Ten of Wands

The Ten of Wands notes that you are taking on an extra burden, a heavier workload, or greater responsibility. Even though it is weighing you down and making things tougher for you, you understand it is only temporary, so you are willing to put in the hard work now to accomplish your goal and reap the rewards later. For example, you may work extra hours to save up for a family holiday. Or you may help out a friend with moving house, knowing they will return the favour when you move later in the year. Or you may care for a sick family member, adding to your responsibilities at home but knowing your loved one deeply appreciates it.

Sometimes, the Ten of Wands appears when you are unconsciously taking on extra responsibility and finding yourself feeling weighed down, exhausted and burnt out. You may try to do everything at once, even though you know it is adding extra pressure to your daily life. The Ten of Wands asks you to stop and examine your current lifestyle or work. Assess which activities or tasks are urgent or important, particularly concerning your broader goals. You may need to use various time management or prioritisation methods to determine where best to spend your time and which tasks you can drop. Your goal needs to be higher efficiency while also freeing yourself up for rest and relaxation when you need it.

The good news is that the Tens in Tarot represent the completion of a cycle, and with the Ten of Wands, the end is in sight! You have been pushing yourself to your limits and working very hard towards your goal. Now, you are taking those final steps on the path to realising your dreams. Sure, you might collapse in a heap of exhaustion when you get there, but you know it will be all worth it and well earned!

The Ten of Wands can also show that even with the achievement of your goal, some significant responsibilities and commitments come with it. When you reach a point of completion, you become starkly aware that you must now carry on with the duties you have laid out for yourself, to ensure ongoing success. The trouble is, however, that these responsibilities may become too much to bear and you are struggling to let go. It is like the business owner who creates a flourishing business but is unprepared to delegate some of his or her responsibilities to the staff and ends up working seventy to eighty hours a week. The inspiration and creativity that came with the initial goal or vision disappear and everything becomes hard work all too quickly. Thus, it is essential to let go of or delegate some of your responsibilities to free you up to still enjoy life.

Source: Biddy Tarot