The Ace, Two, Three & Four of Wands

A look at the cards of the Minor Arcana that encapsulate Aries season

I wanted to welcome in Spring this year with a decan walk. I got this idea from T.S. Chang and her books 36 Secrets in which she explores the Minor Arcana, their correlation to the decans they represent (a 10 day window on the calendar year) and how the cards have shown up for her in her daily card pulls. It is a wonderful book if you’d like to geek out a bit, understand which cards in addition to the Minor Arcana are correlated to different decans, get into symbolism, as well as Kabbalistic ties to Tarot. There is a lot in this book. I talk a bit about decans and what they are in my post about the Seven of Wands which you can find here.

As the energetic new year begins with Aries season, the first sign of the zodiac, so does the journey along the Minor Arcana, and with it the exploration of the Suit of Wands.

The Ace, Two, Three, and Four of Wands all represent Aries season, from March 20th/21st- April 18th/19th, with the Ace of Wands taking on the cardinal energy of Spring, while also representing the other fire signs of the Zodiac, Leo and Sagittarius, and with it, their astrological seasons.

For me, the correlation between dates, astrology and Tarot has always been deeply intriguing. As a reader, I am occasionally asked,  when something will happen, whether this is due to having waited for something for a long time or understanding when might be the best time to execute a plan, the Tarot can help us to understand this if we understand the correlation to the decans. And long before I read for others, over 20 years ago, I vividly recall a reading in which the Tarot reader very accurately stated when a big shift would be taking place for me. Back then I wasn't too intimately familiar with the cards and I wonder if she turned to the decans to give me this insight. What I have learned in my own practice, is that at times, using the cards in this way can give me some peace of mind, but it can also “mess with me” if I’m grasping too tightly to an outcome. In the latter scenario, I’ve learned that it is best for me not to use the cards in this way, as it is no longer helpful, and it rather creates the opposite effect. Of course, I am not the ultimate authority on this however, and I believe everyone should decide for themselves how and if they choose to use the Tarot in this way.  

What are your feelings on using the cards for timing? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Now on to the Suit of Wands!

Wands represent the Fire element. This is where our spark for life lies, our desire, our drive to create and in its simplest form, our push to get ourselves up and out of bed each morning (though I know that can be a challenge for many of us, I myself having experienced this). I connect the energy of Wands to our sacral center or chakra. It is our source of energy, sexuality, self-expression and what ignites our passions in our day to day life. 

Earthy art work from The Gentle Tarot

Ace of Wands

The Ace of Wands represents the spark of something new. Something fresh that is driven by our passion, our inner flame and our life source. It is correlated with life purpose and possesses the pure potential of a fresh start as only the energy of Spring can hold. I think it is fitting that this follows the long dark and deep slumber of the winter months. It comes to re-invigorate our energetic bodies, to remind us what it feels like to be alive and truly feel it. It is the seed we plant that brings us the new possibilities found in the Two of Wands. 

I have found that when this card comes up for me and when I read for others, it often wants me to pay attention to what I feel strongly about, what makes me feel lit up from the inside. It also shows up when my pilot light feels extinguished and asks what I need from myself at this moment or how I can shift my environment to allow it to be rekindled. As the Wands are fire energy, it is always important to make sure that we are not burning ourselves out when they show up, to check in with our own energetic reserves. To ask ourselves, “What is my capacity for the day?” when they appear, and this holds true especially for the Ace, The Ace of Wands wants us to go for it, but to make sure that we are energetically resourced when we do. This is a beautiful place from which to create, as it is more sustainable, and manageable. Aries energy is a fabulous motivator and initiator, yet not terribly great at follow through as this energy is fabulous for a spirit, and less so for a marathon. So when this card shows up, we can ask ourselves "How can I manage this moment in a way where I am in integrity with my energy?”

An uplifting Two of Wands from The Gentle Tarot

Two of Wands

Duality, choices and planning. It is the “There are two sides to every situation” card. Marking the decan of Aries I, from March 20/21 - March 29/30, the Two of Wands is often associated with the beginning stages of a journey. Whether that be an actual trip you are taking or more of a metaphorical one. The Two (and Three) of Wands have been tied to colonialism, as the images on the Rider-Waite Smith show a person looking out across the sea, ready to make their next conquest. It is a masculine dominant card, with some decks having the word “Dominion” written at the bottom of it. 

According to Websters, the definition of “dominion” is power, authority, jurisdiction, control, command, sway, dominion means the right to govern or rule or determine.

Since most of us (myself included) are not in the business of conquering lands, I take the phrase of “the right to determine” as a well versed one to describe the nature of this card, as I have the right to determine my own path and my free will.

The Two of Wands can bring about some friction within oneself, and I have learned that this is due to the agreement we made with ourselves in the Ace of Wands. In the Ace, we responded to the call to plant new seeds, ones that we were excited and ready to tend to. Yet, as the Two of Wands shows itself, we may realize that we have left the safety of the nest and now we are out here. On a limb. Wind blowing as we sway side to side. We know we are ready to fly despite having yet to flap our wings. And so we continue to grip firmly. We look down to the earth below from high above and freeze.

Why might this be?

While I don’t have the answers for everyone’s pause state, some that have presented themselves to me have been: confidence, time, uncertainty, overwhelm and simply not being able to find the thread and know how to start.

This card appears when I am at the beginning stages of a project or stepping into a new approach for an existing circumstance. I am making decisions about how to best execute my ideas and they are in their infancy. I am hesitant to make a move as I don’t want to mess this up! And I have found more often than not, I need another physical person to bounce my ideas off of so that I can move into the next stage (think Three of Wands) If no one is available, writing them down so that I can see my plan physically also does wonders for me. This is a “When Expo markers meet the Big Whiteboard” in my office kind of moment 🙂 Take all of the time you need to plan and make sure you approve of it, afterall, you will be the one determining how you move through the various stages that are yet to come.

A vulnerable and sunny Three of Wands from The Gentle Tarot

Three of Wands

This brings us to the Three of Wands, marking the days between March 30/31- April 8/9 as the decan of Aries II. The Three of Wands represent the beginning of the actual journey. The planning stages have been complete and we are ready to take our initial steps and move into a space of action. However, it is not a big action, we aren’t bursting through the gate. Quite to the contrary actually. I pulled this card often (very often) in the last year, and typically around questions pertaining to what the next best step would be to develop my business. This card isn’t a showy one, rather it offers a pretty immediate energy. It is the perfect one to show us "presence" and “just for today” awareness that I believe more of us could cultivate, rather than existing in future spaces (including me). 

In my personal query about my business, the Three of Wands was matter- of-factly suggesting that the next best thing was “to do the next thing” 😂 Sometimes Tarot can be very direct and obvious, no mystical interpretations to decipher here. This card suggests movement, and as Lao Tzu practically stated even “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” This would be a pretty apt mantra for this card if there were one. This is a card of creation. The coming together of our ideas and now we are ready to chart our course.

So when this card comes forward for you, ask yourself: “What is one thing I can do today to move closer to my goal?”

It is also here to say, “You are moving darling, I know it doesn’t seem like things have shifted but I promise you, we have changed from our initial starting point. If you keep making incremental changes and stick to it, you will reach your destination.” The proverbial “Are we there yet?” from the back of the station wagon. Soon enough. Just keep driving. Eventually we will get there.

A joyous and heartfelt Four of Wands from The Gentle Tarot

Four of Wands

Closing out Aries season, we have the celebratory Four of Wands, representing the decan of Aries III from April 9/10 -April 18/19. This is such a sweet card. One that invites us to play and enjoy the good things in life. Classically, this card is tied to occasions, ones that call for us to throw on our fanciest ensemble and toast to love, achievements and new biological or chosen family members. It is a moment where we pause from our daily routine and look around to notice how lucky we actually are.

While the Four of Wands can indicate a break in our everyday life to pop champagne and rejoice in a meaningful moment, it doesn't have to be a loud, big or flashy one at all. It can be as simple as picking your head up from whatever is consuming you to connect with someone in a joyful way, one where you knock off of work an hour early to catch up with a friend to laugh your faces off, or simply enjoy the luxury that you can take a break to do something you enjoy and preferably with someone or several someones who bring you joy!

I have noticed that this card may come for me when I am not paying attention to how abundant I am, and I am entrenched in my routine with little room for spontaneity. This card may show up when I take where I am and what I have achieved for granted. This card is about celebrating the moment for no other reason than celebrating life itself.  It asks us to “touch grass” or for me “touch rock” or “touch water” , to get outside and play. As adults, many of us have forgotten how to play, or have a hard time engaging in play. Many of us have become conditioned to only take part in activities with a prescribed outcome. One that will provide “value” (whatever that means) like a work-out class, and have forgotten about the simplistic joy we experience in taking part in an activity for no other reason than the activity itself. Without being attached to the result. 

I think of this card as being akin to a flow state. One where time slips away and we are truly present in a moment of pure joy, existing in the sweetest of spaces. We know that this won’t last forever, but we also know that if we’ve experienced it before, we can experience it again.

It is a card of tapping back into the question of, “What brings me joy?”, “How do I like to play?” And if we are unsure, we may ask ourselves “What did I like to do as a child?” “ What created a spark within me when I was younger?”

I read for someone awhile back, who, when I asked these questions, responded that even as a child she had a hard time with play. She wasn’t ever able to relax and be a child due to difficult family circumstances. I learned a great deal about the Four of Wands that day, as her and I unpacked what it meant to experience joy and what a flow state might look like for her.  While we did not have a concrete answer, we came up with a few suggestions of things she might want to try to see if she could “lose herself” in an experience and bring herself closer to her true nature. To connect to play and spark her joy.

Some final questions from the Four of Wands:

“How do you have fun?” “How can you celebrate your accomplishments?” and “Who would you like to share this experience with?”

As an Aries Sun, these minors all hold a special place for me, as I see the traits of adventure, risk, courage and boldness in each of these cards. It takes strength and confidence to trust in your potential, create a plan and follow your passion daily, even when your efforts might not be visible for some time. Simultaneously, as the first sign of the Zodiac, Aries is sometimes referred to as “The Child”, here to remind us to approach life with a sense of playfulness and wonder and exuberance, to stop and look at things through fresh eyes and celebrate.