Four of Wands
Festivity
“Home is wherever I’m with you.”
Home, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
Four of Wands at a glance
Finbarre’s interpretation: The Four of Wands represents a stable pause in which achievement can be shared and recognised.
| Upright | celebration, homecoming, community, a secure milestone, hospitality |
|---|---|
| Reversed | private celebration, instability at home, exclusion, delayed gathering, tension beneath appearances |
| Linked card | Ten of Cups |
| Soundtrack | Home by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros Open the full Tarot Interviews playlist on Spotify |
Upright meanings
- Celebration
- Homecoming
- Community
- A secure milestone
- Hospitality
- Belonging
- Public happiness
- Successful completion
- Reunion
- A supportive environment
Reversed meanings
- Private celebration
- Instability at home
- Exclusion
- Delayed gathering
- Tension beneath appearances
- A temporary home
- Lack of recognition
- Disrupted plans
- Family disagreement
- Difficulty settling
Four of Wands in a reading
| Area | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Love | Relationship energy: Belonging. Reversed: A temporary home. |
| Career | Work: Public happiness; successful completion. Warning: Lack of recognition. |
| Money | Financial theme: Reunion. Warning: Family disagreement. |
| Feelings | Upright: Community. Reversed: Exclusion. |
| Advice | Prioritise: A supportive environment. Watch for: Difficulty settling. |
| Outcome | Potential: Hospitality. Obstacle: Tension beneath appearances. |
| Yes or no | Yes, particularly for home, events and shared milestones. |
Symbols in Four of Wands
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| The garland | The work has reached a point worthy of marking. |
| The four upright wands | A simple structure creates space for gathering. |
| The raised flowers | Joy is made visible rather than kept private. |
| The distant house | Celebration is linked to shelter, continuity and community. |
A. E. Waite's original description
From the four great staves planted in the foreground there is a great garland suspended; two female figures uplift nosegays; at their side is a bridge over a moat, leading to an old manorial house.
Waite's original divinatory meanings
Upright:
They are for once almost on the surface: country life, haven of refuge, a species of domestic harvest-home, repose, concord, harmony, prosperity, peace, and the perfected work of these.
Reversed:
The meaning remains unaltered; it is prosperity, increase, felicity, beauty, embellishment.
Source: A. E. Waite, The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, first published in 1910, with illustrations by Pamela Colman Smith.
Continue through the deck
- Previous card: Three of Wands
- Next card: Five of Wands
Written and interpreted by Finbarre Snarey, tarot researcher, founder of the British Tarot Archive and coordinator of the UK living heritage submission for Rider-Waite-Smith tarot reading practice.
These interpretations reflect Finbarre Snarey’s understanding of contemporary Rider-Waite-Smith tarot practice. They are provided for education, reflection and entertainment only and should not be treated as medical, legal, financial, psychological or relationship advice.
