King of Wands
This king sees the big picture and leads people toward it. Set your direction with conviction and make the call when it is time to decide.
Deciding alone or rushing a decision could provoke pushback from the very people you hope to lead.
The card's advice: Before deciding, listen to one more person's opinion.
King of Wands: reading the picture
Gold dragons twist up the king's gonryongpo, the dragon-embroidered robe of Korean kings. The same dragons mark the red throne back, and golden lions flank him like guards. His right hand holds a wand taller than he is, planted straight on the ground; his left rests on his knee. Unlike the Queen, he isn't showing anything off, and unlike the Knight, he isn't brandishing it. A wand set upright reads as a direction already chosen. On the stone steps, an orange salamander with black spots crawls past his feet, a small echo of the dragons on his robe. Big plans start with something small and hot underfoot.
King of Wands in love, work and money
- Love and relationships
Taking the lead and proposing where the relationship should go makes you seem dependable. Still, don't settle shared matters by yourself; ask your partner what they think once more.
- Work and study
You may find yourself in a role where you sketch the team's vision and make the final call. Explain clearly where you are heading and why, and people will follow willingly.
- Money
This is a good time to plan your cash flow years ahead rather than focusing on today's spending. The bigger the decision, the more it helps to hear from one more trusted person.
The sous chef who now runs the kitchen
When the owner opened a second location, a 46-year-old sous chef took over the original kitchen. Half the line cooks came up with him; half thought someone else deserved it. His first week, he fixed problems himself instead of saying where the kitchen was headed. He drew the King of Wands. Like the upright wand, the role calls for naming a direction first. The reading suggests a short pre-shift talk on what the menu should be known for in a year and, with the salamander in mind, quiet one-on-ones with the dishwasher and the newest prep cook before announcing changes.
Questions to ask yourself after drawing King of Wands
- Could everyone who follows you explain not only where you're heading but why?
- While you sketch the big picture, who is looking after the small things at your feet, like the quietest voice in the room?
- What would you need to show first so people follow even while your wand stays planted, not swung?
King of Wands as a yes or no
Yes You have the strength to set a course and push through, so once you decide, things begin to move.
Easy to confuse with The Emperor
Both are rulers on thrones, a common mix-up. The Emperor sits on a stone throne carved with rams' heads, governing through rules and order and keeping structure from falling. The King of Wands, ringed by lions with a salamander at his feet, moves people with vision and drive. Holding a set framework fits the Emperor; opening a new direction fits the King.
Symbols in King of Wands
Seated on a lion-adorned throne with wand in hand, the king is a leader who channels fiery passion into forward motion. The golden dragons embroidered on his robe and throne back, and the salamander at his feet, signify fire and endless creative power.
How we drew King of Wands
- Kept from the 1909 card
The king on a lion-decorated throne holding a wand, the salamander at his feet
- What we changed
The king wears a gonryongpo (a king's dragon robe).