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The Rider-Waite- Smith Tarot- Ten of Wands depicts a person oppressed by the weight of the ten wands/staves that they are attempting to carry a considerable distance to the house. The image seems simple enough. However, this is a card of many significant opposing meanings making some of the readings hard to harmonize. Simply put, it is oppression, but also fortune, gain, and can be any kind of success achieved in these concepts as we must oppress our tendency to over think creativity and to focus on one goal.

The fertile Staves or Wands represent the energy that produces these things. However, it is also a card of illusion, disguise, and perfidy. There is often a great burden imposed on one by possessions; where one thinks they own them, but they are really owned by them.

The Animal Totem Tarot - 10 of Wandsdepicts a bundle of 10 wands, each sporting a red ribbon that implies the element of fire, passion, aggressive emotions etc. If you look closely at the base of this wand bundle you will see a small snail winding its way up the bundle. You may wonder why a snail as a 10 of Wands card. Interestingly, snails are curious animals that can pull their whole body in and out of their shells.

Did you ever wonder why they aren't seen in the rain, extreme heat, or cold? This is because they travel only under perfect conditions, and they are all over your garden after the rain stops. Hence, the snail tells you that are at the end of your wand journey and that with each card you have learned a new lesson and now you hold the power of this journey's knowledge within you. There is of course the matter of understanding this power gained and laydown the physical wands as from this point forward there is no need to carry the past with you. The 10 of wands implies it is time to start a new journey, unburdened by the past.

If you are on a vision quest or doing a ritual to view your spirit guide, power animal, or totem animal and a snail appears, don't ignore this message, for you'll be surprised at the wonderful gifts this creature can bestow.

The garden snail as a totem, spirit guide, and power animal offers deep symbolism, blending themes of patience, protection, and the wisdom of moving through life with deliberate purpose. Despite its small and seemingly fragile form, the snail teaches profound lessons about inner resilience, emotional sensitivity, and spiritual endurance. Here’s a breakdown of its significance:

🌿 The Snail as a Totem Animal

A totem animal is a life-long guide whose energy is deeply intertwined with your personality and life path. If the snail is your totem, you likely embody qualities of patience, introspection, and grounded spirituality.

Key Symbolism:

• Patience and Divine Timing: Just like the snail’s slow, measured pace, you may approach life methodically and understand that good things come to those who wait. This totem emphasizes surrendering to natural cycles and trusting the timing of the universe.
• Resilience and Adaptability: The snail carries its home on its back, reminding you to be adaptable and self-sufficient in any environment. You may have an inner sanctuary—your own protected emotional world that allows for healing and restoration.
• Persistence: Though slow, the snail is persistent and determined. If you encounter challenges, this totem suggests that steady, focused effort will bring success.
• Sensitivity and Healing: The snail’s delicate body highlights emotional sensitivity and empathy. As a totem, it encourages you to nurture your emotional health and honor your intuitive gifts.

🌙 The Snail as a Spirit Guide

A spirit guide typically appears during a period of transition or when specific lessons need to be learned. When the snail comes as a spirit guide, it may be calling on you to slow down, reflect, and realign yourself with your soul’s purpose.

When the Snail Appears as a Spirit Guide:

• Slow Down and Be Present: If life feels rushed or chaotic, the snail spirit guide is a sign to take a step back and embrace stillness. Meditation, solitude, and grounding practices can help you reconnect with the present moment.
• Protection and Boundaries: The snail’s shell represents protection and the importance of establishing healthy emotional boundaries. You may need to guard your energy from external negativity or overstimulation.
• Patience in Manifestation: The snail teaches you to trust that your manifestations are in progress, even if they’re not immediately visible. The growth is happening beneath the surface.
• Reconnect with Nature: The snail often serves as a reminder to honor the earth and its healing energy. Spending time in nature, gardening, or working with plant magic can revitalize your spirit.

🔥 The Snail as a Power Animal

A power animal embodies an energetic force you can summon when you need its traits to overcome obstacles or challenges. The snail as a power animal offers you the strength to persevere and find peace in your own rhythm.

When to Call Upon the Snail as a Power Animal:

• When you need patience: If you’re feeling frustrated with slow progress, call upon the snail’s energy to help you endure and trust the process.
• When you’re healing from emotional wounds: The snail’s connection to water and its sensitive nature make it a powerful ally for emotional healing.
• When you need to protect yourself: The snail’s shell can remind you to create boundaries, physically and emotionally, to protect yourself from burnout or harmful energies.
• When you’re facing overwhelming situations: Summoning the snail’s slow but steady nature can help you break down large tasks into manageable steps.

Magical Correspondences:

• Element: Water and Earth (representing emotional flow and grounded stability)
• Direction: West (the direction often associated with emotions and intuition in magical systems)
• Herbs/Plants: Ivy, moss, and ferns—plants associated with growth and persistence in challenging conditions
• Crystal Allies: Moonstone (emotional healing), petrified wood (patience and endurance), and malachite (protection and transformation)

🌌 Spiritual Lessons of the Snail

• Embracing Your Journey: The snail reminds us that life is not a race but a personal journey of growth and discovery. There is wisdom in moving at your own pace.
• Cycles of Retreat and Action: Like the snail, which retracts into its shell when threatened, you may need moments of retreat to recharge. Honor these cycles of introversion and extroversion.
• Trusting Inner Guidance: The snail relies on its sensitivity to navigate the world. As a spiritual teacher, it emphasizes the importance of trusting your intuition, even if the path forward seems unclear.

The Snail in Mythology and Folklore

• Ancient Greece: The snail was seen as a symbol of the moon and fertility due to its association with moist, nurturing environments.
• Native American Traditions: In some tribes, the snail represents a connection to water spirits and emotional healing.
• Alchemy: The spiral of the snail’s shell has symbolic ties to cycles of life, death, and rebirth—echoing the Ouroboros and the continuous nature of transformation.
• Celtic Traditions: The spiral shape of the shell reflects the sacred spiral, representing life’s interconnected cycles and spiritual evolution.

Meditation with the Snail

To connect deeply with the snail’s energy, try the following meditation:

1. Find a quiet space in nature or visualize a garden setting.
2. Close your eyes and take slow, deep breaths, imagining yourself moving at a calm, steady pace.
3. Visualize a snail emerging from its shell, moving gently along the earth.
4. Feel the grounding energy of the earth and the soothing presence of water, symbolizing emotional flow.
5. Ask the snail to reveal its wisdom to you—whether it’s about patience, protection, or spiritual growth.
6. Receive any messages or visions without judgment. When ready, express gratitude and return to the present.

Affirmation Inspired by the Snail:

"I honor the wisdom of patience and the power of steady growth. I trust the natural rhythms of my life and embrace my unique journey."

The snail’s message is clear: slow down, embrace the process, and remember that even the most delicate beings can hold immense strength within.

Again, a very mundane version of the most complex Western Hermetic Qabalistic Tree of Life Sephiroth-Malkuth (the simplest being Kether). On the Tree of Life, the number 10 refers to Malkuth-the Earth, and it is the most crystallized/coagulated form of the alchemical element Fire. This is Fire (male) in its lowest form (called "crystalized light"), so it is without a guiding intelligence; thus, it is in its most destructive form of materialism. It is up to us to give this powerful force guidance, as it is the groundwork of all Passions, lust, and desires, which have been known to "run-a-muck" in the survival mind of the subconscious.

The 10's show fixed and completed force. This is similar to the 9's of Tarot, in which a matter is thoroughly and determined, instead the Tens ultimate it and carry it out, ending a cycle. Hence, the cycle of oppression is coming to an end.

In gematria, the number 10 carries significant symbolic meanings, both in traditional Jewish mysticism and in broader esoteric traditions. Here's an overview of its characteristics:

Jewish Gematria

1. Divine Order and Completion:

   • The number 10 is associated with completeness and perfection, representing the full range of human experience and divine order. This is evident in the Ten Commandments, which encapsulate the moral and spiritual laws.

2. Sefirot/Sephiroth:

   • In the Kabbalistic/Qabalistic Tree of Life, there are ten Sefirot/Sephiroth (emanations), each representing different aspects of the divine and the creation. These Sefirot/Sephiroth form a structure that maps out the path from the divine to the material world.

Western Esotericism

1. Tarot:

   • The tenth card in the Major Arcana is the Wheel of Fortune, symbolizing the cyclical nature of life, fate, and destiny. It reflects the concept of change and the wheel of karma.

2. Numerology:

   • In numerology, 10 is reduced to 1 (1 + 0), which is often associated with new beginnings, leadership, and potential. However, as 10, it retains the essence of completion and the return to the beginning.

Symbolism

1. Unity and Duality:

   • The number 10 embodies both unity and duality. It starts with 1, representing unity and the divine, and ends with 0, representing potential and the infinite. Together, they symbolize the unity of creation and the return to the source.

2. Pythagorean Perspective:

   • Pythagoreans regarded 10 (the Tetractys) as the perfect number, representing the sum of the first four numbers (1+2+3+4=10). This sum signifies harmony and the foundational structure of the universe.

Cultural and Historical References

1. Ten Plagues:

   • In the biblical narrative, the ten plagues of Egypt symbolize divine intervention and judgment, leading to the liberation of the Israelites.

2. Ten Days of Repentance:

   • In Judaism, the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are a time for repentance and reflection, emphasizing the importance of spiritual purification.

Conclusion

The number 10 in gematria is rich with meanings, symbolizing completeness, divine order, and the unity of creation. Its characteristics span various esoteric traditions, reflecting both the end of a cycle and the beginning of a new one.

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During a reading, if the 10 OF WANDS is thrown for the querent, it is implied that:

• They must stop their present self-repression and create a new motion; or if it shows in the reading that someone or something is responsible for the querent's oppression, the querent must leave, and change.
•  There is an overbearing strength being placed on the personality that will make it fight for its survival, precipitating revenge, and injustice in the process.
•  Will applied to control over others for selfish and material ends.
• Generosity, self-sacrifice and often disinterest. But caution must be applied once again, as often self-sacrifice becomes Altruism, which is another form of Superiority, Control, and Martyrdom, which become oppression in their own rite. 
• Being weighed down by too many responsibilities. 
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• If the 10 of Wands is reversed, it suggests:
•  Ill will, lying, malice, slander, envy, obstinacy, swiftness in evil.
•  Violence as a form of sexuality.
• Defensiveness and irritability resulting when a plan is badly organized or diffused. 
• Health problems caused by too much pressure.

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