8 of Wands Reversed: Impatience
(c) Atham Z 2006


The "upright" Tarot card of the 8 of Wands or Sticks or Batons, Rods or whatever you may call it, for me always indicates that motion and change are underway or on their way, usually requiring a hurried decision to grasp that opportunity or not, and fairly consistently everything works out admirably.

But the REVERSE! Argh! This card usually falls in the layout of someone who has, is or will be reaching out too quickly for happiness and sometimes love. This position denotes being too eager. The biggest problem with any fast relationship pace or sudden major life change (perhaps such as geographically relocating for work) is that necessary realistic forethought about possible outcomes is completely forgotten. Invariably the situation ends up fraught with frustration, jealousy or resentment (over things that were not anticipated or considered even as possibilities) and these lead to "hasty" messages, which again were not thought through as carefully as they needed to be. Then the conflict and fights begin, and knowing that you didn't think ahead, and didn't construct your reaction or response carefully, there is subsequent guilt and disappointment. And as usual, what appeared to be too good to be true, simply wasn't true. So the person with this reversed card in their spread often ends up being forced to spend much time unhappy or alone.

Inherent in the Eight of Wands is the necessity to make an evaluation and decision quickly. Best advice when you are faced with this card in your Tarot reading in the reverse position, is to imagine the worst possible scenarios as well as your fantasies about happiness. Think of some consequences of your decision that would be unacceptable to you, and then talk about these possibilities with the other people involved in the changes or if that seems impossible or inappropriate, clarify your own thinking so you know exactly which event markers could tell you clearly that you don't want to go where those rods are flying. Always have a plan to fall back on, so that if things don't work out the way you wish you won't be in difficulty, confused or immobilized.

The 8 of Wands in reverse is a warning. "You're Moving too Fast!" And that is really what a Tarot reading is all about. A guide that can be carefully considered so that the course of your life will make smooth changes for the better. Definitely heed the Tarot so that the exercise is useful for you, rather than simply an entertainment.

 




This page was created February 13, 2006.