Victoria Regina Tarot - Three of Wands
Art: Sarah Ovenall
Book: Georg Patterson & Sarah Ovenall
Victoria Regina is a collage deck created with images from the Victorian era. Frequently, the source material is indicated in the text, and varies widely, including periodicals & books, all of it contemporaneous (i.e., not modern recreations of Victorian art).
Wands: The pen is chosen as the symbol of wands in this deck.
From the text: "The nineteenth century saw the development of the mass-produced steel pen. Writing -- whether it was letters, grocery lists, or essays -- became more accessible as people no longer needed to find a goose, pull one of its feathers, and whittle it down to a point."
Description: We see a man's back. He peers through binoculars into the distance. At his left side, a large pen stands; two more stand on his right. In the distance various bits of machinery are visible. On one of the bits, a dial seems to be set to "ON"...or is it "NO"?
The man looks dressed for a journey or exploration. Obviously wealthy (his coat is embroidered and fur-trimmed), he carries a pouch and sword as well as the case for his binoculars.
My interpretations:
This card suggests a strong sense of unfinished-ness, of looking ahead to the future. It suggests a number of questions: How are you going to fit these parts together into a whole? Do you have the right "directions", plans, to fit everything together & make it work? Do you have all the parts ready? Are you prepared to see this through? What is the next step?
Reversed or less favorably aspected, this suggests to me a distance or isolation, a desire to look on from afar without actually taking part. Perhaps a supervisor who manages from a distance, not really wanting to get his hands dirty.
From the book:
"If the 2 of Wands shows the optimistic beginning of a new project, the 3 of Wands is about expanding on success, looking ahead to new challenges, and building on strengths." The book goes on to discuss the optimism and confidence characteristic of this era; no obstacle was too great; new & better machines could be built, everything could be explored & discovered & mastered.
"Often it is not enough to patiently wait for opportunity to knock. We must go out in to the world & actively seek our fortune. We must be ready to act when the time comes. This requires an awareness not only of the situations facing us, but also of our own strengths & weaknesses.
"The 3 of Wands, while also a forward looking card, tends to be more about watchfulness, readiness, and even wariness. You are focused not so much on your plans as on the situations or problems that confront you. At its worst, this can turn into a waiting game. You become overly secure in the worthiness of your ideas and expect the world to wear out a path to your door. Great success rarely comes looking for you; instead you must blaze your own path."
Blessings
Janet |
