X. of Wands

Keywords:
overburdened, taxed, trying too hard, struggling, taking on too much, stress, responsibility, attainment, achievement, accomplishment, cycle change

Reversed:
avoiding a burden, uncertain what to do, shirking responsibility, overcoming obstacles, de-stressing, last hurdle, refocusing attention


The suit of Wands is about inspiration and creativity. It is soul essence ready to burst into manifestation.  The number 10 is a turning point. It is between an ending and a beginning. With the X of Wands you find yourself overwhelmed by creative urges. There are so many paths to take, so many options, you have taken on too much. You are bursting with ideas, but you are also paralyzed by ideas. Can you possibly create all that you have the potential to create?  Can you do it all?

It's great and wonderful to be an ideas person and be inspired but it's not good when you never actually create. With the X of Wands you may see that you have all these amazing ideas and then you don't act on any of them. Perhaps you even write them down and then thumb through your inspiration notebook thinking and thinking about starting off each and every project.  But there are too many!  You start nothing!  You just keep thinking about them all, and carrying them around.  You create all kinds of reasons why they are too hard, because they are too big and plentiful. Even divine inspiration can become a burden when you let it build up to the point of overwhelm.

Shadowscapes tarot

So the X of Wands asks you to choose one path. It's time to get back to the Ace of Wands and the purity of single intention. It's time to put aside some of those ideas of yours and refocus. Put everything else aside for now. Try and fend off your other ideas or work them into a grand scheme that you are already plowing away one. When new ideas crop up  tell them, "Hello, great idea, I may have time and space for you when I finish the great idea that I'm already on." Then totally forget about that other idea. You need to focus. You need to take it one step at a time. Everything else can wait.

Don't worry about your inspiration being too big or hard. For example, if you want to record an album, you need to first learn how to play an instrument or how to sing. Then you need to learn how to write songs, then find a way to record an album, and then release it. Don't just sit around and think about your dream and never even learn how to make music!  Who cares if it's a huge goal. Who cares if it takes forever. What else are you doing? What does it matter if you spend your whole life working towards your dream? Wouldn't that actually be a beautiful way to live? Treat your goals like a prize instead of burden and you will transform the intense energy of the X of Wands into the fresh spring of inspiration with the Ace of Wands. Allow this cycle to turn into a new beginning.

X of Wands reversed:

The reversed X of Wands can signal that you are succeeding in focusing your creativity. You are realizing that of all your great ideas there is one that you want to pursue the most. You are putting aside all your myriad worries and doubts about your goal.  You are ready to stop guilt tripping yourself about the ones that have to wait or need to be discarded. The feeling of being overwhelmed or burdened by inspiration is starting to fade in the face of your new concentration. If you draw the X of Wands reversed in a past position, or current energy position, this is probably what you are encountering. You are letting the options fade into the past and picking one path for yourself now.

Rider Waite Smith tarot

On the other hand, a reversed X of Wands reversed in a future card position could indicate in a reading that you are still blocked or refusing to narrow your focus. You have buried your head in the sand and will never do anything. All ideas are abandoned, you get a job at a gas station, and you spend the rest of your nights watching TV. No more dreams, no more ambition, no more creativity. Okay, hopefully it's not such a dire situation that you won't snap out of it now that you are aware of your stagnation.  The X of Wands reversed pops up as a reminder to get going, to not give up, to realize that you have a great idea inside of you that you long to pursue. Now is the time, go and get it! Here is the gentle reminder that you are a creative person, that you are inspired, that there is something special and unique that only you can bring into this world. Make it with your authentic soul essence and it will be truly an original creation from your heart.