Skip to main content Skip to course navigation

4.4 Seven, Eight, Nine

Activity

Spend time with each of the Wands below to generate your “tarot encyclopedia” notecard for each. I recommend the following process, which only takes ~10 minutes per card. You do not need to complete all (or any) card in a single sitting.

  1. Look at the image on the card and examine its details.
  2. Read the page in the companion book for that card.
  3. Read the description provided here.
  4. OPTIONAL: Read other descriptions of that card online or in other books.
  5. Reflect on the questions posed.
  6. Write down the details of the image that have meaning to you and the 2 or 3 interpretations (perhaps 1 heavenly, 1 upright earthly, and 1 reversed earthly) that resonate most strongly for you. Feel free to write down your own interpretations based on what comes to you!

Seven of Wands

Name: Valour

Astrological Correspondence: Mars in Leo.

Position on The Tree: Venus of Fire. Victory in the Archetypal World.

Notes to consider: After fame and fortune come the real problems, often disguised as help. Which one is happening here? Is our hero taking a stand, guarded against good help, defending himself against leeches, or making smart choices about which Wills to align with?

When was a time when you really recognized that saying no to one thing meant saying yes to something else? Were you able to stand courageously for your higher values? Or did the situation result in anger, resentment, or a breach of integrity?

Eight of Wands

Name: Swiftness

Astrological Correspondence: Mercury in Sagittarius

Position on The Tree: Mercury of Fire. Splendor in the Archetypal World.

Notes to consider: The foreground is closer than it first appears in this picture, which signifies both powerful movement and urgency. This card is all about taking action, changes, expansion.

In valour the wands were all pointed in different directions. Now they’re all going the same way. What lesson might we learn with respect to motivation, discipline, or aligning with our true purpose? What about the value of cooperation and community?

Sometimes, it can be too much or too soon, though.

Nine of Wands

Name: Great Strength

Astrological Correspondence: Moon in Sagittarius

Position on The Tree: Moon of Fire. Foundation in the Archetypal World.

Notes to consider: Standing firm in the face of adversity is no easy task. Flexing and flowing with changing life circumstances can often leave us feeling beat up. But we’re still standing! It may be a Herculean effort to keep going, but if we do, success is certain. Each of us must find the resiliency we need to fulfill our Spark. Don’t give up now!

Or is it that you don’t know when to quit?