Sunday, November 27
The Four of Wands & The Hermit
It’s the Sunday after Thanksgiving here in the US and the traditional beginning of the holiday season for many people. The winter solstice is about a month away, and it was a chilly and rainy morning for me. I was thinking about all these things as I pulled my two cards this morning.
Fours are all about stability - I’ve read them described as four sturdy legs of a piece of furniture, an image that is especially apt for the wand card. Wands are associated with fire and are seen as a passionate and active suit. The Four of Wands image is of a celebration - it puts me in mind of a wedding, with the four wands forming a structure adorned with flowers. In the background, two people stand with flowers in their hands and on their heads, sometimes holding hands, surrounded by a crowd of people.
This card is all about celebration - something we’re often surrounded by this time of year. Holiday parties, special meals, important calendar dates - it can be so exciting! Celebrations, holidays, and important life milestones like weddings and birthdays are special events. They are times that we set aside routine to get dressed up and gather in communal joy with others. We plan, make special food, decorate our homes, and make time away from our daily responsibilities in order to recognize that something exciting is happening. There are important rituals we often perform for these events - religious ceremonies, holiday traditions, making certain recipes, et cetera. This card reminds us to mark special events with ritual and enjoy the company of our communities as we share these celebrations.
But the Four of Wands also reminds us that after these events, we have to go back to our normal life. That transition from special to ordinary can leave us feeling like we’re in a little bit of an emotional slump. That drop after the high of a party is to be expected - it’s a natural human reaction. That’s where The Hermit fits in so well.
The Hermit is a person who knows the value of solitude - they find comfort and beauty in being alone, and separate from others. They are comfortable in darkness. They know how to meditate, and how to embrace time away from others. I like to think The Hermit knows how to create a cozy home: warm, with soft lighting, comfortable furniture, and nourishing food. They probably have a cat or two.
With The Hermit following the Four of Wands, this combination is a beautiful reminder of why there are so many holidays during this darkest and coldest time of the year (at least in this hemisphere). With less and less sunlight every day, humans need to be reminded of the warmth and comfort of community, but every day cannot be a celebration. Just like the trees and the animals and the earth itself, this time of year is meant to be a time of hibernation. Our ancestors didn’t spend the winter months out shopping and running around, rushing from place to place all season long. They gathered together at home, they lit fires, and baked bread. They played music and danced together by the hearth to keep warm. They recognized the sun was spending less and less time giving light, and their crops went dormant and tier animals moved slower, and they followed suit. The ancient pagans recognized the time when the leaves fell and the grass dulled at the earth grew cold as a time of death, but they also had the wisdom of the earth and knew it was not permanent - so they did what they needed in order to survive winter.
We still need to survive winter. These two cards remind us that, as the days grow shorter and the air chills, the best way to survive is to slow down, not speed up. Mark your holidays and gather your people together. Feed one another and dance together. Bring light and comfort into your homes. Spend time with yourself - meditate on your traditions, find ways to care for yourself and your community in times of darkness, and decide what you would like to carry forward with you as the seasons change and the cycle begins again.
