Rider-Waite

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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.

Meanings

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.

Additional Meanings: Unexpected good fortune.

Reversed

The meaning remains unaltered; it is prosperity, increase, felicity, beauty, embellishment.

Additional Meanings: A married woman will have beautiful children.

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Etteilla

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Thierens

TRADITION

Society, association, alliance, multitude and all that implies a gathering of men, even armies; mixture; country life, felicity, augmentation, prosperity, happiness, peace and concord, etc., convocation; advance.

THEORY

It is Air on the Fourth house and the mixing of mercurial and lunar influence will of course explain the idea of gathering. We cannot quite see some of the definitions (contract, pact, treaty), but generally we find the idea of that which binds together by memory and common motives, thoughts, mottos common to a certain group of people, be it family or nation, clan or army. So this leads us to see in the card the expression of the common motive, of that which binds people together. It is not the contract, but the motive which afterwards leads to contracts, or from which the contract will result. A common mistake, in astrological descriptions as well, is this mixing up of definitions relating to the cause and to the effect respectively. Mercury brooding over the house of the family and the moon, engenders homely feelings, memories, thoughts of internal service, household matters, and tends more or less to a profane and familiar or descriptive language, to joke, fun and the theatrical art, to inviting people to come together and have their share in weal and woe. It represents also common sense, which, however, remains in many cases ‘common’ enough. And it contains the motives, which actually govern the facts and actions in this world.

CONCLUSION

Family-spirit, clan, home, the ideas and motives which rule us, consequently that which is familiar to us; memory, reminiscences, brooding and scheming, fantasy, theatrical arts, fancy, imagination. It can be augmentation as well as decrease, it generally means change and unstable conditions, popularity and vaccillation, profanation. It may denote some group of people, a gathering or meeting, family-council. A convocation. a call and a vote. Cosiness.

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Paul Foster-Case: Four of Wands

The T-cross in the triangle symbolizes measurement and order. The same ideas are related to the number 4, symbol of Beneficence in Qabalah, which also calls 4 the Measuring Intelligence. The square formed by the 4 wands has the same meaning.

Time period

Third Decanate of Aries, April 10th to 19th, ruled by Jupiter.

Well-dignified

This Key symbolizes success through personal merit, good social standing, influential friends: the perfection of something built up after labor; benefit through travel, shipping and business with foreign countries.

Ill-dignified

Loss in the same things, or in consequence of unpreparedness or hast action.

Keyword

Perfected work