Thoth Study Group - Four of Wands

To continue on with the Minors - the Four of Wands - "Completion".

From Akron/Banzhaf's Handbook to the Cards:

Instinct: Order (unification, completion, overcoming of opposites)
Goal: Control (the law of power)
Light: Completion, inner fulfillment, spiritual ideals.
Quality: The inner order of the various forms of life as microcosmic expression of the cosmic order of creation.

Tree of Life - Chesed (condensation) through fire: the stabilizing energy.

From my notes from the 78 Week Study:

The Thoth Four of Wands is also known as 'Completion' and is depicted by four wands crossed over in the centre of each to form like a wheel with the eight points. The red wand stems have white alternative doves and ram heads, which then form the yellow circle, against a deep green backgound.

The deep green immediately gives an earthy (grounding) and somewhat more orderly and peaceful feel to this card for me. The colours of fire and flames of creativity do not in this card seem to overwhelming and dominating the image as in the previous Wands cards. There seems to be more control and the balancing of opposites - male (rams head) and female (dove) - creating a completed circle. Can also represent the completion of a phase or cycle with the closing or formation of a circle, with the flames of creativity still burning at the centre.

The balanced wands and circle now look to me like a base upon which more may be built or established - a firm and stable foundation surrounded by an even balance of feminine and masculine energy working together denoted by the Venus symbol at the top and the horns at the bottom.

Look forward to reading others thoughts and ideas on this card.

CreativeFire

CreativeFire said:

The deep green immediately gives an earthy (grounding) and somewhat more orderly and peaceful feel to this card for me. The colours of fire and flames of creativity do not in this card seem to overwhelming and dominating the image as in the previous Wands cards.

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With regards to the use of deep green in this card, I am thinking that this may have something to do with the idea that with the 4 of Wands is the first physical manifestation of the suit. Completion. A physical result... almost an outcome of sorts. I thought it was very interesting what you said about the more controlled use of the colours of fire and 'flames of creativity'. If we look at the Ace of Wands, we see the burning flame in all its glory. If we look at the 2 of Wands, the flames still appear to be burning brightly, as they try to bring themselves under control, and in the 3 of Wands, the flames gather more focus and direction. In the 4 of Wands, I see the flames as completely under control, and manifesting a physical circle. Infact, it is almost as though the flames are INSIDE the wands in this card... almost as though the wands are tubes, and inside the flames power the completion of the wheel. Also, isn't red the colour of a more energetic and furious fire (out of control fire?), whereas yellow is the colour of a more relaxed fire? Therefore, in this card, the red is under control (inside the tubes) to produce a more relaxed and focused energetic flow (the yellow circle).

This card represents Venus in Aries. As Duquette writes, in his book, Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot, 'Each wand is balanced and perfectly complemented with a dove of Venus and the ram of Mars-ruled Aries. Venus in Aries, Crowley points out, 'indictaes that one cannot establish one's work without tact and gentleness'.

I am looking at this card at the moment, and I am also thinking that it is almost a depiction of the Wheel of Fortune!

This card does remind me of The Wheel of Fortune. It, also, reminds me of the wheel of the year used to symbolize the eight Wiccan Sabbats. Four for the Sun God (rams head) and four for the Earth Goddess (dove). One complete cycle of the seasons.

Goldenhair said:

This card does remind me of The Wheel of Fortune. It, also, reminds me of the wheel of the year used to symbolize the eight Wiccan Sabbats. Four for the Sun God (rams head) and four for the Earth Goddess (dove). One complete cycle of the seasons.

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Welcome Goldenhair

Yes, this makes sense to me as well! Whilst looking at this card over the last couple of days I was thinking along the very same lines in regards to the eight sabbats.

CreativeFire

Eureka!

I really didn’t understand the word “Completion”, so I looked it up. It said, “A forward pass that is caught by a receiver.” I was confused as how I would relate this to the Four of Wands. Then I got it, the passer and the receiver are opposites. You need to have the negative with the positive, the ying and yang, the ram and the dove in order to have “completion” in anything you do. It really makes sense now. The circle is also and affirmation of completeness, in it the end and beginning (total opposites) are joined as one.

If you look really close....

The four of wands took me by surprise yesterday during a reading that I did for a client. What I noticed in the northern section of the wheel, right above the axle is a face. I had a hunch that the deck was trying to show me something special and then the words just started flowing out of my mouth describing a person of whom I have never met or seen. But while I was consentrating on the card it became crystal clear. What her personality was like and what she looked like and the sound of her voice her height and her weight. I have 2 Thoth decks. One is the older greenish colored deck but the one that I saw the face on was the newer deck. So I checked the older deck and discovered the face was on that one two. The face is about 3/4 of an inch and I'm sure that not everyone will see what I saw when I looked at it.

The face was not painted intentionally, this much is clear. But I have been looking around on the threads and see nothing about it. Take out your deck and I'm sure you will see it too.

By the way, I'm not clarivoyant. I didn't see it with my "third eye" but with my two regular eyes. I showed it too my wife and she saw it too.

Enjoy Your Fabulous Thoth

Donald

U.k

The four of wands The ends of the wands touching the circles perimeter, the completion of work and tasks.

I see the face.

This card bothers me a little because it was there for a daily draw on Monday, which was a bad day. I have just drawn it again as my card for tomorrow. I cannot see the good side of it at the moment or understand it properly. Maybe tomorrow, I will.

What I did notice tonight, which I hadn't yesterday, was the misty fog within the wheel. I imagine that this is light radiating from the flames and lightening the green background. Does it mean anything? Does it suggest that completing takes time and won't happen in a lightening flash?

So I am guessing that I need to work with balance tomorrow - balance male and female energies, take the good with the bad, the hard work with time for gentle reflection for me to complete and resolve things. Maybe completion will not be acknowleged in an instant but I may, as the light begins to move out from the flames, see things starting to resolve as I work amongst them.

LB

U.k

Hi littleBuddha how are things, i think the 4 of wands are saying take your time with work Load or Tasks, even if the wands suggests fast action i always see this card as slow progress towards something bigger and better.

Thanks Deanres. I am fine, by the way.

I have written a little more about the card in the Daily Thoth thread. I think I am understanding it a little more having it dealt twice in a week.

LB