by Brian Clark
The Ace of Wands: Cassiopeia
On our journey of wands, we first encounter Queen Cassiopeia, who is seated on a throne-like chair, her arms raised in the air contemplating the palm leaves she holds in her right hand. Palms are symbols of fertility, victory and regeneration. The fronds represent growth and the promise of new life, potentials underpinning the Ace of Wands. In her left hand she grasps her unpinned peplos as it sails in the night sky above her. The azure garment entwines her attractive body outlining the Queen’s poise and beauty. In myth, Cassiopeia’s vanity and inflated sense of her own beauty, combined with her lack of humility, became the destructive agents of her destiny. Representing the first decan of Aries, the first sign of the zodiac ruled by Mars, the Ace of Wands proclaims the energetic start of a new phase of life. However, the card also cautions against the impulsive, brash, and inflated shadow cast by the fiery glow of Aries.
This star-pattern belongs to a grouping of northern constellations known as the Andromeda group, which tell the mythic tale of the dynasty of King Cepheus and his wife Cassiopeia. The eponymous heroine of the Andromeda group is their daughter who was sacrificed to the sea-monster Cetus, but was valiantly rescued by heroic Perseus on the magical horse Pegasus. These constellations are not only celestial neighbors, and part of the same mythic drama, but are also interlinked with Cassiopeia.
Married to Cepheus, the King of Joppa in Ethiopia, Cassiopeia reveled in her role as monarch of this powerful region. When she became a mother to Andromeda, Cassiopeia became inflated by their beauty and power and began boasting that she and her daughter were even more beautiful than the Nereids. The fifty daughters of Nereus were sea nymphs called the Nereids, who were famed for their charm, beauty, and creativity. One of the Nereids, Amphitrite, the wife of Poseidon, complained on behalf of her sisters about the Queen’s hubris and lack of respect. Enraged Poseidon shook the land and churned the waters, flooding Cassiopeia’s beloved homeland. Consulting the oracle to find out why the god was so angry, the King was told he must sacrifice his only daughter to the sea-monster Cetus. Chained to the rock face, Andromeda faced the monstrous sea to abate Poseidon’s rage that had been stirred by her mother’s boast.
Perseus, fresh from beheading the monstrous Gorgon, arrived on the chaotic scene and promised to defeat the monster that terrorized Andromeda if Cassiopeia consented to his marriage to her daughter. Reluctantly she agreed and heroic Perseus defeated the monster. However, Cassiopeia reneged on her promise. Conspiring with Phineus, a former suitor of Andromeda, Cassiopeia hoped to defeat Perseus and remain in control of her daughter and the kingdom. As Phineus and his warriors attacked the wedding feast, Perseus removed the Gorgon’s head from its bag and confronted them with her terrifying stare, turning all who looked at her to stone, including Cassiopeia. As an eternal reminder of her lack of humility, Poseidon chained Cassiopeia to her throne and placed her in the heavens, daily turning her upside down as she circumvents the northern pole.
As the royal representative of the Ace of Wands, Cassiopeia’s myth clearly illustrates the shadow side of this card. The Ace of Wands implies that a new journey into the fiery realm of imagination and creativity has begun. A new identity is emerging, born from a seminal surge of creative energy. A different role, a new image, a fresh start are possible since the individual has recently entered a fertile phase of life. The Ace of Wands suggests that the gods are also in favor of this beginning, blessing the birth of the new period with gifts and favors. In return, the gods expect reverence and humility. Cassiopeia was blessed with beauty, power, and charisma. She was punished for having arrogance instead of gratitude for these gifts. As the journey of the wands unfolds, it is necessary to remember this lesson. The Ace suggests those gifts of strength, beauty, power and charisma are touching our lives. On an oracular level the card suggests a brand new phase with abundant faith and enough heroic energy to follow its course.
The Two of Wands: Cetus
Stretching across the equator between the stars of Aquarius and Eridanus, the sea-monster Cetus, the celestial antagonist of the hero, lies in wait. In Greek mythology, Cetus’ adversary was Perseus, who slew the dragon-fish with his magic sickle, a gift from the goddess Athena. Later accounts also suggest Cetus was turned to stone when Perseus drew the head of the Gorgon Medusa out of the sack and confronted the monster with it. Before the Greeks depicted the constellation as Cetus, the sea serpent, other cultures had many variations of an imposing sea creature. One was a whale, which the Christians imagined swallowed Jonah, consistent with the mythological motif of the hero’s battle with a monstrous serpent. Wands represent the fiery quest of the hero and serve to comment on the process of the heroic journey. Part of the hero’s journey entails the encounter with the monstrous, generally in the form of a dragon or serpent. This card summons the heroic impulse to forge ahead, as the current situation may lack the stimulus and challenge that the individual requires. Therefore, the beast of complacency and lethargy needs to be slain.
When the Two of Wands is drawn, the situation in question is alight with numerous possibilities. Although we are confronted by the sea-monster Cetus, a bold creative vision of the future is still implicit in the card. All is possible. Twos imply that a relationship with the primal energy that was inherent in the Ace needs developing. With wands, this relationship relates to the creative future, through an innovative project, a visionary ideal, or perhaps new business venture. Future goals are important to consider as a vibrant spirit yearns to be fulfilled through a new and original endeavor.
In Celestial Tarot, we are reminded that the heroic impulse to venture farther in the world to explore new horizons also constellates the dragon of resistance. The card depicts the sea monster Cetus conjuring up all the imagined obstacles and difficulties that obscure heroic progress. However, like the hero Perseus, the individual has all the tools needed to fight the monster. Therefore, the card invites us to reflect on what holds us back from pursuing our current ideas and goals, as well as to consider the faith and optimism needed to support them.
In mythology, monsters are guardians of treasure and symbolize the obstacles to be overcome in order to claim the material or spiritual wealth. The monster’s appearance inspires heroism and stimulates action and effort, providing the very impetus the hero needs. In this way, monsters are threshold images and augur initiation. The identity of the hero is challenged or swallowed, so that a new identity may emerge to enable the crossing of the threshold. Generally, the guarded treasure lies on sacred ground. Symbolically, this suggests that confrontation with the dragon not only brings the treasures we seek, but also entails contact with the soul. Psychologically, the monster represents the irrational forces and outmoded attachments that keep us fearful of the future. Cetus personifies these irrational forces, which we heroically confront in the process of overcoming the fear of moving forward.
The Two of Wands card calls us to action. Cetus as the sea-monster reminds us of the anxiety born when an overly active imagination has no outlet or vision. When this card appears, it reveals that the imagination is alive with new ideas, creative projects and future visions, but the individual may be fearful of acting on these impulses. Therefore, it is helpful to alleviate some of the fears by confronting them, as the hero does the monster. Fire, focused on the future, calls the individual to explore possibilities and potentialities. This may be pursuing a new relationship. When Perseus killed Cetus he also rescued his soul mate, suggesting that what lies behind the Two of Wands is the potentiality of a fulfilling relationship either on a personal or professional level. A new business venture, academic idea, course of study, or creative project may call the individual to move away from their current routine. Travel may also be the path forward. On an oracular level, the card is suggesting that success lies in the pursuit of the new world. Psychologically, the card reminds us that courage and heroism are necessary to move forward.
The Three of Wands: Pers
eus
Having rescued the daughter of Cepheus from the monstrous Cetus, heroic Perseus rightfully belongs with the star-groups that tell the mythic story of this royal family. The constellation borders Cassiopeia, his mother-in-law and Andromeda, his bride, with the stars of Taurus lying underfoot. Prince Perseus was the son of Zeus and the first hero of Greek mythology, immortalized for his decapitation of the Gorgon Medusa. As the original founder of Mycenae and the great-grandfather of Hercules, Perseus’ adventure to slay the dreadful Gorgon is the seminal prototype for the heroic quest. Similar to many heroes, the divine patron Athena and the guiding god Hermes befriended Perseus, giving him the gifts necessary for his quest to be successful. The Three of Wands depicts Perseus with the god-given gifts.
On his feet are the mercurial sandals, which allowed him to fly, and crowning his head is the helmet that rendered him invisible. Given to him by the nymphs, both items personify the spirit of the facilitating feminine. Behind him is the polished shield given by Athena, who instructed him how to use it as a mirror to avoid fatal eye contact with Medusa. In his left hand he holds the gift from Hermes of an unbreakable sword, a scimitar made of adamant, the legendary impenetrable stone. His right hand clutches the emblem of his heroic act, the severed head of the monstrous Medusa. Armed with these gifts, and supported by his divine protectors, Perseus is assured of success in his quest.
Using these gifts from the gods, Perseus was able to behead the monstrous Gorgon, Medusa. Seeing only the image reflected on his shield’s polished surface, Perseus avoided looking at her directly. One of Athena’s attributes is her reflective ability. The goddess’ wisdom suggests that reflecting on the complex can be more effective than facing it head on. Placing the Gorgon’s head in a sack, Perseus swiftly escaped using his winged sandals. When flying over North Africa, Perseus encountered the princess Andromeda chained to a rock as an appeasement to Poseidon. Seeing her beauty, Perseus fell in love and offered to fight the sea monster Cetus for her hand in marriage. Victorious Perseus wed Andromeda and one of the most sacred and successful marriages of Greek myth was celebrated.
The Three of Wands personifies the spirit of the archetypal hero Perseus, who leaves home as a young boy but returns a hero. With the help of the gods his quest has not only been successful but he returns home with his new bride. The initial mission has been accomplished but the maturation process now lies ahead. Like the young hero Perseus, this card suggests that the quest be guided by the grace of the gods. The person drawing this card may have accomplished an important feat. However, it is prudent to remember that the maturation of the project or partnership still lay ahead of the individual. Traditionally, this card augurs a period of growth, expansion, and new opportunities based on the work accomplished to date.
With the Three of Wands, we enter the final decanate of Aries, ruled by magnanimous Jupiter. On one level, the threes of each suit represent a synthesis and integration of what had been originally seeded, allowing for both celebration on the successes of the adventure to date, and reflection on what aspects have been disappointing or not fulfilling. Jupiter represents both this capacity to understand why the triumphs occurred and the insight to address where they failed. However, Jupiter also denotes the ability to conceptualize and conceive other plans and adventures, and together with Aries, suggests that new directions and goals will be conceived out of the success to date.
Perseus has had the guiding support of both Athena and Hermes in his tasks. But from now on he must rely on his own inner resources to move forward. The Three of Wands signal a culmination of a creative goal and the rewards and accolades that come with its completion. There is cause for celebrating both the success and the new relationships it has brought. However, the card also reminds us that it is only the first installment in the trilogy of creative endeavors with more tasks, trials, and rewards lying ahead.
The Four of Wands: Hydra
At each stage of the Wands (decans ruled by the Sun) we encounter a serpent or dragon that represents the adversary of the hero. This serpentine monster is also an archetypal force that the hero must encounter on his journey of individuation. Seen mainly as a diabolic image, the symbol of a dragon/serpent is ambivalent as it not only represents an evil force, but it is also a guardian of treasure and the threshold dweller that the hero must overcome in order to find his future direction. As a constellation, Hydra is the largest one, stretching across nearly 100 degrees of sky. Two smaller constellations, Crater and Corvus, representing the following decans, are intertwined with Hydra and located upon the snake’s middle back
The first decan of Leo is ruled by the sun, the eternal symbol for the ego as the hub of consciousness. As the center of the heavens, it represents a greater self, a more enlightened and developed ‘I’. As light-bringer, the sun symbolizes consciousness and visibility. Because it also rose, culminated, and set, it was aligned with the seasons of consciousness and the hero in pursuit of the self, generally through a series of trials or labors. This heroic urge represents the archetypal instinct to individuate, to become psychologically separate from the collective. The solar hero who triumphs over regressive and archaic forces to attain a unique stature apart from the masses symbolizes individuation and the journey towards consciousness. The Four of Wands represents the stage where the hero has been acknowledged for his accomplishments and enjoys the harvest that accompanies his success. However, the wisdom of the card implies that this phase of growth has culminated and another journey lay ahead. It is time to move forward into a more mature phase of development, born out of the spirit that was ignited through the challenges of the past cycle. From a cyclical point of view, this card implies that the time of celebration and reward is a graduation into the next phase of life where the individual must be more conscious of their commitments and their goals.
Hercules embodies the composite of all heroism, and his twelve labors represent the solar cycle. When Hercules defeated the Nemean Lion in his first labor, he wore the lion skin as a mantel of his heroism. His overestimation of his heroic powers marked this youthful phase. Hercules’ second labor was to eliminate the Hydra, a monstrous water snake whose toxic breath polluted the marshes and pastures of Lerna. With the Four of Wands, the Hydra suggests that a more mature approach is necessary. At this stage of the heroic journey, Hercules is confronted with a task that demands innovation as well as help. The Hydra had nine heads and when one was severed two more would grow in its place. This is one labor Hercules cannot do alone, therefore he enlists the aid of Iolaus, his twin brother’s son. Together they confronted the monster. One of the Hydra’s heads was immortal and when severed from the body it was invulnerable. When Hercules severed this head he buried it under a huge boulder suggesting the immortal part of the monster was repressed back into the unconscious. Hercules dipped his arrowheads into the blood that spewed from the Hydra’s wounds insuring that his future targets would be infected with her deadly poison. The Four of Wands cautions us to be aware that, in our heroic triumphs, there may be evidence of larger complexes and influences, which may return to corrupt or challenge us. The blood of both the Gorgon and the Hydra are agents for destruction. At this stage of the quest, the hero needs to remain mindful of his limitations and not be inflated by the triumphant outcome.
In battling the Hydra, Hercules does not completely eliminate her. The immortal head is interred and he becomes the custodian of her poisonous blood, which renders him vulnerable. We are reminded that during the next phase, it will be imperative to be more aware of our strengths and weaknesses, especially more conscious of the vulnerable parts of the self.
On a divinatory level, the Four of Wands is a herald of future possibilities. Having triumphed and celebrated victory, you are ready to move forward. Success has given you more confidence in yourself and helped to forge an identity and purpose. However, it is also important to recognize you are not alone and may need help and assistance on the next leg of the journey.
The Hydra is a confrontational image that reminds us that there will be monstrous feelings and reactions that will surface. We can face those and succeed only if we are conscious and not arrogant. As the first decan of Leo, this card represents the phase of self-expression, interaction, joy and creation, but can also be fraught with egotism and narcissism. The Hydra cautions us not to let ego become monstrous, so that we may enjoy the prosperity and stability of the new phase of our lives.
The Five of Wands: Crater
Intertwined with the constellation of Hydra, are the two minor constellations of Crater and Corvus. In Celestial Tarot, these three constellations represent the phases or decans of Leo, aligning them with the heroic quest to know the self. Throughout antiquity they were interrelated not only in astronomy but also in mythology. Hydra guarded the Crater perched on the serpent’s back from Corvus, the crow that Apollo had summoned to fetch him water. The Greek version of the myth uniting the three constellations emerges after the solar gods have become dominant, hence Crater’s association with Apollo the sun god. By the Roman period, the cup was associated with primarily male heroes and deities like Hercules, Achilles, and Bacchus, the wine god. In an earlier epoch, the Sumerians had seen these stars as the cup belonging to the serpent and we could imagine that from even earlier, the constellation represented the cauldron of the goddess.
In ancient Greece, the crater was a large vase or vessel used to mix wine with water. Once the mixture had been stirred, it was poured into an oinochoë, or drinking vessel, and served to guests. Hence, the constellation is often seen as the cup used by the Athenian Icarius, when taught the art of winemaking by Dionysus, as a reward for the hospitality he offered the god. Wine is a cross-cultural symbol for blood, used by the ancient Greeks and the Chinese to symbolize the beverage of immortality, and the Christians, in Communion, as the blood of Christ. Wine is dualistic through its association with blood, renewal and initiation on one hand, and intoxication on the other. Both represent the encounter with spirit, an urge consistent with the planet Jupiter, the card’s decan ruler. The crater has also been linked to Medea’s cauldron, in which she mixed her magical herbs and potions that could restore youth and libido to the aging. Consistent with this image is the vessel, which holds the elixir of immortality and life force. However, its contents can also be intoxicating or poisonous. The Five of Wands suggests the necessity to judge the situation at hand wisely. The contents of the package being offered could be a benefit or a setback. The combination of Jupiter and Leo caution against being overly idealistic, optimistic or inflated, and suggests a measure of caution and restraint.