The three of wands, one of the tarot cards of the Minor Arcana, is full of profound and moving symbolism. The meaning of the three of wands is, like all other cards, in the eye of the beholder and the card reader, but its powerful imagery holds some universal truths.
In the Rider-Waite deck, the most popular tarot card deck of the English-speaking world, the nobleman seen in the previous card, the two of wands, is beginning to embark on a journey. He stands on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the sea that he was viewing in the previous card. From the high cliff, the subject of the three of wands card can see the vast ocean and the mountains beyond.
In divinatory tarot reading, the three of wands signifies a quest or difficult journey that must be met with optimism and acceptance. Just as the nobleman has climbed to new heights in order to see the journey ahead of him, the tarot reader must greet a challenge in order to fully achieve a goal.
Because of the nature of the suit of wands itself, the three of wands tarot card can be associated with trade, material wealth, and commerce. It symbolizes a handsome reward that follows a long, exciting journey, and is generally viewed as a card of wisdom, joy, and optimism. The tarot subject needs only to pursue his dreams to achieve the goals that he is desiring, and, while the journey ahead may be difficult, the rewards will be bountiful.
When reversed, the meaning of the tarot card is distinctly less pleasant, and might indicate unrealistic or unattainable ambitions. In this context, the nobleman may be setting his eye on a landscape that he can never actually own or or even visit; he is bound by the cliff upon which he stands.
The reversed three of wands can indicate a failure to accept one's own limitations, and a failure to accurately see the difference between reality and fantasy. The tarot subject may not be grasping the fact that his dreams can not and will not be met in the immediate or near future.
Full of symbolism and meaning, the three of wands tarot card is a powerful and optimistic card signifying ambition, new heights, and a willingness to take chances for the sake of achieving goals. Tarot readers should view the three of wands as a representation of the ambition required to meet material success.
