Leo in the Minor Arcana: The Six of Wands

Following on from the Five of Wands, we have the Six of Wands, linked to Jupiter in Leo, and the middle ten days of Leo (approximately the 1^st to 10^th August).  We’re still looking at the Leonine ideals here, so it’s Jupiter that gives the Six a different ‘flavour’ from the Five.  Jupiter is about expansion, optimism, faith.  Jupiter, or Jove, was the king of the Roman gods, as well as being the god of the sky - and thunder.  The planet Jupiter is a giant ball of gas – think of a lot of hot air!  What do hot-air balloons do? They rise, they expand...

Jupiter in Leo gives us a sense of optimism, of being able to grow and expand, through creativity and a ‘joie de vivre’.  It's expansion personified! We’re free to express ourselves vibrantly and with exuberance, with courage and conviction.  We’re supported and encouraged, and can support and encourage others, especially when it comes to creativity.  We may find we want to impress and be recognized by others, which gives us self-confidence.  We do need to be wary of allowing our faith in our own importance to become over-blown, though!

Six of Wands (trimmed):

© Thoth Tarot

In the Six of Wands, we can feel this feeling of strength and achievement, of a victory – the keyword that’s associated with the Thoth’s version of this card. Victory that’s been gained fairly, though – not at the expense of others.  There’s no place for egotism or arrogance here – that’s the shadow side of Jupiter in Leo.  Leo gives us a place on centre-stage, where the spotlight is on us and our achievement.  Jupiter brings the luck or good fortune - the ability to expand our fortune, perhaps - while Leo maintains the creative fire, as well as the public acclaim for the results of that creativity, and allows us to take pride on our accomplishment.

Six of Wands (trimmed):

©Sharman-Burke/Caselli Tarot

The image in the Six of Wands in Juliet Sharman-Burke’s Beginner’s Guide to the Tarot shows the public celebration of a victory, or achievement, the figures basking in the glow of those warm, fiery colours.  Here's the courage and confident Fire of Leo combined with the good fortune (Jupiter) of the victors. They return to public acclaim, and will enjoy being in the spot-light.

Six of Wands (trimmed):

©Shadowscapes Tarot

The Shadowscapes’ Six also gives us that sense of victory, of good fortune – but I sense a bit of the shadow side of Jupiter in Leo here...a bit of ‘pride before a fall’, perhaps. What happens when that sleeping stone lion decides to wake up and uncurl himself?! Beware of over-confidence, I’d say...

Six of Wands (trimmed):

© Haindl Tarot

In Haindl’s Six of Wands, the wands all upright, in line, in harmony. That reflects the idea of victory coming not through aggression (lesson learned from the Five) but from openness and willingness to engage with others, free of ego.  The wands seem to be more Fixed, yet the Fire still burns from their tips. Unity, shared purpose – no single wand stands out from the others.  There’s confidence in that pattern too – standing together. The ivy leaves in the background stay green year-round, a reminder of the value of long-term solidarity, perhaps – as well as the use of ivy in victory wreaths.

Six of Bows (trimmed):

© Wildwood Tarot

In the Wildwood’s Six of Bows, the image focuses on celebrating the abundance that comes through achievement.  This card always feels to me to fit well with the period associated with the Six of Wands - the first ten days of August, just following Lammas and the celebration of the first harvest (apologies for the northern hemisphere bias!). 

Beginner’s Guide to the Tarot created by Juliet Sharman-Burke, illustrated by Giovanni Caselli, published by Connections

Haindl Tarot, created by Hermann Haindl, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Shadowscapes Tarot created by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law and Barbara Moore, published by Llewellyn

Thoth Tarot created by Aleister Crowley, illustrated by Lady Frieda Harris, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Wildwood Tarot created by Mark Ryan and John Matthews, illustrated by Will Worthington, published by Connections