The Knight of Wands rides in on his noble steed, which is rising up on its hind legs ready for action. The Knight’s wand is poised in readiness for anything it might be needed for – magic, defence, or attack. One glance at the Knight of Wands tells you that he is bold, forthright and adventurous.
When the Knight of Wands Minor Arcana card appears in a Tarot reading, he brings a hefty dose of high-octane firery energy to the equation – which can be good or bad, depending on what you need at that particular moment in time. If things in your life are stuck or lacklustre, the Knight of Wands is fantastic news, as his brisk and lively energy sweeps energetic blockages aside and throws unnecessary caution to the wind. If, on the other hand, you are navigating a situation that requires a lot of forethought and careful deliberation, the Knight of Wands can be a sign that you should slow down, lest you fumble the ball before you reach the finish line.
What the wands mean in Tarot
In the pictorial language of the Tarot, the Wands represent fire and all of its associations; passion, drive, ambition, courage, spiritedness.
As the Knight of the element of fire, the Knight of Wands embodies all of these qualities.
What the Knights mean in Tarot
There are four Knights in the Tarot’s Minor Arcana, one for each of the four elements. The Knight of Pentacles is the knight of the earth, the Knight of Swords is the Knight of the air, the Knight of Cups is the knight of water and finally the Knight of Wands is the knight of fire.
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Each of the four suits also has three other court cards, besides the Knights. There are the Pages – younger and even greener than the Knights -, and there are the Kings and the Queens, who represent mature and well-established people.
Unlike the Kings and Queens, the Knights and Pages have not yet found their places in the world and are still out there, actively working at making their dreams happen. Pages often signify teenagers and very young adults who are taking their first steps in life’s major league, adulthood.
Knights are a little further down the tracks of life and usually represent younger people who have found some sense of direction and who might have obtained a few notches in their belts and have a few accomplishments to show for their efforts and life experience. Nevertheless, the Knights are still very much still in the process of forming themselves, their lives and the futures they want to inhabit.
Knight of Wands Tarot card description
Depictions of the Knight of Wands Tarot card differ between Tarot decks, but most of renditions include the essential symbolism and details from the traditional Rider-Waite Tarot deck. For that reason, those are the symbols and details we are going to be taking a closer look at.
The knight
The Knight of Wands Tarot card shows a young knight riding a horse.
Covered in shiny armour from head to toe, the Knight’s helmet is topped with a red feather plume that is billowing behind him. Over the armour he wears a yellow tunic decorated with salamanders, mythical creatures associated with fire and transformation.
The wand
In his right hand, in lieu of a sword or any other traditional weapon, the young Knight clutches a large wand, actually a rod. Clearly, it is his weapon of choice.
Wands, in the Tarot, are magical instruments and power symbols. In the Magician Tarot card, we see the Magician wielding his tool like a magical conductor’s baton, using it to transmit and direct cosmic forces.
Green shoots sprout from the Knight’s rod, hinting at the potency of his potential in both life and magic.
The horse
The Knight’s steed is orangey-brown in colour, linking it to the Knight’s ruling element. It is rising up on its hind legs, as if ready to make a great leap forward.
Horses are universal symbols of strength, resolve and willpower. The posture of the Knight of Wand’s horse suggests that this particular one is especially lively and powerful, ready to carry its master over any obstacle he may encounter en route to manifesting his goals.
The landscape
The landscape behind the Knight of Wands is barren and empty, save for the mountains soaring in the distant background.
The empty landscape suggests that the Knight has not yet found a fertile place to settle down and make his own. He is in flux, still moving towards his goals, not having reached them yet. The distant mountains hint at obstacles he may encounter on his path. Mountains, in the Tarot, can also indicate spiritual aspiration and goals that lie beyond the mundane world and material concerns.
Knight of Wands Tarot card meanings
The Knight of Wands has multiple layers of meaning – which aspect of the card’s significance stands out and becomes relevant in any specific Tarot reading comes down to a number of factors, including the subject of the reading, the context provided by surrounding important card combinations, and the individual Tarot reader’s take on the card.
Here are some of the most typical Knight of Wands Tarot card meanings.
Entusiasm
The upright Knight of Wands is a sign of enthusiasm, and suggests that you have a positive, pro-active attitude to whatever is at hand.
The Knight’s ability to throw himself fully into life is both admirable and rare.
Energy
The Knight of Wands is bristling with life force energy. What he may lack in experience or finesse – as he is still developing and honing the qualities within himself – he makes up for in sheer oomph.
Inspired action
The upright Knight of Wands is often an indication of inspired action. You trust your instinct, and make moves on your dreams instead of sitting on your hands. Good for you!
Passion project
The Knight of Wands can sometimes show up to indicate a passion project, a culmination of the Knight’s creative ideas and enjoyment of an exciting challenge.
Boldness
The Knight of Wands is bravery incarnate. He’s got the guts to deliver on the high expectations he has of himself and of life.
You can tell by the way he drives his steed forward, ready to leap. It is a well-known fact that if the rider hesitates or falters while the horse is approaching an obstacle, the animal will sense the rider’s fear and balk. There is no hesitancy in the Knight of Wands.
Adventure
The Knight of Wands is adventurous, hungry for the richness of experience that life has to offer. He is far from ready to settle or settle down, and instead prefers to explore his options and keep moving. He is always willing to try new things and to explore any desire he has.
When the upright Knight of Wands appears in a Tarot reading, he can sometimes be an indication of overseas travel or opportunities. The Knight’s adventurousness and curiosity also extends to the spiritual journey.
Rebellious streak
With guts and adventurousness comes a rebellious streak. Not satisfied with staying put, part of you relishes pushing against the status quo. You have a tendency to question the rigid norms, values and rules you find yourself surrounded by. You value freedom and autonomy, and dislike being told what to do.
Impulsivity
The Knight of Wands has a tendency to take rash and impulsive actions and decisions.
Naturally hot-headed, the Knight of Wands can occasionally undermine his own efforts by rushing into things or by flying off the handle or jumping the gun before he has allowed himself the time to consider whether the approach he is taking is the right one.
Reversed Knight of Wands Tarot card meanings
When the Knight of Wands card appears reversed in Tarot readings, his positive fiery energy becomes unbalanced. Here are some of the most common reversed Knight of Wands Minor Arcana card meanings.
Haste
The Knight of Wands is well known for his tendency to be impulsive, but when he shows up reversed, he is downright hasty, and can even be sloppy or reckless.
Because he is so used to his confidence, charm and enthusiasm opening doors for him, the Knight of Wands may forget that sometimes, there is no way around having to be thorough and patient.
Unfocused energy
The Knight of Wands reversed can be a sign of unfocused, scattered and squandered energy.
One of the Knight of Wand’s weaknesses is a lack of self control and focus. He may find himself jumping from one new idea to the next, following a bread crumb trail of tantalising impulses that are taking him in no particular direction.
To achieve long term success, the Knight has to learn to develop self discipline and gain control over his scattered energy.
Delays
One of the key meanings of the reversed Knight of Wands is delays. Often what is being referred to are delays that are beyond your control, causing you to stall and spin your wheels.
Frustration
The Knight of Wands reversed can be a sign of pent-up energy that is being blocked, suppressed or otherwise hindered from coming to full expression. As a result, an internal battle is waging, and you are feeling frustrated and unfulfilled.
A person characterised by the Knight of Wands Tarot card is naturally passionate, energetic and creative. If they are not allowed or able to express and explore, their mental health and overall wellbeing are bound to suffer.
What the Knight of Wands means in a love life Tarot reading
Knight of Wands upright
The upright Knight of Wands is a good omen when it comes to your love life. His general meaning suggests high energy, confidence, enthusiasm, and adventure, and he could be an indication of a passionate relationship or love affair.
Knight of Wands reversed
There might be is a mismatch between partners in the relationship.
The partner signified by the reversed Knight might crave more freedom or more adventurousness, while the other wants more commitment and a more predictable journey. The first partner might want to explore a new idea that the other is doesn’t find exciting. The first partner might be hot tempered and dissatisfied, while the other is afraid of rocking the relationship boat by changing things up.
What the Knight of Wands means in a career Tarot reading
Knight of Wands upright
The general meaning here is positive. You are in a place where your enthusiasm is being matched with opportunity. A new job or path may open up to you unexpectedly, and you may have to act quickly to accept it. There is a real opportunity here to grow, to learn and to discover more about yourself. If an opportunity arises, go for it.
Knight of Wands reversed
Your current job is a bad fit for your self-assured, autonomy-loving vibe. There are many jobs and money-making opportunities in this world that would suit you better. If you are truly unfulfilled, it is time to set yourself free from the job situation you are in, and start looking for something that is going to offer more freedom, more movement, more of the positive challenges and less of the negative ones.
Truly understanding Knight of Wands could mean the difference between great happiness and misery down the line. Find a psychic medium near you today, whether you’re in New York City, Chicago, Utah, Seattle in the US, or somewhere completely different, you can get the expert guidance you deserve. Don’t forget you can also get a psychic email reading at low cost, or try the best online psychic reading sites such as Kasamba, Oranum, PsychicOz, Bitwine, Everclear Psychic and more.
