Sometimes things aren’t clear right away. That’s where you need to be patient and persevere and see where things lead.
-Mary Pierce
Expansion, foresight, anticipation, confidence
Overview
The Three of Wands is a card symbolic of all things culmination. After the Ace of Wands asked you to pick a direction, and the Two of Wands had you in reflection, the three of wands is the culmination of all the efforts you’ve put in to achieve this moment. You’ve cast your die and set forth.
Imagine that the saga of the wands was the story of how the King of Wands obtained his throne. It started with being handed the baton, coming of age— and now he’s set his ship to sail to conquest. This is the King, with his circlet around his head— not quite yet a crown—watching the first of many decisions he is to make play out. For better or for worse.
Symbolism
A man in red robes with a green shawl stands atop a lush hillside, surrounded by three wands firmly planted in the ground. He slings a sack across his shoulder, and beneath his robe, a suit of armor appears. However, his feet do not appear to be iron-clad, symbolizing that while he is a warrior, he remains a noble at his roots. A circlet wraps around his dark hair as he uses one of the three wands to support himself upright. He observes three ships sailing out of port, with the sunset creating a golden reflection off the water through which they sail. The mountains behind the water recede far into the horizon, allowing a sound, secure passage for the three ships.
Meaning
Watching your dreams unfurl
You’ve put in the work, and now you find yourself in the stand-off period. You can’t do anything more; you’ve planned and prepped until you felt confident enough to fully commit to an endeavor. It’s alright to feel anxious. Remember that fate controls everything that happens now—you’ve done what you could, and all that remains is to wait.
Unwavering in your commitments
Commit to whatever decision you make, even if you believe it’s the wrong one. Clearly define who you are and your intentions in this situation. Others will respond accordingly if you exert your confidence and dominance. Present yourself in the way you wish others to see you and how you want society to perceive you.
Determination yields results
Firstly, the amount of determination you put into this situation will directly translate into the value of its conclusion. Secondly, it breaches the horizon like the dawn. Lastly, just hold steadfast for it.
Watching Your work in Motion
Having established our direction, we must now be patient for the outcomes. While cause and effect are in motion, the results are not always immediate or lucrative. During this period, take time to assess your endeavors in a state of calm and expectation of the ultimate decision. Let go of your intentions; your role now is simply to observe the return on your efforts.
Three of Wands Reversed
All things come to him who waits – provided he knows what he is waiting for.
-Woodrow Wilson
Stagnation, delays, frustration, Second Guessing
What you were waiting for did not go as planned. At the very least, these things are postponed or will never happen. It seems like you’ll never see the result because too many variables got lost along the way. Cut your losses and look forward to greater things. It’s time to polish off your plans and continue onto greater things.
Meaning
Ultimately, the reversed Three of Wands means that things aren’t going to plan for one reason or another. The ships aren’t coming home.
Hung up on the last bar
You’re nearly coasting, but you’re stuck on the last bar. You differ from being picky or a perfectionist when you become anxious that all your work was for nothing. Stop pushing and tweaking such minor things and aim for the finish line. We know that the difference between a minute and 30 seconds isn’t significant enough to require adjusting the entire itinerary again.
Anxiety in letting go
This presents an alternative version of the sunk cost fallacy. . You will never know success or failure until things are set into action once and for all.
Minor hiccups leading to major failures
You’ve encountered countless minor hiccups that repeatedly postpone your kickoff time. Try to understand the logistics you’re dealing with. If you set your ships to sea without knowing how to navigate, you may underestimate what you need to make things prosper.
Second Guessing
Choose confidence in your abilities to navigate this situation, even if the other road would have been easier. You haven’t lost everything; you still have time to recover. Treat this as a learning experience. Now that you understand the hard way, you’ll master the simple route next time.
Failure of the endeavor
Pirates hijacked the ships, preventing them from returning home. You couldn’t predict or change this outcome. Consider this a learning experience: spending a little extra on security is easier than setting sail on well wishes.
