Eight of Wands

This is a trickier card, with the wands flying through the air. It shows that lots of things are up in the air, nothing quite coming to ground yet. Some people find this more positive than I do, talking about clear skies, and speed. I guess I can’t see what it’s building yet, and often find this card with squandered energy.


This card shows the wands closer to earth but we still don’t know if it’s positive or negative, the woman looks perplexed, all this energy rushing towards me, what am I meant to do with it? Certainly, the theme of speed and rushing is here, but are we crossing the finishing line first or fools rushing in? This is a card where the context really matters and how I read it depends on what other cards are around.


I find the Inner Child card a more positive image because wands are a fire energy card, and all those sticks in the air worry me. But here, the sticks are pointing into the fire, and a group looks like it’s banding together to make something happen.


This final image is the one I find most satisfying, giving me both the rushing through the air feeling and also the fiery energy of the wands. This looks to me like my arrows are hitting home, and my energy will get me what I want.

Seven of Wands

Here we see a man, standing at the top of a hill, armed against unseen adversaries. We can’t see what is coming at him now, but we know there is a battle ahead. When you get this card, your will is being tested, your path is being challenged. This card encourages you to take a stand, to find the higher moral ground and cleave to it. It signifies a situation that will demand persistence and passion. You have to fight for what you want. And often, the challenge or the fight helps clarify matters for you – how important is this issue for you? Did you really want it? How hard are you willing to fight for it? Will you stand up for your principles? These answers are as important as the outcome.



I like the image with the hand, saying stop, controlling the situation, staking a claim.


The inner child card looks sadder and more alone to me. Here the battle goes inward:- who am I and what do I stand for? These are difficult questions and sometimes you have to go by yourself and sit amongst the flowers to be able to hear your own answers.

Six of Wands

Some cards pass by my hands all the time, others more infrequently. I don’t often see this card – which is a shame, because it’s a fine card to get - it is celebrating a victory, acknowledging an accomplishment. You are getting recognition, collecting the prize, having beaten the competition…



Then I realized that I find it more often, but in the inner child format, where they are celebrating around a maypole. Funny how that works… some cards turn up more in each pack… I like this version better because it feels more like shared joy, rather than an individual triumphing over others.



I chose the hello kitty one, because it’s more playful - perhaps the first image is too war like for me and here it brings it down to earth, to the joy of winning a tournament, that heady feeling of triumph, which lasts … till the next go round of games! So this card is about victory and the self esteem that goes with that. The shadow side of the 6 of wands is about needing victory to feel validated (turning everything into a battle) or becoming too self confident and not facing facts clearly.

Five of Wands

In the Tarot, Fives represent mayhem and conflict. With the wands, at least, there is conflict, but there is also energy. This reminds me more of a group of boys bumping sticks and play fighting rather than overt malice. Some people thrive on a bit of adrenaline entering their lives. If you are one of those kinds of people, then this card means you are going to bump ideas with some folks, and jostle for position. If you are the kind of person who hates any kind of conflict, then this card is not so welcome, because conflict is coming. It’s not life threatening, but a certain push and shove, a jostling for attention is present here.



How we read that really depends on how we feel about that. I personally don’t like it when this sort of thing happens, but I know lots of people (more men, it has a kind of male energy to it) who love it, and feel clearer and stronger after a bit of rough housing. I like the bridesmaids image - which is more how females fight, and it strikes the right cord with me, this is the sort of fighting we're talking about - not bloody with enemies, but a little elbowing out of the way between friends (or frenemies...)



It’s funny as I look through the cards I realize that the inner child version is the one that comes up most in readings for me, and is more the familiar imnage. Here she is unfurling a flower, all by herself and the saying that the inner child book quotes is ‘and the day came when the risk to remain in tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom…’ and here she is, forcing herself to blossom. It’s more about an inner struggle, and it’s worth it.

I guess that’s what all the 5 of wands cards are saying – it’s a struggle but it’s worth it.

4 of Wands

I always love this card, it’s one of the most joyful cards in the tarot. It’s about successfully using your energy to build something real and good in your life. There is something to celebrate; things are stable and solid, and home is a source of contentment and joy. (and who doesn’t want that!)

A phrase that comes to mind is ‘home is where the heart is’ and here the heart rejoices…



I like how in the Inner Child cards the fairies are planting and growing things. Life is being nurtured here. This is a card about harmony and balance, consolidation and foundations.

3 of Wands

I could do with a little bit of wands energy right now! I'm back and feeling that weird dizzy feeling you get from jet lag. One cure I know for jet lag is jumping right back into your life, so here's my latest blog. If you would like a reading, I'm back in New York...

The Three of Wands



This is a card all about perspective. The man in the card looks out over a wide panorama; he can’t see the details but he can see the overview. When you get this card, it’s about using the wands energy for exploration and analysis, but not for immediate action. It’s not about the here and now, rather this is a card for the long view. Don't react to the heat of the moment, but step back and reconsider. Try to see how the current situation fits into the bigger picture.



One of the images that frequently comes with this card is ‘waiting for your ship to come in’. Often when people are waiting for results of their careful planning (the two of wands that just preceded this card) they stare out to the horizon, dreaming of the future.