Today’s Card: Ten of Wands (analysis courtesy of www.biddytarot.com)
Card Symbology
The Ten of Wands shows a man overburdened with the weight of a heavy load. He walks toward a town and seems to indicate someone who has just finished a harvest and is struggling to bring the fruits of his labours to market.
Card Meaning
This card, like all others in the Tarot deck, has both positive and negative aspects to consider. In one sense, he is reaping a bountiful reward for hard work in his harvest and thus represents our own success after a long and perhaps difficult struggle. We have fulfilled a creative venture, realized a dream and now must deal with the consequences of that fulfilment. The realization of a creative vision, however, often carries with it the weight of responsibility, and the Ten of Wands indicates that this weight may be too much to bear. This card represents those among us who are unwilling to let go of excessive responsibility, or those who lose the freshness of the original vision after it has been fulfilled.
When a creative venture is begun, as in the card of The Fool, we are light-hearted, carefree, and excited by the new possibilities despite the pitfalls which may lie ahead. In contrast, the Ten of Wands suggests that we have taken on too much and need to release some of the burden. Perhaps this means taking more time out for relaxation and the enjoyment of life, or it may simply mean that we need to adopt a more balanced approach to our worldly cares. Are there unnecessary burdens weighing upon you that you can release in a healthy, wholesome way? There is always a need for temperance and balance to maintain psychological and spiritual health.
Nothing exists for this man except his burdens and responsibilities. How true this is for so many today! We take on so much, trying to do all the things that need to be done. We think that if we can hang on until the weekend (or vacation, or end of semester) then we can finally relax. The weekend comes, and the overload continues.
This card can also mean being oppressed by outside sources. Overworked, over tired, over stimulated. Having more on your plate (or back) than you can possibly handle. This is being overwhelmed at it’s worst. Life and everything in it becomes a burden, and each little task just adds weight. People who are moving houses in the next month get this a lot–and you can see why. But usually, if this card is prominent in a spread, you need to take a chill pill, and you need to do it now.
Carrying of a weighty load. Heart tried by pain. Ruin of all plans and projects. Complete disruption and failure, but any of the problems may soon be solved.
Oppression. You need to stop working so hard. If you cannot stop, then conserve your energy and pace yourself. When you are over-committed everything becomes a strain. Delay making decisions if exhaustion prevents good judgement.
Burdens, responsibilities, resentfulness. Perseverance, success, though health may suffer. Able to accomplish anything, but goal may not have same worth. Should study, travel and make new goals but feel tied down by responsibility. Misuse of energy.
Heavy duties, difficult tasks, You will successful even though in terms of health and anxiety, the price may be high. Perhaps some obligations have to go. The overload is not through choice or planning, but just “happened”
A person who “bends over backwards”, often in a relationship, in order to try and make it work, and the other person is no even aware how much the other person is trying to carry the relationship.
Health issues – tension (neck and shoulder); headaches; vision; overwork.