Ten of Wands
The Ten of Wands symbolizes burdens and stresses that one carries, often feeling overwhelmed and fatigued. The card emphasizes the importance of acknowledging one's own limitations and the need to let go of unnecessary obligations and emotional weight. It calls attention to the dangers of prioritizing others' expectations over personal well-being and joy. The inverted meaning suggests a readiness to release old wounds and resentments, highlighting the transformative potential of acknowledging and letting go of these burdens.
Keywords
General Meaning
The Ten of Wands shows a person carrying a huge bundle of sticks. This bundle can be stress, obligation, fear, hate, resentment, actual sticks … any number of things. Their back is sometimes bent, head down, and you can tell that in a few more steps, they’ll drop everything or fall. Not only is the person carrying too much, they’re carrying it improperly. There is no healthy version of this journey.
Impact of Others
I’ll bet that it’s not all his, though. I’ll bet that some of that is the worry/drama/stress of his partner, his kids, his coworkers, his boss, his friends, his family, his neighbors, etc. I’ll bet that a lot of it has to do with worrying that he’ll disappoint people. Worry that he’s going to let someone down or make them angry or lose someone because he’s not willing to shift to their point of view. But look what he’s doing instead. He is holding so many things—so poorly, I might add—that he can’t see the ground in front of him and he’s fixin’ to fall flat on his ass. How disappointed will the others be when you let their burdens fall to the ground along with your own? And not seeing the ground in front of you—that’s a big deal. If you can’t see, if you’re relying on the input and insight of others to show you the road, it’s not yours anymore. You’re walking the path of others and your joy is not going to be at the end of it. It’s not authentic. It’s not for you. And neither is most of the crazy that we carry around with us.
Buddhist Story Example
This story is a great example of the Ten of Wands. This is a Buddhist story, and can be found in the book Zen Shorts by Jon Muth: A young woman waited in front of deep, muddy puddles. She couldn’t cross without getting mud on her clothes, and she scolded her servants, who had their hands full with heavy packages, for not helping her. A passing monk picked her up and carried her across the mud. To the surprise of his companion, not only did the woman not thank her helper, she shoved him out of her way when he put her down. The companion later commented on her rudeness. The helpful monk responded, “I set the woman down hours ago. Why are you still carrying her?”
Self-Reflection
Why is it so hard to learn this lesson? The man in the card has everything taken care of. He’s handling it. No problem! Except that he can’t see the road before him, and he looks so tired and sore. He’s carrying so much that he’s got to be in that numb, fuzzy state of mind where you nearly forget what you’re carrying or where you’re going. You just keep plodding along. In a reading, the important questions are these: Who is he carrying this for? Why won’t he put it down? Why is he doing this? Why is he carrying them like that—and deliberately blinding himself—instead of figuring out a less stupid way to handle them? Finding out why you’ve burdened yourself so heavily is a good place to start.
Inverted Meaning
I’ve carried around enough of these dark emotions to know that they’re important and should be respected. Fear is a lifesaver, anger protects us from making mistakes again, hate can burn away excuses that keep us still and silent. These emotions should be validated. But for how long? And how many will you carry?
Letting Go
I’ve found in giving readings, and in my own life, that a person will sense when it’s time to let these things go. You’ll feel less heated when you think of the person who wronged you. You’ll feel strong instead of small when you’re reminded of the past. If this time comes and is ignored, the bright flames of these cleansing emotions are extinguished, and we’re left carrying around ashes. Sticky, heavy, blinding ashes.
Personal Experience
Old resentments or frustrations, old wounds and fears—I’ve been letting them go. Or, as my honey says, “Put it down, babe.” He’s much more Zen than I am, and he sees me carry around this stress and wants me to stop carrying it. Whereas I just accept it as my fate. I found this stick, this is my goddamned stick, and I’ll carry it as long as I want, even if it hurts me. Very mature, no? (No.)
The Difficulty of Release
It’s hard to put down these sticks. It’s even harder when you’ve grown comfortable with their weight. Sometimes being free of something is just as frightening as carrying it around. But, you know … it’s freeing to let go of things that no longer serve you. The reverse of this card is heavy, too, but the chance of release is great.
Smith-Waite tarot
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