King of Wands
The King of Wands symbolizes authority, charisma, and confident leadership, embodied by the image of a male lion overseeing his dominion. Upright, it encourages using personal magnetism and decisive action to rally others toward common goals and to seize leadership opportunities responsibly. It emphasizes practical focus over idle dreaming, delegation, and taking on challenges with confidence. Reversed, it warns of unreadiness for leadership, arrogance, poor delegation, and the need to be realistic, fair, and open to others' contributions.
Keywords
Animal
Lion
Fun fact
Lions can sleep for 16-20 hours each day and only hunt once every few days, during which the female lions take charge and hunt the bulk of prey for the pride. The number of African lions in the wild is declining and they are at risk of extinction due to organized hunting. Over the last ten years, their numbers have gone down by 30%.
Keywords
Leadership, Leniency, Charming
Reversed keywords
Arrogance, Forcefulness, Impulsive
Meaning
A longstanding symbol of power, leadership, and masculine energies, a male lion looks out over his dominion, king of all that he surveys. His staff is large and upright, representing the strength he employs to keep his kingdom running smoothly and without issue. He is confident in his abilities. The King of Wands reminds us to rely on our charisma and presence as we pursue our goals. Only then will others deign to follow our lead.
Upright
When upright, the King of Wands signifies that the user is a natural-born leader. Creativity and dreaming are not what you're interested in, but you still have goals you wish to pursue. You're in a good position to enlist the help of others to direct them into working towards a common goal. You may have already been put into a position of leadership, or the opportunity to become one will soon present itself to you. Channel your charisma and focus to be the best leader you can be. Don't be afraid of this responsibility; everyone who follows you does so because they believe in what you stand for. Take on challenges head-on and don't waste time pursuing things you know won't yield results. The time for action is now, and you have all the tools necessary to make fortune work for you.
Reversed meaning
When reversed, King of Wands indicates that the user has been put into a leadership role and is not ready for the responsibilities that entails. You may still be a follower instead of a leader, and you struggle to relate to the people around you enough to present the strong foundation they look up to for guidance. Perhaps you struggle with delegation, believing only you can produce worthwhile results. Be wary of arrogance poisoning your efforts, and be open to what others have to offer, even if they are ranked under you. No one gets to where they are by blindly stepping on the heads of others. Be realistic, deal fairly with your followers, and understand that there is more to being a leader than telling others to jump and waiting for them to ask "how high?"
Visual Description
A large regal lion sits facing slightly to the viewer's left against a starry, cosmic background. A long, twisted wand or staff stands upright beside the lion, adorned with green sprouts and a glowing circular motif behind it. Golden ribbon-like bands weave across the scene and a faint halo circle frames the lion's mane. At the bottom of the image the printed title reads "KING OF WANDS."
Oriens tarot
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