ALL I DO IS WIN, WIN, WIN...
A chill goes down my spine and my skin breaks out all over in goosebumps whenever I pull the Six of Wands Tarot card. Doesn't matter if it's for a private client, a collective reading or if I pull it for myself in my daily Tarot journaling practice. When this Tarot card arrives it means only one thing: a sweet and well deserved victory has either happened or is on it's way. Now before you go blow your yearly bonus on lottery tickets, let's get real. It means a win, but as it IS a pip card (or Minor Arcana, every day people, place and tasks sort of vibe) we are talking about a short term win. We haven't quite won the because it definitely doesn't mean that you know, we've won the war, but it means that we just had a very important victory, and that we should take the time to celebrate it.
USE. THIS. CARD. 🕯
How? In your rituals, beloved. I've used this card so often in in rituals over the last nine years. If you take a look at any of my Tarot card decks (and y'all, I have many 😏. My Tarot card collection stays on 💯) especially the five or six decks that I use the most often in my home and private spaces, you'll notice they are, more often than not, covered in soot. The Six of Wands Tarot card will almost always be a little smudged or bent. My Six of Wands generally has a smear of melted wax (usually yellow or red, more on that later) from a chime candle, that stain the edges of the card, it's a little bit more worn than other cards. And that's because I use this card so much in Tarot rituals--just little spells, tiny little altars or focused meditations that I like to create and perform when I want to focus my energy and intuitive powers to help them create a needed goal or an opportunity to shine in front of influencers or decision makers in their lives. You can do it, too!
READY, SET...GLOW! 🌟
Use the appearance of the Six of Wands Tarot card to get yourself fired up and full to bursting with focused intentions before big interviews or meetings. I also love to use it when my intuition reveals a really collaborative opportunity or when I'm sending out an application or perhaps a grant proposal. I'm CERTAIN that my Six of Wands Tarot ritual helped me to manifest my first podcast conference @shepodcasts (I won a scholarship🏅) and helped me land my most valuable brick-and-mortar collaborations and first corporate events! And here's the kicker! When these opportunities come through, it also gives me the opportunity to support the causes or charities that I care about. How? Because I give all of the gratuities that I earn through my Tarot biz to my favorite local non-profit!
DO THESE TWO THINGS: 🏃🏽♀️+ 🍾
If you take only two things away from this post: 1. take your victory lap and 2. celebrate yourself and your hard work. And don't be afraid for even if it's only for the briefest of moments to show off a little bit and to exult (with some grace now, y'all) and truly RECEIVE your congratulations.
🔥🔥🔥 Halicue's HOT Take 🔥🔥🔥
I have always considered the Six of Wands warrior as the special "champion" of the Queen of Wands. The Queen of Wands (long may she reign) is the witch of the Tarot. We see her on her beautiful throne, holding a massive wand in one hand and a gorgeous yellow sunflower in the other. Her silky black cat stalks, brooding, almost protectively by her feet. She's magnetic, electrifying, sensual (notice how casually, and confidently she "manspreads" on her throne) mystical and so very magical. And when this Tarot Queen has to fight a battle she sends forth the warrior in the Six of Wands card. He is her trump card. She's not afraid to summon him when she needs to secure a victory. Truly, I imagine that THIS is the Tarot card that she keeps in her pocket of her flowing silk and velvet skirts. Because of course she's a glamazon and I just know she has pockets cause that's where she keeps all her magical talismans, stones, nestled up close to her secret weapon's calling card.
What a beautifully simple card the Six of Wands is! The scene so striking and potent. We see a warrior returning from battle--and they're victorious. They won a big one and the Queen and King of Wands are pleased, so much so that they've arranged a celebratory welcome for their conquering hero. Our hero rides a white horse that's cloaked in the celebratory robe of green. The horse itself is white, which symbolizes the purity of the energy behind the card. Our hero holds the largest of the six wands. And tied at the top of the wand is a beautiful wreath made of laurel leaves which represents a well earned victory. The most striking and eye-catching element of the the card is that beautiful red robe and ribbon. In hoodoo and most other magical traditions that I'm familiar with, red represents passion, love and courage. It gives us an idea of the kind of strength and energy that was required to pull off this victory
SOMETIMES IT'S LONELY AT THE TOP, GIRL. 😐
One of the only shadow aspects of this card is the tiny whisper of loneliness that seems to subtly emanate from it. That victory lap is solo and we all know how even those closest to us may quietly resent our successes. So find that good friend, confidante or colleague to share your win with. Choose CAREFULLY y'all. If you have to wonder whether or not they'll be happy when you share, they are NOT the one.
THE SIX OF WANDS: A Love Letter to Survivors 💌
The issue that I love and am obsessed with the most is intimate partner violence. I use Tarot to help women spark the liberation sequence that will ultimately lead them out of bonds of abusive relationships and toxic environments and on towards personal and spiritual freedom. That's what I care about. Even as I read at parties and corporate retreats, I always wonder, which of these clients or querent that I'm working with are survivors like my mother and my paternal Grandmother Halicue. I think about how simply picking up a Tarot deck helped me begin to investigate my own inner universe, connect to my own intuitive gifts and help me find yet another avenue, however esoteric and currently untraditional (because Tarot, oracles, consultation with seers, and wise women used to be universally traditional) assist my sisterwomenfriends in their liberation and healing journeys.
If You Build it...
Believe it or not, that is what moves and inspires me even as I build out my Tarot business today. Because I know at least at minimum, a quarter, and at most half of the women that are within the reach of my voice on Clubhouse and my podcast, face on Instagram and or even across from me at my reading table, are currently or have been, at some point in their lives, trapped in the grips of an abusive relationship. Pretty deep, I know. But what can I say? This is the community that I fell in love with and that I go to with my whole heart in my hands, I took that purpose and married it to my passion, what I love: Tarot and intuitive and divinatory arts. Because I believe that portal out of the hell abuse is opened at that divine intersection. So if you are a survivor or any kind of neglect or abuse, I encourage you to use the Six of Wands Tarot card to take comfort and give yourself credit for any effort, however small it is, towards your eventual liberation. Whether it is finally picking up the phone and calling a hotline, or beginning to implement the first steps in your safety plan, pat yourself on the back. In that moment, you won.
LET'S STAY IN TOUCH! 🙌🏽
1. Want more discussion on Tarot cards, candle magic, creating your altars and personal sacred spaces and any and everything spiritual way finding? LISTEN to this week's episode of The Pillars, the Porch and the Path podcast!
2. Are you Tarot Curious? LEARN the art of Tarot and would like to bring the magic of the Tarot into your own daily ritual and practices, REGISTER NOW for my signature Tarot classes with Amava.
3. Got questions? Well, I got answers for you! EMAIL me at halicue@thegildedapsara.com so that I can answer your questions about the wonderful world of Tarot and my offerings.
4. Working privately with me is a breeze! BOOK a session by clicking the button below.
5. And finally, come check me out in-person! I read LIVE, LOUD and IN-COLOR at two of the most magical spaces in both Marin and San Francisco Counties: BOTANICALIFE in Larkspur, CA and THE SCARLET SAGE in San Francisco.
☑️ I'm reading live and in techincolor BOTANICALIFE on 1st and 3rd Fridays for FRIDAY NIGHT TAROT from 3-6 p.m. (come in for Tarot with yours truly plus, herbal infused CBD mocktails!)
☑️ Find me on 2nd and 4th Friday afternoons for Tarot-In-the-Loft at amazing loft in San Francisco's premier metaphysical space THE SCARLET SAGE HERBAL APOTHECARY.
