Ten of Wands

A little while ago, about a week ago, I drew the Ten of Staves as a daily card. It stayed on top of my deck until recently because it was just such a powerful and important card for me at that time. 

For starters, the Ten of Wands - as, I image is the case with most "ten" cards - is another card in the deck that heralds the end of a cycle, a time of being near completion, having come to close to achieving one's goal. It can me that you are shouldering a heavy burden or responsibility, but that you are in the home stretch.

Another way of looking at the card is an indication that you are maybe taking on more than you can handle. You can't say "no" to more responsibilities (be they stressful and/or fun), and you are burning out. You are you trying to do too much or you are not doing what you need to to support yourself in order to be successful. I see a figure who is exhausted and overwhelmed, and maybe who needs to just take a fucking rest for a minute before picking up all those burdens again and moving towards the destination once more.

I call this "the self-care card." That is, at least, exactly what my first impression was upon reading the LWB which came with the Tarot Mucha. When I pulled this card on April 19th, I had that same immediate read on what the card was telling me. Not only have I been really busy with school, work, internship, the community garden, and more, but I've also been undermining myself with too much beer and not enough sleep. I was coping with my stress by having a few too many beers on the weeknights, staying up late reading or listening to podcasts or knitting, because that was what was keeping me sane. But it definitely wasn't healthy.

After meditating on what this card is telling me, I've done a good job recently of cutting back on the booze and getting more sleep. This is something with which I will continue to struggle, but I think of the Ten of Wands as a card which reminds me that I can't be effective if I never rest, and that if I want to reach goals that I set for myself in my life, I need to be healthy.