Ten of Wands - One Ending, Please. To Go.

A Strange Ending

The Ten of Wands has always felt like a bit of an odd duck to me.

Most of the other Tens have a kind of conclusive energy. The Ten of Swords says: the worst is over. The Ten of Cups: fulfilled energy. The Ten of Pentacles: this is the legacy. Even if the endings are dramatic, at least they feel like actual endings.

But the Ten of Wands? It's a person hunched over, hauling a bunch of sticks. It doesn't look like an end. It looks like they're late for a bonfire.

When I first started reading Tarot, this card frustrated me. Where was the sense of closure? The emotional payoff? The catharsis? What was I supposed to do with a card that looked like work? The Ten didn't look like the end of the Wands, it looked like it belonged in the middle of the pack.

Storming Off with Purpose

Over time, though, I started to understand the Ten of Wands more. Because the longer I read Tarot, and the more life happened, the more I realized something: some endings are dramatic, yes, but some are subtler. Harder to spot. Some are just a decision you make, and then move on.

The traditional readings of the Ten of Wands says it's about being overwhelmed, carrying a burden, needing to stop and reassess. But what if the person in the Ten of Wands isn't struggling? What if they're choosing to walk away, with full knowledge that they're done? Maybe they're not overwhelmed - maybe they're decisive. They picked up their stuff and left. Maybe they're saying, I'm not doing this anymore.

It's a kind of power that gets missed when we talk about this card only in terms of burden (the traditional meaning). Because sometimes we choose to carry something out of a situation - less because we're struggling and more because we're finished. Done. Moving on.

Endings You Choose

The Ten of Wands isn't the universe intervening. It isn't a sword in the back or a divine rainbow moment. It's you, saying: this is the last time. I'm walking this load out to the edge of town, and I'm putting it down. It's not graceful. It's not pretty. But it's yours.

Which makes it feel a little less like a grand finale and a little more like a springboard. The end you initiate so you can reach for the next Ace. The messy, human kind of ending. The one that happens not with fanfare, but with a low grunt and a very tired walk.

And let's be clear. Not only does it not have to be dramatic, it also doesn't have to be "negative". It might be "I'm done, I've had enough, I'm taking my stuff and going." But it can also be "I did what I came here to do, I'm satisfied with my accomplishments, now I will pick up and move to the next thing."

Either way, it's your choice.

Pulling a Spread for August

Here's what came up when I pulled some random cards and random numbers to help us clarify the Ten of Wands in practice.

• Position 11 - Umbrella Card (overall vibe) - Ten of Wands

• Position 1 - Present Situation - Two of Wands

• Position 4 - Past Card - Death

Let's break it down. The overall vibe or theme of our reading is about endings and new beginnings, but crucially, endings that we are in charge of.

With the Two of Wands in the present situation spot, right now we are in the planning stages of some new journey, project, adventure (whatever!). Not yet ready to activate - but something new that we're on the cusp of and we've been sitting with for a while.

And we have Death in the past position, showing that even though we're logistically still in the planning phase, in our heart we have already drawn a line in the sand and crossed it. We have already decided that these steps forward are going to happen and there's no going back now.

So, What's The Message?

The Ten of Wands doesn't ask us to collapse. It asks us to complete. To make the choice to take our stuff and move on - whatever the motivation behind it.

You're not stuck here. And unlike the other Tens, with the Wands, you don't have to wait for some cosmic pat on the back to tell you you're finished. This ending is all up to you. Whenever you're ready.

So, if you find yourself standing around, looking at your pile of sticks (metaphorical or otherwise) maybe it's time you pick them up and see where your feet take you next.