When I read Tarot for myself, it’s typically in a very conversational style, as opposed to spreads with dedicated positions, or specific prompts/questions. This involves a lot of ‘statement making’—I just say how I feel, or what’s going on in my life, and then let the cards respond. It’s just like talking over coffee with a friend. If you say, “Geez, xyz is really hard for me right now”, your friend may reflect that for you and commiserate with those feelings (just as the Tarot may offer you a card that’s an honest and clear reflection of said hardship). Occasionally, they may propose a solution or a different perspective on the situation that you hadn’t considered (the Tarot does this as well). Sometimes, your friend may roll their eyes at you and be like, “Hey, your head’s up your own ass here” ……and the Tarot can do that, too! But I find that most often, in response to the statements that we make during conversational reading, the Tarot nods along and says “yes, you feel this. Yes, this is happening, and this is what that looks like.”
Anyway, I just wanted to set the stage for this ‘statement making’ style of reading, and showcase how 2 of Wands showed up in my Tarot conversations recently in a way that makes this card really approachable.
2 of Wands is often interpreted as the precipice of something new; a potential adventure that we must choose whether or not to take, perhaps. Sometimes there’s a new business venture or partnership that’s being established here, or a creative endeavor that’s sparking our imagination. I’ve definitely seen this card come up when someone’s trying to figure out where to move (think of the Rider-Waite Smith version of this card where the person is contemplating a globe).
But when we keep Tarot as a daily practice, that means we’re going to encounter the cards on a much more ‘mundane’ level. 2 of Wands might be able to speak to these big moments of choice every now and then, but for a lot of us, those moments don’t come up very often. So, as with many cards, we have to shift our interpretation so that it “makes sense” for everyday application.
So in this everyday context, 2 of Wands is about how we feel when we think about the future. We may not have a big choice to make, we may not need to plan a trip or get a new job, but we are always anticipating the future on a fundamental level. So what’s our general attitude about that? Mine shifts from day to day, and 2 of Wands really reflects that. Upright, it looks at the future with a sense of confidence. There is a fundamental faith in the self in this energy, that whatever comes next, we can handle it.
Reversed, it’s much more uncertain. Anticipating the future becomes an exercise in worry; we don’t trust that we have what it takes. We fear it will be too much for us.
So when I made these statements recently, 2 of Wands was a deeply accurate reflection of how I was feeling. This mirroring really allows me the space to look at these feelings with neutrality.
This is what it looks like to stand at the threshold of the future with confidence.
This is what it looks like to doubt your ability to face the future.
When it mirrors us in this way, Tarot doesn’t condemn or endorse our feelings. And that’s such a powerful thing, because it keeps the power in our hands. We are not being told that we “should” keep doing x, or that we “shouldn’t” do y or z. The Tarot simply gives us an opportunity to look at ourselves with just enough distance—from our eyes to the cards on the table—that we have space to consider: is this the energy in which I want to continue forward? Does this reflect my truest self, or do I want to shift into something more honest?
When I find myself in 2 of Wands reversed energy, I know that’s not a place I want to stay. Fearing the future and feeling so much self-doubt is not fun for me! Fortunately, the shift feels close at hand. Truly, I simply reach out and turn the card upright. It’s a kind of ritual magic, no joke, that reminds me that I have what it takes, that I can be confident in my ability to navigate whatever terrain lies ahead on my journey.
deck pictured is the This Might Hurt Tarot