These card descriptions provide basic correspondences from the Golden Dawn tradition and a few common themes for interpretation. Typically, the characteristics of the correspondences lend themselves to many of a card’s popular modern key themes. Card meanings have greater depth and diversity when they are a part of a reading. This guide is merely a brief introduction to the general overall atmosphere of individual cards.
Detailed explorations of individual cards will be posted under Tarot Insider as they are written.
Ace of Wands
Element: Fire
Zodiac/Planet: Cancer, Leo, Virgo
Trumps and Court: The Chariot, Strength, The Hermit, Judgement, Page of Wands
Dates: June 21-Sept. 22
Hermetic Title: The Root of the Powers of Fire
Kabbalah: Kether (Atziluth)
Popular Key Themes: A new creative endeavor or enterprise, inspiration, motivation, ideas, opportunities, virility, desire/Dampened dreams, being uninspired, loss of energy, impatience, false starts
II of Wands
Element: Cardinal Fire
Zodiac/Planet: Mars in Aries (Rulership)
Trumps and Court: The Tower, The Emperor, Queen of Wands
Dates: March 21-30
Hermetic Title: Dominion
Kabbalah: Chokmah (Atziluth)
Popular Key Themes: Boldness, choosing where to invest your energy, contemplation, direction, planning, seeking a new endeavor/Insecurity, lack of direction, unfulfilled potential, restlessness
III of Wands
Element: Cardinal Fire
Zodiac/Planet: Sun in Aries (Exaltation)
Trumps and Court: Sun, The Emperor, Queen of Wands
Dates: March 31-April 10
Hermetic Title: Virtue/Established Strength
Kabbalah: Binah (Atziluth)
Popular Key Themes: Enterprise, establishment, the first fruits of your labor, manifestation/Being left behind, lack of opportunity, failed exploration, self-doubt
IV of Wands
Element: Cardinal Fire
Zodiac/Planet: Venus in Aries (Detriment)
Trumps and Court: Empress, Emperor, Knight of Coins
Dates: April 11-20
Hermetic Title: Completion/Perfected Work
Kabbalah: Chesed (Atziluth)
Popular Key Themes: Safe-haven, completed foundation, celebration, marriage, relaxation, achievement, order, rite of passage/Instability, plateau
V of Wands
Element: Fixed Fire
Zodiac/Planet: Saturn in Leo (Detriment)
Trumps and Court: Strength, The World, Knight of Wands
Dates: July 21-August 1
Hermetic Title: Strife
Kabbalah: Geburah (Atziluth)
Popular Key Themes: Competition, group project, teamwork, reform, compromise, adaptation/Lack of cooperation, bickering, too many cooks in the kitchen, groupthink, struggle, bad instructions, conflict of interest, obstacles, confusion, annoyances
VI of Wands
Element: Fixed Fire
Zodiac/Planet: Jupiter in Leo
Trumps and Court: Strength, The Wheel of Fortune, Knight of Wands
Dates: August 2-10
Hermetic Title: Victory
Kabbalah: Tiphereth (Atziluth)
Popular Key Themes: Victory, a following, good news, inspiring individual, reward, honor, confidence, a sense of purpose, leadership/Pessimism, defeat, lack of support, pyrrhic victory, illusions of grandeur
VII of Wands
Element: Fixed Fire
Zodiac/Planet: Mars in Leo
Trumps and Court: Strength, The Tower, King of Coins
Dates: August 11-22
Hermetic Title: Valor
Kabbalah: Netzach (Atziluth)
Popular Key Themes: Standing your ground, being defensive, beating the odds, perseverance, asserting yourself, responsibility, determination, courage/Outnumbered, failed negotiations, mob mentality, rivalry, opposition, lack of confidence, social anxiety, embarrassment, aggression
VIII of Wands
Element: Mutable Fire
Zodiac/Planet: Mercury in Sagittarius (Detriment)
Trumps and Court: The Magician, Temperance, King of Wands
Dates: November 23- December 2
Hermetic Title: Swiftness
Kabbalah: Hod (Atziluth)
Popular Key Themes: Swift progress, hitting the mark, being direct, focus, selling yourself, excitement, channeled action, travel, rapid change/Scattered energy, ineffective methods, losing sight of goals, distraction, behaving rashly
IX of Wands
Element: Mutable Fire
Zodiac/Planet: Moon in Sagittarius
Trumps and Court: The High Priestess, Temperance, King of Wands
Dates: December 3-12
Hermetic Title: Strength/Great Strength
Kabbalah: Yesod (Atziluth)
Popular Key Themes: Strength in adversity, seeing things through, the final push, vigilance, determination, endurance, integrity, persistence/Wariness, tiredness, overwhelm, failing strength
X of Wands
Element: Mutable Fire
Zodiac/Planet: Saturn in Sagittarius
Trumps and Court: Temperance, The World, Queen of Coins
Dates: December 13-22
Hermetic Title: Oppression
Kabbalah: Malkuth (Atziluth)
Popular Key Themes: Freedom, completed labor, leaving a job, applying the finishing touches/Toil, oppression, burden, exhaustion, over exertion, taking on too much, pressure, burnout
Card images are from the Aquatic Tarot by Andreas Schröter