Four of Wands in the Rider Waite Tarot

Underneath a full canopy of garlands, supported by the wands, a couple wave to you, holding flowers and wearing wreaths. Behind them, you can see more people in the distance, they are gathered here for some kind of ceremony. All of this occurs on a backdrop of a castle under a bright yellow sky that seems to be celebrating along with the people below it.

Four of Wands Tarot Card Meaning & Symbolism

The four of wands represents a communal celebration of some sort - perhaps of being rewarded for a job well-done, reaching a milestone, or honoring a success. And because of that, a sense of excitement and and expectancy is being observed here. The event that is being represented by this card is bound to bring delight and surprise into the situation that you are reading for.

Simplifying the Four of Wands Tarot Card

At the core of the card is a feeling of joy and celebration. For the Luminous Spirit Tarot deck, I’m attempting to keep all things simple and minimalistic. The minor arcana are to have no full human bodies, thus the challenge here is to use single symbols, motions, or hands to express the meaning of the card.

The Fig Symbol Meaning in the Four of Wands Tarot Card

The fig tree and its fruit have been revered as sacred in many ancient cultures. In Hebraic lore, they were considered as a symbol of plenty, while the Greeks used it as a common sacrifice for their gods, and in Egypt they were eaten during rituals. Their status within these rituals and cultures gives it the status of representing abundance, luxury and joy, which is the immediate feeling that I personally associate with this card.

Finally, though there is no strict mention of it, figs are also associated with the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. It is from the Tree of Knowledge where Eve plucked the fig (or in some other theories, the apple) and was made aware of her own nakedness. The symbolism behind the Tree of Knowledge is so vast, it’s going to be a bit difficult to cover here alone, but essentially, to me, it represents freedom, which is another subtle emotion I associate with the four of wands.

The Four of Wands in the Luminous Spirit Tarot Deck

The Luminous Spirit Tarot Deck is the second deck of my creation, after the Golden Thread Tarot. I've been posting bits and pieces of the artwork on Instagram, but I'm going to start logging my progress here with every piece of work that I do. Please follow along with me here on Labyrinthos Academy.