4 of Wands as Freedom?

[Amanda]

Freedom with restrictions maybe.

Freedom in the sense that you arrive at a party at 4 and intend to leave by 8.

I see this card more as representing a birthday or reunion or something though. The 4 makes it more of a 'traditional' event, in my opinion...

I would see the 3 of Cups as a little more "free". Partying without restrictions. Staying til the bar closes, then maybe going to a friend's afterwards and staying up til dawn. LOL

 

[SirRushing]

I don't quit get the second and some of the third paragraph in Joans description of the four of wands.It seems to me to be describing the 6 of wands Seeking freedom,Getting out of an oppressive situation,Breaking free of bonds ect. all seem to fit an aspect of the 6 of wands...I'd be curious to know in what way Joan Bunning desrcibes the 6 of wands.........

6 Wands is more about winning, being the victor, being prideful, or being praised as a recognized, celebrity, famous, champion type of person. It has nothing to do with freedom, or getting out of oppressive situations. 6 Wands is nothing but a person with a high status that people admire, or they want people to admire and idolize them.

 

[SirRushing]

Yes but how does she get to those keywords when they have nothing to do with the number 4?
Look at the Major Arcana 4, The Emperor, he isn't tearing down walls, he's building them, he isn't letting go of limitations, he's creating rules and boundaries.

I would associate those keywords more with a reversed 4 of Wands than an upright one...
Fours aren't about escaping or cutting loose, they are about feeling secure, protected, comfortable and snug.

I can see it as escaping and cutting loose, because it is a house... a new house where you can escape or cut loose from the old house.

It is like the old days where children can only leave their parents home when and only if they get married. So the only way to have your own life independent from the "oppressive" parents who tell you what to do because you are living in their home, is for you to get a home of your own. And the only way to do that is to marry someone to combine income so you can live an adult life, or independent life where you can have your own home. That is why 4 Wands is related to weddings, because you are moving from one home to a new home. And in the cards, the 4 Wand is basically a Chuppa, aka a wedding canopy to represent in Jewish wedding the symbol of the bride and groom creating a new home together.

Chuppah: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huppah

Or it is like a divorce. Hate your marriage? Then divorce your spouse and get your own new home. That is cutting loose.

And I guess Emperor can be seen as a person who is ambitious enough to go for what they want in order to be a more empowered person. There is nothing like owning your own property, having a new house that says "My home is my Kingdom."

There is nothing more authoriative than getting out from under the "oppressive" state of being your parents, or spouse's control and domain by trying to get a life of your own and moving to your own place.

That is how Emperor and 4 Wands can relate to each other in that regard.

 

[nisaba]

The Four Wands as freedom.

If we're thinking of the traditional associations of getting a home established (surely an already-established one is the Ten Cups/Ten Pentacles), then, perhaps, the Four Wands indicates the kind of freedom an adult suddenly experiences when they move out of their parent's or children's or flatmate's or ex-spouse's home and start to establish (four wands) a home of their own where they are in charge: not necessarily having the chains lifted because there may have been no chains, but just the freedom to take off suddenly for drinkies after work without ringing anybody, or to disappear for a weekend without having to account for your movements, or the freedom to leave undies on the floor of the living-room.

 

[Abigayle]

lol@nisaba...cute

The four of wands has showed up for me after a long hard struggle with a certain male, as his feelings, now this is after he has done a total 180,, before he was against being with me but after our break-up we have came back together and he is acting like he wants it to work. Now he has always been represented by the emporer and it has came up alot in readings...maybe he still has the structure mind set of the emporer, but also willing to let go of his old beliefs.

 

[BodhiSeed]

lol@nisaba...cute

The four of wands has showed up for me after a long hard struggle with a certain male, as his feelings, now this is after he has done a total 180,, before he was against being with me but after our break-up we have came back together and he is acting like he wants it to work. Now he has always been represented by the emporer and it has came up alot in readings...maybe he still has the structure mind set of the emporer, but also willing to let go of his old beliefs.

If this is the case, and BOTH parties are willing to work at the relationship, I would interpret it as "foundation" - a foundation has been laid for the two of you, but the whole building is not complete yet.

 

[Intotouch]

I find this question bizarre. Of course the four of wands expresses freedom!

A couple celebrating/ expressing their love for each other, publicly, must be an expression of freedom! Ask any teenager or gay couple if they feel free to do this and you won't often hear a "yes". Have you forgotten what it's like to be fifteen, furtive and afraid? They have freely chosen the person that they love to be with. The couple are free to declare their love without censure and have the financial freedom to do so. It suggests the stability associated with the number four because a party costs money suggesting a financial stability which gives people more freedom. The relationship is stable enough that they feel it worth celebrating and they have freedom to do so with abandon. To be in a position to celebrate, even just having a party, when they want and where they want, with who they want requires and is an expression of freedom. One I don't have right now or I'd upset my neighbours.

I understand that different decks show this image in different ways so not all of what I said will apply to every deck's version of the four of wands.