Tarot 101: Suit of Wands
The General Meaning
The suit of Wands is often associated with the element of fire, which represents passion, energy, spirituality, and creativity. This suit is associated with the physical and spiritual realms and often represents actions, ideas, and beliefs. The Wands are also connected to the willpower and motivation necessary to make things happen.
The suit of Wands is also the action suit — a suit of “doing.” Creation and manifestation are key components of the foundation of the Wands suit. Creativity through the arts (physical, artistic, musical, etc.) thrives in the suit of Wands.
The creation aspect and the concept of manifestation is also reflected in the ruler of the suit of Wands, The Magician. In Tarot, The Magician is viewed as “The Creator” and draws power from the Universe to create in the physical realm, and can even be seen as the initial spark of creation, when the sperm meets the egg (and causes that zinc spark) and the creation process of new life begins. As above, so below.
This suit is also associated with sex and lust and can come in hot and heavy, particularly in the court cards. Passion and excitement are often represented by fire, and we all know the power of fire and how it can be both constructive and destructive.
Seasonally, the suit of Wands represents summer, a time of activity and adventure, and aligns with the months of June — August.
The suit of Wands is also equivalent to the suit of Clubs in traditional playing cards.
Zodiac References
The suit of Wands is associated with the zodiac signs of Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius.
Aries (March 21 — April 19) is associated with ambition and drive, which are themes that align with the Wands suit.
Leo (July 23 — August 22) is associated with leadership and creativity, which are also key themes of the Wands suit.
Sagittarius (November 22 — December 21) is associated with exploration and adventure, again, falling into the realm of Wands.
The Brief History of the Wand in Tarot
The history of using wands in Tarot can be traced back to the early days of Tarot when the cards were used primarily for playing games (Tarocchi). The Italian Tarot decks of the 15th century, such as the Visconti-Sforza and the Marseille Tarot, featured the suit of Wands as batons or staves. These decks were influenced by the imagery of medieval Europe, where the wand was a symbol of authority and power.
In the 18th century, Tarot began to be used for more divination purposes, and the symbolism of the wand became more mystical and esoteric with the wand being associated with the magician or sorcerer who used it to channel energy and manifest their will. The wand was also associated with the concept of the staff of Moses, which was used to perform various miracles.
In the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot deck, which was first published in 1909, the suit of Wands features images of magical wands adorned with leaves and flowers. These wands are held by figures who are depicted as magicians or mystics, and they represent the power of creativity and the ability to manifest one’s desires.
In modern Tarot, many decks continue to use the symbol of the Wand. However, we are beginning to see many decks branch out and use unique representations in place of the Wand such as scepters, twigs, branches, keys, candles, matches and fire.
Originally posted on Pixel-Tarot.com on May 9, 2023.
