ELEMENT
Fire
WANDS POWERWORDS
Energy / Sexuality / Adventure / Creativity
FOUR OF WANDS POWERWORDS
Celebration with Others
QUICK MEANING
The Four of Wands means its time to celebrate. Time to celebrate with others. Is there a marriage coming up? A birthday or a party? A fun night out on the town with your girlfriends? Time to get your dance shoes on and get out there and PARTY!
TRADITIONAL MEANING
Traditionally this is a card of celebration and often marriage. Its a time of people getting together to celebrate. It can be something as simple as a harvest festival or as important as a wedding.
CARD DESCRIPTION
Two people dance and celebrate. In the background more people dance near a castle and medieval city. In the foreground are four wands, similar to a wedding canopy. Lots of greenery and flowers suggest abundance and harvest (a traditional time to celebrate).
SYMBOLS
Two People
Waite (who designed the deck) wanted two women dancing together. It looks more like a man and a woman here. Perhaps they got married. They are happy, dancing and celebrating. They hold aloft bunches of flowers – traditionally a symbol of celebration.
People in Background
The people far in the background also look like they are having fun. We can imagine wine flowing and flirting happening.
Four Wands and Canopy
One could imagine a traditional wedding canopy here where the lucky couple get married underneath (like the traditional Jewish chupa). A celebration has just taken place. Everything is alive, abundant and bright.
Castle / Medieval Town
The Castle and town reminds us of medieval times. Many of the Major Arcana cards have names from the times of Medieval banquets and parades. It also reminds us of the strength of community, family and friends and the security it brings. It is a card of togetherness.
QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU EXPLORE THIS CARD MORE
This is such a beautiful card. A time for gratitude for all the warmth, love and celebration in your life. It can mean there is great passion in your life right now. You are literally dancing through life. Its the time of fire festivals, pleasure and revelry. Lots of shared joy with others. Have you ever had the experience where you are so happy, you suddenly step back and capture the moment with your eyes, heart and perhaps camera? A time to always remember and cherish. I even sometimes think this energy can reach Dionysus energy. Super wild:)
So if you get this card,
Are you due to celebrate something soon?
Is life feeling amazing right now?
When is the last time you had a girls night out?
What do you have to celebrate right now?
Do you miss parties and having a social life?
When you party, do you give it 100% energy?
Can you dance till 4 am in the morning?
What can you do with friends and family that bring you lots of joy?
GOLDEN DAWN / QABALA
The Hermetic title for this card is ‘Lord of Perfected Work’.
On the Tree of Life, the Number Four cards sit on the Sphiroth Chesed which represents mercy. After the energy from the Divine enters Kether at the top of the Tree of Life, it next flows to Chokhmah. Chokhmah is the place of wisdom. The energy then flows onto Binah which is the energy of understanding. Then the energy leaves this upper triangle of energy (called the Supernal) and flows down to Chesed, the energy of Mercy. It also relates to the energy of Compassion and Grace. Therefore the number four cards in the Minor Arcana always have a gentle and stable message.
ASTROLOGICAL
Ruled by Venus in Aries
FOUR OF WANDS REVERSED
When this card is reversed there is still a celebratory energy but it is an energy that you want for yourself or something you want to do on your own. Perhaps you have made some achievement but you are not ready to share it yet? It may also mean that at parties, celebrations and family gatherings that you feel alone and not really part of the group.
Two important questions to consider with a reversed Four of Wands:
Why do you want to celebrate alone?
In a happy crowd of family and friends, do you feel alone?