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The Rider–Waite–Smith Six of Wands depicts a laurel-wreathed horseman riding victoriously through an adoring crowd. He bears one of the fertile, leafy staffs, while the footmen around him carry the remaining five in celebratory acknowledgment of his achievement. A laurel wreath crowns both his head and the wand he holds aloft, marking triumph that is both personal and publicly recognized.

The red ribbon fastening the laurel wreath is symbolic of passion, desire, and vital force—Fire made visible through acclaim. Victory here is not quiet or hidden; it is seen, acknowledged, and affirmed by the collective.

The laurel wreath itself is an ancient emblem of triumph, honor, and divine favor. In classical antiquity, laurel leaves crowned victors in athletic games, military conquest, and poetic mastery alike. The wreath symbolized not merely success, but success sanctified—achievement aligned with a higher ideal and crowned by recognition.

Thus, the primary meaning of this card is Victory Triumphant. Yet beyond conquest alone, the Six of Wands also speaks of good news borne openly, much like a royal proclamation carried in state by the King’s courtier. It is expectation fulfilled, hope crowned, and effort rewarded in the light of public acknowledgment.

The Six of Wands Across Decks — Faith in Victory

In decks such as the Tarot of Sacred Kingdoms, the Six of Wands emphasizes faith in one’s capacity to succeed. The core themes remain victory, recognition, and achievement, but with an important caveat: praise can inflate the ego if not tempered by awareness. What is lifted by Fire may also burn unchecked.

This card therefore celebrates triumph without sanctifying arrogance. Recognition is a moment of balance—between confidence and humility, between rightful pride and egoic excess.

Fire and the Arduous Path of Triumph

Fire, the elemental force governing the suit of Wands, represents energy, passion, creativity, and ambition. It is the spark that initiates action and the flame that sustains endeavor. Yet Fire is also the most demanding of elements to master.

Fire is arduous because of its intensity. Its enthusiasm can inspire, but it can also overwhelm if not consciously directed. Fire transforms, but transformation often requires the burning away of outdated forms, beliefs, or identities—never a passive process.

There is also the risk of burnout. Just as a fire may blaze brilliantly and then exhaust its fuel, so too can unchecked ambition lead to depletion. Fire demands rhythm, restraint, and renewal.

Conflict is another shadow of Fire. Where passion runs high, confrontation often follows. The Six of Wands asks whether victory is being used to illuminate the path—or to dominate the field.

Finally, Fire is intimately tied to ego and pride. The applause of the crowd can either strengthen the Solar center of true confidence or inflate a fragile self-image seeking validation.

Hermetic Key

In Tarot readings, Fire cards signal action, momentum, and the overcoming of obstacles. The Six of Wands teaches mastery of Fire through self-awareness, purpose, and restraint. Victory is not merely winning—it is winning without losing oneself.

True triumph is achieved when the Will is crowned, yet remains in service to something greater than applause alone.

The Six of Wands also presents the image of leadership, revealing its higher and lower expressions. In its balanced form, this card depicts a leader who is loyal, attentive, and genuinely invested in the well-being of their subordinates. Such a leader values the opinions of others, governs with thoughtful consideration, and in return receives affection, respect, and trust. Authority here is earned rather than imposed.

Yet Fire, when distorted, reveals another face. The Six of Wands can also describe self-absorbed leadership—an administrator more concerned with personal acclaim than collective harmony. In this expression, the leader may manipulate, deceive, or disregard the feelings and perspectives of others, reducing leadership to ego-maintenance and task-driven dominance. In its most shadowed manifestation, this distortion escalates into authoritarianism or even violent aggression, where power is enforced rather than inspired.

Qabalistically, the Six corresponds to Tiphareth, the Solar center of the Tree of Life. Tiphareth represents the Soul—the radiant core of consciousness sometimes described as the Buddha-mind or Christed Self—of which the personality is meant to be a true reflection. However, indoctrination, cultural conditioning, dogma, and environmental pressures often obscure this Solar center. What emerges instead is a false ego, constructed through repetition, fear, and what may rightly be called media-driven word hypnosis: definitions imposed rather than realized.

This false identity enslaves consciousness to externally authored meanings, divorcing the individual from direct Self-knowing. The Six of Wands, therefore, often signifies a victory of the Soul over the manufactured persona—a triumph over the mask of words that has concealed authentic identity.

In this light, the card is not merely about external success or recognition, but about inner coronation: the moment when the Solar Self reclaims authority from the false ego. It is the victory of conscious identity over borrowed definitions, of authentic Will over conditioned performance.

Here, the laurel wreath is not only worn—it is remembered. This is victorious Self-knowing, where the leader within governs from truth rather than illusion.

The Triple Goddess Tarot Six of Wands departs entirely from the image of the conquering warrior or public victory parade. Instead, it presents a mother crowned with a wreath of daisies, laughing and playing with two children—a boy and a girl—in a moment of joyful motion and innocence. Victory here is not proclaimed through domination or applause, but through wholeness, belonging, and natural affirmation.

Behind them stand six upright wands arranged like a gentle fence, forming a protective boundary rather than a battlefield. The little girl, dressed in green and also wearing a multicolored floral crown, appears to be the victor in a playful foot race, while the boy—clad in blue—runs after her in delighted pursuit. The mother, dressed in amber and kneeling in laughter, witnesses the scene not as a judge, but as a loving presence who affirms the children equally.

This imagery subtly reframes the meaning of victory. Success is not earned at the expense of others, nor is it isolated in egoic triumph. Instead, it arises from integration, encouragement, and self-acceptance. The fence of wands suggests healthy structure and boundaries—Fire contained, not weaponized.

The Triple Goddess interpretation teaches that true victory is the permission to let the Will flourish naturally, without coercion or comparison. One stands tall not by overpowering opposing views, but by remaining rooted in authenticity. Triumph here is internal: accepting oneself as whole, resilient, and worthy—especially after adversity.

Thus, the Six of Wands in this deck speaks of victory through nurture rather than conquest, confidence born from love rather than acclaim, and success measured by inner harmony instead of external validation. This is the Will crowned not by crowds, but by the quiet laughter of the Soul at play.

In Gematria, the number 6 holds significant symbolic meanings across various mystical and esoteric traditions, including those associated with the Western Hermetic Qabalah and other systems of Jewish mysticism. Here are some key representations of the number 6:

1. Balance and Harmony: The number 6 is often seen as a symbol of balance and harmony. This stems from its position as the sum of the first three positive integers (1+2+3), which signifies a harmonious integration of different aspects.

2. Creation and Beauty: In the context of the Hebrew Bible, God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. This association links the number 6 with creation, beauty, and the physical world.

3. Humanity and Imperfection: The number 6 is sometimes seen as representative of humanity, which was created on the sixth day according to the Genesis narrative. It also signifies imperfection, as it falls short of the number 7, which represents spiritual perfection and completion.

4. Love and Relationships: In the Tarot, the Lovers card is the sixth card of the Major Arcana and symbolizes love, relationships, and choices. This association extends to Gematria, where 6 can symbolize love and the emotional aspects of human relationships.

5. The Hexagram: The number 6 is geometrically represented by the hexagram or the Star of David, which is a significant symbol in Jewish mysticism. The hexagram symbolizes the union of opposites, such as the spiritual and material worlds, and the balance between different forces.

6. Venus and Beauty: In planetary correspondences, 6 is often associated with Venus, the planet of love, beauty, and artistic expression. This connection reinforces the themes of harmony, beauty, and emotional depth.

Overall, the number 6 in Gematria carries multifaceted meanings that encompass balance, creation, humanity, love, and harmony, reflecting its rich symbolic heritage in mystical and esoteric traditions.

As a side note: Also associated with the element of Fire, is The Ruby Ray, also known as the Ruby Flame or the Seventh Ray, is a concept in certain spiritual and metaphysical traditions, particularly those influenced by Theosophy and the teachings of Alice A. Bailey. The Ruby Ray is associated with the seventh color of the rainbow spectrum and is considered to be a powerful spiritual energy that has a purifying and transformative effect on individuals.

In the context of the Seven Rays system, each ray is associated with a specific aspect of divine energy and has a corresponding Ascended Master or spiritual being who oversees its influence. The Lord or Ascended Master associated with the Ruby Ray is said to be Saint Germain.

Saint Germain, also known as the "Ascended Master of the Seventh Ray" or the "Chohan of the Seventh Ray," is believed to be a spiritual teacher and guide who assists individuals in their spiritual development and transformation. He is often associated with qualities such as freedom, alchemy, spiritual healing, and the violet flame, which is a related concept to the Ruby Ray.

The use of the Ruby Ray or the violet flame in spiritual practices is often aimed at transmuting negative energies, karma, and impurities into higher, more refined spiritual energies. It is considered a tool for spiritual purification, healing, and personal transformation.

It's important to note that beliefs and practices related to the Ruby Ray and Saint Germain can vary among different spiritual and metaphysical traditions. Some people may incorporate these concepts into their spiritual work, while others may not be familiar with or subscribe to them.

So, when the 6 OF WANDS card is thrown during a reading, and depending on its position, it can mean.

• Gain and success in 5 weeks or 5 months, depending on the position of the Card.
• We have here, victory after strife caused by industriousness, energy expression, love and pleasure gained by labor.   
• There is also a suggestion of Victory gained by avoiding strife through actions of sociability and carefulness.
• Receiving awards or scholarships.
• Ofer of help from someone very successful.
•  If reversed it will then suggest the errors of:
• Insolence, pride in riches, and vain glory. 
• Also, ill dignity depends on the conflict depicted in the surrounding cards.
• Presumption. 
• Excess of emotion.
• Personality cult.

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