Deirdre of the Sorrows - Three of Wands

shadowdancer

Certainly we can see how this card follows that line of thought. Our farmer from the 2 of wands has done well to protect his ram from harm or danger and is now ready to reap the benefits of his work. The ram will no longer be of use to him, but the monies raised could be re-utilised in either purchasing more livestock, or through investing in machinery. Thus his endeavours continue, hopefully leading to a further successful phase, therefore continuing his cycle of success and investment.
As Deirdre has said it is not a time to rest on your laurels. You have built up a momentum which must be continued. If you do relax too much, or think you have pinnacled, you may well find yourself right back at square one. Wouldn’t it be a shame to let all that initial outlay and energy go to waste? We should note that the tractor is behind this group of men, and therefore does not play an active part as yet. It could be a representative of an idea only at this stage, something at the back of the mind of the farmer selling the ram.

Bearing in mind the above is the overall message of the card, we may find each character tells their own story.

THE FARMER SELLING THE RAM
He has rightly tethered the ram to the wheel, so as to ensure it does not escape. If we look at his eyes, he is rather unsure of the guy and dog next to him. Does this mean you have to keep a careful eye on the opposition? You may need to be careful if bartering on something, and make sure you have all the facts at your disposal. If someone is out to pull the wool over your eyes (note the sheep reference there!) it may be worthwhile having drawn up in writing, whereby you can obtain professional advise if needs be. Either way, you have done well and should be in control should negotiations be indicated. Just don’t take your eye off the opposition though. You know your worth so be prepared to stand your ground and be firm with what you are asking for in return for your time and investment.

THE SHEEP DOG AND OWNER
Aahh, we also see he has his eye on the owner of the ram. It does appear as though there is a degree of mistrust here. If you can relate to this, where does this stem from? What might you need to do in order to overcome this mistrust? If the farmer was to let go of the dog’s leash, what could happen? What does the body language of the dog tell you? The dog is not actually ‘straining at the leash’, so it could indicate any perceived threat is not as bad as initially thought. It could also indicate a sense of constraint is called for, even if this is going against your instincts. Is there something you need to show constraint over, even though inwardly you would rather be more vocal or active? If you did not show this constraint, what could be the outcome?

BEARDED FARMER
He seems to have quite a small part to play in the scene. He is more relaxed than the other two farmers, and does not appear to be displaying anything emotionally or through his body language. What would you say his role is in this scene? How does that relate to what you are experiencing at this moment in time?

THE RAM
It may not be relevant but it is always worth looking at the situation from the viewpoint of animals as well as humans. The sheep dog has already given us food for thought, so how could we view the ram?
Well, he seems somewhat resigned to his fate. Not only is he tethered but he is well and truly the centre of attention. Notice how he is not looking at the men as they discuss his merits and barter of a price. Is there anything happening around you, where you may feel you have been put under the spotlight somewhat? Do you feel you have been the centre of a lot of discussion? If so, has this been in a positive way or negative? I think we should try to see this as being a positive. If you feel you are tied up in a work situation where changes are indicated, you may find your skills and abilities are sought after. Change is not easy to deal with or accept, and it can cause us to become either paranoid or resigned to our fate. If this happens, you may find others around you have come to respect your talents and abilities, and would like you to join their ‘team’. This is where the thought of investment comes into play. If you have invested your time and energy into giving 100%, it could lead to somebody wanting to in turn, invest in you.