Two of Wands: Modern RWS tarot Card Meanings
‘Two of Wands’, Rider Waite Smith tarot deck.
Two of Wands Upright
Keywords
Planning, Decisions, Looking Ahead, Partnership, Potential, Ambition
Generally
The Two of Wands signifies a moment of planning and decision-making, where you stand at a crossroads between your current security and a future filled with greater potential. It represents the point where an initial spark of an idea has developed into a viable plan. You hold the world in your hands, contemplating your next move with a sense of ambition and foresight. This card often appears when you are considering a significant long-term plan, weighing your options before you commit to a path, or forming a partnership to help you achieve your goals.
In a Love Context
In matters of love, this card often points to a phase of planning a future with a partner. This can be the literal act of planning a wedding, discussing moving in together, or making long-term travel plans as a couple. It signifies a relationship that is moving from a passionate, initial phase into one of shared goals and mutual ambition. The Two of Wands can also represent a crucial decision point in a relationship, where you must choose between staying in your comfort zone or taking a risk to build a more expansive future together.
In a Money/Career Context
This card points to long-term career planning, business partnerships, and the consideration of new ventures. It can represent the moment you decide to expand your business overseas, the act of carefully weighing a new job offer against your current stable position, or forming a strategic alliance with a business partner. The Two of Wands is the card of the visionary who stands back to survey their domain, not content with their current success, but already planning the next conquest with ambition and careful foresight.
In a Spiritual Context
This card can represent the conscious planning of your spiritual path. This may involve choosing between two different spiritual traditions or teachers, or making a deliberate decision to take your existing practice to the next level. The Two of Wands often signifies the tension between the inner world of contemplation and the outer world of action. It is the moment a mystic decides how to bring their inner realisations into the material world, planning how to manifest their spiritual goals.
In Common Spread Positions
As Advice
Make a long-term plan. Consider all your options. Seek a partnership. Look to the future.
As (Ultimate) Outcome
A successful plan. A new partnership formed. A decision made. The beginning of a journey.
As Obstacles
Analysis paralysis. A fear of leaving your comfort zone. A partnership that is causing delays.
As Hidden Energy
An unacknowledged ambition. A potential partnership. A future plan that is not yet conscious.
As Resources/Alliances
Your ability to plan. A powerful and ambitious partner. A well-thought-out strategy.
‘The Two of Wands’ Reversed
Keywords
Fear of the Unknown, Poor Planning, Indecision, Stagnation, A Bad Partnership
Generally
Reversed, the Two of Wands can point to a frustrating indecision or a failure to plan for the future. It signifies a state of "analysis paralysis," where a fear of making the wrong choice prevents you from making any choice at all. This often manifests as a project that is stuck in the planning phase and never moves forward, a refusal to leave your comfort zone, or a general feeling of being directionless and stuck due to a lack of foresight.
In a Love Context
This card often signifies a relationship that is stagnating due to a fear of commitment or a lack of shared goals. It can represent a partner who refuses to discuss the future, a relationship that is stuck in a rut, or the decision to stay in a comfortable but unfulfilling partnership out of a fear of the unknown. In some contexts, it can point to a business partnership that is negatively affecting a romantic relationship.
In a Money/Career Context
This can mean a business partnership that has turned sour or a career path that is leading nowhere due to poor planning. It might represent a fear of taking a necessary risk to advance your career, a business plan that is fundamentally flawed, or a project that is failing due to a complete lack of foresight. It is the card of missed opportunities and failed ambitions.
In a Spiritual Context
This can mean a spiritual path that has become stagnant or a refusal to make a necessary spiritual choice. It may represent a fear of exploring new spiritual ideas, a partnership with a spiritual teacher who is a bad fit for you, or a general feeling of being spiritually stuck and indecisive. It points to a failure to plan the next stage of your spiritual journey.
In Common Spread Positions
As Advice
Stop overthinking and make a choice. End a bad partnership. Let go of the need for a perfect plan.
As (Ultimate) Outcome
A bad decision. A failed partnership. A period of stagnation. A missed opportunity.
As Obstacles
A fear of the unknown is holding you back. A bad business partner. A complete lack of a plan.
As Hidden Energy
A secret fear of success. An unacknowledged bad partnership. A hidden indecisiveness.
As Resources/Alliances
Help comes from ending a bad partnership. The realisation that a plan is flawed. A necessary but difficult choice.
Additional Notes on The RWS ‘Two of Wands’
Waite’s Divinatory Meanings of The Two of Wands
"Between the alternative readings there is no marriage possible; on the one hand, riches, fortune, magnificence; on the other, physical suffering, disease, chagrin, sadness, mortification. Reversed: Surprise, wonder, enchantment, emotion, trouble, fear." (The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, 1911)
A.E. Waite’s Two of Wands Symbolism
A.E Waite’s Two of Wands depicts a wealthy merchant standing on the battlements of his castle, holding a small globe in his hand. He looks out over a vast landscape of sea and mountains, representing the world he has conquered and the new worlds he wishes to explore. One wand is secured to the wall, representing his established achievements, while he holds the other, representing his future ambitions. The rose and lily cross on the wall is a symbol of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, suggesting that his ambitions are guided by esoteric principles.
Meditations On The Two of Wands
What new world am I planning to conquer, and what established world must I leave behind?
Is my planning based on ambition and foresight, or is it a form of procrastination born from fear?
Do I need a partner to achieve my goals, or is this a path I must walk alone?
Question: Is the Two of Wands a card of action?
No. The Two of Wands is a card of planning and contemplation that comes before the action. The Ace of Wands is the initial spark, the Two of Wands is the creation of the plan, and the Three of Wands is the first step of putting that plan into action.
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