The suit of wands is associated with the element of fire. The Three of Wands in particular is associated with waiting combined with alertness, inward activity that isn’t always expressed with outward activity.
It reminds me of an episode of “Avatar: The Last Airbender we recently watched. Controlled fire is life. Uncontrolled fire can lead to destruction. The Avatar was given a leaf with a smodering fire at the center. His training task was to keep the fire from reaching the edge of the leaf for as long as possible but not to extinguish it.
The Three of Wands hints at that same subdued energy and change. It isn’t a card of charging ahead, but still is positive, and hints at success. It isn’t a card of completly standing down and taking a nap. It is a card of watching, analysing, following your dreams, but not chasing and flailing after them.
Follow your passions in a clear, focused, deliberate way. Control the burn, not put out the flame.
Left: Nine of Wands. The feeling around this card is battle weary, battle hardened, keeping watch. Wands, as always, have to do with the inner realm, and the nine today has a feeling of baptism by fire. Fire, of course, is also appropriate for the suit of wands. We’ve survive so far, but there are battles to come. It is the darker side of keeping watch where where your own fatigue and pessimism is as much of an adversary as the threats you guard against. Rather than give up hope, use your experiences so far. You may be exhausted, but let that make you still, and listening. Settle into a still watching that lets your bones rest and your heart be still while you are cautiously prepared for what may come.
Center: Six of Pentacles. Coins once again bring us to the earth element and the physical realm. Energy has been dwelling with this, as it should. This is precisely where out attention should start. We have been called on to do practical things and this continues. There is a shift, a settling in. Now that we’ve had a couple of weeks of this, it is time to dig in for real, do what needs done for the long term, and that includes carving out spaces of generosity. It is time to see the new rhythms of supply and demand. Let go of what you don’t really need – it is ok to stop hoarding toilet paper and let the elderly in need have some. Act out of love and pragmatism in spite of the fear. There are real problems to deal with. Deal with them, yes, but do from a place of caring more than fear just as much as you can muster.
Right: Three of Wands. This is the lighter side of watching, the lighter side of being on guard. Keep an eye on the horizon. Conditions are right for a storm but one is not guaranteed. Watch, be on guard, but do so with confidence. You are battle hardened, just like the 9 of wands, but with greater resources. The danger here is overconfidence. Now is not a time for rose colored glasses any more than it is time for overly fearful ones. Temper your hard won preparedness with a tinge of caution and practicality. You are a hero…you can do this…but keep your wits about you and see reality as you do.
Sage Sips / TaoCraft Tarot 