Knight of Wands
Keywords
Boldness, bravado, passion, persuasion, advocacy
Range of Meaning
Light: Charging ahead. Making rapid progress. Refusing limits. Dazzling those around you with your wit and charm. Convincing others of your right to leadership. Convincing others to follow you. Being a catalyst for change.
Shadow: Blundering forward with inadequate skill or information. Running roughshod over the feelings of others. Using sex appeal to manipulate others. Forcing your leadership or ideology on others. Beginning many projects without finishing any.
Correspondences
Personality: The Knight of Wands can represent anyone who wants to lead the way (Knight) to a goal (Wands), especially in academic, romantic, and professional areas of life. The Knight may also represent the tendency to be more forceful than cooperative or the need to take action at any cost.
Elemental: Air of Fire.
Affirmation: “I can lead the way to success.”
Story: The Main Character leads the effort to reach a common goal.
Advice
Relationships. Ask someone out. Set up a romantic evening and make it happen. Speak your heart, and challenge others to do the same. Be feverishly romantic. Pull out all the stops. After making sure your motives are pure, use your charisma to bowl someone over.
Work. If you are not equipped to be a charismatic advocate for your ideas, find a champion and enlist his or her aid. Your focus today is more on “sizzle” than “steak.” Sell your ideas and skills as boldly as you can without distorting or exaggerating their value. Stress benefits and push for commitments.
Spirituality. Without coming off as a fanatic, you can share your spiritual journey with others. Offer prayers. Mention important Truths you've learned to apply. Loan out your books. Mention your faith in a letter to a friend. Every time you share your Light, you aid in conquering Darkness.
Personal Growth. Share yourself. Watch for opportunities to lend a hand, offer your skills, or lead an effort others will avoid. Prove yourself in small things, and others will be willing to follow you into larger battles.
Fortune Telling. This card represents a man with a bold, passionate personality, likely born between July 12th and August 11th, who wants to sweep you off your feet.
When? Between July 12th and August 11th.
Symbols and Insights
Charging Forward. Versions of this card based on RWS imagery often depict a fair young man streaking across the desert in full battle armor. Is the horse you're riding today galloping fast...or out of control?
Pyramids. In the background of RWS-inspired versions of this card, we frequently see pyramids. While his “get things done” attitude moves the Knight rapidly forward, the pyramids remind him that long-term application of force over time is more likely the key to lasting achievement.
Eliciting Involvement. Before inviting people to join your venture, find out what benefits really interest them … or you might gallop off into the distance, alone!
The Marseilles Image. The Marseilles Knight of Wands is a picture of distraction. Instead of looking forward, he’s looking back. Despite his uncertainty, he’s beating his horse, urging speed. Before you rush headlong into action, be sure you have a destination defined.
Questions to Ask
- To what extent have you defined your ultimate goal?
- What’s the fastest way to get the job done? Is this necessarily the best way?
- How long has it been since you looked back to see if others really are following your lead?