In honor of the New Year, I thought I'd say a few words about the Ace of Wands. As I've mentioned before, there are four suits in the Tarot deck, each associated with one of the four elements, the four cardinal directions, four seasons, etc. Wands are associated with fire, and as such indicate action, growth, determination, assertiveness, and so many other traits along those lines. Aces represent the purity, the initial spark, of the qualities related to that suit.
In this case, the Ace of Wands is the start of something big, significant, and vital; something into which one can throw one's weight. It's an important business venture, or a major turn on life's path toward a new or long-held interest, all done with gusto and resolve. It's the ultimate New Year's Resolution card. To contrast with another Ace, let's take the Ace of Cups. Cups are associated with water--fluidity, dreams, imagination, intuition, love, family, and relationships. The Ace of Cups, then, heralds the start of a new relationship in its purest form, or the beginning of an internal rather than external (i.e., forceful) event or phase. The Ace of Wands is the horse out of the starting gate; the Ace of Cups is more St. Augustine under the pear tree, cogitating. Of course there are also the Ace of Swords and Ace of Pentacles, but you get the idea. They each carry the weight of the core of their respective suits.
Take a close look at the Ace of Wands--can you say "phallic"? Exactly. Wands and Swords are masculine, external, action-oriented suits; Cups and Pentacles are feminine, internal, and more passive. Consider what you want your Ace of Wands to represent: interested in pursuing a new career? Taking on a new hobby? Following that dream, big or small? This is your Ace. What will YOU do with it?
