Suit: Suit of Wands
Card Type: Minor Arcana
Tarot Element: Fire
Star Sign: Sagittarius
Planet: Saturn
Angel: Archangel Raphael
Key Meaning: Exhausted
The Ten of Wands means you feel exhausted and overburdened by responsibilities.
Number 10 Meaning In Tarot
All tens, including the Ten of Cups, Ten of Pentacles and Ten of Swords indicate a climax, as events come to a head. As wands represent action, the 10 of Wands predicts that soon your burdens will be lifted, one way or the other. When this card appears, it means you are shouldering a lot of responsibilities. You may be happy to do this, or you may be struggling under the strain. Either way, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
A to Z: List of Tarot Cards
Ten of Wands Keywords
😒 Upright: Weight of the world, exhaustion, overdoing things
🥰 Reversed: Burdens lifted, letting go of guilt, freedom
Ten of Wands Description
This description is based on the Rider Waite Tarot Deck. A man staggers forward, overburdened, bent under the weight of carrying ten wands. These wands obstruct his view, so he may not be aware that the village is close by, and he is nearing his destination. There is a sense here that you can’t see the wood for the trees. You may be too exhausted to appreciate, just how far you have come.
When This Card Teaches You to Say No to People
You are shown in this Tarot card staggering along under an extremely heavy burden, either in terms of your workload or in terms of the extent to which you unconsciously allow others to place their burdens on your shoulders.
The load is heavy and is becoming heavier: there is almost a cumulative effect in the way already existing burdens are multiplying themselves. People around are tending to assume that your purpose in this universe is to act as an unpaid nursemaid, whose job it is to stand around and absorb their emotional garbage.
You have enough to do in your life without trying to live up to this martyr’s role. In allowing others to treat you this way, you are only running away from where your true responsibilities lie. If you truly want to help others, then now you must turn round and refuse to allow yourself to be cast in this role. You will only really help them now by refusing to run around after them and making them accept responsibility for their own lives.
Now you must take courage to begin to say ‘no’ to people, and mean it. It doesn’t really matter what they are asking you to do. Whether it is to stay on late and work overtime for nothing or whether it is to gain acceptance socially by contributing ‘above and beyond the call of duty’, your answer at this time must still be the same: ‘no.’
LOVE: What does The 10 of Wands Mean when You Ask About Love?
When the 10 of Wands turns up in a love reading, the meaning will depend on whether or not you are in a relationship.
💖 If you asked will I find love? – then this card means you have some emotional baggage to dump, before you can find a healthy relationship. However, as the number ten reflects completion, it means you are close to healing, even if that surprises you to hear.
💖 If you have just met someone, this card can mean the relationship will be hard to get off the ground. This may be because one of you is busy, or you live in different regions or countries. However, if both parties are committed to trying, there is chance for success here.
💖 If you are in a relationship, this card can mean everything but your relationship is a priority. Try to carve out some quality time for one another, or you could lose touch altogether.
CAREER: What does This Card Signify when You Ask About Work?
If your question relates to work, business, career or study and you receive the 10 of Wands, then the guidance is:
⭕ If you want to achieve more in your job or business, then consider delegating more often. Sure, others may not do the task as well as you, but if you are patient, they will improve with time.
⭕ A period of stress at work is coming to an end. This may be because there are organizational changes, people being added to the team or leaving the team, for example. Or it could be that your role is changing, and you won’t have to keep doing the same tasks. The guidance is, hang in there a while longer because the benefits will be worth it. Meantime, still say no or speak up, if you are being treated unfairly.
⭕ Jobs or businesses associated with this card include: construction, warehouse work, postman and delivery driver. Also, any job which involves problem solving, logistics and planning ahead.
MONEY: What is the Meaning of The Ten of Wands in a Money Reading?
💲 If you asked the Tarot about finances, and you receive the Ten of Wands, it means that you feel overwhelmed by debt; or constrained by lack of money. When this card turns up, it means now is the time to draw a line under the past, and start fresh. Don’t be afraid to look at the reality of your situation, no matter how bad, and make a plan.
💲 If you asked about a significant purchase, like a house – it may be that the right property is under your nose, but you don’t see it. Or, perhaps you found a property but rejected it because it needed too much work. Look again, but with more creative vision this time.
Tarot Card Combination Meanings
10 of Wands combined with:
“The Lovers” – A decision is needed, don’t try to avoid it.
“Wheel of Fortune” – A period of hardship will give way to luckier times.
“3 of Swords” – You gradually feel less sad.
HEALTH: What does The 10 of Wands Mean when You Ask About Health?
If you asked about your health and the Ten of Wands turns up – it can signify that you should take your health more seriously. What you are doing is affecting your health. This may be because you are physically doing too much – exerting yourself without taking proper health and safety precautions. Or perhaps you are mentally pushing yourself too much, which is stressing your body. Do not be tempted to push health to the back of your mind, no matter how busy you are. The Ten of Wands suggests that the damage is already being done, so don’t make it worse.
Health conditions associated with the card include: Back pain, headaches, muscle pain, sports injuries and any stress induced illnesses.
YES/NO: Does The Ten of Wands Mean Yes or No in a Reading?
❓ When you ask a Yes or No question and the 10 of Wands turns up, then the answer is NO.
TIMING: Does The Ten of Wands Predict any Particular Timeframe?
🕔 The 10 of Wands is only a timing indication when you specifically asked a timeframe question. For example, if you want to know if something will happen, and when, then you need to draw two separate cards. These are in fact, two separate questions. This is a fundamental principle to understand if you want an accurate tarot reading – and it is core to my teaching in my book Tarot in 5 Minutes.
🕔 Using my timing method, the ten of Wands is about 10 weeks. If the card is reversed, timing will be slightly longer – so up to 15 weeks.
Karina’s Timing Method:
Swords are days. Wands are weeks. Cups are months and Pentacles are years. Please note this is my personal timing method. Feel free to adopt it (or not).
What is the Meaning of The 10 of Wands Reversed?
When the 10 of Wands is upside down then the man drops his wands and his burden is lifted.
✔️ You experience relief as a burden is lifted. It may be that some good news causes you to relax. Or, alternatively, you simply come to the end of the road, and turn a new corner.
✔️Occasionally a reversal means release from prison or from a situation that feels like prison. The prison could well be your mind. Maybe you have stopped feeling so responsible for other people, and this is freeing.
✔️Other keywords associated a reversal include: giving up responsibilities, completion and collapse under pressure.
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Ten of Wands Symbolism
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Complete List: Tarot Card Meanings
Karina, author of Tarot in 5 Minutes.
