04 Four of Wands
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Number: 4
Card Title: Four of Wands
Esoteric Title: Lord of Perfected Work
Numerical Keywords: 4: Stability, Kindness, Grace
Numerical Attributions: Jupiter, Blue, World, South
Intelligence: Receiving and Containing Intelligence
Element: Fire (hot, dry)
Elemental Keywords: Energy, Action, Inception
Elemental Attributions: South, Summer, Noon
Astrological Attribution: Venus in Aries
Dates & Timing: April 11 to April 20
Qabalistic World: Chesed in Atziluth
Translation of World: The Mercy of Nobility
Suit Color: Wands-Red
Keywords: marriage, home, settlement, family bonds, heath, happiness, harmony, celebration
Ill-Dignified:Unready, Unreliable, Hasty Action, non-committed relationship. Lack in Pleasure, Tarnished Beauty.
Interpretation: Relax and enjoy the rewards. Homecoming, Reunion. The strength and stability of a committed relationship. The ships have come in.
Reversed Interpretation: Lack in Pleasure. Shaky relationships. The desire for material security and status has created a conflict with the need for action and creative expression.
Rider-Waite Imagery
The Pictorial Key to the Tarot by Arthur Edward Waite (1911)
From the four great staves planted in the foreground there is a great garland suspended; two female figures uplift nosegays; at their side is a bridge over a moat, leading to an old manorial house. Divinatory Meanings: They are for once almost on the surface–country life, haven of refuge, a species of domestic harvest-home, repose, concord, harmony, prosperity, peace, and the perfected work of these. Reversed: The meaning remains unaltered; it is prosperity, increase, felicity, beauty, embellishment.
4 Some Additional Meanings of the Lesser Arcana
Four.–Unexpected good fortune. Reversed: A married woman will have beautiful children.
The Recurrence of Cards in Dealing
In the Natural Position: 4 Threes = progress; 3 Threes = unity 2 Threes = calm.
Reversed: 4 Threes = great success; 3 Threes = serenity; 2 Threes = safety.
The Tarot of the Bohemians by Papus; tr. A. P Morton, [1896]
Signification of the Four Series of Minor Arcana in the Divining Tarot
SCEPTRES: Creation. Enterprise. Agriculture.
FOUR. Obstacles to the Enterprise. Nothing can be accomplished without obstacles. We therefore now find them appearing, and must prepare ourselves to overcome them.
The Tarot by S.L. MacGregor Mathers [1888]
Meanings of the Cards
32. Four of Sceptres.–Society, Union, Association, Concord, Harmony; R. Prosperity, Success, Happiness, Advantage.
Three Books of Occult Philosophy by Henry Cornelius Agrippa
Aries III
Figure of a white man, pale, with reddish hair, and cloathed with a red garment, who carrying on the one hand a golden Bracelet, and holding forth a wooden staff, is restless, and like one in wrath, because he cannot perform that good he would. This image bestoweth wit, meekness, joy and beauty:
Picatrix the Goal of the Wise by Ghayat Al-akim
Book "T" The Tarot
XLVII. The Lord of Perfected Work
Four of Wands
TWO White Radiating Angelic Hands, as before, issuing from clouds right and left of the card and clasped in the centre with the grip of the First Order, holding four wands or torches crossed. Flames issue from the point of junction. Above and below are two small flaming wands, with the symbols of Venus and Aries representing the Decan.
Perfection or completion of a thing built up with trouble and labour. Rest after labour, subtlety, cleverness, beauty, mirth, success in completion. Reasoning faculty, conclusions drawn from previous knowledge. Unreadiness, unreliable and unsteady through over-anxiety and hurriedness of action. Graceful in manner, at times insincere, etc.
Chesed of HB:Y (Settlement, arrangement, completion).
Herein are HB:NNAAL and HB:NYThHL Angelic rulers.
Often the General signification of the Majority of a particular suit and of the particular signification of the either 3 of 4 cards of a sort in a reading:
- A Majority of Wands Energy, opposition, quarrel.
- 4 Fours Rest, peace.
- 3 Fours Industry
