Ten of Wands Keywords: Burdens, Responsibilities, Duty

Ten of Wands Tarot Card Description

A man is carrying ten large wands. The load is obstructing his vision and is almost too much for him to manage, but he is making progress nonetheless and is heading towards a small town in the distance. A bright blue sky dominates the card, and we can see that there is nothing to hinder the man’s progress.

What The Ten of Wands Means In A Tarot Reading

We can clearly see that the man in the Ten of Wands is oppressed by the load he’s carrying. You’re also burdened by work and responsibilities right now. Sometimes it feels like more than you can bear. You desperately want to put down your load and shrug off your responsibilities, but there’s a determination in you to finish what you started; to get over the finish line.

When the Ten of Wands appears in a reading, the burden you’re shouldering is quite often responsibilities you’ve taken on for other people. People that are close to you see that you’re capable and strong, and they pass their responsibilities to you, knowing that you’ll make sure that everything is looked after and completed. Sometimes it almost feels as if you’re too good at what you do. People have come to rely on you because you ‘can’.

This is all very well and most of the time you don’t mind helping out, but there are times when too much is asked of you, and this is what we’re seeing when the Ten of Wands appears. You’ve got work of your own to complete right now. Don’t be afraid to prioritize that. You can put other people’s burdens aside while you complete what you need to do for you. There will be time to help others when you’ve completed your own tasks.

There are a couple of things to bear in mind here, however. If you do choose to continue carrying other people’s responsibilities as well as your own at this time, you’re still going to manage just fine. You can’t see it, but the end is within reach now. You’re at the final stretch and there’s a clear path ahead. The clear, blue sky in the card is also an omen that this is a temporary situation, and you’ll soon achieve what you set out to do.

The Ten of Wands Love And Relationships Tarot Meaning

No-one will deny that love and relationships can be hard work at times, but your love life feels like nothing but work at the moment. If you’re in a relationship, then it’s very likely that you’re the one who carries the burden of the responsibilities for both of you. Again, this is probably happening because you’re capable and able to shoulder responsibility while making it look easy. But this really isn’t a good model for any relationship, no matter how capable you are. Resentment will almost certainly creep into the relationship if things continue like this. Sharing joy, as well as responsibilities, is part of what makes being in a relationship so magical. It’s about walking the path of life together, sharing the ups as well as with the downs. There isn’t much fun in shouldering all the responsibilities for both you and your partner. If you recognize this in your own relationship, then now is the time to act. Try to work out a fairer situation with your partner so that you can raise your head and breathe again. You’ll both be happier in the long run.

The good news is that you’re going to be able to relax very soon. The Ten of Wands indicates that you’ll be able to set aside your responsibilities and take a break, at least for a little while. It would be a good idea to use this opportunity to discuss your workload and responsibilities with your partner and to see if you can come to a fairer arrangement.

If you’re single, then perhaps your intense focus on work is getting in the way of you finding a partner. I really wouldn’t worry about this, however, as you’ve almost completed whatever project you’re working on. This intense bout of work is almost complete. The trick will be not to allow yourself to get so caught up in work in the future. If you’re looking for love, then burying yourself in work isn’t going to help. Sure, we all need to earn a living, but remember to stop and enjoy life sometimes too. Make time to spend with friends, to get out and to meet new people. This will all be possible very soon.   

The Ten of Wands Career Tarot Meaning

The Ten of Wands will often appear in readings about career and work matters. You’ve been working hard and are so good at what you do that others have begun to rely on you more and more. You’re feeling swamped and can’t see any way out. But the thing is, even though you can’t see it right now, the Ten of Wands is telling you that the end is actually in sight. You’re just about to finish some of your bigger tasks and/or achieve a goal. You’ll soon be able to put down your load and enjoy your success. The end is just up ahead although you can’t see it yourself yet. You’re making steady progress and there’s nothing in your way to slow you down.

If you’re doing too many tasks for others at the moment, you may want to consider setting these aside for now. This will give you a chance to concentrate on your own goals and on completing your own tasks. You’ll be able to get back to helping others when you’ve dealt with your own work commitments.

The appearance of the Ten of Wands can also be a nudge to encourage you to delegate more. You don’t have to do everything yourself just because you can. People around you will learn and develop if you give them more responsibility and if you ask them to complete their own tasks. People who are very capable will often fall into the trap of taking on other people’s responsibilities because it can be hard to say no. But saying no and delegating more are skills we need to develop if we’re going to go far in our careers.

It’s also possible, when you see the Ten of Wands in a career reading, that you’re getting bogged down in paperwork and administrative tasks. These tasks are time-consuming and are slowing your progress somewhat. You feel like you just can’t get your head above water. But again, even though you can’t see it, you’re actually making good progress and you’re more than capable of finishing what you started. It might help though if you can delegate some of these annoying tasks that are eating into your time.

Another interpretation of the Ten of Wands in a career reading is that you may be focusing too much on the small things and losing sight of the bigger picture. Yes, it’s very important to get the small details right, but don’t forget to keep your eye on your goals also. Don’t get so caught up in the nitty gritty that you lose sight of why you’re doing all of this in the first place. The key here will be to learn to prioritize and to delegate tasks whenever you can.