Three of Wands

Card Name:
Three of Wands
Arcana:
Minor Arcana
Suit:
Wands
Key Meaning:
planning, growth, entrepreneurship, research
Reversed:
postponement, disappointment, slowing down, obstacle
Three of Wands – a minor arcana card, often associated with key concepts such as new beginnings, initial steps towards success, realization of plans, and satisfaction with one's actions.

Archetype

The Three of Wands is one of the Minor Arcana cards in the Tarot deck, symbolizing energy, dynamism, and forward movement. The card depicts three people holding wands and moving in the same direction. This card is associated with creative energy, social connections, and teamwork.

In the context of tarot, the Three of Wands can relate to the concept of the "third eye," the ability to see the world from an intuitive point of view. The card may indicate that you need to use your intuition and listen to your inner voices to move forward in life.
Three of Wands – a card of forward movement and teamwork
Three of Wands – a card of forward movement and teamwork
It is one of the key cards in tarot that helps foresee the future and create strong social connections. This is a wonderful card, full of optimism and clarity in thoughts. It can indicate a successful deal, rapid career growth, stable managerial decisions, and a good time for gathering information.

The energy of the Three of Wands is similar to that of the Two of Wands, but here it is more about the material aspect: building a house, buying an apartment, starting a company, etc.

On a deeper level, the Three of Wands symbolizes spiritual development, which results from the ability to foresee and analyze situations on a spiritual level.

Symbolism of the Card

The Three of Wands depicts a man standing on the edge of a cliff, gazing into the distance at a river and mountains. He likely looks forward, contemplating his future plans and their implementation. He sees everything before him. Three wands surround the man, and he holds one of them in his hand. These three wands symbolize future plans, work, and exploration. Two of the wands are behind the figure, and it's unclear whether the man knows about their existence or not.

The man stands with his back to us. This is one of the few cards in the deck where the face of the depicted figure is hidden from the querent. This can be interpreted in two ways: as enthusiasm and a drive towards the unknown, freeing one from the shackles of longing for the past, or as a renunciation of the self.

The landscape of the card features two banks divided by a river. The bank on which the man stands represents the present time and familiar space. The distant bank symbolizes the future and unknown space, where both joys and sorrows may await. While the man in the Two of Wands remains safe in his castle, not yet having started his journey, the man in the Three of Wands has already taken the first step.

The river on the card is colored golden, instead of the traditional blue. This color is usually seen at sunrise, emphasizing the key theme of a new beginning. Additionally, the golden color may evoke thoughts of a reward awaiting us at the end of the journey.

Three ships sail on the river. It's unclear how they are connected to the main figure of the arcana. They might have dropped him off at this bank, or they might have come to pick him up. Or perhaps they are unaware of his existence. In any case, their presence shows that the traveler is not alone. He can always seek help.

The golden band on the man's head refers to the Magician from the Major Arcana. It helps the person find the right spiritual direction as he begins his journey.

Key Meaning

The key meaning of the Minor Arcana card Three of Wands in the context of Tarot cards is energy and movement. The card symbolizes creative energy, dynamics, and progress. It may indicate the possibility of rapid progress and success in creative endeavors, social connections, or teamwork.

Most cards from the suit of Wands are related to work, business, and creativity. The Three of Wands is no exception. It symbolizes prospects in endeavors, most often in business.
The card symbolizes prospects in endeavors
The card symbolizes prospects in endeavors
If this card appears in the spread, it means it's time to develop what has already had much effort invested in it. It's not a time for complacency. The querent should continue to work hard on what has already been started.

Overall, the card has a very positive meaning in matters related to work. It means that the querent's efforts have been noticed, appreciated, and their actions deserve respect.

Three is a strong number, based on the three-dimensional material world.

The Three of Wands reminds the querent that they are at the beginning of a new life cycle. It says that you will achieve your goals if motivation outweighs the feeling of failure.

Key words associated with this card:
  • Creative energy
  • Dynamism
  • Moving forward
  • Social connections
  • Teamwork
  • Rapid progress
  • Success
  • Intuition
  • Collaboration

General Meaning of the Upright Card

In the upright position, the Three of Wands symbolizes healthy self-confidence, initiative, success, and active life energy. This card clearly indicates that everything happening in the querent's life aligns with destiny. Emerging problems will resolve if you act thoughtfully and diplomatically, rather than impulsively.

The Three of Wands heralds the start of a very productive period, especially regarding new career or business opportunities. Any projects requiring creativity, inventiveness, and initiative will be successfully realized. However, the reward (usually in the form of financial growth) will not come immediately; it will take time.

The Three of Wands suggests that cooperation will be key to achieving goals. The success promised by this card will likely be facilitated by a partner who offers practical help or valuable knowledge.
Lesson 3 of Wands – Cooperation will be the Key to Achieving Goals
Lesson 3 of Wands – Cooperation will be the Key to Achieving Goals
All positive changes predicted by the Three of Wands may relate to plans and concepts connected to career, studies, work, and business, as well as large domestic projects such as apartment renovations or house construction.

As noted by the tarologist from zoomboola.com, the card embodies a positive outcome for any events and predicts a favorable atmosphere for achievements. The querent will reach even greater heights. Live life to the fullest and hope for the best.

General Meaning of the Card in Reverse Position

In reverse position, the Three of Wands card symbolizes the failure of a new business project, accompanying emotional upheavals, financial problems, and difficulties with colleagues and partners.

The card indicates rash decisions that may lead to missed opportunities – the person simply doesn't notice them. Another reason for missed opportunities could be arrogance, stubbornness, or issues arising from uncoordinated actions of partners.

Reversed, the Three of Wands symbolizes an unsuccessful start, buried talents. The questioner's plans have little hope for realization, or they are postponed indefinitely. The root cause of these problems might lie in the preparatory stage: the questioner did not thoughtfully consider their project or overlooked something important.
The Reversed Three of Wands Symbolizes an Unsuccessful Start
The Reversed Three of Wands Symbolizes an Unsuccessful Start
Additionally, the Three of Wands can indicate a lack of self-confidence and the inability to connect with people. One way or another, the card predicts that the endeavor will bring more disappointments than victories. Events are unfolding in such a way that a black streak full of problems is already looming ahead, which will inevitably need to be resolved.

At the same time, another meaning of the reversed Three of Wands is that problems are solved, difficulties are behind, or this will happen soon. For a while, the questioner is guaranteed a peaceful existence.

The Meaning of the Card in Love in the Upright Position

In romantic relationships, the Arcana indicates the unwanted influence of third parties on the questioner's relationship.

Sometimes, it can mean that the questioner and their partner work well as a team. However, they should be cautious so that the things that unite them don't become boring.

The Three of Wands often points to prospects in love but also hints at their uncertainty. Sometimes, the card suggests the need for careful preparation for major events, indicating the likelihood of long-awaited changes: marriage, preparing for the birth of a child, moving into a shared home, or other important events for the couple.
3 of Wands can speak of large-scale events in the questioner's personal life
3 of Wands can speak of large-scale events in the questioner's personal life
The Three of Wands often represents a budding relationship where ideas, experiences, and emotions are still mixed into something indescribable. The questioner might have recently met someone and is experiencing early signs of infatuation, or it could be a new stage in an existing relationship, usually when one partner learns something new about the other.

In the context of an existing relationship, the message of the Three of Wands is that you can boldly build something strong on the existing foundation. However, it's not the time to relax and let things run their course. If you want to see the relationship flourish, you need to invest more energy. Remember emotional support and don't hesitate to openly discuss your expectations.

The Meaning of the Card in Love in Reverse Position

In the reversed position, the Three of Wands indicates that recently started relationship problems will likely end soon.

If the seeker is looking for love, the card suggests that someone (possibly a person they don't know personally) is trying to get their attention. In this case, it's important not to rely on first impressions and not to judge a book by its cover – get to know the person better before drawing any conclusions.
Inverted 3 of Wands can be a sign of relationship problems
Inverted 3 of Wands can be a sign of relationship problems
The card can be interpreted as relationship problems caused by stubbornness and unwillingness to follow logic or reasonable advice from more experienced people. Sometimes, it points to disappointment in both the partner and the concept of relationships itself.

Three of Wands as the Card of the Day

When the Three of Wands appears in the "Card of the Day" reading, it can have various meanings depending on its position.

Let's take a closer look at these meanings:

Upright Position.
  • You are in a productive period with enough energy and creative ideas to carry out your projects.
  • Today, you will have many tasks and responsibilities, and you will successfully complete them thanks to your energy and diligence.
Reversed Position.
  • You may feel tired and low on energy, which can hinder you from accomplishing your tasks.
  • Your agenda is packed with urgent tasks today, but due to a sudden wave of apathy and lack of motivation, completing even half of them seems impossible.

What the Three of Wands Warns About

The Three of Wands can have various meanings depending on the specific question and context. However, the general warnings and advice this card offers can be as follows:
  • A warning about excess energy, which can lead to impulsive decisions and actions. It's important to control your emotions and avoid making hasty conclusions.
  • The need to channel your energy in the right direction to achieve success. Your mind is buzzing with ideas, but at this stage, it's hard to discern which ones are valuable and which are just noise. You need to identify the most important project and focus on it.
  • The necessity to stay focused and not get distracted by trivial matters. Your energy is overflowing, but you need to use it for constructive actions and avoid wasting it on useless activities.