Three of Wands

Like the Two of Wands, the Three of Wands looks toward the future in the early morning. The sky is again red with passion, drawing its energy from the star sign Aries.

The situation, however, is significantly different. This time, the figure is dressed not for battle, but for travel and experience.

He wears bright, colorful clothes suggesting the Far East and India, rather than the ancient Western world. He stands out as someone who thinks differently because he is well-traveled.

A large seafaring ship crosses his gaze, suggesting a long voyage. This may be a physical journey, but it can equally represent a spiritual or life-changing path.

The man looks away from us (a significant detail, as he is the only subject in the Wands suit to do so). He is a facet of us less concerned with the self, and more concerned with what else is out there. He looks out over the wide expanse of sea toward other experiences, other worlds, and other ways of thinking.

Like Alexander the Great (Two of Wands), this man is passionate about the future, but the Three of Wands is not the Archetypal courageous General. He is the Archetypal courageous Explorer.

Hippalus

Hippalus was a great explorer and navigator of the ancient world. He lived in Ptolemaic Egypt around the 1st century BCE. He was the first to realize the Indian coast lies north-south, countering the prevailing assumption that it ran west-east. From this insight, he plotted a direct sea route that was vastly faster than hugging the coastline.

This knowledge was significant. It massively increased trade via the sea route from the Red Sea to Southern India, resulting in an explosion of prosperity and growth.

Initially, it required immense courage and self-belief. Sailing straight across the Arabian Sea in the ships of the time was a daunting task. For Hippalus, however, it was a calculated risk. He knew that with conviction and planning, no explorer is ever truly lost.

Description and Symbology

We see the great explorer and navigator Hippalus viewing the distant horizon. He knows a direct route to exploration and riches lies beyond it, accessible to those who share his knowledge and possess the conviction to follow through. This bravery will take him on a long, potentially dangerous journey across the Arabian Sea.

Like him, we often view the horizon as symbolic of the future. Its line separates the known present from the unknown future.

The seeker can either move beyond the horizon toward the unknown, or stay safely within the visible world. A short-term view suggests safety, but a longer view demands movement. We all must move (spiritually, and often physically) from the place we were born in order to grow.

We must do this constantly when making major life decisions. The best things for personal growth are rarely within arm's reach. You require the courage and tenacity to carve a path to them before you can grasp them.

The best things for personal growth are rarely within arm's reach. You require the courage and tenacity to carve a path to them before you can grasp them.

As with the Two of Wands, the Three harks back to the Magician card. However, unlike the Two, the Three is less about conquest and more about personal courage aimed at self-development. It is about embarking on a journey of self-discovery and expanding your horizons, rather than trying to rule the world or shape it to your immediate aims.

In short, the Two is about using your passion to change your world; the Three is about discovering the larger world around you and allowing it to change you.

The figure watching the horizon

The figure looks towards future horizons. The ship that crosses his gaze suggests he aims to use such a vessel to move towards such horizons; he is the Archetypal Explorer.

Three Wands

The man’s staff and the two plants behind him make up a trio or a crowd. The man may need help in his travels. A team effort or speaking to experts may be wise.

Red Sky, Early Morning

The red sky represents passion and, in this case, the courage, and tenacity of the explorer. The early morning suggests we are at the start of the plan or journey ahead.

The Novel and New

The man wears exotic clothes suggestive of the Far East. He is open to new ideas and being changed by them.

Tips for Readings

The following table shows the upright and reverse meanings for general questions. The last row ('Yes/No') is useful when you are picking a single card to decide a yes or no decision.

Upright

Reversed

Love

This card suggests positive growth in the relationship. There will be a period of moving forward together, perhaps into new avenues.

Working together with patience and courage and an eye on the long view will work well.

For new relationships, this card suggests casting your net wider than your home area. Romance may be discovered through going somewhere new or travel as you have exhausted your usual options.

Obstacles in the relationship that prevent one or both partners following their true path.

This may be via other people causing friction, unmet personal expectations, or unreasonable demands.

There needs to be a reckoning, pulling back expectations, or fixing the problem together.

All must be done with a long view and an agreed direction. Easy fixes now may stunt growth in the future.

Career

Expect steady gains if you move forward with an eye to the long view, ignoring minor setbacks, and with an inner knowledge of your true worth.

Moving forward as a group may also help. You cannot always go it alone, so look for help and advice from co-workers and associates.

Expect setbacks, disappointments and being looked over in the short term.

This card tells you to have the courage to instead look around at the wider horizon. There is a world of opportunity outside your current sphere. Do not be afraid to move. You have legs, not roots so feel free to walk and explore options!

Health

Being open to new ideas along with the courage, tenacity, and patience to work towards the long term will work out for any health plans.

If it isn’t working, don’t keep trying the same thing. You are just repeating previous failure.

The key to health will be to reassess what works by looking at new methods rather than what you know (and probably also know 'what doesn’t work!’).

Spiritual

Your path to self-discovery means understanding you are a human, not a tree. You can move (both physically and mentally) and discover new ideas and thoughts to make you more whole.

The sense of exploration and tenacity will reap rewards in finding your real place in the world.

You will experience disappointments and lack of understanding unless you cast your spiritual-self farther than your human eye can see.

You need to look further than your local environment to gain a true global understanding of your world and your place in it, because the world exists far beyond your personal horizons.

Wealth

Being open to new ideas, along with the courage, tenacity, and patience to work towards the long term will work out for any wealth plans.

Short-termism, retrying plans that have failed in the past, or simply not looking at the plans deeply may still lead to eventual failure: you need to be all or nothing.

You will be disappointed in returns unless you take a longer and broader view and have the courage and tenacity to hold for a longer time. This means mapping out longer term expectations, choosing a direction and sticking with it for longer.

You may also need external help if you are undecided on direction, but don’t look towards the closest source, as it may not be the best.

Yes/No

Yes. New journeys, a fresh start, or looking to new ideas. Retrying old ideas or just jumping in may however lead to short-term success but eventual failure — you need to do your planning before starting!

Yes, but the journey may take longer than expected through lack of courage and sticking to the safe route.

Reading the Card

The Three of Wands suggests taking the long view as you look to new horizons (new projects, a new career, new relationships, or changing situations within any of them).

The Upright Card

There is a path ahead that may take time to fulfill, but it will yield great material and spiritual rewards.

The three rods (Wands) constitute a crowd, suggesting the need to work within a team, take advice, or simply start with an accepted view and propel it forward toward the horizon of the new.

Spiritual growth will arrive as a broadening of your horizons and a deeper understanding of your place in the world. The journey may be long, but the courage and tenacity of the archetypal Explorer will serve you well, as will careful planning and conviction.

The true Explorer is never lost, because there is always a direction to move in, and every turn is a learning experience.

The Reversal

The Reversed card suggests frustration, impatience, or inertia. Something is blocking you from starting anew, or early setbacks are forcing you to retreat into the safety of the known.

Retreating to safety may work in the short term, but a long-term view suggests you will stagnate. There is a pressing need to foster greater self-belief.

You need the conviction to understand that what waits beyond the known horizon may be good or bad, but it is the only way to go if you wish to expand your knowledge, experience, or wealth.

Card Design Process

The man on the card, Hippalus, expanded the ancient Western world by creating a direct route to Southern India. The aim of the design was to create a figure who appears to have traveled to exotic places, returning in garments far more colorful than typical, solid-white Greek attire.

The pattern on the man’s clothes was influenced by the works of Gustav Klimt.