Pearls of Wisdom - 3 of Wands

[Sulis]

I LOVE this card

The first thing I noticed when I pulled this card as a daily card a few days ago was the moon in the sky.
The moon is crescent and is shaped like a smiling mouth. It sits there with 3 stars in a beautiful purple and blue sky (I love the skies in this deck) and to me it says 'blessing'...It's smiling down on the scene below and it's bestowing it's blessing on the project just begun.

This is yet another card that looks like a magical ritual.
Below the purple and blue sky with it's smiling moon and three stars we see what looks like a harbour or wharf. A sailing ship has just launched and is sailing away towards the horizon.
In the foreground sitting cross-legged on what appears to be a wooden jetty is a golden woman. Her eyes are closed and she appears to be deep in trance or meditation. She holds a flower (I think it's a red rose) over her navel chakra. She has her back to the water and the ship.
Behind her on the edge of the jetty are three burning wands and in front of her is a magic circle.
In the circle three wands with crystal tips lean towards each other so that their crystal tips meet and they form a sort of pyramid. The wands are intertwined with ribbons of red, yellow and green as well as with strings of pearls.
Where the tips of the wands meet there is a flame.
Bowls of fruit appear in the corners of the card and there is also a bowl of fruit (maybe an offering) just outside the circle of wands.
The three crystal tipped wands entwined with their yellow, red and green ribbons appear in the borders of the card at the front too.

This card to me is about focusing energy towards your goal.
The ribbons represent the elements, red for fire, yellow for air and green for earth. The water element is represented by the sea.
The woman is in trance and is focusing her energies into the magic before her. She has her back to the ship and the sea as there is no need to look at it; she knows that her enterprise (on the ship) will be successful because of her magic so there is no need for her to look out over the water to wait for the ship to return.
The moon has bestowed it's blessing in the form of a smile.
The woman has directed her energies and the energies of the moon and the elements into her magical work, she has done all she needs to do.
The action has been taken.

There are 4 runes on this card.
From the 'Pearls of Wisdom' book:
Fehu - possessions, nourishment,
Uruz - Personal power and strength, moving from darkness to light,
Mannaz - a positive relationship to the self that influences other relationships,
Jera - the harvest, reaping what has been sown.

 

[Rede Seeker]

A Paradox

Wands as the action suit; three as the result of a union of two; all this energy of movement, yet the golden lady is at peace. The 'sending' energy fills the ship's sails. The sails are held by three 'wands'.

Other versions of the Three of Wands carries a hint of regret that the ships may sail but the observer must stay behind. Here the patron stays behind but without regret. She has work to do to ensure the success of the adventure.

To the upper left of the ritual space we see provisions for a journey. The ship's flag carries the three colors of the ribbons twined around the torches in the ceremonial circle and the individual wands along the border of the card. The inverted triangle in the center of the flag is the alchemical symbol for water.

There is a wonderful sensation of warmth and vitality at the fire and coldness of the water and night sailing. The heat from the ritual fire, perhaps filling the ship's sales? There is not indication of wind (the lady's hair, flame in the ritual fire and the palm fronds are still) The motion of the water seems to be towards the shore while the ship's sails are gently billowed, taking it out to sea.

Concerning the Runes: Fehu is the 'fffff' sound, like you are blowing down from a dandelion. It is the sound of 'sending' energy. In Rune Magick, Fehu is often used as an energy carrier.

The Rune total = Fehu (1) + Uruz (2) + Mannaz (20) + Jera (12) = 35 = 3 + 5 = 8 = Wunjo, the Rune of Joy and Fellowship

 

[Sulis]

Rede Seeker I love what you've done with the runes there.
I really must do some reading about runes. I have an urge to make myself a set.

 

[Hedera]

What a lovely job you did on describing and interpreting this card, Sulis!

I drew it as my daily card yesterday, and I agree, it seems to describe a patient, yet somehow active kind of waiting.

The golden woman, to me, look to be devided into two halves: a paler left side and a more orange right one, which indicates balance to me.
She's holding a flower in her hand (a rose I think) that's also on the left border and between the wands holding up the fire; they're still in bud, so the potential hasn't fully blossomed yet.

Among the fruit in the baskets there are also a lot of peas in a pod - bursting out of their pods actually, so some things are perhaps already bearing fruit?
I love the taste of freshly-shelled peas, they're so sweet and delicate!

It's a great card, and easier for me to interprete than the three of Wands usually is.

 

[jcwirish]

Well, I love this card! It just speaks to me whenever I look at it. Sulis has done an incredible job with the interpretation, so i won't go into those details.

I also agree that this card says a lot more then the usual images. I love that place where water meets the land, whether it's the shore or a dock or the base of a canyon. It's a place where change is constantly being made as the water erodes and changes the landscape.

I love the image of the woman's ship setting sail. Her hard work and dedication have paid off and she's set her creation adrift. She is patient and still, but I agree that she is not inactive here. She is sending all her best wishes and hopes and dreams a long with the ship. Her blessings and love will watch over and ensure progress. There's faith and trust in her serene expression.

 

[emmsma]

I don't believe this card has come up for me yet.

It seems very introspective/reflective, to me. Very emotional and sedate compared to the Wands we've looked at before.

She is in tune with her needs and goals. The water around her and the moon show she is an intuitive and emotional being. The waves on the water show that thought there may be turbulence around her, she manages to keep her cool.

The ship - she is going places.
The Stars - lead the way. Again, showing her goals are in focus.

 

[jcwirish]

I sense energy in the focus of her thoughts. She does have that intuition you speak of Emm. I think your thoughts on the start and moon are right on. It's like she has sent her ship a sailing, but it's not adrift and alone on its voyage. It's being guided by those stars, and protected by that moon.

This card reminds me of that saying, "When you truly commit yourself to a goal, the universe conspires to make it happen."

You have to do the work and commit, but if you can do this with your whole heart, you'll receive the help you need to see your goal manifested.

 

[emmsma]

Those are beautiful thoughts.

Oh, to have that quiet focus.

Once again the Pearl I most need to see, has appeared.

This is what I need right now. To have the calm and the focus to send my idea (on my move) onward to completion. And so far, it has seemed that my life has had an extra hand or guide to keep things going. Or going in the ways that I need.

 

[jcwirish]

Those are beautiful thoughts.

Oh, to have that quiet focus.

Once again the Pearl I most need to see, has appeared.

This is what I need right now. To have the calm and the focus to send my idea (on my move) onward to completion. And so far, it has seemed that my life has had an extra hand or guide to keep things going. Or going in the ways that I need.

Yeah, this is the advice I need right now too. When I'm focussed, everything sails along beautifully, but I get so easily distracted and discouraged. I have to keep pulling myself back into focus and trust.