TAROTKnight of Wands
Upright
Emotional energy and passion. Courageous and confident
A person of action and enthusiasm.
A passionate speaker, often with great charisma.
Intuition
The card was designed around the concept of ‘air and fire in motion’.
One place we see plenty of both communication and emotion is the battlefield and this is exactly what we see on this card!
Reversed
Impulsive and impatient.
A person who will get easily bored and flit between goals, relationships or places.
Overreaction that can in extreme cases spill into battle.
Astrologia
Confident and determined. Able to maintain balance between intellect and passions, often by calculated risk taking that can be both logical and breath-taking. Conflicted when emotion/intellect is unbalanced, causing a sudden lack of deep emotion or childishness that causes them to move on.
Knight of Wands
The Page of Wands represents the initial spark of ideas and seeing the broad picture. The Knight of Wands moves the process along through to manifesting intellectual passion and will into the physical world.
Ideas, motivations and passions are no longer thoughts and ideals. They now literally explode into the real world. The Knight of Wands is not just Fire but Air in Fire, and mixing those two elements gives you Fire in motion. Passion communicated and ideas that are no longer theoretical but propelled forward through will and conviction.
At best, this Knight is able to maintain a healthy balance between intellect and passions to create a courageous and intelligent character with excellent communication and practical skills, with the speed power to get things done quickly. The Knight can change the world via his vision, or change your life with masses of passion and vision.
At worst, the Knight is someone who will crash into your life like an emotional firework exploding into view, lighting up everything with excitement. But just as soon they will become restless and disappear or change for the worst as you quickly realize the most important partner for this knight is not you but their ego!
Who better to be the Knight of Wands than War itself?
Ares
Ares is the Greek God of War. Although we have seen another God of War – Athena – in the Strength card, she is more about tactics and strategy in war, as well as nobility of the cause. Ares is the violent and physical aspect of the battlefield itself, and the evils of War.
As with many myths there is often a wry or dark joke or play on words mixed into the stories, and the myth of Ares is no different. With few exceptions, he was an unloved god (as nobody really wants war). When thanks was given to him, it was often to placate him rather than celebrate him.
There was only one other deity that seemed to have any time for him; Aphrodite, Goddess of Love. The only thing that loves War is Love itself. Anyone who has been in a long running relationship might understand the joke there…
In his Roman form as Mars, he becomes closer to a man of valor who fights for a noble cause, which is at odds with Ares as the bloodthirsty and cruel face of war itself.
One major redeeming feature of Ares was his sense of duty to family. He went to great length to protect his children for example, and although he was used to death on the battlefield and despised weakness, he grieved family and was a good father.
Description and Symbology
We see a knight leaping over a battlefield filled with smoke and fire. In the sky we see the planet Mars. The knight is Ares, a headstrong warrior and the God of War. Like the Death card (where we see death depicted as an invisible specter haunting the battlefield of life) Ares is seen as another invisible specter except this time he is War itself, raising the passions of the combatants and goading them to mortal and bloody combat.
We see animals associated with him in the air and on the ground: vultures and the dogs of war.
Like all battlefields, this is a charged area. Full of strong emotion and quick actions. And of course, very competitive! But notice that although this is a battlefield, the sky is not red but blue. Even though there is Fire, there is also Air here and the best innovation and ideas always result from competition and drastic change. Further it is Air – communication – that puts an end to war.
Ares
Ares represents the break-neck movement, pure passion and constant communication of the battlefield, and those attributes also fit in well with the Knight of Wands!
Animals
We see the dogs and vultures associated with the battlefield: the dogs and vultures. The ‘Dogs of War’ represent a force that becomes uncontrollable once released and vultures are often seen as symbols of change and purification.
Red fire
The element Fire represents the passion and force of will that propels the knight of Wands forward
Blue air
The element Air represents the intellectual vision and communication that when used correctly changes the brute force of the knight into a positive force.
Mars
The planet Mars hangs in the sky as the astrological source of the knight’s massive forward energy
Tips for Readings
The following table shows the upright and reverse meanings for general questions. The last row ('Yes/No') is useful when you are picking a single card to decide a yes or no decision.
Upright
Reversed
For single people this card denotes a new person coming into your life who is full of passion for you, causing a time of fun and excitement. Sounds perfect! Be aware that it may come with impulsiveness unless the energy is mediated by other cards in the spread.
For those already in a relationship, it suggests one or both parties are looking to move the relationship forward in some way, possibly rekindling the fire or travel together.
For ex-partners, this card suggests the other person may be looking to get back, but you will need to check if they are able (or willing!) to heal any old wounds first.
For single people this card denotes a new person coming into your life that will literally sweep you off your feet with their passion and conversation but beware! They may not have any intention of commitment, and will be come as soon as the dream subsides towards the slightest hint of reality!
For an existing relationship the cards suggests one or both parties are troubled by the relationship, and by that we mean seriously troubled. Expect ego and selfishness, lack of care and even infidelity or controlling behavior.
For ex-partners, be wary of calls to reconnect, as there will be a selfish, short-term or self-centered reason for it.
This card suggests being bold and proactive and ‘there is nothing wrong with ambition’! You will feel energized and now is the time to shake off any inertia and pursue your dreams. This dream may involve moving for career. Don’t limit yourself to local opportunities.
This card also signifies new ideas and inventions so now is the time to step up with your business shaking ideas. You will certainly have the confidence to pitch them!
Move forward confidently on any advancement or opportunity that comes your way and embrace challenges… but keep on the right side of impulsive behavior.
This card suggests it may be time to consider a move. You are becoming restless or bored in your current position. This may be because of lack of career progression, or simply because you find the job a drudge.
Be sure you are not confusing boredom and lack of progression with impatience and passion projects though. Do this by thinking carefully before you move. Battles are not won by the bravest warrior with the most bloodlust, but the one with a clear head and tactics to back up that passion!
You will have a serious amount of energy and staying power, and putting it to use with exercise may work out well.
You will also be drawn to new ideas and techniques, which may help by keeping your attention. New and different will work best!
You will have a serious amount of energy but there is a fear you will get so competitive or aggressive that it turns to injuries and ego!
You will be open to embracing change and travelling to where the action is, so now is the time to kick off the dirt and inertia and open your mind to new experiences and horizons. If it is travel, exploration and meeting new cultures will beat sunning yourself in a resort or tourist trap.
Your motto for this period will definitely be carp deim or ‘seize the day’. Focus on the present and appreciate the thoughts and ideas swirling around you!
There will be a tendency to quick decision-making that can border on the reckless.
It may be a time to slow down and take a longer view on anything that may close doors in the future. Consider your options in life a little more, because although you may have the energy and courage to move forward in your life, you may also be inadvertently closing or passing may avenues and routes you may regret later!
This card often also suggests you may be ‘running away from yourself’ in one or more area of your life. If you recognize this behavior in yourself, now is the time to confront your true self.
You will have the courage to move forward and make bold moves in your finances, but make sure you drop down from the high level view to the detail, as your current high energy state of mind will miss on the details.
Your communication skills will however be high, so perhaps now is the time to bring in some help on the finer details.
Be wary of making quick decisions, especially poor investment schemes (or cons!) wrapped up as new ideas, get-rich schemes or emotionally loaded sales pitches. Your current speed of motion and emotional state makes you an easy target.
Although you may have the energy and drive for change in your finances right now, realize this is not a subject that requires either. Instead, a slower more measured approach may work best.
Yes through courage and passion plus good communication and speed of movement
No through having energy but it is the wrong type to make decisions with: impatience, ego, or energy that lacks focus.
Reading the Card
Like all court cards, the Knight of Wands can represent people or things other than yourself:
- An ideal or emotional cause that you feel strongly about.
- The Knight of Wands is a strong card in career matters and represents advancing forward with promotion, or moving to a better job (and this may mean traveling to a new place).
- Unexpected events, often emotionally charged.
- In impetuous and opinionated person.
- A leadership figure. This person will be a visionary character rather than a micro-manager.
- A new love interest who comes into your life, sweeping you off your feet, but (depending on other cards) someone who may also leave as soon as the passion dies down.
- When reversed the card can represent ‘running away from your true self’. Feelings of frustration, running away from situations or feelings of being trapped may be caused by not addressing issues in yourself.
When reading the ‘upright card’ and ‘reversal’ sections below, note that although the text refers to you it could actually be any of the above. The question being asked (or your first thoughts when you see the card) will suggest who or what the card refers to.
The upright card
The upright Knight of Wands represents passion, adventure, travel and motion. The knight represents moving forward and making things happen with the power of your passion and will-to-succeed.
This success can also come from creativity mixed with passion resulting in ideas coming to fruition. The sense of adventure and travel means this creativity may come from being inspired by new horizons and thoughts.
The knight represents the mix of air and fire, pointing to communication with passion. This describes a visionary leader who has the charisma and communication skills to bring others to his cause.
The reversal
The reversed Knight of Wands denotes impulsiveness and recklessness, and in extreme cases, can result in violence. It can represent a passionate view that does not consider others or doesn’t fully consider future implications.
The reversed card can also represent things in your path that prevent you galloping forward, including lack of vision or obstacles set by others.
Finally, the reversed card can represent a lack of planning at detail level, flitting between different plans, or a lack of staying power and commitment. It can point to striding forward when things are going well but running away from problems as soon as they occur.
In all these cases the cure is often realize you are moving forward too fast. You need time to process all the implications of your actions and consider other people and their needs.
Card Design Process
The aim of this card was to depict an equal mixture of cold blue and fiery red to denote the mixture of Air and Fire that represents the Knight of Wands. There also had to be a sense of forward motion.
The hardest part was the dogs; they looked far too tame to be the ‘Dogs of War’ until they were upgraded to black wolves!
Final Words
The Knight of Wands is an archetype with very differing faces. Either you love him or hate him. He represents Fire coupled with Air, creating fire in motion: passion, ideas held with conviction, or at worst, an ego driven car-crash!
The Knight of Wands represents Fire coupled with Air, creating fire in motion: passion, ideas held with conviction, or at worst, an ego driven car-crash!
Whatever you think of him, you will never ignore him!
