Any thoughts on "Virtue"

The Thoth's Three of Wands as "Virtue" always seems to me to be a significant departure from other GD (e.g. RWS) meaning? Barrett's Ancient Egyptian deck (which includes minor pictorial images) is of a guy meditating at dawn in preparation for the day's activities. He says:

This card represents the establishment of strength. The preparation is complete, the action is about to begin. A change of state, from either planning to action or from inaction to action. Exertion after rest. Building upon one's past experiences. The birth of enterprise following the conception of the idea. The signs of coming success, an optimistic future. Partnerships are well aspected. The card indicates pride and perhaps a degree of extravagance or excess.

Looking up virtue in the dictionary, it's mostly about "moral goodness" or the cardinal virtues: Faith, Hope etc. ISTR it originates with the VIR-tue (latin) as manly characteristics - agreeing with the original and true use of "macho"?

But... what does this card mean for you?

Macavity

I am just learning the Thoth. Love this card. Lots of great energy in that strong orange.

The RWS 3 Wands shows a guy looking out on to the world in preparation for some great venture. This 3 Wands seems to be much more internally focused. 3 Wands binding together in a tight but open combination with Lotus flowers at the end of each Wand. My book says that the 3 Wands symbolize body, intellect and spirit, so the card is holistic.

So this 3 Wands gives me the sense of great internal strength and that glorious orange has the energy to go with it. The astrological assignation is Sun in Aries, so there is leadership there as well.

But Virtue? I’m not used to the key words being on the cards. Maybe the number 3 will help. 3 is the number of expressive joy, the kind that brings out the best in everyone, the combination of 1 and 2. There is lots of pleasure, romance and beauty attached to the number 3. So maybe this is the Key.

The quality of happy, confident strength that brings out the best in everyone – as good leadership does.

Hi Moongold.

Some great thoughts on a nice card - Thanks. Yes, it's a odd one? I'm being a bit of a 's advocate in trying to get it to fit in with the "Virtue" keyword. I think there's usually a lot of sense in Crowley's keywords but I do wonder where he was coming from on this occasion! I speculate Barrett's notions of preparation are indeed closer than just plain "Virtue" since, eventually, we're aiming for some sort of "completion" (sic) in the Four of wands! I suppose a difference in Waite's Three is that the task is already under way and we're waiting for... e.g. the ships to come in!

For those of you who also like the colour - the Barrett AE also uses Crowley's colour scale, so feast your eyes...

Macavity

To me this card is the

"do the right" thing card. I see it as telling us to use our energies and opportunies in conjunction with our higher morals(no matter how we may be tempted not to).

For example, I did a reading on a lady at work about 6 or 7 months ago. I didn't know her very well or what her circumstances were.

I did a CC. The first card I got was the three of wands crossed by the ace of pentacles. The third card(the heart of the matter)was The High Priestess. So I generally told her that something had been revealed to her and it involved a sudden influx-though temporary-of cash. Frankly, then the three of wands mystified me.
Then she told me that she had just won a large sum of money($3000 to be exact)using her last $5.00 at a slot machine-the only one she had ever played in her life-on a whim no less.
She had to make a decision on how to spend the money-blow it?like she was tempted to, or use it to make needed repairs to her home. She told me that in the end she had decided to use it to make the repairs. Then it all made sense to me. She "did the right thing"with the money. The three of wands was indicating that she had used her higher morals to decide how to use the money.

I also read for someone else at work, a few months earlier-again same situation-I hardly knew her(personally). The first card was again the 3 of wands,but this time reversed. Again I was confused because I judged her from her outward appearence as a good and decent person. It turned out that she was dealing with an alcoholic relative who was causing all kinds of grief and divided loyalties in her family. She was torn about how to deal with this person and was getting no support from her family. Basically, I told her that there was support in the community-she had only to seek it out.
So, again,once you hear the whole story it all makes sense and the 3 of wands explain themselves.

Not Virtue but...HP and the First Time

A question about "playing on a whim" an "the first time" - would the HP denote this aspect - the woman playing the slots? HP as Virgin or First Time? Is that possible?



Warmest,

Elle

{what time warp was I in?}
"virtue" almost too good, but is there sch a thing? I say that there is. Think about people who strive to do right in the eyes of another, they think that is good. They don't think about what is good for themselves. Too good for your oun good.
But then there are those that are so pure and kind. With an attitude like that they are bound for good fortune.

In regard to the High Priestess

I interpreted that(to myself) as God giving her the money or leading her to it as a reward because he knew she would do the right thing. He gave her an opportunity for abundance or'revealed it'(the High priestess reveals secrets ).
That is just my idea and I may be totally off,but thats how I see it.

Goodness-or 'Virtue' is not always inherent. I think many times its a quality that humans struggle with-to act in accordance with what we know to be right for us and others-because temptation is always there. But it pays off in the end I think just in having peace in your mind.

3 of wands sun in aries, Virtue, Energy, action initiation, enterprise, fire to start new projects, purity and innocence.

some see it as binah in atziluth, pure spirit,
crowley saw it as the blossoming of the lotus.

The two of wands used to mix with the three of wands for me. Being the Thoth and RWS (for me) have much different styles, the Thoth showed me the difference (especially because of all the obvious systems used in the cards).

Anyway, to get back to topic, I think the wands go from new energy (ace) to a focused energy (2-dominion) and while the fire suit is still 'fresh' (above the abyss), it moves to innocent use of the energy to optimize the situation (3-virtue).

U.k

I love the colour of this card in the Thoth and for me this tells me to proceed with actions that have already been made, it's all about building or expanding on some plan or action before carrying out what needs to be done with integrity each day.

Looking at the Rider-waite card it shows a man looking over the land and sea, this could mean wanting to seek new adventures or opportunities. So matching each meaning of each card i think it's saying act in accordance with what actions are waiting for you.