Robin Wood - Three of Wands

clbzkl

I recently bought a Robin Wood deck and I was intrigued by the Three of Wands. In the Robin Wood Tarot, I noticed the wands are usually each unique, having different tips and designs.

The three of wands depicts the same man as in the two of wands, holding one blue-stone tipped wand, with a pink-stone tipped wand behind him which has a leafy vine growing around it, while the third is to his left, clear with a metal wraparound and a clear-looking stone as the tip.

I was wondering whether these were supposed to have a deeper meaning, whether in just this card or in most of the suit. The clear wand in the three of cups was especially intriguing. Aside from basic card information, I couldn't seem to find much information on this.

Thoughts?
 

blackstormhawk

Robin Wood wrote her own book to go along with this deck, which contains great information about her insights as an artist and reader into each card. Unfortunately, I don't have the book with me to check the info on this card for you, but her information is as detailed as to include her use of particular colors and images.
 

northsea

From her book, the clear wand represents the past ( it's clear because hindsight is 20/20). The silver wand, directly behind the man, is the present. It's solid because it's often difficult to figure out what's really happening in the present. The vine growing up it signifies that the present is the only place where genuine growth or activity can occur. The third staff, also silver, is the future. The indigo blue stone on it symbolizes that the future is unknowable, except through the psychic senses (and it's glowing because "the future looks bright").

That's just a basic outline of Robin Wood's ideas behind this card, detailed in her book.
 

annik

Good topic! I always wondered about the tips of the wands suits. I think I will be on the look out for the book now...
 

blackstormhawk

Amazon has it, that's where I got mine.
 

Piper

The book is absolutely wonderful, I highly recommend it to anyone who has the deck.
 

spinningspider

Three of Wands

The "Three of Wands" is a positive card, where one can almost feel the building excitement and quiet pleasure of the gentleman literally witnessing his "ships coming in." It's a card that demonstrates the joy of watching healthy fruit grow due to one's labor; the just reward for careful planning and hard work. In some ways, the Three of Wands could represent the pot at the end of the rainbow, but that would only be part of the story, for the man doesn't expect to get something for nothing. He knows well that for good things to come to those who wait, one needs to be pro-active and do one's part, whatever that may be and in whatever capacity one resides.

As Robin mentioned in her book, the man is dressed "richly," and therefore has had more than a taste of success in his life. He knows, however, that he can't just ride the waves of his past good fortune...he must continue to be a diligent worker, carefully tending whatever it is he works toward, in order to maintain positive results. He can't simply be an armchair quarterback...he has to be active on the field, always thinking ahead to the next play.

Even if the figure is the head of a business or organization, this gent is no fool to think he alone is responsible for his success. In it's upright position, the man (or woman, for as a reader, I'm never tied into the gender drawn on any card) knows he's but part of a bigger picture, where it's important to demonstrate integrity and fairness in all his business dealings. But if the card is reversed, he may, indeed, be full of himself and not regarded highly by those who come in contact with him. In fact, if reversed, I may suspect (depending on the question, the querent, and who the card may represent) unfair business practices or shady/dangerous operations (ie. drug smuggling, illegal trafficking, etc). Or, if reversed, perhaps what one worked for, even if all on-the-level and done with good intentions, won't reap...at least for now...what one expected.

On rereading Robin's book, it was enlightening for me to see she meant for the three wands to represent past, present and future. Robin wrote, "The rod of the past is clear, because you can see clearly what is in your past." She included a waning moon on the "past" wand to show that, "This is over and waning."

The wand behind the man is present and is "...solid silver, because it's frequently difficult to figure out what is really going on while it's happening." The "present" want has a pink crystal at the top, "because the present looks rosy." Robin drew a full moon on the "present" wand because, "...these are things that are currently in their fullness."

The wand depicting the future is also silver, "...with an indigo blue stone, because the future is unknown, except through the psychic senses." On the "future" wand is a new moon, "because these are the influences that are waxing, or just beginning to come to pass."

Speaking for myself, I'm glad I reread the passages on the wands themselves in Robin's book, as I've never quite seen the important moon symbols on each wand in a reading...they're small and easy to miss!
 

bryghtrose

I see this card as a behind-the-scenes person, or a someone who delegates and orchestrates. Someone who oversees the big picture and can watch the results happen.

Yes, this person still does a lot of hard work, but it's not grunt work. This person is a stage manager or a producer, or the head of a really good research team. A really effective manager.