The Wide World of Wands
Wands are the suit in the Minor Arcana of the Tarot which represent Fire/Spirit/Creativity. I think if we think of a wand initially it seems like an inaccessible magical object. But what I would like to explore this week are the wands, or tools, that we already have in our possession, and how they might be used to create, heal and inspire ourselves, our teams, and our communities.
I’ve chosen the Ace of Wands from four different decks to start this exploration. The aces of any suite represent the essence of that suit in its purest form, so what better way to explore the wands?
In many Native American cultures feathers are used to purify the spirit in ceremony. Many times this is done as part of a smudging ceremony where sage or another herb is burned, and the smoke wafted over those participating in the ceremony using a feather or feathers. For this reason feathers are the suite normally reserved for wands in the Brady Tarot.
This Ace of Feathers is entitled Inspiration and portrays a potential awakening, or an ah-ha moment. Imbued with fire and struck by lightning, this wand carries a powerful blessing and may be able to create or also destroy. We also use feathers to write stories which can have this sort of power.
What is the tool you use to inspire others? Are you aware of its power and what impact it can have?
What other tools do we find in nature? I think we could see a tree as the wand of the earth for example.
Our hands can also be used to create things, bless things or destroy things. Our hands can be used in prayer or meditation, or in the healing of others. What an amazing wand we have already attached to our bodies!
In this Ace of Wands from the Voyager Tarot we see just that, the hand here has many wands to choose from, and it seems to be pressing a magic button that produces a flash of insight that can illuminate a new truth. This hand has the power to purify, and its power may be revealed when we are ready for a change.
It is true that we must be in the right state before pressing this button, or we may be overwhelmed.
Our center is not typically very wand-shaped, but it is a tool that we need to fortify in order to handle the power of creativity and the spiritual aspects of our lives.
The Source as described by the guidance in the Osho Zen Tarot is the vast reservoir of energy available to us. We hold this energy with in us, and it feeds the various wands and tools we have at our disposal. The source might be the most important tool of all, because if we are not grounded or connected to it our tools may not be of much use.
What are some ways that you are aware of and connect to your source?
An actual paintbrush as a wand – now why didn’t I think of that? In the Tarot of the Divine, the Ace of Wands is represented through the Chinese Folk Tale of the Magic Paintbrush. The owner of this paintbrush, Ma Liang, used its powers to benefit the struggling people around him.
We can paint lots of pictures of beauty that inspire others and I fully endorse that use of this wand, who would want to live in a world without art?
But I also challenge myself to paint pictures through stories that can help others as well, because that can create beauty in the world around us.
What is your magic paintbrush? Instead of a paintbrush you may have a musical instrument as a wand. What an amazing power you must have to inspire and provide joy to others.
The Rambling Locksmith 
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