MINOR ARCANA

Ace of Wands Tarot Meanings

The Ace of Wands is the spark that ignites the wand’s suit, it is the very first card within this firey cycle and represents the rawest form of power, action, and instinct. The Ace of Wands is the gift of power and creation, we can see in the Rider Waite-Smith deck imagery this hand reaching out of the clouds and handing us the wand, giving us the tool we need to take our ideas and inspiration and turn them into something tangible.

It is the opportunity of creation and authority, it’s open to us if we choose to reach out and take it, but it won’t be forced upon us if we want to walk away from it.

A good way to think of the Ace of Wands is that it’s a huge spark that creates. Often it’s like if you’ve poured gasoline on an unlit fire, one spark and it’s in full force.

Ace of Wands Upright Meanings

In the upright position, the Ace of Wands gives us the chance to take control, to be the master of our own destiny. It is a gift that allows us to claim a power that we can bend to our will and use in a way that best serves us. Some of the key meanings of the Ace of Wands are:

Gift of fire
Creation
Power
Instinct
Take control

Along with the cups suit, the wands are very active energy compared to the more passive energies of the pentacles and the swords, it invites us in, to bend it to our will and use it in the ways that best serve us. With the Ace of Wands, the power is being given to us and we have to handle it responsibly, nobody is going to wield this power for us, it’s up to us to use it in the way that feels right to us.

Ace of Wands Reversed Meanings

In the reversed position, the Ace of Wands strips that power away from us, it shows how we’re not in a place where we feel able to take that wand being gifted to us and this reluctance often comes from our own limiting beliefs. Some of the main reversed meanings of the Ace of Wands are:

Reluctance
Creative block
Mistrust in self
No motivation
Self-doubt

The Ace of Wands reversed often showcases our lack of confidence and trust in ourselves. It can also be that we are not in a physical position to accept this wand yet, but it asks us to question why we can’t accept and wield this power. It asks us to assess what might be blocking us from being able to step into ourselves fully.

Reading Ace of Wands in a Tarot Spread

The Ace of Wands is the concept of something within the realm of fire. It’s not something that has yet manifested but it is on offer to you, so when it comes up in a spread, think about all the ways that you can claim this power. Look at the cards that flow in and out of the Ace of Wands to determine what that gift or opportunity might be.

It’s also helpful to remember that the wands are a tool that we wield, not so much something that is happening to us. We are the masters of the wands so we decide how to use the energy they give to us.

Ace of Wands as An Invitation

The Ace of Wands as an invitation asks us to review our own power and what we do with it. If we don’t yet feel that power flowing through us, it invites us to think about how we could find that spark and reclaim that power for ourselves.

For Ace of Wands, this invitation could be the following:

An invitation to explore creativity without judgement or self-doubt
An invitation to take hold of the power on offer to us
An invitation to connect with our impulses and instinctual messages
An invitation to take control of a situation

Ace of Wands as Sage Advice

The advice that the Ace of Wands has to offer lies within our authentic selves. It guides us to reconnect with that fire that burns deep down and really get in touch with who we are and what we desire.

Some advice Ace of Wands may offer is:

Find new ways to trust yourself enough to start rebuilding confidence
Address feelings of self-doubt in order to be able to use your personal power in the best ways possible
When a strong instinct is gifted to you, grab hold of it and allow it to carry you forward
In order to overcome creative blocks, be rid of self-limiting beliefs and surrender to the inspiration that has been gifted to you

Ace of Wands as a Lesson

When it comes to the lessons that the Ace of Wands offers, we’re looking at lessons around embracing our personal power. This is something that is easily influenced by society and culture, so it can be a tricky lesson to learn.

Some lessons that Ace of Wands may offer you are:

A lesson in authenticity and tapping into our authentic selves
A lesson in standing up for yourself and taking control
A lesson in realising the power you naturally hold and how you can use it
A lesson in self-trust and learning to rely on your own impulses and instincts

Ace of Wands as a Redirection

The Ace of Wands can symbolise a need to approach something from a different perspective, specifically one that lies within the realm of fire. As it’s the card that starts a new wands cycle, it can often redirect you away from one elemental energy into the element of fire.

As a redirection, Ace of Wands could symbolise a need to:

Take a more hands-on approach to a situation or problem
Take over control of a situation instead of leaving it up to the universe or in the hands of another
Try new things that may help you to reignite motivation, instead of repeating the same things over and over and expecting motivation to come to you
Stop shying away from your personal power and thrust yourself into action

Wands

The wands are a tool we can wield in order to make the impossible possible. If you think about what it would mean to have a magic wand, you would be able to create whatever your heart desires. The same applies to the Tarot wands.

Wielding the wands we can take what we feel passionate about and create it there and then. Of course, as amazing as that would be, there would also be consequences and conflicts. Just think about all the cautionary tales about being careful about what you wish for.

Fire

The tarot suits correspond to the four elements and wands have the element of fire. With fire, we have the ability to create and destroy in equal measure. Fire can smoulder or burn fast and fizzle out even faster.

The feeling we had way back when we first discovered fire and the feeling we get when we’re in the wands energy are one and the same. We get excited by the possibility but most importantly, the power that it offers those who wield it.

Ace = 1

All aces in the Tarot are an echo of the Tarot’s past as a simple card game. These aces come before the twos, just like in a playing card deck, meaning they hold the numerological properties of the number one.

In numerology, the number one is the number of creation and singularity. It is completely unique standing on its own. When we apply that to the already powerful creator that is the wands suit, we get a card filled with the power of manifestation.