The Ten of Wands card of the tarot represents the way in which many creative people handle their passions and pursuits. In most traditional Rider Waite type imagery we have a man who is very dedicated to taking a bundle of wands with him on his way toward his destination off in the distance. Many artist understand what it is to have this constantly come up in their lives. While this card also represents physical exertion, I am approaching this entry from a creative lens. I will also add that many physical aspects also relate to creativity and the artistic life.
Ten of Wands depicted in the Robin Wood Tarot, Tarot Illuminati, and Tarot of Divine Legacy
When looking at this image in the Robin Wood Tarot we see the traditional figure of the man with his burdensome wands while he walks along a path. In the far distance there is a landscape of mountains in which there is a village in sight. That is the goal and destination that the man is trying to reach. The wands are of fire and creation. Viewing this card with a creative lens, the wands represent all creative pursuits. In my personal experience this refers to all my different art projects such as my illustration, photo manipulation, dancing, sewing, jewelry and every other way in which my art manifests itself. When looking at the wands themselves different people will see different things that connect them to the card and their own personal experiences. In this deck we see a more traditional looking wand. One way in which I experience this depiction is to connect it to the pen for my tablet that I use for my digital art creations. The wands can remind us of other creative tools which are different for every person experiencing the tarot in their own way. Taking another look at the person in the image, he is very dedicated to getting to his destination with all of his wands and it feels like he will reach his goal, he may need to take time rest, recoup, and readjust his bundle to get a better view of his destination, but he will get there, it is only a matter of time.
In the Tarot Illuminati we see the same type of character yet with a slightly different depiction. We have a large tower instead of the village. The destination is closer than the far off village of the other deck, however there are stairs leading up to the building. This gives the idea of upward movement, taking the steps needed to take you upward in life. He has less of a sturdy grip and will have to pause from time to time to readjust but he is still determined. The goal is not that far and is attainable. The representation of the keys in this deck feels more metallic and they remind me of keys. As if they are the many keys he is taking to the tower to unlock the many doors to success, especially when you take into account the stairs and the upward movement also pointing to the idea of success and the reaching of ones goals.
The image in the Legacy of the Divine Tarot depicts a man crawling on the ground with the wands strapped to his back. He is very determined putting in the hard work with a very heavy burdened load. It is hard to see his destination but it is very clear that it is of great importance that he get there with this wands in tact. There are many who feel this way when they take on a lot of activities and look at all that needs to be done and start to experience great stress. When we look at the whole of our journey all at once it does feel this way, a very oppressive burdensome journey. The risk of looking at our situation in such a way results in the good chance that we give up. At this point we need to stop, look at how to approach things in a step by step manner. This will have us feeling more optimistic and will lead to a more healthy way of working and engaging the creative process.
We must remember that when we take on many projects or balance many passions that we take time to readjust to get a clearer picture of where we are on our journey and how to successfully meet our goals. I do this through spiritual practice and connecting with the divine. I believe that the spiritual realm is closely related to art and life as a creative cycle. It is getting in contact with this connection that we get a clearer picture of where we are going in life and what it takes to be successful. If we let things become overbearing and oppressive we are likely not to reach our destination or having a hard time seeing where we are going. Take time and connect to the tarot through meditation as a tool to reconnect to our lives and creative cycles. By doing this we will be able to assess where we are in our life allowing for better clarity. This will allow us better control over our life and therefore giving us the keys to success.