Magic with the Two of Wands: Strength, High Rank and Wealth Without Shame
It’s Ostara, or the Vernal Equinox. That means it’s time for another Tarot Blog Hop. This time our wrangler, Joy Vernon, has given us many options for our seasonal task, ranging from your-head-might-explode-with-mystical-brilliance to share-a-seasonal-recipe.
I chose something in between.
Joy was inspired by her tarot group’s work with the Picatrix, an ancient book of astrology and magic.
Per the Picatrix, now is the time to use magic to manifest “strength, high rank and wealth without shame”.
Of all the options and information that Joy gave us, the thing that struck me most was that odd phrase, "wealth without shame", and its connection, via astrology, to the Two of Wands.
Tarot is a youngster when compared with the Picatrix. Yet, the connection between tarot and astrology allows us to assign the Two, Three and Four of Wands to the three decans of Aries (and thus the vernal equinox), and to the magical directives found within the Picatrix.
It’s also interesting to note that for each decan (third of an astrological sign) the Picatrix describes an assigned image. The knowledge that images hold power is something else the Picatrix and tarot have in common.
I have an affinity for the Two of Wands. To me, this card reminds us that everything is possible if we are willing to dream it, and willing to work to bring it into being.
The Two of Wands is the “Lord of Dominion”. The magic of the card is to recognize our own inner Lord of Dominion; to understand that we have sovereign power over the paths we choose and the lives we lead. Our only limitation is in our failure to recognize that power.
Because of this, I often think of the Two of Wands as the card of manifestation. There is something ouroboric about doing manifestation work with the card of manifestation that feels powerful to me.
That strange and archaic magical goal of strength, high rank and wealth without shame aligns with the Two of Wands for me, and fits my current magical musings precisely.
I have a problematic relationship with wealth that began even before my career as a successful full-time tarot reader. In an era when extreme wealth is enough to qualify a person to reside in the White House, I must assume that my own feelings about wealth are significantly out of step with the culture in which I live.
For better or worse, I was raised to believe that materialism is dangerous, that greed is a sin, and that there is a type of spiritual grace found only in poverty. My father was a United Methodist minister, whose faith translated into a commitment to social justice.
There’s a huge contrast between the Christianity I learned in Sunday School and the doctrine of the modern “Prosperity Gospel” that suggests that material wealth is a sign of God’s approval, and that impoverishment is an indicator of God’s disdain, which justifies our own disdain for the poor.
As a full-time tarot pro, I’ve had to deal with tarot enthusiasts who think I am a mercenary bitch because I make my living with the cards. I’m a red-headed Scorpio, so they may have gotten the bitch part right, but, mercenary? Little could be further from the truth.
The concept of wealth without shame invites me to consider the shame, or potential shame, I have felt about the prospect of acquiring some meager personal wealth.
While my father was a gentle pastor, my mother was an artsy hippie. Mom didn’t want to buy a desk, she wanted to make a desk with a wooden door laid across stacks of cinder-blocks. Her favorite store was “Sal’s Boutique”, the Salvation Army Thrift Store. From my father, I inherited a sense of spiritual mission. From my mother, a thrift shop aesthetic. Together, they impressed on me their favorite motto; “Live Simply, That Others May Simply Live.”
I am learning that there is a difference between simple living and self-denial. Self-care seems more important now than when I was younger. At some point, wealth becomes access to greater self-care, and that can’t be a bad thing.
Being a tarot pro adds another dimension to wealth-shaming. There is a school of thought amongst some tarot enthusiasts that it is somehow bad and wrong to take money in exchange for a reading. I won’t even justify that notion with an explanation.
However, it’s important to note that most pro readers go through an emotionally trying process to find peace with taking money for their services.
Another complication is that there exist pro tarot readers who routinely scam their clients by using scare tactics to extort expensive gifts and large sums of money. Much of the general population does not make a distinction between what that sort of tarot reader does, and what I do.
Because of this, In the general society within which I live, there is a cloud of shame and suspicion around the tarot profession. That makes it difficult to take the same pride in the rewards of my labor that most people have without thought.
There is a twist on "wealth without shame" that might feel ironic in that context. There are ways to make money that would feel shameful to me. As a business owner, I can choose to operate within my ethical boundaries. Never do I have to do something that feels wrong because I am "following orders".
I look to the Two of Wands, then, to manifest a new paradigm around resources in my life – a paradigm where I may enjoy the fruits of my labor (my "strength and high rank") without shame, and with an open heart and hand.
I picture myself with a globe in my hand, standing over the long horizon.
In the number Two I find the balance of fare trade. The wealth I receive is equal to my needs. The services I provide are a good value for all.
In the Fire of the suit of Wands I find my passion, my spiritual calling, and the life energy with which I create this new personal paradigm. May I use this energy to bring insight and healing to others, and may it bring me vitality and youthfulness long into my old age.
In this season of Spring, in the balance between light and dark, I hatch the metaphoric eggs of new ideas, new vision, new inspiration and new opportunities. I welcome new life bursting all around me.
May these blessings of the season be yours as well!