Page of Wands

The Page of Wands, today's card, is what I like to think is one of the best parts of all of us. As I've mentioned before, the Court Cards in Tarot differ from the other cards in the Minor Arcana as they are more personalities and character traits than situational representations like the Ace - 10. This is why people so often struggle with Court Cards: the cards can be interpreted in so many different ways based on the context of the reading and the position in the spread, and personalities are so multi-faceted with different qualities and characteristics, it can be a challenge to pin down.

But who IS the Page of Wands (like my friend Oscar always says, "Who is she? Who would play her?")? The genderless Page of Wands exudes enthusiasm and passion. They are eager to play, particularly when they are able to expand their consciousness and be free. They are creative and think out of the box; they dance to the beat of their own drum. They are often independent and free-spirited and don't particularly care to follow rules and set procedures. They are often loud and bold personalities with high NRG and can often seem almost overbearing, but that often just goes back to their enthusiastic and fiery nature.

Of course, there are less attractive traits that come with the Page of Wands (hey, no one's perfect!). They are often impulsive and risk-averse; they tend to think in the moment and don't always plan for the future. They like things to move at a fast pace (as opposed to the Page of Pentacles who takes it slow, baby) and can grow impatient if they feel they are being held back. Their assertive energy can be a real turn-off for some people who may see them as "busybodies," when they really just want to be involved and make awesome stuff.

Message of the Day: I was really surprised by how easy it was to describe the Page of Wands; maybe that's because I have a lot of Page of Wands energy in me so I was really just describing myself...

I also think it's really interesting to consider the other Pages in the other suits and how they interact with the Page of Wands. Here's a brief rundown of some thoughts:

Page of Wands + Page of Cups: Fire and Water. While these elements may counter each other, they also keep each other in check (and can create steam). Where the Page of Wands is rich in creativity, the Page of Cups has a bold imagination and a sense of emotional maturity. This can be sex + emotion, steamy and in tune with each other. They can easily complement each other - but alternatively can also cancel each other out if unbalanced.

Page of Wands + Page of Pentacles: Fire and Earth. These elements tend to not thrive together really well. Fire is fast and potentially chaotic; Earth is slow, calculated, and almost anal-retentive. In balance, the Page of Pentacles can offer structure and long-term planning that the Page of Wands doesn't care to do (and can often lead to impatience). When misaligned, there is friction and frustration.

Page of Wands + Page of Swords: Fire and Air. These elements, like water, can be complementary in the form of new ideas and forms of communication (an important part of art and creation), but the Page of Swords can also suck the air out of the room, and fire can't burn without air. Perhaps the most dangerous of combinations when unbalanced, we can see the Page of Swords trying to overwhelm and shut down the energy of the Page of Wands.

And that is exactly what we have happening in the world today.

We are currently living in the most bizarre time. We have representatives of the Suit of Swords governing the world: politicians and religious leaders who are trying to push their own ideologies and preferences on others. These are not harmonious and uplifting agendas, but controlling and self-preserving in nature. They seek to collect power by removing it from others and limiting access to the resources to grow and learn. Some examples:

• "Don't Say Gay" (Parental Rights in Education) bill in Florida: This was introduced in 2019 in the House of Representatives and in 2021 in the Senate. Both failed to pass but have gained support. The premise of the bill was to limit teachers' ability to discuss sexuality in terms of heterosexuality and abstinence and would have prohibited any mention of homosexuality or other non-heterosexual orientations.
• "Drag Bans" in various states: We've seen the news of all the protests about Drag Queens reading to kids in libraries. We've seen states attempting to pass laws that outright ban or limit drag performances to places accessible to adults-only. Arkansas has introduced a bill that will label drag queens as "employees of an adult-oriented business" another way of saying porn actors, nude models, and sex workers. This bill was also written in a way that could also "inadvertently" target Trans individuals.
• Religious Freedom: The concept of "religious freedom" for the Suit of Swords court members is one of "your belief goes against the beliefs of my faith, and I feel attacked!" It is purely about control, hate, and close-mindedness. There is often very little actually about religion here. And to think that someone could be refused cancer treatments, HIV preventatives, and birth control simply because an employer says it goes against their religious beliefs. That is not religion. That is discrimination and hate.

This is not intended to be a "slam the Suit of Swords" post, but it's important to illustrate how unbalanced behaviors impact the personality, qualities, traits, and personal lives of people with Page of Wands energy. The Queer community is responsible for historically contributing so much music, art, fashion, theatre, and entertainment that it's clear the Page of Wands is a prominently representative energy. Even people who do not identify as Queer but embrace the Page of Wands energy are often seen as Allies of the Queer community.

I did not write this with the intention of standing on a political soap box. I try to keep politics out of things because it can be SO stressful. But it's important, if you are going to be doing readings for others (or if you want to be good people), that you be aware of what is happening in the world and how it affects others. It's important to be sensitive to the needs and feelings of others. That is part of the Journey of the Fool and part of finding enlightenment; we support and lift each other up, not restrict and tear each other down.

As for the Page of Wands, how do you let your freak flag fly? What passionate and creative endeavors do you dabble in? Have you felt stuck in your personal self-expression? How can the Page of Wand and his quirky, spunky attitude help draw you out of yourself into something constructive and creative? How can you encourage those around you to embrace the Page of Wands energy and create?

Decks shown above:

• Reclaimed Earth Tarot
• The Modern Way Tarot
• Zeke's Arcana