Tarot Pairs: Ten of Wands Reversed and the Hanged Man Reversed

Right away the Ten of Wands suggests to me that the querant is carrying a heavy load, and the Hanged man, being a major arcana card, indicates that what they do with this load is going to have a major impact on the querant. Perhaps even a life changing one.

Quite often the Ten of Wands is not the most welcome card to see in a reading, and while it does mean there is a lot of effort and determination involved in carrying all those wands, it may very well be a load that the querant can bear successfully. But reversed, the querant is struggling under the weight of this load. It’s become too much and it is wearing them down.

For me, the Hanged Man reversed reinforces the energy of the Ten of Wands reversed. The querant seems unwilling to let go of whatever situation is causing them this much strain, or else they don’t want to accept that the situation is too much for them. It reminds me of one of Saturday Night Live’s fake ads back in the golden days of the 80’s, a headache tablet commercial. A woman has an anvil on her head and is complaining about a headache, a parody of an actual ad at the time. She says she has tried everything. The announcer eventually asks her if she has considered taking the anvil off of her head. And of course, doing so cures the headache immediately.

I have questions about this pairing, which might be answered by surrounding cards and intuition about the querant. Is this burden so important that you need to carry it? Is it even your burden to carry, or does it really belong to a friend or family member? Is there any way you can let this go? The indication here is that the is trying to carry this load on their own, and they are not likely to succeed. There will possibly be negative consequences if the attempt continues, such as overwhelm and excessive stress, that could further result in ill health. There could even be a more literal interpretation where the querant is actually trying to do too much physical work that could lead to an injury.

My advice would be to stop trying to carry this on your own, to seek help. If the load belongs to someone else, is there a way to get them to carry at least some of it themselves? If the querant is a “fixer”, they might be trying to help someone out of a situation at too much of their own expense. Saying “no” is not a crime, especially when there is self-preservation involved.

Tarot Pairs: Three of Wands and the Three of Pentacles

Aces (one) in tarot represent the moment of conception, the birth of an idea, the initial inspiration. Twos represent potential, options, the balance of yin and yan where many things are possible but no action is yet taken. Threes represent the point in which plans are set in motion and take shape in three dimensional time and space. You made your decision about what you are going to do, and how you are going to do it. Now you are taking action.

When there are multiple threes in a reading, the energy of taking action is reinforced and the energies of the suits are likely intertwined. With the Three of Wands and the Three of Pentacles the passion, drive, and courageousness of the wands is coupled with the practicality, work ethic, and material aspects of the pentacles. So these two cards would be welcome in a reading where the question is about a new business venture, a construction project, or putting together a band, for example.

The Three of Pentacles also relates to working with others. This could be teamwork or working with consultants. If you are providing a service or a product, it could also relate to filling a need for clients. The Three of Wands has a vision that they are trying to realize, and since it is their vision they may very well be the driving force behind accomplishing that goal. They could be an entrepreneur, an architect, or they see themselves as a band leader. The three of Pentacles indicates that there are others involved in that vision’s successful manifestation. Whatever this project is, it is not something that the Three of Wands will accomplish on their own.

With the threes, this is the beginning of a journey to manifestation. These two cards coming up in a reading together can indicate that you are off to a good start. What they are not saying is that you have reached your destination. There are no impediments indicated here, so the project seems to be going well, but there is still much to do.

Tarot Pairs: Ace of Wands and the Ace of Swords Reversed

Could someone be eager to go in the wrong direction?

Aces often signify beginnings related to the energy of the suit of the ace. When there are two aces, the energy of both suits can be intertwined, with the spark being set off for both elements. 

With the Ace of Wands, there can be a passion and entusiasm to begin something new. Maybe you have a spark of inspiration to create  music, art, or a new business venture. Even though it’s purely a concept at this point you feel the drive and energy to get going immediately and bring the concept into reality.

With the Ace of Swords, the energy is focused on the mental faculties. You’ve got the logic and planning skills to add to the energy and excitement of the wands. With the Ace of Swords reversed, however, there can be a lack of clarity. For example, maybe you have an image of what you want to accomplish, but you have only a foggy idea of how to go about doing it.  Maybe you just need to think about it a bit more, or do some reasearch, as aces signify delays as well as blockages.

Acting on an idea that needs more thought can squander that wand energy, getting you nowhere you want to be. Although it could be an adventure, and even a learing experience that could result in much clarity. But if it wasn’t a great idea to begin with, then you might be better holding that wand energy until something better comes along.

Tarot Pairs: Page of Wands and the Ten of Wands

Here’s a good illustration of going from eagerness to overwhelm.

The energy of the wands is about passion, creativity, enthusiasm, putting energy into a project. The page has that youthful spirit where they can’t wait to get started. They’ve got a drive and determination to throw themselves into whatever the new venture is and probably make as much progress as fast as the can.

The Ten of wands, on the other hand, shows us what can happen when we take on too much too soon. Sure, it can also represent having too many responsibilities or carrying heavy burden over a long period of time, but when I see these two cards together this morning I’m thinking that maybe it doesn’t take all that long for the page to get overwhelmed by taking on too much, especially when they are trying to run before they have mastered walking.

Whenever you are learning to do something new there is always a ramp up period where you need to learn the basics, or make small changes and assimilate those changes into your life before making more changes or moving up to the next level. For example, if you have been living a fairly sedentary lifestyle and decide you want to start walking more, you are not going to begin with a four-hour hike up a steep hill, and if you do you probably won’t be inclined to do it again.

You’re not going to write a novel in the time it takes to read one, and certainly not in a straight line from start to finish. You have to plan it out, pace yourself, flesh out the characters, figure out what the keystone plot points are. You have to be prepared to write, edit, and revise continually, breaking the project down into manageable, incremental steps.

If you have some habits you want to either acquire or discard, you are probably not going to have much success if you try to incorporate them all from day one, like some sort of new years resolution on steroids. Drastic change on that scale can be too overwhelming to continue with after a day or two. You have to pace yourself, try out one or two changes until you are comfortable with them, then continue on to the next few.

Find the right balance in whatever situation these cards are referring to. There is a happy medium between the page and the ten that will work for you. Don’t berate yourself for not being able to do everything all at once. Trying to do too much too soon is an eady way to burn out. Don’t end up like the Ten of Swords, who would probably like to drop all those wands to the ground and just walk away.

Tarot Pairs: The Fool and Death Reversed

Even when it seems like you have no choice, there is always a choice.

In some ways, the Fool and the Death card reversed can seem like polar opposites. On one hand, there is the Fool encouraging the you to take a leap of faith, be spontaneous, Start something new, come down from your isolated mountain of innocence, and go have an adventure in the big, complex world of existence without preconceptions or expectations.

On the other hand, Death reversed indicates a desire to stay where you are, maybe out of fear, weariness, sadness, or some other baggage that is making you reluctant to move on. But whether reversed or upright, Death represents an inevitable change. Something significant is coming to an end and you must deal with it one way or another.

I’m reminded of the expression, “when one door closes, another one opens.” Today, these two cards together seem to illustrate that like a huge neon billboard.

But the thing about doors is, even when one is open, you still have to walk through it to move on. That other door is closing either way. So you can walk through the open door, or you can try to live in the narrow space between the two doors, with your back to the open one, trying to hold on to the past without embracing the future. Not very appealing, is it?

So there is your choice: to stay stuck, neither wanting to move forward or able to move back. Or, like the Fool, you can embrace the future with open arms, anticipation, and excitement. Maybe not so foolish after all.

Tarot Pairs: Ace of Wands Reversed and Seven of Pentacles

The energy, passion and determination of the wands coupled with the practicality, effort and manifestation properties of the pentacles immediately has me thinking of a business venture, or perhaps another type of project where material results are expected, for example refitting your kitchen or following a physical fitness program. With the Seven of Pentacles, much effort has already been put in, and the querant can see the results starting to take shape, even though the end goal isn’t realized yet.

There is some assessment going on, and the reversed Ace of Wands might be coloring how the querant is appraising their progress, as that energy can be a bit pessimistic, lethargic and demotivating. Maybe the querant is not as far along as they were hoping to be, maybe they’re feeling a bit stuck or having a hard time pushing forward after all the hard work they’ve already put in. There could even be outside factors at play that are impeding progress, for example staffing shortages, problems with suppliers, or your fitness trainer has gone to the Mediterranean for a month.

It could just be that the initial adrenalin rush of starting a project or business venture has worn off, and the querant finds themselves feeling the project feels like a lot more work than it did when they began. They might be starting to feel run down, frustrated, perhaps even overwhelmed. Hopefully this is a temporary malaise. Since these are minor arcana cards, the energy here seems more temporary and will shift one way or another

Over time, all projects hit obstacles that must be worked through. Perhaps it was a bad idea to begin with, but the Seven of Pentacles suggests otherwise: the querant has gotten some traction on their plans. However, it could be a good time to think about whether there is a better way to go about what they are doing that might enable them to carry on with renewed energy and enthusiasm.

Tarot Pairs: Three of Pentacles and the Seven of Pentacles

With two pentacles we are talking about getting some work done and getting on with manifesting in the material world. Both of the Three of Pentacles and the Seven of Pentacles indicate making progress, and they also indicate some hard work to make that progress.

The first impression with the Three of Pentacles is often that this is about team work or collaboration. It can also have an element of planning out a project in collaboration with others. On the other hand, there is a possibility that you are showing off your work to others, maybe for the first time letting people in on what you have been up to.

The Seven of Pentacles can represent a period of assessment after working hard to bring a project to fruition, for example, building a house, getting into better shape physically, or maybe getting ahead in commerce. The indication here is that you have reached a milestone, but there is still plenty more to do. Whatever you are building involves a long process, so patience is required, along with more work, to ultimately succeed.

These cards are thematically related. One factor in how they work together is where they are placed in a spread. If the focus is on the Three of Pentacles, for example, and the Seven of Pentacles is a supporting card, you might be at a point where you have plateaued working on your own. It might be time to bring in others to provide assistance or guidance, depending on your needs. It might also mean that it’s time to start letting people in on what you are working on to get feedback or support. It could also mean it could be time to remove the drop cloth and display your artistry to the rest of the world.

If, for example, The Seven of Pentacles is in a present or future position, and the Three of Pentacles is in the past, it could mean that you’ve made as much progress as you can by committee, and now you need to take a more individual approach to completing your work. It could be that you have a clear vision of the finished product, and only part of that vision is shared by the group. This would seem to suggest that you would prefer to make more progress on your own rather than compromise.

Ultimately the outlook is good, though it might be a while before you bring this project to completion.

Tarot Pairs: Judgement and the Queen of Swords Reversed

With the Judgement card we see some rather grey looking people apparently rising from the dead at the call of Archangel Gabriel’s trumpet. Obviously we are not talking about reanimation; this is a spiritual awakening and rebirth. Whatever has come before is in the past and resolved, or at least absolved. You can let go of that baggage and rise to a new day, perhaps even a higher calling, as this card can also suggest. Go on, live your life, and be your best self.

But how did the querant come to be so spiritually ashen? Pairing it with the Queen of Swords reversed suggests that there is a person who has worn them down, perhaps used and abused them, perhaps even sucked the life out of them, which holds with the imagery. It can happen.

The Queen of Swords can be an intelligent person who uses their talents harshly. They might have a sharp, overly critical tongue. They might be manipulative and controlling. They might be easy to anger and not particularly empathetic towards you. They might even be all of the above. You would hope the querant would have a clear idea of who this person is as they seem to have made a powerful impact on their lives. It could be an ex or current partner. It could just as easily be a teacher or an employer, someone who had an apparent authority over the querant. Remember, this is not necessarily a woman, but someone who exhibits the negative qualities listed.

Whoever this is, this situation was going on long enough for there to do significant damage to the querant, perhaps making them doubt themselves, lowering their self esteem, or making them feel unworthy and incapable. In other words, a good person to get away from. With the Judgement card, it seems that the querant is either removing themselves, or should remove themselves from this person. They are awakening to what this person is like and they are on the way to healing from that negative energy.

This is what comes to me as I write this. I’d be interested in hearing if someone else has another take on these two cards together.

Tarot Pairs: Nine of Wands and the Four of Swords reversed

Seeing these two cards together in a reading, my first thought is that life has been a slog and you may be feeling close to burn out. But take heart. The energy of the Nine of Wands is determination and resilience. The querant has been working hard towards a goal that they are very close to accomplishing. Yes, it may very well have been a struggle, but they have the inner resources to follow through.

The Four of Swords reversed reinforces the continuing effort of the Nine of Wands. It’s time to keep the action going, keep forging ahead. However, the Four of Swords reversed can also indicate that this struggle might be wearing them down mentally. When you’ve been getting on with a project relentlessly, it can take a toll. Perhaps the querant hasn’t been taking care of themselves as well as they should be, putting all their energy into their mission and not so much on their own self-care. Now I’m thinking of Jack Nicholson typing “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” endlessly in The Shining, although there were extenuating circumstances there with a haunted hotel and all. Hopefully things haven’t got to such a dire point for your querant, but there is an indication that they haven’t taken the time to recharge their batteries, so to speak. It may feel like there is no time to focus on their own needs, but time needs to be made to keep an inner balance that will enable to maintain their ability to persevere without getting run down.

Aside from self-care concerns, the overall outlook is good with this pair, though not particularly easy to achieve. Now I’m thinking of Bruce Willis in all those Die Hard movies, the state of his T-shirt inevitably reflecting the progress he’s made in a given film. The Nine of Wands probably has the same T-shirt underneath the tunic. It’s worth noting that the Nine of Wands can sometimes indicate a feeling that progress is not being made. It can be hard to appreciate small, incremental changes when you are in the thick of it. Perhaps you don’t want to tell the querant to check their T-shirt for signs of progress, but maybe there is something more significant to them that can reflect the milestones they’ve passed.

Remember that these are both minor arcana cards, which means that this is a temporary energy that will pass. Whatever the specific implications of these cards for the querant, it seems that their efforts will be successful.

Tarot Pairs: The Three of Wands and the Lovers Reversed

The Wands are all about passion, drive, creativity, and courage. The three of wands takes an idea or plan and puts it in motion, making it tangible. You’re on the road to success. This might be a business plan, it might be a creative project, it might even be decluttering the house. Whatever it is, you feel passionate about it and you are starting to make it happen. And of course, that takes energy, effort, and focus.

The Lovers can represent a relationship, and while first thoughts with this card tend to be about romance, it can also represent a business partner or other person who has significant impact on your project. Reversed, this card can indicate that there is a problem with this relationship. Maybe you don’t see eye to eye, maybe they are not as committed to the project as you are, or maybe you just can’t trust them.

On the other hand, the partner might be your significant other, and whatever you’re working on might have a negative impact on the relationship. Maybe they think your new venture is taking too much time away from your relationship. Maybe they’re not onboard with your plan. Maybe they don’t want to let go of the clutter in the house. Whatever it is, the energy of the Three of Wands could be driving a wedge between you.

The Lovers can also represent your own personal beliefs and values. Since it is reversed, is there something about this project, or this relationship that doesn’t feel quite right, that makes you feel you have to go against your own ethics in order to succeed, or to keep the peace in business? If so, you might want to rethink what you’re doing. The Three of Wands is a positive sign for the project, so any issues are less likely to be about what you’re doing and more about the way in which you’re doing it, or the pressure you might be feeling to do it a certain way.

The Lovers can also represent choice. Reversed, it might be taken as a warning against making a bad decision, or an indication that you may have already made one that will have a lasting impact. If you think that is the case, try to take an objective view of your strategy and see if you can find any flaws in it. This isn’t always the easiest thing to do when you are going full throttle towards your vision, but it can be a worthwhile exercise that can save you pain later.

As usual, use the other cards in the spread and your intuition to determine which of these energies are in play for you or your querant.

It’s worth noting that the Three of Wands is a minor arcana card and the Lovers is a major arcana card. Projects seem all important when you are intently focused on them, but they can come and go. Major arcana cards can signify life-changing impact. Make sure you’re not risking your values or your relationships while you are so focused on bringing about a successful outcome.