Diploma in Learning the Tarot

Minor arcana:
The Suit of Wands
(Eight to Ten, and
the court cards)
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Content
3 Lesson outcomes

3 Eight of Wands

4 Nine of Wands

5 Ten of Wands

7 Page of Wands

8 Knight of Wands

9 Queen of Wands

11 King of Wands

12 References
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Lesson outcomes
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

Uncover the symbolism of the Eight of Wands to the Ten of Wands, and the court cards
Understand the upright meaning of the Eight of Wands to the Ten of Wands, and the court cards
Explore the reversed meaning of the Eight of Wands to the Ten of Wands, and the court cards

Practical lesson outcome:

Apply the meaning of the upright Eight of Wands to the Ten of Wands, and the court cards
Apply the meaning of the reversed Eight of Wands to the Ten of Wands, and the court cards

Eight of Wands

The Rider-Waite-Smith tarot symbolism:

The Eight of Wands shows eight diagonal and sprouting wands of staggered length sailing through the air at high speed.
Their flight suggests change, movement, and travel.

The sky is clear, and the beautiful river is flowing freely and giving life to the surrounding landscape.

There are no people depicted on this card as the sole focus is the flight of the wands. The primary meaning of this card is
movement.

The upright Eight of Wands:

• Movement
• Fast paced change
• Action
• Alignment
• Quick decision
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The Eight of Wands signifies rapid change and urges you to take action. This card’s strong energy gives a sense of urgency
to any reading. It is a very positive card and brings lots of communication, so you may be inundated with emails, calls,
messages, and exciting offers.

If you have felt held back, or stuck waiting for decisions, you will soon have positive news. All your projects grow wings and
move swiftly forward. Be prepared for the energetic shift; fast, frantic events will energise you, but you will also need to
prioritise any offers. Enjoy this exciting influence.

The Reversed Eight of Wands:

• Delays
• Frustrations
• Resisting change
• Waiting
• Losing momentum
• Being unprepared

The reversed Eight of Wands is a symbol of slowness, delay, stagnation, and worry. Despite your enthusiasm, things in your
life are not moving forward, causing you to feel frustrated, weary, and anxious. To find a way around these obstacles you
must let go of blame and re-centre yourself.

Be patient, take things one day at a time and try to complete as much unfinished business as possible. Tough times will
not last forever, and you will be back at a steady pace soon.

Nine of Wands

The Rider-Waite-Smith tarot symbolism:

The Nine of Wands shows a weary-looking man holding on to a wand with eight other upright wands standing behind
them. The man looks injured, but he still seems ready to fight another battle, and desires strongly to win.

He seems injured, exhausted, and worn, as though he has already been through a battle and now must face additional
challenges with the presence of these eight wands.

As a Nine, though, this is his final challenge before reaching his goal; he must endure this last test of his strength,
endurance, and character before reaching the finish line. It is a card that shows a blend of challenges, hope and victory.
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The upright Nine of Wands:

• Resilience
• Courage
• Persistence
• Test of faith

The upright Nine of Wands shows that you have fought long and hard to get where you are, and have endured heavy
challenges and hurdles, particularly in work.

Being constantly vigilant and ingenious can be exhausting so use your energy wisely; plan all activities meticulously and
do not overexert yourself, and you will have all the resources you need to see you through.

The Nine of Wands wants you to keep going despite all odds. Do not give up, whatever the opposition. You have within you
the strength to overcome. And yes, you could get hurt. You may have gone through rough times and gotten hurt, but you
are still not defeated! Another quality of this card is resilience. Despite setbacks, you persist. You need to keep on going,
irrespective of everything.

Thankfully, as with all minor arcana cards, this influence will not last forever.

The Reversed Nine of Wands:

• Relentless challenges
• Weak willed
• Giving up
• Struggling
• Overwhelmed

Nine of Wands reversed indicates weakness and stubbornness rather than strength and willpower.

It suggests that you are struggling to keep working towards your goal. The challenges on your path are relentless and you
may be ready to give up. It can represent a physical or mental breaking point. The obstacles might seem too big for you to
overcome. You have been tormented by feelings of self-doubt and fears of inadequacy.

Ten of Wands
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The Rider-Waite-Smith tarot symbolism:

The Ten of Wands shows a man carrying ten large, cumbersome wands. The bundle of wands is a heavy burden for him to
bear as he is stooped over, holding the wands up as best as he can.

He has embarked on a long journey and is mid-step approaching a town that can be seen in the distance.

The card indicates a person who has struggled in life and succeeded and is now carrying his harvests to his final
destination where he can release his burdens, relax, and revel in his success.

The upright Ten of Wands:

• Burden
• Extra responsibilities
• Hard work
• Overcommitment

The Ten of Wands indicates that an unreasonable number of responsibilities and burdens have been thrust upon you. Be
careful, you may be pushing yourself too hard in the name of success.

The card depicts a lot of responsibilities on your side, but your efforts will be rewarded. In the achievement of your goal,
significant responsibilities and commitments come with it.

You may need to cut down on your duties and unending tasks. Share the burden for the sake of your health.

The Reversed Ten of Wands:

• Shouldering too much responsibility
• Collapse
• Doing it all

The Ten of Wands reversed means you are feeling crushed under the weight of your responsibilities. You could be headed
for some sort of breakdown or collapse if you continue to push yourself this hard.

In your effort to be everything to everyone, you have found yourself struggling under the weight of it all.

Similarly, it can also suggest that you are carrying a heavy weight on your shoulders, but you are keeping this private and
are unwilling to share your burden with others. You may be grappling with emotional trauma, carrying a dark secret, or
buckling under increased responsibilities.
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Page of Wands

The Rider-Waite-Smith tarot symbolism:

A well-dressed young man is boldly holding a wand standing on barren land. Even in the most unlikely places, like the dry
mountainous landscape, he can find potential, and believe in his abilities wholeheartedly and makes things happen.

His head is held high, exuding confidence and passion. His clothing makes a bold statement. The hat that sits upon his
head has a feather sticking out of the top. This represents success and honor. The salamander-like fabric on his shirt
represents fire and transformation, while the orange color of his attire stands for vitality and courage.

The upright Page of Wands:

• Inspiration
• New opportunities
• New ideas
• Enthusiasm

The Page of Wands shows a need for new things - new adventures, new approaches, and new ideas. The Page brings us
positive energy. However, you must supply the follow-through. You do not have a solid plan in place just yet, nor do you
know where you are headed, but you are excited about the possibilities.

The Page is standing still, and his wand is firmly planted on the ground, he is not going anywhere just yet. An imminent
opportunity awaits, so make sure you do not remain dormant, or get easily distracted with one idea after the other.

The Page of Wands loves the first stages of any project or relationship when everything is shiny and new. However, they
are keen to start things but not finish them. They may underestimate the effort needed for most projects or relationships.
Once the going gets tough, they are mostly out of there.

The Page of Wands advises you to act. This is a time to grab such a chance and act on it.

The Reversed Page of Wands:

• Impatient
• Lazy
• Unreliable
• Distracted
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The Page of Wands reversed signals setbacks and delays due to the lack of goals, desires, and follow-through. While you
desperately want to make a change in your life, you do not know where to begin and lack the confidence to take action.

You may be procrastinating and putting things off. You are lacking the requisite energy, creativity, planning, and ambition.

As a personality, the Page of Wands reversed represents someone who is young at heart, who may be hasty, gullible, or
impatient or alternatively, may be lazy, lethargic, pessimistic, or spoiled. This person may lack inspiration, ideas, or goals.

Knight of Wands

The Rider-Waite-Smith tarot symbolism:

The Knight of Wands card depicts a knight in full armor riding a galloping horse. His horse rises on its hind legs, poised and
ready for action.

The look on the knight’s face is both determined and self-assured, his enthusiasm and vigor are undeniable. He is holding
a sprouting wand in his right hand, symbolising his energy and enthusiasm for his mission.

His armor is decorated in bright red plumes, symbolising the knight’s fiery and confident nature. In addition to his armor,
he is wearing a yellow tunic covered in a salamander pattern, which represents transformation. Note that the
salamanders’ mouths on his clothes do not touch their tails – if they did, we would see a complete circle. The Knight might
not complete a project as his concern is with getting things started.

Like all the Wands court cards, the background is hot, dry, and barren, with mountains soaring in the distance. The sunny
desert, the orange/brown-coloured horse, the knight’s yellow clothing and his red hair are all telling of a relentless drive to
move. Standing still is not this knight’s forte, nor is it called for in his situation. He wants to do, act, and move forward.

The upright Knight of Wands:

• Energetic
• Passionate
• Inspired action
• Impulsive
• Courageous
• Adventurous
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Wands represent our fire, our fiery energy, and the Knight of Wands is someone who wants to put that fire into movement
and action. The Knight of Wands is a sign of adventure, action, and excitement, you are taking life by the horns.

While the Page of Wands marks the initial spark of a new idea, the Knight of Wands shows the actual pursuit of that idea.
You are charged up with energy, passion, motivation, and enthusiasm, and you channel that energy through inspired
action.

As a person, the Knight of Wands is an ‘act first, think later” personality type. The Knight is impulsive and impatient,
expecting everything to be done yesterday. They thrive on the challenge of discovering new projects and ideas. This is
someone who loves adventure and appears fearless, passionate, and courageous.

This is the time for focused and swift action, to move forward with confidence and vigor in attaining your goals.

The Reversed Knight of Wands:

• Reckless
• Volatile
• Superficial
• Impatient
• Lack of self-control

The reversed Knight of Wands represents a lack of self-discipline, and not being able to finish what you started. It indicates
frustrations and delays. You may feel angry and that you are not getting anywhere. You may be lacking focus, ambition,
enthusiasm, or self-discipline to make your projects a success.

It tells of a reckless, unreliable personality, always stirring up trouble. This person is impatient and generally never finishes
anything of any worth.

Queen of Wands

The Rider-Waite-Smith tarot symbolism:

The Queen of Wands sits upon a throne decorated with lions facing opposing directions, a symbol of confidence and
assertiveness.
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She is holding a sunflower in her left hand, and the image of the sunflowers are also carved on the throne, meaning
happiness, satisfaction, and passion. In her right hand, she is holding her wand which is starting to blossom and
symbolises life.

A black cat sits at her feet, a sign that while this Queen is bold and outgoing, she is also in touch with her shadow self – the
darker, lesser-known side of her being.

The upright Queen of Wands:

• Confident
• Determined
• Self-assured
• Vivacious
• Optimistic

The Queen of Wands fully appreciates life, she is a person of extreme focus and fiery passion. She has great charisma, deep
self-knowledge, someone who has transformed themselves. Someone who is upbeat, extraverted, courageous, and
determined.

The Queen is immensely talented at persuasion, motivating people into action, and turning her dreams into reality.
She is courageous and individualistic, though at times she may appear self-centered. She represents someone who is
willing to be by your side and stand up for you.

The Queen of Wands indicates that you will be optimistic, outgoing, and full of energy. You will be accomplishing many
tasks and are always on the go! The card advices you to act on your desires.

The Reversed Queen of Wands:

• Domineering
• Revengeful
• Lacking virtue
• Shadow self

The reversed Queen of Wands is a sign that your shadow self has taken over. Jealousy, insecurity, deceit, and selfishness
are obstructing your progression in life.

The upright Queen of Wands is the queen of energy, and succeeds by using her energy, charisma, and social connections.
Reverse her and we have a woman who disappears rather than stands out, a woman who as no friends, no allies. She has a
terrible temper if you happen to cross her. It is her way or the highway, she tends to be an obstacle to success. She is
overbearing, intimidating and selfish in her aims.
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King of Wands

The Rider-Waite-Smith tarot symbolism:

The King of Wands leans forward in his throne as though he is about to jump up and take action.

He holds a blossoming wand in his hand, a symbol of life and creativity. His throne and cape are decorated with lions and
salamanders, both symbols of fire and strength. The salamanders biting their own tails represent infinity and the ongoing
drive to move forward against all obstacles. His robe is bright and orange resembling a flame, while the crown is shaped
like a tongue of fire.

The upright King of Wands:

• Visionary
• Ambition
• Leadership
• Authority figure

The King of Wands is a natural born leader, powerful, and extremely capable. He represents bold energy, ambition, new
ideas, goal-oriented action, unbridled optimism, risk-taking, and benevolence. He dominates his environment and earns
respect.

Once the king sets a goal, he is going to achieve it. He urges you to set out and accomplish your goals by putting your
leadership skills and personal power to good use. He represents real power over any situation. He is never one to sit idly
by, he always wants to be learning, doing, engaging.

In a personality reading, he indicates that you are a natural-born leader, bold, persuasive, and that you exude confidence
and determination. He is the master of fire and with plenty of swagger to boot.

The Reversed King of Wands:

• Broken promises
• Obstacles
• Ruthless
• Bad leadership
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The King of Wands reversed can indicate that you lack the energy to accomplish what you set out to achieve at this time,
you are not being proactive in your life. You may feel that you are not up to the task and are having trouble focusing or
facing obstacles in completing a project.

As a person, the King of Wands reversed, is rude, forceful, controlling and is a bully, like a dictator or tyrant. He may be
impulsive, abusive, and extremely aggressive and excessively stubborn or egotistical. He may be trying to control everyone
and everything around you with aggression, or brute force. Alternatively, he may be weak, unreliable, undependable,
ineffective, and powerless and may break the promises he makes.

References:

A Little Spark of Joy. 2021. Eight of Wands Card Meaning: Love, Relationship, Health & More. [ONLINE]
Available at: https://www.alittlesparkofjoy.com/eight-of-wands-tarot-card-meanings/

A Little Spark of Joy. 2021. Page of Wands Meaning: Love, Career, Health & More. [ONLINE] Available
at: https://www.alittlesparkofjoy.com/page-of-wands-tarot-card-meanings/

Biddy Tarot. 2021. Eight of Wands Tarot Card Meanings | Biddy Tarot. [ONLINE] Available
at: https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/minor-arcana/suit-of-wands/eight-of-wands/

Biddy Tarot. 2021. King of Wands Tarot Card Meanings | Biddy Tarot. [ONLINE] Available
at: https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/minor-arcana/suit-of-wands/king-of-wands/

Biddy Tarot. 2021. Page of Wands Tarot Card Meanings | Biddy Tarot. [ONLINE] Available
at: https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/minor-arcana/suit-of-wands/page-of-wands/

Biddy Tarot. 2021. Queen of Wands Tarot Card Meanings | Biddy Tarot. [ONLINE] Available
at: https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/minor-arcana/suit-of-wands/queen-of-wands/

Elliot Oracle - Tarot Card Readings. 2021. The Card of the Day: The Eight of Wands — Elliot Oracle - Tarot Card
Readings. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.elliotoracle.com/blog/2017/9/15/the-card-of-the-day-the-eight-
of-wands

King of Wands Tarot Card Meaning - Astrology.com. 2021. King of Wands Tarot Card Meaning - Astrology.com.
[ONLINE] Available at: https://www.astrology.com/tarot/card-meanings/king-of-wands

Labyrinthos. 2021. King of Wands Tarot Card Meaning - Upright and Reversed – Labyrinthos. [ONLINE] Available
at: https://labyrinthos.co/blogs/tarot-card-meanings-list/king-of-wands-meaning-tarot-card-meanings

Labyrinthos. 2021. Knight of Wands Tarot Card Meaning - Upright & Reversed – Labyrinthos. [ONLINE] Available
at: https://labyrinthos.co/blogs/tarot-card-meanings-list/knight-of-wands-meaning-tarot-card-meanings

Labyrinthos. 2021. Nine of Wands Tarot Card Meaning - Upright and Reversed – Labyrinthos. [ONLINE]
Available at: https://labyrinthos.co/blogs/tarot-card-meanings-list/nine-of-wands-meaning-tarot-card-
meanings

Labyrinthos. 2021. Page of Wands Tarot Card Meaning - Upright and Reversed – Labyrinthos. [ONLINE]
Available at: https://labyrinthos.co/blogs/tarot-card-meanings-list/page-of-wands-meaning-tarot-card-
meanings

Labyrinthos. 2021. Queen of Wands Tarot Card Meaning - Upright and Reversed – Labyrinthos. [ONLINE]
Available at: https://labyrinthos.co/blogs/tarot-card-meanings-list/queen-of-wands-meaning-tarot-card-
meanings
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Page of Wands Tarot Card Meaning - Astrology.com. 2021. Page of Wands Tarot Card Meaning - Astrology.com.
[ONLINE] Available at: https://www.astrology.com/tarot/card-meanings/page-of-wands

Page of Wands Tarot Card Meaning - Astrology.com. 2021. Page of Wands Tarot Card Meaning - Astrology.com.
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