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The Ten of Wands is the card of despair, showing that we have overestimated our strength and thus lost the broad perspective. In addition, you can also express the clumsy handling of things. It often means that we skipped a few degrees on the ladder of development, and in our new environment, we feel overwhelmed first. Our task and responsibility is to push our shoulder with the weight of the mill wheel. We may fail. To the extent that we grow up to the requirements of our new living space, we reduce our overload and despair, and learn to handle our tasks more skillfully.

TEN OF WANDS : OPPOSITION

These cards are attributed to Malkuth. Here is the end of all energy; it is away from the “formative world” altogether, where things are elastic. There is now no planetary attribution to consider. So far as the Sephira is concerned, it is right down in the world of Assiah. By the mere fact of having devised four elements, the current has derogated from the original perfection. The Tens are a warning; see whither it leads-to take the first wrong step!

The Ten of Wands is called Oppression. This is what happens when one uses force, force, and nothing else but force all the time. Here looms the dull and heavy planet Saturn weighing down the fiery, ethereal side of Sagittarius; it brings out all the worst in Sagittarius. See the Archer, not shooting forth benign rays, but dealing the sharp rain of death! The Wand has conquered; it has done its work; it has done its work too well; it did not know when to stop; Government has become Tyranny. One thinks of the Hydra when one reflects that King Charles was beheaded in White hall!

The number Ten refers to Malkuth, which depends from the other nine Sephiroth, but is not directly in communication with them. It shows the Force detached from its spiritual sources. It is become a blind Force; so, the most violent form of that particular energy, without any modifying influences. The flames in the background of the card have run wild. It is Fire in its most destructive aspect.

The card also refers to the influence of Saturn in Sagittarius. Here is the greatest antipathy. Sagittarius is spiritual, swift, light, elusive, and luminous; Saturn is material, slow, heavy, obstinate, and obscure.

The eight Wands are still crossed, showing the enormous power of the completed energies of Fire; but they have lost their patents of nobility. Their ends seem more like claws; they lack the authority and intelligence shown in the earlier cards; and in front are the two formidable Dorjes of the Two of Wands, but lengthened to bars.

The whole picture suggests Oppression and repression. It is a stupid and obstinate cruelty from which there is no escape. It is a Will which has not understood anything beyond its du]l purpose, its “lust of result”, and will devour itself in the conflagrations it has evoked.

THE TEN OF WANDS - OPPOSITION

Astrology: Saturn in the 3. decan of Sagittarius Tree of Life: Malkuth through Fire

The Ten of Wands are standing for suppression and restriction, showing the Fire on the grounds of the Earth, where they cause an uncontrolled, destructive burning. 

Fire is not made to rest on the grounds, having lost the contact to the higher levels of spirit, it mutates to a blind and cruel force , not understanding the own self anymore. Fire is a power that has to be handled with imagination and reflection, not with stubborness and hardened standards. 

To understand the card, you have to understand the qualities of the Wands which stand for Chiah, the general living spark, the vitality of soul. You cannot force it down, a free bird cannot survive in a cage.

Drive: Cruel and overbearing force, thirst for might 

Light: The chance to think about it, learning 

Shadow: Cruelty, excessive pressure, selfish and material ends, dogmatism, aggression

THE TEN OF WANDS - Oppression (Depression) - Saturn - Sun; Saturn 11th House - Burden

Keywords: Saturn in Sagittarius, suppressed emotions, withheld energy, isolation, aggression, separation

Advice: You suppress your energies, you want to express, live, enjoy and celebrate many things. Dare to express the fire that flies in you!

Questions: There are some things you always wanted to tell certain people. What are these things and who are these people? Since this moment is just right for you, you can now express these things.

Suggestion: Drag another tab to this question! What will my life be like if I'm ready to liberate myself?

Revelation: I have the right to follow my feelings and pulses of life.

Analogies:

Ji-Ching: 28. Ta Kuo (The Great Overweight, Preponderance of the great)

Mythology: The Load (Atlas)

Keywords: difficulty, lethargy, missing perspectives, clumsy decisions

Carrying the burden of every human being is a task beyond anyone's power.

TEN OF WANDS

General Meaning

This suit, most often called "Wands" and sometimes called "Rods" or "Staves," represents initiative, ambition, drive and desire. This is the suit of enterprise and risk-taking.

The Ten of this suit represents an all-out effort, an obsessive commitment to a task which demands everything you've got. The person shown in decks with pictures is in no position to rest until he makes it inside the stout walls of the well-defended castle in the distance. If he fails, he will become prey for the highway robbers after dark.

It doesn't matter that he's overloaded and underfed. With this card, you have to do whatever it takes to get to completion — nothing can be allowed to interfere.

In the Reversed Position

Lack of perspective on your life may impair your progress. The Ten of Wands reversed suggests that you are struggling to get a sense of perspective on the situation. A lack of objectivity may impair your ability to follow through and bring things to closure.

Try to rest yourself. Then step back to take another look at the big picture. If you feel too exhausted to work toward long-term goals, rest until your vision clears and you remember why it's worth the effort. Clear perspective leads to stronger motivation.

In the Advice Positon

The Ten of Wands in this position advises you to remember the true, simple heart of your youth and all the idealism it held. Now may be the time to reach deep into yourself and identify your purest, most wholesome impulses. As you do this, allow your optimistic and honorable side to see what's good about the world.

Look beyond the challenges, setbacks, disappointments and frustrations you tend to see so easily. As you reawaken your high minded inner child, you will refresh your daily life with a joyful purpose.

Read more:

• » The Book of Thoth - A Short Essay on the Tarot of the Egyptians by Aleister Crowley.
• » Liber LXXVIII - On the Tarot - A complete treatise on the Tarot giving the correct designs of the cards with their attributions and symbolic meanings on all planes. - A description of the Cards of the Tarot, with their attributions, including a method of divination by their use.
• » Manuscript N - The Tarot - A Golden Dawn Manuscript - A Theoricus Adeptus Minor Paper.