Sunday 12 April 2015

Aries in the Druidcraft: The Four of Wands


The last of the three minors associated with Aries, the Four of Wands is linked to Venus in Aries, and to the final ten days of Aries (10th-19th April).   



Detail from ‘Four of Wands’
 Druidcraft Tarot
 ©Will Worthington
First of all, what qualities does Venus bring to the cardinal Fire of Aries? Well, Venus is associated with the appreciation of beauty, the forces of attraction and sensuality, as well as creativity and fertility.  In Aries, it will express affection in a very direct way, often impulsively and with enthusiasm.  It will enjoy new experiences, and the early stages of relationships.  As Mars rules Aries, the Venus-Mars interplay can make it difficult for relationships to run smoothly – Venus’ need for closeness and Mars’ assertiveness can find themselves locking horns!  No surprise perhaps that Venus is in detriment in Aries.  However, Venus in Aries is very giving, very demonstrative, and responds well to others.


The imagery in the Druidcraft’s Four of Wands evokes a sense of home, of comfort, of being able to relax – all very Venusian.  The flowers in particular, in the garlands linking the tops of the wands or staves, suggest Venus (through its rulership of Taurus) – the  ‘blossoming of pleasure’ fits with the theme of celebration that’s become associated with this card.  


Often we see a castle in the background of this card, but Will Worthington has chosen to use a house – man’s home being his castle, perhaps.  It’s not so far in the distance that it’s out of reach, but there’s still a distance to go.  The area around the fire is marked out by four wands or staves or bows... four being the number of stability and security (four corners, a square – a solid geometric figure that’s hard to shift).  It’s safe to stop and celebrate, to enjoy a break in the journey, to relax – temporarily!

Druidcraft Tarot created by Philip Carr-Gomm and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, illustrated by Will Worthington, published by Connections

1 comment:

  1. You make these astrological associations and connections seem so easy :) I like the idea of Venus being seen in the beautiful flowers. And given what you say about the difficulty of relationships between Mars and Venus, maybe that Four structure is what's needed to keep things running smoothly...

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