Start Today with Guidance and a Glimpse of Possibilities

In the King of Wands, we see a figure leaning forward on his throne: he does not seem as solidly planted on his seat as the Queen but, rather, as if he is about to - or very much wanting to - spring up and into action. In this way, he represents the culmination of the suit: the fiery Wands have been directed into successful, often long-term, projects, and yet still burn brightly with passion and great energy.

The Six of Wands is the ultimate expression of the Fire optimism: we do not know if the triumphant figure depicted on the card, lauded by the followers processing with him, is returning home after a great triumph or riding into battle. What matters is that his very belief in life and his own abilities have assured both his past and future successes.

The card of Temperance concerns balance, and harmony achieved through successfully merging all the many elements of our lives. This is seen literally in the image of the angel pouring water from one cup into another, mixing the streams in a never-ending flow. The card hints at it figuratively, too, in the way in which the figure stands with one foot on land - a symbol of the outer world - and one foot in the water, which is representative of the inner one. The path in the card’s background suggests that, with the hard-won self-awareness and openness to change brought about by The Hanged Man and Death, we are now ready to return to our lives, clarified, and with a new sense of purpose.

In the Two of Swords, we see the image of a woman, a blindfold covering her eyes, sitting with her back to choppy waters. She holds a pair of swords crossed in front of her chest, and a crescent moon looks down on the scene. This card suggests a balance held - but that has come at a cost.

The Strength card traditionally depicts a woman gently opening (or caressing) the jaws of a lion, who looks up at her with complete trust. The lion can symbolize our passions, and our unconscious energy: the kind that manifests through our intuition and our dreams. In taming this, the woman in the card is allowing this side of her being to safely merge with the rational, outward-looking aspect of her core personality. Interestingly, the Strength attribute is normally perceived as being linked to the woman; however, in allowing itself to trust and have faith, it is, perhaps, the lion that more properly embodies the deeper meaning of the card.

Through the successful completion of the journey of self-discovery to inner awareness, The Fool becomes The World dancer, free, with mind, body, and soul in complete unification. The wand that was held with such focus and ambition by The Magician is held - one in each hand - lightly by The World; the power she channels flows through her and is replenished in a never-ending stream. A laurel wreath entirely circles the dancer, symbolizing triumph and achievement.