Tarot of Prague Café Club - 3 Wands

Jewel-ry

This guy looks like he has already conquered the world. He looks really arrogant to me, he's got attitude and you get the feeling that he will achieve whatever he sets out to do. The enthusiasm and drive just oozes from the card. There is so much energy here. Those wands he holds in each hand could almost be weapons! He looks confident, a leader and full of his own importance.

The group of people behind him may confirm that he is in charge, the head of a company, a leader. They are deep in conversation, perhaps they are planning a trip? The one with the compass certainly has the 'measure of things'. They could be advisors of sorts, even scientists, calculating.

Threes represent expansion and this is evident here. Its as if they are planning to expand, to conquer.

This card has such a strong feeling of dominance to me that its scary. He looks somewhat evil to me, so I think if this card comes up in a reading, it would have to carry a warning. Don't get carried away with yourself! A warning that ambition can be dangerous if you don't think of who may get trampled on, along the way.

:)
 

Bean Feasa

A self-made man, perhaps. Is this the capitalism card? :). I agree with Jewel-ry, this man is full of pride and confidence, even arrogance. He stands on a plinth, a mighty bull at his back. There are three tall, thin, intricately-speckled wands - two of them he holds casually and confidently in his outstretched hands, the third is planted behind the bull. His stance is powerful, legs planted wide apart, toes facing out, but it's also an uncomfortable one. He's literally bending over backwards. Suggesting perhaps that all this power and success involve a certain amount of stress and strain. For some reason the bull makes me think of Greek legends - Zeus, Theseus - you get the feeling that this man has striven to be a hero in his own life, and that the rewards are starting to roll in.
The backdrop of men planning an expedition around a large globe conjures up thoughts of adventure, travel, discovery, but also of calculation, research, careful forward planning, and the presence of the bull also hints at at solid groundwork underlying the success. This is a card full of energy - the colouring seems to flicker like fire, the element with which Wands are most commonly associated. It's a card full of confidence and promise and the spirit of enterprise, but it does hint at the darker aspects of these things too.
 

Moongold

I like the observations of both Jewel_ry and Bean Feasa. It is interesting also to see the main. character in this image from the front perspective than the rear, which is the RWS tradition..

This statue also looks as though it might represent a warrior of some kind, although if the bull was part of the original, he might be a cowherd. If he is the latter, it gives a whole new take on the sense of arrogance.

The juxaposition of the cowherd against the painting of the men at the rear is interesting too. The image could be taken as representing the kind of "big picture" sense of dominence to being on top of things in one's every day life.
 

baba-prague

Partly as I am trying to get my mind back on CARDS (where it should be) and off mad web-stalkers (which I'd rather forget about) I'd like to throw in a few comments here. Have to say the Study Group cheers me up immensely every time I read it - thanks!

I also find this man very macho - the original statue is extremely much so. We wanted both to show the confident, expansive, ambitious nature of this card, and something too of the fact that this can be both good and bad (you will have gathered, we often try to emphasise that no card is all good or all bad - it so much depends on how you read each in a particular context). So yes, he is definitely too full of himself, but also, he IS impressive. He is very much someone whose impressiveness lies in his sheer physical stance (I have to say he reminds me of one or two men I've known - which makes me smile, not in a nasty way, but well, some young men do go through this posturing phase ;-) )

The scene behind is also from our beloved Strahov - it is much more about planning, being collaborative, learning, taking time. So one way to see the card is that it shows two very different aspects of what's needed to launch your projects on the world. Sheer self-confidence is one aspect. But work, knowledge, co-operation, patience - these are equally needed.

Personally, I tend to value the latter, but in fact I know many people would disagree - hopefully the card really allows for the focus to be read in either way.
 

lunakasha

A man is standing with two wands on either side of him, and one behind him. He holds one of the wands firmly in his left hand, while his right hand is more relaxed, the wand could slip from his grasp if he is not careful. His face looks tentative, nervous….he is glancing back and forth between the two, maybe trying to make a decision, but for the moment he is not ready to move in either direction. Meanwhile, he does not seem to notice the third wand behind him. There is a bull standing behind him, perhaps blocking his view of the third wand, or distracting him from making this decision. In the background there is a scene of four men studying a globe, it looks like they are planning a voyage around the world. I am wondering if this represents the man's subconscious desires…that this decision he has to make will have global implications. He is ready to take on the world. The third wand may be a third option that he has not considered yet.

:) Luna
 

annik

Iti s a strong evocative card! The main character is really sure of himself. The guys around the globe seems to be the people working for the main character. Behind each great man, there is people who had done the hard and dirty work (most of the time). The result may be good or may be bad. It's depend on the tone of the reading...