Three of Wands Tarot Card Meaning

Three of Wands Keywords

Progress, expansion, growth, movement, venture, pursue/pursuit(s), momentum, optimism (pessimism), envision

Three of Wands Numerology

3

Three of Wands Astrology Zodiac

Fire: Aries

Three of Wands Tarot Suit

Minor Arcana, Suit of Wands

Journal Prompts for Three of Wands Tarot Card

– How can I best prepare for what is next? 

– What am I envisioning at this point in my journey?

– How are my actions/abilities aligning (or not) with my goals?

Three of Wands Tarot Card Meaning

A solitary man on an arid cliffside, facing the oceanic horizon before him. Three (living) wands are standing next to him, one on his left side; two on his right. He grasps onto the wand furthest from his right side, as he appears to be gazing at the three ships sailing in the distance before him. Perhaps he is pausing to prepare for the next leg of his travels. He is wearing a headband; and a long-sleeved white blouse under a red cloak with a green shawl; along with a yellow and black plaid sash. His clothing suggests that he is a tradesman and/or traveler with business to tend to.

*Based on the Rider Waite Tarot Deck

Three of Wands Upright

The Three of Wands upright tends to be an exciting and positive energy to receive in a tarot reading. Themes relating to travel, trade, movement, expansion and so forth tend to shine through when this card appears. Whether it is your vision that is expanding, your efforts, experiences, opportunities, etc, the Three of Wands serves as a sign that you are seeing new progress. The Three of Wands is an indication of expansion and a broadening of your horizons. Your opportunities are opening up and with it, so too are the possibilities that lay ahead. 

There is a saying, “the ships are coming in”, that is commonly associated with the Three of Wands. This means that essentially, what you seek is seeking you. So, while this card is action-oriented and risk-taking may be necessary, keep in mind, there is no need to rush or get ahead of yourself either. 

Your creative vision is coming together and you should be feeling very optimistic about any progress that you have made so far. Additionally, your third eye and psychic awareness may be opening, heightening and/or attuning to whatever is around the corner for you so make sure you’re paying attention. It is possible that you are picking up on signs and/or synchronicities related to your goal(s). 

The progressive nature of this card bodes well if you are inquiring about love/relationships. Communications are going well and there may be some form of movement toward a common goal or direction. For example, if you have been dating someone exclusively but have not yet made the connection “official”, this could mean that things are heading in that direction. If you have been in a committed relationship, you are both moving toward whatever step(s) are next. Whether it relates to discussing cohabitation, adopting a pet together, etc. Keep in mind, this phase is about preparing oneself; which may include having conversation(s), making plans for the next steps, etc. 

In matters related to your career, business, etc you should be seeing progress and experiencing clarity around what’s next. Your ventures are seeing success and you are in a position of expansion and movement. Your confidence is building and there may be a form of bold action required. You are steadily moving toward your goals and new developments are being made.

This could also be an indication of interacting and/or collaborating with others. If you are working with others, the Three of Wands could mean that you and your comrades will likely get along and work well together. You and anyone involved are in a position to work toward solid foundations.

Where finances are concerned, the upright Three of Wands serves as an indication of new growth, insights, etc. You have achieved a short-term goal and/or form of success. For example, if you invested some money, perhaps there has been a small increase in your stock value. One way or another, this is a positive sign to receive and may also suggest that you are in a position to make an investment if you haven’t already.

Three of Wands Reversed

The reversed Three of Wands may be an indication that a pause for reassessment is necessary. You may have been working toward a goal and have not found much success thus far. The good news is that while you may not be seeing the results that you would have liked, you are still making progress nonetheless. On another level, the reverse Three of Wands appearing in a tarot card reading may mean just that–you are not seeing or noticing the progress that you have made. It’s like running on a treadmill–it you didn’t have the dashboard indicating the time/timing, distance, etc, you would not know what progress you were making.

Additionally, your creative and/or psychic, third-eye vision may be blocked; so you may benefit from a third-eye clearing. You may be confused and/or uncertain about where to focus your attention when the Three of Wands appears reversed. This could be a sign that you could benefit from reevaluating your plans to better suit your goals, abilities, etc.

If you are inquiring about romance the Three of Wands in reverse may indicate that you and your partner are not quite seeing eye-to-eye. You could be experiencing friction or tension. There may be a feeling of being at a proverbial “fork in the road” and/or not knowing what is around the corner, in terms of the future of the connection.

If you have been dating someone without an official commitment, the appearance of this card in reverse could mean that you are possibly heading in different directions and/or envisioning different future possibilities. Perhaps one of you is ready for a deeper commitment but the other prefers for things to stay as they are. If you are in a commitment and/or marriage, this is not necessarily an indication of a break-up, argument or deeper conflict. It just means that you would benefit from having a more thorough discussion around each other’s desires for the relationship and/or matter at hand.

Receiving the Three of Wands reversed when it comes to your work, career, etc may be a sign that reevaluation is needed. If you have been working toward a goal or project it’s possible that progress has stalled and/or you may have hit a bit of a slump. The reversed Three of Wands suggests that you take a moment to pause and reassess your plans. No further progress can be made until whatever it is that needs addressing is addressed, plain and simple. 

Do not be deterred one way or another, but definitely take whatever necessary action(s) is needed to make progress. The benefit to seeing this card in reverse is that you have time to make the necessary adjustments, so use this moment to your advantage. Do not worry about missing out on anything, if you shift what needs to be shifted now, you can still get to where you want to be.