05/04/2026
Today's 3 card Tarot Reading...
== #1 Situation As It Is==
~~ Ten of Wands ~~
The ten of wands feels a little anticlimactic after journeying through often heroic footsteps in the suit of wands.
I sometimes get the feeling of a little school kid getting cranky over a game of street ball. The one who threatens to go home with the bat if the other kids don't play nice (which is a big deal, because that's the only baseball bat in the entire neighborhood).
And that's unfortunate because we've learned so much as in the journeyed through the rods. But the tell-tale signs of dejection linger in the body language found in the ten of wands card.
Note the down-cast eyes of our figurehead. He can't even see the horizon of his dreams. Indeed, the wands are blocking his vision; symbolic of allowing the throes of his passion to completely blind him from his path.
His back is turned, which suggests reflecting on past actions, or even a movement of retreat. However, he moves to the homestead. We could intuit this for ourselves to mean a time to regroup or collect ourselves and find our center within the whirlwind.
On the subject of collecting ourselves, the body language seen holding all the wands together is symbolic of harvest and/or girding the loins as we continue on our path. When those ten wands waggle before our sight in a reading, it may indicate a time to gather up our lessons and recollect ourselves for the next phase life offers us.
I've had this card indicate overextension in a querent too. This card hints we might be unwilling to give up our burdens and that unwillingness is causing us to hunch over, essentially crippling our ability to grow. This card may be a sign it might be time to hand over some aspects of our activities to the professionals so we can focus on our own areas of expertise.
The ten of wands is one of those cards having a chameleon quality. It's mood changes with its surrounding players. Granted, all cards will change in meaning depending on the surrounding cards, but this one is especially transient. For example, I've recently had this card reveal a clients' struggle in the US mortgage crisis. Although this card really has little to do with finances, the surrounding cards helped us get to the heart of the matter in her reading.
Some symbolic meaning gathered up in the ten of wands Tarot card:
- House: In houses we live, die, play, cry, grow, hide, dream, the list goes on. As such, they are symbols of our deepest secrets and the tenderest parts of our hearts. House symbol meanings also deal with protection and the value that we feel we must guard against theft. When houses jump up to our vision in a reading it may be a sign that our security is threatened, or it may convey the opposite, and we should not be concerned with safety and we are already protected. In the ten of wands Tarot card meaning, the house may signify a time of retreat, isolation and regrouping. Walk through other homes in the Tarot.
- Plowed Fields: "As we sew, so shall we reap." This is the prime symbol meaning behind the plowed fields we see in the cards. When these fields come in contact with our intuition in a reading, we should be mindful that what we do and how we do it is pivotal to our harvest. If we're lazy and sloppy (rushing through as the Knight of Pentacles is want to do) with planting our seeds we will be disappointed with the results. However, if we invest the time to plant, nurture, and grow our rows, we will be rewarded with abundance. Plowed fields are also a symbol of time - it takes time to reap our rewards, we must allow for germination, and patience is required as we wait it out for the results we are expecting from our labors. You can just barely see the plowed fields in the ten of wands, click on the picture so you can see it up close, and pointed out.
Some questions to help us discern more about the ten of wands Tarot card meaning:
- Am I overextending?
- Is it time to regroup?
- Do I need to prepare for a harvest?
- What is blocking my vision?
- How do I feel about retreat?
== #2 Course of Action to be Taken ==
~~ Knight of Swords ~~
"I am the Knight of Swords and this is my story.
I am lean and effective in all my ways. I recognize the world has a need for the dandy, the bard and the rogue as seen in my other Knight brothers, I am none of these.
I am the equalizer. My father (the King of Swords) calls upon me when situations have met a deadlock. The moment of negotiations has past. I enforce the wishes of the King.
Words are a waste of time; akin to making daisy chains in a field - quite useless in the final analysis. Deeds and action speak louder than words in superfluous meetings at high counsel.
Although I have little use for talk, that does not mean I'm not thinking. On the contrary, I'm always thinking. I have strategy on top of strategy in my mind, all of them acting out in choreographed precision. My thoughts are like a well planned chess game. Sharp, accurate, and poised (five steps ahead) for the victory.
I've overheard my mother (the Queen of Swords) bemoaning my arrogance and headstrong nature. If inciting my brand of justice is arrogance, so be it. I am usually always right in my estimations, I prefer the term "righteously confident" over arrogance.
Sometimes I hear people say: "The Knight of Swords may be too young to maturely deal with the challenges and battles of his time." I think youth is a handicap. If I were older, people would respect me more.
I also hear people say I have a thirst for revenge and bloodlust. 'Tis true, I relish the heat of conflict. But my edges soften when I am coupled in romance. Adoration and sexual pleasure are just as satisfying as battle and debate.
What people don't readily recognize in me is my mission for a noble cause. Tarot scholars recognize my white steed, and they often compare me to Sir Galahad. I can't deny the similarities. If my father's kingdom is at peace, I would find heaven in embarking a noble quest.
As the Knight of Swords, valor, notoriety and an inner sense of righteousness drives me on such adventures. The opportunity for sexual conquest on these royal expeditions is also highly attractive.
Men and woman both comment on my rugged good looks. I am chiseled, hard and well groomed. I've noticed objects of my desire usually melt into my muscular arms. My hands are calloused from holding the reins and the sword in practice and battle. My face still has the shadow of boyish youth, but the crows feet are beginning to make their tracks from hard squinting in the face of foes.
When I show up in the cards, I will tell you to take action. I will tell you to eliminate fear from your purpose. I will not tolerate doubt, and questioning your inclination to proceed is unacceptable. I will show up when you are at a dead end, and I am your secret weapon to slice through the enemy."
Some symbols from the Knight of Swords:
- Birds or Feathers: The symbol meanings of the bird deals with higher thoughts and matters of the spirit. They are creatures of the air, so they symbolize higher ideals. They also represent freedom and ascension. When the bird symbol pops out at us during a reading it is a message that we are rising to a higher level, that we need to free ourselves from bo***ge and we must make our hearts light.
- Clouds: Clouds hold the symbol meaning of revelation. Consider out of the mists of our deepest thoughts suddenly an epiphany comes, a bright idea comes out from nowhere - this is the basic cloud symbol meaning. Depending on the card, clouds can also symbolize confusion or clouded judgment. Primarily, clouds represent higher thought and messages from the divine.
- Horse: Featured on all the knight cards of the Tarot, the horse symbol meanings deal with strength, motion, action, and vitality. Linked in many ancient traditions with the four elements (fire, water, earth, air) the horse is also a strong spiritual symbol and an emblem of incorporating all the elements to maintain an equal, powerful balance with all things in the universe. This is evident in the "either/or" nature of the knights. In a more mundane sense, the horse is predisposition to have a charging nature. In a reading, this gives us pause to consider where we are charging to and why.
Some Questions from the Knight of Swords:
- Are you in a position to lead your troops?
- Either lead and act with authority, or let someone else lead for you.
- Do you have the strength of presence to take charge?
- You will gain no respect from peers or lovers if they smell fear on you.
- Are you dodging your purpose?
- No more talk. No more procrastination. No more meandering. Now is the time for action. Take the reigns and move!
== #3 New Situation that Will Evolve ==
~~ The Empress ~~
The mother figure of the Tarot deck, the Empress Tarot card meanings are all about love, abundance, nurturing, and pleasure. When we observe the card we see elements of nature - all exploding on the card - the Empress brings about the flood of growth and is the epitome of abundance. She reminds us that there is always enough for everyone to enjoy. There is no shortage.
Many decks depict the Empress as pregnant. This is very symbolic, and when pulled, this card conveys a message that the situation is pregnant with promise - full of opportunity. Along with the symbolism of pregnancy holding promise, comes the waiting period. Just as there is an incubation time until the child comes forth, so too is there a time of waiting until our desires become manifest.
Venus is the astral ruler of the Empress card. As such, this card expresses love, beauty, art, and pleasure. When we pull the Empress card it is a clear indication that we're on the right track with our artistic endeavors and should be encouraged to participate in the activities that instills love in our hearts, and creativity in our souls.
The Tarot card meanings associated with the Empress are strongly linked with motherhood. When we pull this card for ourselves or for others it is often a message to a mother or from a mother. Keep this in mind as you are conducting your readings.
Key Symbols Relative to Empress Tarot Card Meanings:
This section focuses in on a few select symbols that can help us further define the Empress Tarot card meanings.
- Shield: The Empress abides by one motto: "From love I do come, from love I do go" and her shield is a testament to this creed. The Empress knows (as we all should) that when we enter all situations with the shield of love, we are always protected. When we envelope ourselves with a force-field of love, there is no need for fear. The shield is a paradox - we think of protection - yet the emblem of love (Venus, a heart) is pictured on the shield. The paradox is that where there is love there is instant protection, yet to love also requires our vulnerability.
- Waterfall: Water is a universal sign of motion, emotion, abundance, and also gives the reader a concept of abundance as it is usually depicted on the card in the form of a waterfall. This symbol expresses the ability of the Empress to open up her intuitive resources and allow abundance to flow through her freely. Consider the exhilarating rush of a waterfall - expansive and powerful - even a little frightening as it crashes against the rocks. The waterfall is a reminder that with tranquility also comes extreme force - we must be mindful of our capacity to love and create - as well as our ability to hate and destroy.
- Wheat: Wheat is a universal sign for nourishment. With it comes the association of harvest. This symbol is a profound expression of the Empress in her nurturing glory. She assures that all the elements are in place so that growth occurs, and bounty is harvested. She also reminds us that the seeds we sow are in direct relation to the harvest we shall reap. The wheat is also a symbol of a process - a time to sow, a time to grow and a time to pick the fruits of our labor. The Empress is keenly aware of time and the part it plays in manifesting our desires. Let the wheat be a symbol to us that our desires are not usually on "microwave time" (press a button & it's done). In short, it takes time to see the process of our desire unfold into our reality.
Key Questions:
When contemplating the Empress Tarot card meanings, ask yourself the following questions:
- How can I nurture myself more?
- Am I connecting enough to mother nature?
- Am I respecting the process of unfolding my desires?
- What does being a mother/having a mother mean to me?
- What role does love play in my life - is it foremost in my existence?
