Three Wands of the Three Adepts are now orderly arranged; and the flames themselves, instead of shooting out in all directions, burn steadily as in lamps."
- Interpretation: "Energy in completely balanced manifestation...The reference is also to Jupiter and Leo, which seems to imply a benediction on the harmony and beauty of this arrangement...This [card] shows the stabilization of the Energy, and its reception and reflection by the Feminine. There is no circle to enclose the system. It is self-supporting, like the Sun." From LXXVIII: "Victory after strife: Love: pleasure gained by labour: carefulness, sociability and avoiding of strife, yet victory therein: also insolence, and pride of riches and success, etc. The whole dependent on the dignity."
Seven of Wands
- Title: Valour (The Lord of Valour)
- Astrology: Mars in Leo
- Tree of Life: Netzach
- Description: "The pictorial representation shows the fixed and balanced wands of the last card relegated to the background, diminished, and become commonplace. In front is a large crude uneven club, the first weapon to hand; evidently unsatisfactory in ordered combat. The flames are dispersed, and seem to attack in all directions without systematic purpose."
- Interpretation: "The army has been thrown into disorder; if victory is to be won, it will be by dint of individual valour—a 'soldier's battle'." From LXXVIII: "Possible victory, depending on the energy and courage exercised; valour; opposition, obstacles and difficulties, yet courage to meet them; quarrelling, ignorance, pretence, and wrangling, and threatening; also victory in small and unimportant things: and influence upon subordinates."
Eight of Wands
- Title: Swiftness
- Astrology: Mercury in Sagittarius
- Tree of Life:
- Description:
- Interpretation:
Nine of Wands
- Title:
- Astrology:
- Tree of Life:
- Description:
- Interpretation:
Ten of Wands
- Title: Oppression
- Astrology: Saturn in Sagittarius
- Tree of Life:
- Description:
- Interpretation:
 | Tarot | Thoth Tarot | Tarot & the Tree of Life |
| Major Arcana: The Fool - The Magus - The Priestess - The Empress - The Emperor - The Hierophant - The Lovers - The Chariot - Adjustment - The Hermit - Fortune - Lust - The Hanged Man - Death - Art - The Devil - The Tower - The Star - The Moon - The Sun - The Aeon - The Universe Minor Arcana: Wands | Cups | Swords | Disks |
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