The Ten of Wands tarot card is the story of modern life. When you are burdened by too many responsibilities and commitments, the Ten of Wands reminds you to shrug off your load and put your own needs first.
Whether you are a carrying the burden for others, or have to delegate and declutter more from your life, you no longer can do it all on your own. You need help.
There is too much stress in your life and too much is landing on your shoulders. Instead of success, all of your hard work is leading toward exhaustion and burnout. You can’t go on like this. You must put yourself and your own needs first.
Learn to say no. And say it loudly and often.
In the RW-based traditional deck, the Ten of Wands shows a man carrying ten wands. His back is to the viewer and he is hunched over with his burden. It looks like he is walking to the village, which is far in the distance.
Keywords for the Ten of Wands Tarot Card
- Too many responsibilities
- Carrying the load for others
- You’re trying to do it all
- Put yourself and your needs first
Keywords for the Ten of Wands Reversed
- Avoiding responsibility
- Finally saying no
- Taking a break
- Courage and liberation from your burdens
Patterns and Correspondences of the Ten of Wands Card
- The Wands = rules the personality, ego, and personal power
- Suit of cards = clubs
- Timeline = days to weeks
- Number 10 = beginning again with wisdom
- Zodiac sign = Sagittarius
- Element = Fire
Keep reading for sample tarot readings using The Ten of Wands card, but first…
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Ten of Wands Tarot Card Meanings for Love
This isn’t a great card for love. The Ten of Wands is about feeling overburdened by expectations, commitments, and responsibilities. You are being pulled in too many different directions and are losing your center. You don’t even remember what you want any more!
If you are looking for a new relationship, the timing isn’t right. Finding (and maintaining) a healthy relationship requires commitment, focus, and dedication. You don’t have anything to spare right now.
You have too many other things on your plate you have to deal with first. Before you can determine what you want, you must get rid of everything you know isn’t a good fit. You’ll know when the time is right for love – it will feel easy and relaxed.
If you are in an existing relationship, you are carrying too much of the load yourself. Your partner isn’t fully participating. The responsibilities and burdens are all on your shoulders. This isn’t fair and it isn’t loving, for either of you.
Quit enabling your partner’s weaknesses. Quit taking the “easy way” – you’re not doing anyone any favors. Start saying “no” and holding to your boundaries and values. Your partner will respect you more and more importantly, you’ll start to respect yourself again.
Ten of Wands Tarot Card Meanings for Work
Overwhelm. Stress. Burnout. Exhaustion. Does this sound like your life?
You have been trying to do it all. Instead of seeing the success you expected, all you see is more responsibilities, burdens, obligations and pain.
You need to delegate. This is not negotiable. You need help. And you must ask for it. No one will do this for you.
Get rid of the tasks that aren’t in your job description, that you aren’t great at, or that you don’t enjoy. Learn to set and communicate your boundaries and quit doing the work of others.
While it may seem like more work in the short-term to delegate and train others, it is necessary. You don’t have the option to avoid it any longer. You must remove some of the workload or you will damage your company and your career.
Ten of Wands Tarot Card Meanings for Health
You absolutely must take care of yourself and put your health first. It seems noble and responsible to make sure your family (and friends and coworkers) are all fed, clothed, entertained, healthy, and happy. But if you focus on their needs, you end up last.
And that is simply unacceptable. If you collapse, what will your friends and family do then?
You can no longer put yourself last. Your health is suffering because of it.
Prioritize your health and put your own oxygen mask on first. Don’t try to go this alone. Ask for as much help as you need and then ask for more.
You will not get respect or love by being a martyr. You win no awards by putting other people’s needs ahead of yours. If you continue to put yourself last, you will die without anyone (including yourself) knowing who you are. Is that what you want?
Ten of Wands Tarot Card Meanings for Money and Finances
Until you are completely debt-free (and this includes your mortgage, the cars, and your student loans), you won’t know what freedom actually means.
You can no longer ignore the burden of your past mistakes. You must create a plan to get out of debt, stay out of debt, and begin investing in your future.
Declutter your possessions. You have too much stuff weighing you down. Hold a garage sale, put up a post on Ebay, Freecycle, or Craigslist, and get rid of everything you don’t use, love, and need. The extra money will help create your financial future and the extra space around the house will give you less to clean and maintain.
Simplify your activities and routines. Pare everything down so you have fewer decisions to make. When you simply everything down to what you truly value, you’ll see how little you need to be happy and content.
Ten of Wands Tarot Card Meanings for Spiritual Guidance
The Ten of Wands is about feeling oppressed by your decisions and responsibilities.
Spiritually, too many of your past beliefs are no longer true, yet you’re carrying them around as if they are written in stone. Examine each of your beliefs and shrug off the beliefs that no longer suit you. Become extremely intentional in what you do, say, and own.
Service toward others can become a burden. Although charity and good works are commonly associated with a spiritual path, they can become a drag if done in excess or for the wrong reasons. Examine what you value and eliminate everything that isn’t in alignment with who you are, what you believe, and what you want for your life.