Four of Wands

Four of Wands

The applied and established strength of the Two and Three leads to the first stage of completion and rest, shown in the Four of Wands. This is a time to look back on all that you have done and be glad that you have done it. This would seem to very many people like a wholly positive card, but there is a conflict between the dynamic expansion of the Wands and the very restrictive and limiting numnber four. This shows primarily that, while success can be enjoyed for a while, you cannot rest on your laurels. You must never stop growing, learning, and living.

This card can celebrate many things that are appropriate to the Wands suit; the initial success of a business venture, a good start at a creative project or the blossoming of a friendship or relationship. Marriage and childbirth are often predicted by an appearance by this card. Encompassing all of these ideas is the maxim that hard work pays off in the end, and the Four of Wands is the card of rewards for those who've worked to the best of their ability. The Four of Wands has strong ties, surprisingly enough, to Justice, because it shows that hard work is rewarded, in the end.

This card is also tied to Justice in another way, because it shows the strong establishment of order. The Four of Wands shows the easy and natural flow of a life in balance, and it challenges you to go out and create such a balanced lifestyle for yourself. This card also defines the end of a cycle and the start of the next, and this can be proven with a bit of symbology. In the Rider-Waite deck, the castle that was sought in the Ace is now the scene of the celebration. The Four therefore shows a time when it appears you have achieved the goal that you set for yourself.

Or have you? As mentioned, the nature of fire is to constantly keep growing into new territories, but for now the creative urge has died down. When there is success but no urge to move on, the situation could slip into a state of laziness and even decadence. Work will have to begin again, and this work must be energized with another burst of energy. If you are wise, you would take the emotional "high" that has been generated by this time of celebration and divert it back into your work to power the next inevitable phase of growth. Enjoy the party, but keep an eye on the clock, and be ready to leave when you have to.

 

This page was made by James Rioux (The Black Shadow), bshadow@nbnet.nb.ca.
Copyright 2000 James Rioux.