Keywords & phrases

• Burdened by achievements
• Weight of responsibility
• Obligation
• Burnout
• Creative blocks
• Inertia
• Holding back
• Fear of letting go

First impressions

This looks terribly uncomfortable to me. Oppressive.

What is happening in the card?

In the 10 of Wands, we see the back view of a man walking towards a house in the distance. He looks like he may be wearing work clothes. He is carrying 10 long sticks or Wands in front of him.

The way that this man carries his load is incredibly awkward. Instead of putting them on his back or over his shoulder, he has them in his arms in front of his face. Because of the way that he has chosen to manage this burden he can’t see where he is going.

Why is he making this so difficult for himself? He seems to be getting in his own way.

How can we relate to this card?

We experience the energy of the 10 of Wands when we are trying to hold down too many things at once. Or when we have taken on too much and can no longer see the way forward.

There is a sense of being blocked (or self-blocking) here. Wands represent inspiration and ideas, passion and creative enterprise. Ideas need to be allowed to fly (like in the 8 of Wands) and passion requires expression in the real world – not held down or held back.

The 10 of Wands may serve to tell us when it is time to put down or let go of some of our burdens or responsibilities. It’s time to lighten your load, prioritise, delegate… see if those Wands can fly on their own.

Other associations

Tree of life:
10th Sephira of Malchut – kingdom, sovereignty, responsibility, real-world – in the realm of Atzilut – the world of emanation, Spirit and intuition.

Thoth:
Oppression, Saturn in Sagittarius

Golden Dawn title:
Lord of Oppression

Major Arcana:
Associated with The Wheel of Fortune – Key number 11

Message & affirmations

Today, I take full responsibility only for what is mine to nurture and create and in doing so I allow others the opportunity to do the same. Inspiration and ideas flow easily to me and I take solid positive action to create my best life in the real world.

My personal experiences of this card

This came up for me in a recent reading for myself and resonated strongly. I have a lot on my plate right now with life and work and sometimes feel like I have so many ‘things’ to do and complete that I’m not really getting any of it done… and what I am doing is not necessarily getting done ‘well’.

Events, situations & readings

In a relationship spread:
Are you bearing the weight of responsibility in a relationship? Perhaps you are holding on too tight in a relationship? And is that weighing you down so that you can no longer see where things are going? It may be time to let go a little.

In a work/career spread:
Are you feeling overworked or burdened with responsibility? It may be time to let go and delegate.

Questions, prompts & insights

What is weighing you down right now in your work or your relationships?

Can you release what is not yours to carry? What are you struggling to let go of?

Featured decks:
Main image from The Rider Waite Tarot.