(The above image is a copy of The Ace of Wands card in a standard Rider-Waite Tarot deck. The 5 symbols pointed out above are explained below.)
Card Description
The Ace of Wands unofficially begins the Minor Arcana. It is a card of pure creative potential. Coming out of a cloud of smoke, the wand is a gift to all readers. Wield it in order to manifest your will into the world.
If you are looking for a deck of Tarot cards, check out our standard Rider-Waite deck here or check out one of our recent arrivals here.
For more information about The Ace of Wands card, check out A. E. Waite’s description here.
Point 1 – THE WAND
Like in The Magician and World cards, the wand symbolizes our vitality and willpower. It is a conduit for the fire of life, radiating our consciousness into the world. As a piece of wood, the wand illustrates growth and life force. It is a manifestation of our organic soul.
Point 2 – HAND
As with all of the Ace cards, the Ace of Wands shows a disembodied hand emerging from a cloud of smoke, holding the minor arcana for the reader. This reveals that the wand is a gift. It isn’t something that you earn or are rewarded. It is already within you. It is your job to accept it and to wield it graciously.
Point 3 – GREY SKY
Like with most Tarot cards, the grey sky symbolizes neutrality and unbiasedness. This is a reiteration of the hand giving you the wand. The hand does not discriminate. It gives the wand to all people, illustrating that Tarot is for all people.
Point 4 – EIGHTEEN LEAVES
While the wand is disconnected from the ground, it still bears life in its leaves. The eighteen leaves not only reiterate the theme of growth, some scholars go on to argue that the number 18 is a callback to the 18th Major Arcana card, The Moon. They say that The Moon’s themes of growing beyond yourself feed into the meaning behind the Ace of Wands. They also say that the eight leaves falling from the wand illustrate the wand’s position in-between Heaven and Earth.
Point 5 – CASTLE
In the bottom left corner of the card, there appears to be a castle in the distance. The castle represents the power of will. It is an illustration of what someone who wields their wand can do. The castle is a testament to creativity and intellect.
Tarot Reading
Upright
Like all Aces in the Minor Arcana, an Upright Ace of Wands illustrates pure potential. It is creativity and willpower incarnate. An Upright Ace of Wands encourages you to pursue your passion projects. Write down your ideas and let them mature overtime. Be careful though. Potential is not a guarantee. Proceed with your projects with caution and intelligence but be encouraged to proceed.
Reverse
A Reverse Ace of Wands suggests creative frustration. Perhaps you have a lot of ideas, but you are unsure how to implement them. This is not altogether bad. You have all of the necessary resources. It is the process that is tripping you up. A Reverse Ace of Wands encourages you to meditate on what you wish to pursue and to discern exactly the reasons behind that pursuit. You might be in a rut now but it is more of a question of when than if.
For more Tarot Card Meanings, check out our blog here.
Video
Jim Daley and his wife Natalie are the owners of Joker’s and Fools in Lake Wales, Florida, where they serve the Central Florida tarot community with a thoughtfully curated selection of Tarot and Oracle cards. Jim holds a B.A. in History from Tufts University and brings both academic insight and a deep appreciation for the symbolic tradition of the cards to his work.
