THE KNIGHT OF WANDS

TODAY’S CARD is The Knight of Wands. This version below is from The Thoth Tarot:



FOR COMPARISON, here’s The Knight of Wands in the Rider/Waite/Smith deck:



THE KNIGHT OF WANDS: It was difficult to choose a Knight of Wands to head up this post. It’s one of the cards in the Tarot that I like in many different decks. I ultimately settled on The Thoth rendition because I have particular affection for it going back decades when I was working exclusively with that deck. The Knight of Wands kept popping up as I prepared to make my first trip to Block Island, R.I. (my favorite place on earth, until I moved here to Goleta, CA in February). The Knight of Wands (in any subsequent deck) has not shown up a great deal in ensuing years in my readings for myself so whenever it has it’s like an old friend dropping by. It showed up last night when I was trying to determine which of the strings in my current ball of wax I need to pull on first. I immediately knew I needed to attend to “getting on the road,” i.e. getting out every morning for a walk. I’ve been talking about getting back to doing this for some time and the Knight of Wands showing up like this is supporting and urging me to do so now. The lovely thing is that once I work up to walking all the way to the beach overlook again, I’ll be enjoying a view very much like on Block Island. What a gift I’ve been given to be living here.

DIFFERENT OR LESS COMMON, EVEN QUIRKY MEANINGS FOR The Knight of Wands (i.e. the below is not intended to be an exhaustive exploration of this card; a quick google will produce a wider variety of takes should you not be familiar with this card):

Each of the four Knights can address getting into some sort of action, either literally or metaphorically, often in the initiating stages.

You are being manipulated by someone you admire and have given over too much of your own light to. “Get out of Dodge” now and reclaim that light!

Long past time to move past this negativity. You wound yourself by clinging to it. There’s a world of difference between wounding one’s self endlessly with negativity/guilt/anger, etc. and accepting responsibility for one’s feelings and actions.

Can indicate a tendency to rely on charm and enthusiasm, with very little follow-through. Big on charisma, short on actually doing anything.

Your impulsiveness needs to be tempered with awareness of others feelings on the issue. Even if their thoughts/feelings don’t make sense to you or hinder you in some way. These relationships are part of the process, not separate from or inimical to it.

You are a better leader/facilitator/teacher when you can also follow.

A little charm at this time may “help the medicine go down.” I.e., help someone with what you have to say or do that they may have some problem or trouble with.

Not a time to withhold even if the last thing you feel capable of is giving, be generous.

Someone who recognizes s/he does not see it all. But still shares lovingly and appropriately from what s/he does see in case it might be helpful.

Not resting on one’s laurels. There’s always something more to be learned and accomplished.

A big change (or a slew of little ones) are coming and fast. The more you know where you are at, the better able you will be to keep your balance, and respond creatively and appropriately.

Traditionally: card of travel to be undertaken, or of a change of residence.

For further takes on The Knight of Wands, see my design and thoughts for the card here on my Taiga Tarot blog.

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‘til next time, keep "taking your act on the road," and enjoying The Tarot,

[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm for Tarot poetry; Roswila’s Taiga Tarot for taiga (illustrated tanka); and Yahoo DREAMJIN: Group for Dreamku – Haiku-Like Dream Poems.****

KNIGHT OF WANDS MEDITATION (On Sage of Wands in The Voyager Tarot)

Sage (Knight) of Wands -- "Seer" -- in The Voyager Tarot

INTRODUCTION:

Below is an edited transcript of a lengthy meditation I did recently on The Sage of Wands in The Voyager Tarot, which could be corresponded to The Knight of Wands in more traditional decks. Each of fourteen nights I meditated on one of the Ace through King of this deck – which is ideal for such use. It not only deepened and widened my understandings for each card in general, but yielded many valuable personal insights and a lot of support. (I’ve edited out some personal insights as they would require too much explaining. And even then, not be all that relevant to the card for someone else.)

What I share below would be better called a “writing meditation.” I light a candle and incense, cast a sacred circle, and then look at the card until I start having responses. Then I write and write, without pausing, except to look at the card again (and not all that often). With each of the fourteen cards I wrote for an hour to an hour and a half.

I do have a decidedly psychological approach to The Tarot. Even so, at least from my perspective, this meditation shows how the energies of the Knight/Sage of Wands can sometimes operate. It also illustrates one way of meditating with the Tarot cards. Of course, should you try Tarot card meditation the results would be uniquely yours. (E.g., I can imagine that a person with a more intellectual approach would get very different kinds of results from mine.) The Tarot has a great deal to offer each one of us, according to our individual lights and needs.

Lastly, you will note a switch from the “I” to the “you” voice at two points. This is when I feel I am being “spoken to,” as opposed to being the speaker. (This voice, more present in others of these meditations, is often a “we” voice. It tends to offer tough love, saying the hard things I need to hear. But it is always working for the highest good.) To help distinguish it from the “I” voice, its comments are italicized.

MEDITATION:

I’m still a bit sweaty and shaky from doing some heavy house work, so the fiery look of this card is certainly appropriate. :-) Hm. Yes, I can see the Knight of Wands here, taking the Page’s new energy out into the world, sharing the results of years of listening and growth.

This card is an interesting complement to the previous, The Child (Page) of Wands. The Child of Wands being quiet and receptive and this one being active and perceptive, but both with an incredible openness – The Child in awe and this Sage in joy. With the name “Sage” I think of wisdom accrued over a lifetime. An even deeper wisdom is knowing one doesn’t know it all and that what one does know can change on a dime. Then holding that wisdom – which can be frightening at times – within a warm sense of humor about life’s variety and tricks. (Love the grin on the face of the “Shaman” in the lower left of the card.) Also knowing that things one sees are ultimately only guidelines and provisional ones at that. Yet still taking the chance and sharing those guidelines for what ever they might offer others. Then, celebrating all of this!

So, what does this “Seer” [the title of this Sage of Wands] have to say to me tonight? LOL! See what happens when you eat well and are more physically active? There’s room for some positivity. Ah, yes, there’s also something here about the fires of digestion, both metaphorically and literally. Neither works well for me when fed sugar, and especially grains. It’s like throwing sand or wet blankets on a fire expecting it to keep burning.

Hm! This is a rather masculine card (though to be honest I can’t be certain of the sex of two of the figures, though I think they’re male), which would fit elementally as this card is attributed to “fire of fire.” Interesting, one of my dreams last night had a bunch of naked men climbing out of a didjeridu. Didjeridus are like the ultimate wand, being made from a tree branch. But back to this maleness, and the men in last night’s dream: I am not comfortable with it at all. Whereas I was at home with The Child (Page) of Wands. The energy of this card can all too readily turn aggressive, and not always in direct or overt ways. “Sages” can control, use, and manipulate others. (Women "Sages" can do this too, of course. It’s the energy that’s masculine not necessarily its user.) I fear this as I have been manipulated in that way by so-called gurus and leaders. That misuse is the shadow of the power that comes with partial wisdom. But it cannot succeed unless the shadow of the one who seeks out the Sage wants to give up the responsibility for him/herself. This is where I worry I could still get hooked. I tend still to yearn to be taken care of. And I know this now all too well, therefor will not fully trust any “Sage,” for fear I’ll give up my own power again. My mistrust of authorities is therefore really a mistrust of myself.

These ideas are not really new to me, but considering what I have to be doing in my life right now they are very illuminating, to the point, and energizing. The world has nothing it needs to prove to me. I need to prove to myself that I am OK, and am capable and willing to move forward, beyond all this muck and mire I tend to create that I could suffocate in if I don’t get the hell into fast (fiery) motion! Which is what I’ve been doing these past several months, betwixt and between collapses back into the muck. This pattern does not reveal failure or weakness, but a tremendous gumption and a fiery determination that gives me deep and far seeing vision and a huge strength to move boulders. I am sort of sensing, rather than “hearing” that other voice urging me to really recognize my power. Yes, I see my power. I acknowledge it. I embrace it. This is the fire that does not burn but leads to life. May I not forget all this when the flames are less obvious behind life’s inevitable dark clouds. Steady as she goes! No turning back, no giving up. I see a new life taking shape in the flames....

END OF MEDITATION

Resource: Knight of Wands in The Taiga Tarot, not surprisingly one of my recent Taiga Tarot deck designs was this card. You can also see here a more traditional version of The Knight of Wands (scroll past the Knight of Wands black and white design).

‘til next time, keep sharing your wisdom in joy, and enjoying The Tarot,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm for Tarot poetry and Roswila’s Taiga Tarot for taiga (illustrated tanka).****