Spring and the Suit of Wands

It's officially Spring! The Sun has moved into the sign of Aries and we have finally reached the Vernal Equinox after another long, dreary and cold winter. Things are looking up. The grass grows greener, the air is warmer and there is usually a general feeling of optimism. The days and nights are equal in length as we finally crest the mountain and tip the scales in the direction of more light than dark in a day.

Spring is the time for birth and renewal. The Spring Equinox ushers in this fresh exciting new energy. And so it is with the suit of Wands in the Tarot. Wands are represented by Fire energy, which burns away the old and brings in the new. Fire is fast moving energy, and so it is with the Suit of Wands.

Fire represents the first sign of the astrological year, Aries, which is also quick moving, pioneering and brings in new things. Both Aries and Wands energy bring forth ACTION! And after the slow dreary winter, who isn't rejuvenated and ready to "spring" into action when this time comes around??

This is the time that we see more Wands energies in our readings and it's a wonderful time to take a deeper dive into the Suit of Wands! Below are a few of the basic associations to get us started.

The Suit of Wands corresponds to the playing card suit of Clubs. You may see this suit also named:

Rods
Batons
Staves
and more in other decks

This does not change the inherent meaning of the cards. As it relates to people, the Wands Court Cards are usually used to represent those with a Fire Sun sign:

Aries
Leo
Sagittarius

Major Arcana Cards that correlate to the Suit of Wands are as follows, in each of these cards you will find Wands energy:

The Emperor
Strength
The Wheel of Fortune
Temperance
The Tower
The Sun

Some Keywords to associate with the Suit of Wands:

Spring
Speed
Growth
Action
Forward movement
Career matters
Spirituality

How can we see the stories of these cards in correspondence to Spring? Let's look at the Ace of Wands. It's the ultimate card of new beginnings. It's the ace of ace, the first card of the first suit. Aces themselves are about beginnings but this ace more than any other is about a fresh start. The other aces inevitably represent opportunities or beginning respective to their suits, however the Ace of Wands really embodies that across the board on all levels, pertaining to all areas of life.

This ace is associated with the ultimate growth potential and is seen as the seed from which that new beginning will come from. Take a look at the card, and you'll notice the lush greens surrounding the wand, as well as the new shoots, signs of life beginning, coming off of the wand itself. It's as if this card alone could represent this day, the very beginning of Spring, the very first signs of life.

As we move through the cards, there are more signs of action and growth. The two of wands is such an example. This, like all twos, is a card of decisions. But here we are deciding between playing it safe, staying where we are comfortable (If not a bit cramped), and risking the unknown to grow.

The three is all about growing into even bigger and greater things, expanding ourselves, our awareness and our reach. Again we are looking to grow. In both of these cards, these things only happen if we take action. This is exactly what Spring. and Aries season would have us do.

The four of wands is reminiscent of the Beltane sabbat celebrated on May 1, with dancers, dancing around a Maypole on "May Day", weaving intricate patterns with their ribbons. We see these beautiful females on many RWS styled decks, dressed lovely, often with flower wreaths in their hair. Typically, fours are about consolidation in some form, yet in the suit of wands, it heralds a celebration. This is another period of growth, as what we are celebrating is an occasion where we have grown into something more, a wedding, a child birth, even a ceremony of some sort.

Witches Tarot

The five, six and seven of the suit actually remind me of the animals of nature and spring, in the five we see the natural selections, who's going to survive, who's going to win, etc. Homes and turfs are both taken (six) and then defended against (seven). In the eight we really see that action planted in the ace start to bloom! Things are moving and happening! As we reach the final numbers of the suit, we are reminded of the more challenging aspects of the fire energy and that is with hitting overwhelm and burnout! It's easy to get overzealous and work ourselves too hard.

So for the next 30 days, as the sun returns to the first sign of the zodiac to start it's cycle anew, what is that thing that is calling you to focus on it and give it some attention? This is a time of being able to make great gains on anything you choose to focus your efforts on. This energy will burn fast and bright and bring all kinds of growth opportunities with it if you are ready to plant the seeds and mind your energy very carefully. Start planting the seeds in the garden of your life! And if you have any Aries people in your life, be sure to wish them a Happy Birthday!