ten – ARCANIS TAROT

10 of Pentacles

consider the legacy that you’re creating

Ten shows the fullest expression of the suit + Pentacles represents the ways that we as spirits navigate the physical world

And so, in its centered aspect, the Ten of Pentacles depicts the soul supported in having a human experience. As the final pip card, it speaks deeply to our own mortality and asks us to consider how we will be remembered. In the Smith-Waite depiction, we see the kabbalistic tree as a spiritual reminder that a full life doesn’t need to be complicated or lavish. The inheritance so often attributed to this card speaks of familial lines; this is the family, the legacy, the ancestors, tradition, mortality — perhaps even a healing of generational lines by our standing in our power and doing our soul work. Cultivate the community and tools to be supported in that work. As the book for the Dali Tarot points out, individuality cannot be achieved in isolation.

For those more spiritually inclined, this may also be a reminder to do ancestor work. By honoring those who have come before us (whether familial, occupational, spiritual, geographic, or other), we may learn from them.

In resistance, we may mistrust abundance or have lost the security of family ties. Perhaps we have been disenfranchised.

In excess, we may be cloistered in ethnocentrism or choosing material comfort over more spiritual pursuits.

Questions we may be prompted to ask when this card comes up include

What will you be remembered for? What are you doing right now to build that legacy? What stops you from doing so?
Are there familial relationships that need tending right now?
What ancestral baggage are you shedding?
Are you still clinging to outdated family values passed down to you that exclude others or enable their disenfranchisement?

What else? There is vast meaning in this card and you may have other insights. How has it come up for you?

10 of Swords

develop new thought patterns

Ten finds us in the fullest expression of the suit + Swords represents the mental realm of thoughts and belief systems

And so, in its centered aspect, the Ten of Swords indicates that we can go no further engaging with our thoughts or beliefs the way we have been. We may learn the hard way, but something must change. Have we been so cold, rational, or suspicious in our approach that we’ve excluded other functions (intuition, feeling, sensing)? Have we been so fixed in our beliefs that we’ve excluded other possibilities? We must transform old thought patterns if we want to get back on our feet, because we cannot continue in the direction we’re headed without doing something different.

In resistance, we refuse to adapt our thinking, and fail to evolve.

In excess, we adopt a defeatist attitude.

Questions we may be prompted to ask when this card comes up include

Where have you found yourself at a dead end, historically?
What belief or attitude is preventing your evolution to the next phase?
Can you adapt your approach?

What else? This can be a challenging card, but offers various angles and you may have other insights. How has it come up for you?

10 of Cups

take joy in what you have

Ten shows the fullness of the suit as we integrate its lessons in preparation for the next cycle + Cups represents our emotions and how we relate to others

And so, in the centered aspect of the Ten of Cups, we’re invited to appreciate the contentment in our lives, accepting ourselves and others for what we are. There’s a sense of emotional fulfillment, here; yet we’re often so busy pushing forward that we neglect to take joy in what we have, and we’re reminded to be present for whatever that rainbow may be in your life.

This card also reminds us that sharing the wealth offers fulfillment. When we feel joy and contentment, allow it to spill over onto others.

In deficiency, we’re disillusioned by expectations of perfection, never satisfied and always searching for bigger and better.

In excess, we focus on the positive at the expense of recognizing valid feelings (emotional / spiritual bypassing).

Questions we may be prompted to ask when this card comes up include

How easily are you satisfied?
Do you have idealized expectations that are never met?
Are you always focusing on the positives in order to bury disappointment?

What else? This card seems simple but can offer more complex challenges, and you may have other insights. How has it come up for you?

10 of Wands

ask for help or delegate where you can

Ten shows us the full power of the suit as we prepare for a new cycle + Wands represent our energy and how we use it

from Sola Busca Revisited by Tarot by Seven

And so, in the centered aspect of the Ten of Wands, we find ourselves spent. Our determination shows, but we’ve reached the limit of what we can take on and it’s time to ask for help or to delegate some responsibilities. This is unsustainable and it’s time to level up. Perhaps you’ve amassed abundance and can share the wealth by bringing others in to help share the load.

In resistance, we refuse to accept help, struggling under the weight of our burdens but insisting on carrying it all ourselves; or the martyr with the “allow me to suffer the burden” demands for sympathy. Perhaps we’ve acquired an attitude of servitude, content to take on the demands (or baggage) of others.

In excess, we are the workaholic who thrives on being overcommitted, who gets a charge out of having all circuits firing. What is it that we’re actually trying to prove (or avoid)?

Questions we may be prompted to ask when this card comes up include

Where do you feel burdened? What or who is holding you down?
What do you continue to tolerate?
Do you have a hard time saying no? Does a part of you feel guilt? How can you establish better boundaries?
Do you feel that you are responsible for taking on all of the roles? Are you afraid to delegate? Why?
Are you preventing others their own success?
Does perfectionism play a role in your workload?
What is it time to purge?
Does overcommitting yourself allow you to avoid something else?

What else? This is a loaded card, and you may have other insights. How has it come up for you?