Three of Wands

Three lotus-headed wands cross at the centre over rising flames, in perfect balance. The colours are the golds and reds of the Sun in Aries.

Binah, Understanding, in Atziluth, the world of emanation. Understanding, the Supernal Mother, the great sea in which the Father's line becomes a triangle and so a form. Binah is Saturn, time and limitation, and also sorrow, because to be understood is to be bounded. The Threes are Binah in the four worlds, and the Queens belong here.

Binah in the world of Fire: the energy of the Two given a form, the triangle. The Sun in the second decan of Aries brings the fire to its full, balanced expression.

The Sun in the second decan of Aries (10°–20°, about Mar 31–Apr 10). The Sun is the centre, the heart, vitality, identity and the light by which everything else is seen. On the Tree it is Tiphareth; among the trumps it is the Sun, the two children dancing in the light of the New Aeon.

Aries is cardinal Fire: the ram, the spring equinox, the head of the year, initiative and the courage to begin. Mars rules it and the Sun is exalted here. Its trump is the Emperor. The trump of Aries is The Emperor.

This decan is ruled by the Queen of Wands, whose arc runs from 21° Pisces to 20° Aries. The two Shem angels of the decan are Sitael and Elemiah.

The Plane: three points enclose a surface and form begins. Binah, Understanding. The Threes show the element taking shape; the Empress is trump III.

Intuition confirmed by experience; the direction has been tested and holds. The Wands are usually read as the intuition function in Jung's typology, an interpretive convention rather than a text of Jung's.

Rider-Waite calls the suit Wands, Rods or Staves. Its small cards carry scenes; the Thoth small cards carry the suit emblems arranged geometrically, with the keyword printed at the bottom and the colours of their Sephirah and decan. The Golden Dawn title (Lord of Established Strength) is shared by both traditions.

The Sun at its best gives confidence, generosity, leadership, warmth, integrity. At its worst: egotism, need for validation, tyranny, burnout, a fragile ego hiding behind performance.

Aries (“I am”) brings courage, initiative, honesty, energy, independence. Its shadow is impulsiveness, selfishness, anger, starting fights and projects without finishing them.

Together: Sun is exalted in Aries, an honoured guest. Dignity explains part of the title and the Sephirah explains the rest: a planet at home in its sign can still sit in a hard sphere, and a weak planet can be carried by a strong one.

The Sun crosses this decan around Mar 31–Apr 10, so it is the decan card of anyone born then; their court card is the Queen of Wands. Find a birthday.