Sagittarius in the Druidcraft Minor Arcana: The Ten of Wands

The Ten of Wands, in the astrological correspondence system I follow, corresponds to the last ten days of Sagittarius (12^th-21^st December), and is linked to Saturn in Sagittarius.   

Cronos

Sagittarius is the mutable Fire sign, so we’re looking at transforming what’s been established into something else.  It combines a fiery passion and creativity with the expansiveness and benevolence of Jupiter, the ruler of Sagittarius, to give us the visionary, the explorer, the philosopher.   Yet Saturn is almost the opposite of Jupiter; where Jupiter expands, Saturn contracts. It sets boundaries and places restrictions – it makes us aware of limitations.  Remember that Saturn is the Roman counterpart to Cronos (or Kronos), the Greek god of time and chronology – as well as being the father of the Greek pantheon.  So the limits or restrictions that Saturn imposes are often to do with time...

Ten of Wands (detail): Druidcraft Tarot

There are certainly Saturnian themes at work in the traditional meanings associated with the Ten of Wands.  Oppression, heavy burdens, struggling...we see it in the Druidcraft’s Ten of Wands, as the man trudges up the hill laden with staves.  The fiery creativity of Sagittarius has become hard work, a heavy load, something with which we struggle.  We’ve taken on too much, we can’t deliver – we’ve over-reached ourselves, exceeded our limitations.  

 But – and it’s a big ‘but’ – who’s forced us into this position? More often than not, it’s ourselves who’ve imposed the pressure.  And if not ourselves, it’s us who ‘decide’ we can’t do anything about it. The solution? Take some time – ah, see, this is where Cronos comes in! – lay down that pile of wands or whatever it is that we’re holding onto so awkwardly, and slowly (Saturn again) work out the best way to carry them towards our goal.

So, Saturn in Sagittarius is not all doom and gloom! It can represent the need to establish ourselves through beliefs and aspirations of long-term goals.  In aiming towards those philosophical, far-off ideals and goals, there will be a willingness to put in the hard work necessary to achieve them, resulting in a sense of satisfaction – and perhaps even a sense of stability or security.  

This combination can also symbolize the ability to accept, in a very expansive and broad-minded way, a number of duties and responsibilities – often taking on more than can be dealt with!  There can be a tendency to organize things ‘on the run’, to ‘wing things’ (think of those wings on the Sagittarian figure), and may be constantly changing the agenda to suit changing situations.  Not always a bad thing – being able to ‘think on your feet’ is often an advantage!

Druidcraft Tarot created by Philip Carr-Gomm and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, illustrated by Will Worthington, published by Connections

Leo in the Druidcraft: The Five of Wands

Now it’s time to turn our attention to the Minor Arcana.  The three minor cards linked to Leo come from, not surprisingly, the fiery suit of Wands.  Because Leo is a fixed sign, we look to the middle three cards of the minors – the 5, 6 and 7 - to find the planetary correspondences.  (For more information on this system of Planetary and Zodiacal dignities, I recommend Elizabeth Hazel’s Tarot Decoded, published by Weiser, 2004).  

Let’s start with the Five of Wands, which in this system is associated with Saturn in Leo – and with the first ten days of Leo (approximately 23^rd July-1^st August). Can we see this astrological association in the Druidcraft?

Saturn was a Roman deity, similar to Kronos (or Cronos) in Greek mythology. That’s where the word ‘chronology’ comes from, and we are probably familiar with the idea of Saturn or Kronos representing ‘old Father Time’.  Saturn has come to be associated with time management, in effect - putting boundaries in place, recognizing limitations and restrictions, but also the idea of self-discipline and control. Sometimes this works to our advantage – where would we be without some boundaries in place? But sometimes it feels as though it’s working against us.  

Five of Wands: Druidcraft (detail)

But in Leo?  Well, we could think of Saturn applying the brakes on that fiery Leonine energy.  It can make it more difficult for us to express ourselves, and can affect our self-confidence.  On the other hand, it can push us into finding ways to establish ourselves through creative projects, or through loyalty and disciplined affection.   Leo is about individuality, so Saturn could help to focus that into some sort of achievement that would help to attain some sense of security. Alternatively, looking at the ‘shadow’ of this combination, Saturn in Leo could reflect a fear or inability to trust in our own self-worth, which could in turn act as an obstacle or restriction when it comes to being able to express ourselves confidently.  

Can we see this in the Druidcraft’s Five of Wands?  Here we see five lads battling each other with sticks, but they appear to be laughing or smiling – it’s not serious.  The crossed wands represent difficulties – things that stand in the way; writer’s or artist’s ‘block’ is a good example of this kind of creative frustration.  Saturn in Leo suggests a period of time when things might seem to be conspiring against us, and we feel we’re striving in vain.  By taking things one step at a time (Saturn at work again), we are less likely to feel overwhelmed. Instead, we’ll be able to recognize what’s blocking us and be able to use our creativity to do something about it. So yes, in this case I can see how the astrological associations work with this deck.

Druidcraft Tarot created by Philip Carr-Gomm and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, illustrated by Will Worthington, published by Connections

Sagittarius in the Minor Arcana: The Ten of Wands

The Ten of Wands, in the astrological correspondence system I follow, corresponds to the last ten days of Sagittarius (12^th-21^st December), and is linked to Saturn in Sagittarius. 

Sagittarius is the mutable Fire sign, so we’re looking at transforming what’s been established into something else.  It combines a fiery passion and creativity with the expansiveness and benevolence of Jupiter, the ruler of Sagittarius, to give us the visionary, the explorer, the philosopher.   Yet Saturn is almost the opposite of Jupiter; where Jupiter expands, Saturn contracts. It sets boundaries and places restrictions – it makes us aware of limitations.  Remember that Saturn is the Roman counterpart to Cronos (or Kronos), the Greek god of time and chronology – as well as being the father of the Greek pantheon.  So the limits or restrictions that Saturn imposes are often to do with time...

Druidcraft Tarot

There are certainly Saturnian themes at work in the traditional meanings associated with the Ten of Wands.  Oppression, heavy burdens, struggling... The fiery creativity of Sagittarius has become hard work, a heavy load, something with which we struggle.  We’ve taken on too much, we can’t deliver – we’ve over-reached ourselves, exceeded our limitations.  But – and it’s a big ‘but’ – who’s forced us into this position? More often than not, it’s ourselves who’ve imposed the pressure.  And if not ourselves, it’s us who ‘decide’ we can’t do anything about it. The solution? Take some time – ah, see, this is where Cronos comes in! – lay down that pile of wands or whatever it is that we’re holding onto so awkwardly, and slowly (Saturn again) work out the best way to carry them towards our goal.

Shadowscapes Tarot

So, Saturn in Sagittarius is not all doom and gloom! It can represent the need to establish ourselves through beliefs and aspirations of long-term goals.  In aiming towards those philosophical, far-off ideals and goals, there will be a willingness to put in the hard work necessary to achieve them, resulting in a sense of satisfaction – and perhaps even a sense of stability or security.  

Wildwood Tarot

This combination can also symbolize the ability to accept, in a very expansive and broad-minded way, a number of duties and responsibilities – often taking on more than can be dealt with!  There can be a tendency to organize things ‘on the run’, to ‘wing things’ (think of those wings on the Sagittarian figure), and may be constantly changing the agenda to suit changing situations.  Not always a bad thing – being able to ‘think on your feet’ is an advantage, and one that I need to develop!  

Druidcraft Tarot created by Philip Carr-Gomm and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, illustrated by Will Worthington, published by Connections

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

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