The Wands of Sagittarius
In the sign of Sagittarius we see a tension between our animal and spiritual natures. This tension is not a war where one seeks to gain dominance over the other, but rather an attempt to bring the heavenly and earthly natures into communication and mutual service one to the other. After the death and resurrection we experienced in Scorpio, Sagittarius finds us reemerging into the material world with a new awareness of our spiritual nature. But Sagittarius doesn’t wish to retire into contemplation, rather, there is a strong desire to arrange the elements of the material world in a manner informed by spiritual values.
As with all Fire signs, Sagittarius leads with passion and vision, but because it is ruled by Jupiter, who is interested in expansion and generosity, Sagittarius is not only interested in its own vision and passion but seeks to understand and encourage these qualities in others. This is not entirely altruistic – Sagittarius values its freedom above all else, but it also understands that no one is free unless everyone is free. People born under this sign have a reputation for being philosophical as well as freedom loving, Bendictus Spinoza and Frederic Engels are good examples of people in whom the philosophical and freedom loving impulses come together in different ways. At the same time, Sagittarius folks love a party and Fiery adventure, William Blake, the great romantic poet and philosopher famously stated that: “the road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom. You never know what is enough until you know what is MORE than enough”. Jim Morrison, legendary and incendiary poet and lead singer for The Doors (another Sagittarian) who was greatly inspired by Blake, fully embraced this philosophy for better and worse. Thus we see another important aspect of the Sagittarius archetype, one who might be willing to burn down the house in order to be free of its limitations.
As a Mutable Sign, Sagittarius is also aware, even if only unconsciously, that the end is near. It is said that of all the Mutable Signs, Sagittarius is least comfortable with change. This is probably because, of all four classical elements, Fire is the most Mutable. While Earth, Water and Even air always exist in one form or another, fire, once its fuel is burned, must exist as a mere potential. All of the fire Signs, and their Tarot representatives in the suit of wands, are all about vision, passion and leadership. But in the Mutable sign of Sagittarius, the Fire of vision, passion and leadership sees clearly its inevitable end.
The mythology underlying Sagittarius is somewhat conflicted. Never the less a few common themes emerge. We see half human half beast protagonists (sometimes a Centaur, sometimes a Satyr). These heroes, in contrast to others of their kind, seek to rise above their strictly animal nature to learn healing, arts and sciences. We see themes of archery, hunting and poison. Through these themes we can find our way into the Tarot cards associated with Sagittarius and its decans.
The sign of Sagittarius is represented in Tarot by The Temperance Card. Temperance is not the same as abstinence. To be temperate is to observe due measure in all things. Intoxication must inform sobriety, intuition must inform analysis, passion must inform reason. When a blade is tempered, it is subjected to alternating extreme heat in the forge and cold in icy water. This produces a blade that is both strong and flexible. When we see this card or contemplate the archetype of Sagittarius, we should keep both strength and flexibility in sight. If we can face difficulties by accommodating ourselves to its’ contour (flexibility) without deforming or breaking (strength) we may move through life freely and efficiently.
In the temperance card we see an angel mixing the contents of two cups. In the traditional Waite-Smith edition the water arks between the two cups rather than falling from one cup to the other. This suggests a “life” within this water. The message of The Temperance Card and of the Sagittarius archetype is that one might succeed through the combination of heavenly and earthly virtue. We see the mutuality of skill and pleasure in arts from music to love making, the mutuality of violence and discipline in sport in hunting and in war, the mutuality of compassion and disinterestedness in medicine. Whenever our animal nature is tempered by spiritual aspiration we see success in the most high stakes areas of life.
The sign of Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter. Jupiter is all about making things big. Generous and gregarious but also “expansionist” the challenge for Jupiter is to come to terms with limits to growth. Where ever we see expansion, we must find contraction somewhere else. We see how Jupiter meets this challenge in the Tarot Card that represents him. The Wheel of Fortune teaches us that everything has its’ time but this time is always limited. The interplay between the Temperance and Wheel of fortune cards teach us how the infinite potential within the universe can be fully realized if, and only if everything has, and accepts, the time, space and resources apportioned to it. The journey through the three decans of Sagittarius shows the unfolding of this understanding.
Decan 1
8 of Wands
0-10 Degrees Sagittarius
Decan Ruler Mercury
(the Magician)
The 8 of Wands, at least as we find it in the Waite-Smith tradition, is one of the most enigmatic cards in all of Tarot. We see 8 wands flying through the air in tight formation. Where they have come from and where they will land is unclear. Nor do we see any people in the picture to inform us of how or why these Wands were cast in flight. We don’t even really know if the angle of flight is one of ascent or decent. This is why the card has the meaning of something being on its’ way.
The first Decan of Sagittarius is ruled by Mercury. Mercury is represented in Tarot by The Magician Card. Knowing these things tells us something about the mysterious flight of the 8 of Wands. The Magician is a master of combining elements harmoniously (note the tools of the trade upon the table) and mobilizing these elements to manifest his or her will in the world. The tight formation we see in the 8 of Wands is the product of coordinated power and precision. The magician is one who purifies and clarifies their intention. At the moment the spell is cast, the mind must be empty of everything but the magikal intention so that only this is set forth into the world. When we see the 8 of Wands, we know that what ever comes are way is coming with speed but also that it is intended and aimed specifically at us.
Ideally, the Sagittarian should strive for the Magician’s purity of intention and precision of action. They must understand that, in their Mutable position, the time to act will be short, but they must not be provoked to premature action because of this awareness. Further, if they miss this window, let them not act our of frustration but rather place their arrow back in its quiver. They must remember the lesson of the Wheel of Fortune, a time to every purpose and what comes around goes around. If we miss our moment let us pay close attention so we see the moment when it, as it must, comes around again.
Decan 2
9 of Wands
10-20 Degrees Sagittarius
Decan Ruler The Moon
(The High priestess).
The 9 of Wands is a Card of Weariness and Wariness. The person depicted has had a rough road. Battered and bandaged he holds a Wand as one who expects attack. His other wands form a stockade behind him. His resources are all turned toward defense. Even if he is safe for the moment, he can not move ahead. Perhaps he missed the window we saw in the previous Decan. He must find a way our of this impasse.
The planetary ruler of this Decan is The Moon. In Tarot, The Moon is represented by The High Priestess (as opposed to The Moon Card Which represents Pisces). There is A LOT to unpack in this card: the black and white pillars, the lunar crown she wears, the Tora in her lap, The pomegranate motif on the curtain behind her. She has associations with virginity AND fertility. All the Magician seeks to understand and turn to his purpose, The High Priestess simply is. She is Light and Dark, Mercy and Severity, She is the law and its execution. It is not that s traverses the space between the poles, she IS this space and feeds all that moves within it by her very existence.
All of this is apprehended in the Lunar mystery. The Moon constantly changes but is always the same. She goes through her cycles and it is now dark, now light. These two poles define one another as life is fed with death. The tender Love of the mother is purchased and protected by violence: that which procures the food she eats and feeds her infant by her milk, and which builds a wall of protection around mother and child. The continued fertility of the world is built upon the death of all that waters it. The message of the Wheel of fortune is echoed here in a less abstract fashion, everyone and everything will have its’ day because everyone and everything else's day will come to an end. This IS the law in its horror and its beauty.
If the man in the 9 of Wands can apprehend this mystery he might find the strength to complete his mission. The suit of Wands as a whole tells the story of initiative. What ever hardship he has suffered, he has brought it upon himself by virtue of the vision he has followed. As he approaches the end of his journey, as the mutable fire of Sagittarius burns low, let him recognize that all journeys must end. There is sadness here as we recognize that we might not live to enjoy the fruit of our labor. But there is a hopefulness as well as we know rest will come. Rest will come to us all of course, but the rest at the end of The Hero’s journey is well eared. With this understanding, he might gather his strength and his Wands and go that last mile. Without it he might simply perish on he spot without having realized his mission.
Decan 3
10 of Wands
20-30 Degrees Sagittarius
Decan ruler Saturn
The World Card
The 10 of Wands is generally accepted as a card of great burden. We see a person awkwardly carrying 10 Wands toward a settlement in the distance. These Wands are nearly twice as tall as he is and it is debatable whether they would be more easily carried if they were bound and shouldered. With every step he must gather his burden to his chest, lift it, take a step, set it down without letting it scatter. Yet the end of his journey is in sight.
The Planetary Ruler of this decan is Saturn. Saturn is the planet of work; of rules and limitations. Applied to the theme of the Suit of Wands as a whole, we are reminded that when we pursue our vision we will gather increased burden in the form of limitations. When we commit to a course of action we forfeit the possibility of other actions which are not in conformity to the course we have chosen. We must realize this and carry our burden if we seek completion. These limitations will be most acutely felt toward the end of our journey. We will be tired, we may have had to sacrifice much more than we imagined in our initial enthusiasm. We might even wonder if it has all been worth the struggle.
Saturn is represented in Tarot by The World Card. In The Waite-Smith card we see a feminine figure clothed only in a sash. The figure is enclosed in a wreath of greenery. As a circle, this wreath echoes the idea of completion. The greenery also symbolizes life, the life that grows from completion and is also its source. As in The Wheel of fortune Card we also see, in the four corners, the four beasts which represent the four fixed signs of the zodiac. The four seasons, four elements and four directions are all present giving another indication of completion.
In this card of completion we see a certain tension between Jupiter and Saturn. Jupiter wants to expand infinitely and gives the gift of expansion to all it touches. This is why it is know as the Greater Benefic. Saturn, on the other hand, wants to limit and enclose everything it touches; in rules of conduct, laws of physics, the logical principle of non-contradiction and ethics of obligation. The universal buzz kill, Saturn is known as The Greater Malefic. But let us not be so quick to judge Saturn. Without completion, enclosure, boundedness, there is no beauty of form, there is no form at all. And one more thing, without the completing power of Saturn, we would never find rest in all our labors. For the one burdened by Ten Wands, Saturn is the savior that will grant him rest. For that we should be exceedingly grateful.