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I’m laughing quietly over our cards today: the overburdened character in the Ten of Wands completely oblivious to the two epic Major Arcana cards they’re walking towards. This week we’re similarly preoccupied with the tasks and actions of our daily lives, unaware of (or ignoring) an imminent and profound transformation on the horizon.
This isn't all bad. Some transformations are just there, waiting for us patiently, and the Ten of Wands suggests that we have some work to do - loose ends to tie up, obligations to fulfill, and even some unnecessary work we need to grow frustrated with in order to leave it by the wayside.
The Ten of Wands is the end of the wands sequence and represents a time when we’ve almost maxed out on action. This means that we’re also fatigued, tired, and over it; however, the end is very much in sight. With this in mind, lean into the themes of refinement, conclusion, and follow-through that this card carries. What do you need to finish at this moment in your life? How can you muster your last ounce of energy and use it to finish up what needs to be done, especially in your practical, everyday life?
Work, projects of all sorts, domestic tasks - all of these may need tending to at the beginning of the week. Prioritize whatever supports your life or gives something back to you and ignore the rest. There may be some wands we’ve picked up during this phase that don’t belong to us or no longer serve any discernible purpose. Being somewhat brutal about editing down our workload so that we can focus our energy is part of moving into what’s next and integrating the important lessons of the past few weeks.
I’m incredibly relieved to see The Hermit after the Ten of Wands. Sometimes the wands can signify unchecked ambition, workaholism, or an addiction to the external. The Hermit’s calm wisdom suggests the opposite; that we’ve been working hard at something meaningful, even if we weren’t aware of it at the moment, or that something sneakily transformational has been emerging as we wade through the demands of our daily life. What we need to do next is take a step back so we can better understand the overarching story hidden in the recent busyness we’ve been so immersed in.
The Hermit is on a search for meaning, and here we see them standing in austere, snowy silence and solitude, holding up their lantern to illuminate the tangle of wands in our first card. When the dust settles midweek we’ll be in the position to gain insight into the importance of our recent accomplishments. They might not feel like accomplishments, either; the Ten of Wands can bend towards harshness, not to mention chaos. Do what you can to reestablish your connection with yourself so that you can be as gentle and wise as The Hermit - look for the value in your struggles, the achievement in your efforts, and the patterns that connect to larger themes in your life.
A bigger change is on the horizon. We haven’t seen the Death card is quite some time. In fact, the changes we’ve been experiencing have been through The Wheel of Fortune and The Tower. Both of those cards focus on the vagaries of the external world. Here, however, we’re walking into a deeply personal transformation. The Hermit can help us prepare for Death by directing us inwards - how can we focus on our true self before we embrace the change we’ve been growing towards? - but once this card takes hold, we must lean into the mystery and inevitability of change.
This type of surrender can be frightening. We’re letting go of something, making a big personal shift, and it’s not entirely of our choice. We don’t know what we’re becoming, only that we must grow.
The Hermit suggests, however, that we can gift ourselves the time to be alone in order to illuminate and embrace the wisdom we’ve accumulated… and to prepare to welcome change. I am sensing, too, that this change is something we’ve been yearning for. It’ll require us to let go of ego and control, yes, but it’ll also bring us away from the burdensome Ten of Wands. In this sense, we may find ourselves closer to something we’ve wanted in the personal, deeply-held sense shown in the Major Arcana. Piddly, daily work might be leading us towards capital-T transformation. Embrace the surprise, trust the process, and commemorate turning the page of a new chapter.
Potential surprise/reframe:
I’m sensing a horizon-widening aspect to our experience of Death this week. Look at how the Ten of Wands is completely blocked from the view ahead. There’s a peaceful town just on the other side of the array of wands, yet the figure pushing them isn’t aware of the support and community just steps away.
We may be leaving a state of necessary (or partially-necessary) self-absorption this week. Having fewer immediate burdens, we can look outwards and see that everyone is wrestling with their own wall of wands. And that we all undergo the transformations of the Death card.
The Ten of Wands and The Hermit show solitary figures; it’s necessary for us to be alone this week. Even selfishness has its place, as it’s directing us towards the perspective-shifting experience of Death. So long as we don’t stay in the space of any one card, they all have something valuable to teach us. Don’t be too harsh on yourself if you need to step away from others or narrow your focus to the tasks at hand.
Our landscape shifts drastically via Death at the end of the week. This card is populated by a whole cast of characters. Death comes for us all: kings, maidens, (even the Pope). Yet the only one truly facing and taking in the moment is the small child (a clothed version of The Sun card?). Consider how you can cultivate an attitude of wonder, openness, and receptivity to change this week. Brightness is just on the other side and there’s more company in transformation than we may realize.
This week, embrace:
Finishing touches, follow-through, focus
Self-reflection, quiet, solitude
Being gentle with yourself
Opening to transformation
This week, avoid:
Distraction
Launching new projects
Self-criticism, shame at having to take time for yourself
Running away from change
Limiting views of your character
This reading in one sentence:
Needing solitude to prepare for transformation after a final push of action.
This is so spot on for me at this time. I was intuitively feeling to just be alone and take care of myself.. Today was the last day of a very intense job, one that I loved but was sometimes so overwhelmingly busy and stressed me out. Thank you so much.