Ten of Wands Tarot Card Meanings
Ten of Wands’ Upright & Reversed Meanings
Ideas: Assignment, limit, prioritization
Traits: Fair, humble, moderate, modest, practical, rational, realistic, trusting
Emotions: Contentment, gladness, hope, relief, satisfaction
- Actions:
- Assigning tasks to others
- Knowing about your own limits
- Letting others carry your load partially
- Prioritizing your commitments
- Recognizing when you are not well-suited for a particular task
- Unburdening yourself
Ideas: Burden, maximum challenge, resistance
Traits: Busy, determined, dutiful, forceful, responsible, slow, strong, tough
Emotions: Annoyance, caring, eagerness, enthusiasm, frustration, irritation, optimism, uneasiness
- Actions:
- Attempting to outdo yourself
- Carrying on despite difficulties or setbacks
- Challenging yourself as much as possible
- Coming to the aid of the oppressed
- Helping others carry their burdens
- Holding your own in extreme circumstances
- Pushing the envelope
Ideas: Exhaustion, overextension, overload, overtime
Traits: Demanding, difficult, impractical, irrational, oppressed, perfectionist, unrealistic, vulnerable
Emotions: Agony, anguish, hurt, neglect, pity, pride, suffering, sympathy
- Actions:
- Insisting you’re the only one who can do the job well
- Making a habit of working overtime
- Overextending yourself on a regular basis
- Reaching your limit
- Refusing to accept help when you’re already overloaded
- Shielding others from facing the consequences of their own poor judgment
- Taking on more work than you know you can handle
Ten of Wands’ Advice
Personal Growth
Knowing your own limits is a sign of maturity. Don’t take on more than you can reliably handle. It’s better to be respected for saying “No” than hated for saying “Yes” and failing to deliver. When unreasonable demands are made, point them out and sidestep them.
Relationship
Some relationships become a burden. When this happens, have the presence of mind to put them aside. Relationships involve more than one person. When you’ve done all you can do to make a relationship a success, there’s no shame in withdrawing from a bad situation.
Career
Overextending yourself on a regular basis is not a sign of strength: it’s evidence of poor judgment. You cannot perform at your best when exhausted. There are too many irons in the fire. Review your values and make tough choices, letting go of work that isn’t critical.
Spirituality
When we are exhausted, we tend to feel disconnected from Spirit. Restore yourself (and your spirit) by scheduling regular quiet time. Guard this appointment with contemplative silence as jealously as you would an appointment with a life-saving doctor. Disconnect—and reconnect.
Ten of Wands’ Symbols & Insights
The Stooped Figure
Most Rider–Waite–Smith-inspired decks depict a stooped, overburdened figure on this card. He has gone as far as sheer Will can take him; he is on the verge of collapse. There comes a point when too much is too much, and it’s time to re-evaluate your approach to the problem.
The Distant Village
Some Rider–Waite–Smith-inspired decks depict a distant village in the background of the card. The village is the light at the end of the tunnel: a reminded that the destination is close at hand. Your own “way out” may be as simple as declining an opportunity you lack the time or energy to complete.
Exhaustion
Fullness has been exceeded, and the energy of the Wands suit becomes spoiled and over-extended. As a result, we’ve become slaves to our own intentions; a little searching, though, will help us find the key to escaping our self-made prisons.
The Marseilles Image
Though woven tightly together, the ten Wands seen here are as compressed as they can be. Adding another would likely cause an explosion! Intent and action have reached their limit; it’s time to try another way of solving the problem at hand.
More About Ten of Wands Tarot Card
- Prediction
- You’re worn out! Back off, take a time out, and let someone else handle things for a while.
- Timing
- Between December 13 and December 21
- Affirmation
- “I respect my own limits.”
- Numerology Number
- 10
(the end: finality, completion, exhaustion) - Classical Element
- Fire
- Astrological Planet in Sign
- Saturn in Sagittarius
- Story Character
- The main character attempts a task he is not well-suited for, with disastrous results.
- Questions to Ask
- How will you know when you reach the end of your rope?
- How easily do you say no to new projects and requests?
- What projects could you delegate … or eliminate?
