Our Decan Walk Journey begins with the 2 of Wands, which is associated with Mars in Aries. First, let’s explore the Astrological and Tarot aspects and then see how they show up in the imagery of the 2 of Wands Tarot Card.

The first card in our Decan Walk story is the 2 of Wands, which incorporates the energies of Mars in Aries.

2 of Wands: Mars in Aries: 21 Mar – 30 Mar

Let’s start by looking at the Astrological Energies at play and compare them with their corresponding Tarot cards.

Astrology: Mars ♂

In Roman Mythology, Mars is the God of War. It is a masculine planet that talks about physical energy, ambition, and aggression. This is the passion and the drive to just go for what you want. On the positive side, Mars can give you the energy you need to get to where you want to go and accomplish your goals. On the negative side, though, Mars can take the aggression a bit too far. Since Mars is the God of War, you can see the negative aspects in the form of bullying, being pushy, being dominating, devastation, destruction, and war.

Tarot: The Tower

In the Tarot, The Tower card is associated with the Planet Mars. The image of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tower card depicts the destructive force of the planet. The lightning bolt is the sudden emergence of destructive energy, and the crumbling tower is the destruction of the structures we create in our lives. We see a similar picture in the Tarot de Marseilles Tower card. Here, the card is called “La Maison Dieu” – the House of God. This is often a reference to the Tower of Babel, which was a symbolic destruction of mankind’s ego. In the Thoth and the Telos Tower card, we see additional imagery of the Snake, which links this energy to that of the Kundalini energy that rises through our spine and opens up our energetic Chakras. The Tower card also stands for the energies of war, destruction, storms, and the dispelling of illusions.

Note: Please scroll down to see the video where you can see the images of the Telos Tarot cards referenced in this post.

Astrology: Aries ♈︎

Incidentally, Aries is ruled by Mars. And the card we’re looking at is Mars in Aries.

Another fun coincidence is that in Greek Mythology, the God of War is called Ares. Never let it be said that synchronicities don’t exist. 🤩

Aries is symbolized by the Ram. It is a Fire Sign. It is also the first Sign of the Zodiac. So this Zodiac Sign is about beginnings and starting fresh new cycles. Aries is very energetic, aggressive, and enthusiastic. In a way, you can see how it also takes on the energies of its ruling planet. Like the Ram, it can be all about charging head-first into something and about butting heads to break through hurdles or barriers. This energy can really be helpful when you want to get past any limitations and accomplish your goals.

Tarot: The Emperor

In the Tarot, the Sign of Aries is linked with The Emperor card. In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, this image shows an old man who sits on the throne. The symbols of The Ram are all around. He also wears armor, telling us that he is always ready to do battle. Given his hard-won kingdom, he rules it with fatherly love, establishes stability, and provides security. We see a similar vibe in the Tarot de Marseilles Emperor card. Here, we also see a shield with an Eagle, the symbol of Zeus and rulership. In the Thoth and the Telos Tarot as well, we see the imagery of Rams and Eagles. All the Emperors hold a Scepter, while the RWS and Thoth Emperors hold an Orb. While the Sceptre is a representation of the Ankh, the energy of the life-giver, the Orb is a representation of the Earth, of which the Emperor is a caretaker.

Mythology: Aries 🐏

Aries is associated with the Myth of Phrixus and Helle, the children of King Atamas. Their stepmother, Ino, wanted to murder them. However, just before she can harm the children, a magical Ram called Chrysomallos flies in to save them. This Ram was sent by their actual mother, Nephele. As a reward for this service, Zeus recognized the Ram by placing him in the Heavens.

Side Note: The fleece of this Ram is the Golden Fleece that Jason (from the story of Jason and the Argonauts) had been tasked to retrieve. The Golden Fleece is thus associated with bravery and authority.

This story adds a bit of a magical dimension to the Sign of Aries, endowing it with leadership, the power of protection, and the dominance of authority.

You can read more details of the myth here.

Astrology: Mars in Aries: ♂ in ♈️

When we combine the energy of Mars in the Sign of Aries, we get people who are enthusiastic. Mars in Aries gives people the energy to go ahead and take the necessary action to accomplish their goals. They are passionate, energetic, and dominating.

Look at the card from the Oracle of the Radiant Sun. They have given it the keyword Impulsiveness. Mars is an assertive planet that gives people the drive to push forward.

When this combination is positive, it ushers in the energy of initiation. We see fresh and new enterprises take form. We see people who are pioneers, who take bold steps and make courageous decisions. They are fearless. On the negative side of the spectrum, this energy could become reckless, egotistical, impulsive, impatient, and aggressive. This reckless and fearless energy may even bring failure. But this same energy also gives you the push to move past those failures to find success and glory.

Mars in Aries is resilient and often lucky. This is the energy of leaders who take a lot of pride in their abilities. They can rise to the top. Often, they tend to ride roughshod over others. They could become bullies, reckless, and competitive.

Picatrix: First Decan of Aries: Mars in Aries: ♂ in ♈️

The Picatrix describes the First Decan of Aries as follows: A large and distinguished back madman with red eyes and an axe in his hand. A white rope is wrapped around his waist.

This is the image of an angry man who is ready to chase what they want. Their anger energizes them to pursue their goals. The axe shows their determination to achieve their goal, no matter what.

Numerology: 2

2 is the number of Duality. It embodies the push and pull that exists between two distinct points. It is about choices, about connecting, and about disconnecting. It is about cooperation and about parting ways. Every opposing energy partners up and breaks apart in this number.

Tarot + Astrology: 2 of Wands: Mars in Aries:♂ in ♈️

Now, when we look at the 2 of Wands card, we can see the little ways in which these energies have been represented.

In the Rider-Waite-Smith card, we see a man who is well-situated in his life (he wears nice clothes). Similar to the Emperor, he holds the globe in his hand. He is powered by his passion and his desire to go beyond his little world. Perhaps he wants to embark upon an adventure, or he desires to expand his business. Either way, he seems poised to charge through all the barriers and at full speed. If the card were to be reversed, this could symbolize that this gung-ho energy is blocked by a lack of passion or lack of drive. It could also show the destructive energy of the Mars-Aries combo at play, where one is disagreeable and pushy while going after one’s goals.

The Tarot de Marseilles 2 of Wands card shows us how passion and nourishment create connections that open up possibilities. This is an image that evokes the energy of being at the crossroads. Here, choices open up; options become available. Conversely, in an ill-aspected position, this could talk about blocking someone or being blocked by someone.

In the Thoth card, we see two Vajras crossed across each other, similar to the Tarot de Marseilles image. We do see the red-orange colored energy of Mars and Aries in the imagery, talking about the desire to conquer and win and the urge to forge ahead to accomplish one’s dream. The image of the Telos card actually also incorporates the image of the Picatrix Decan imagery along with the imagery of 2 Wands crisscrossing each other.

Additional Cards

If you go back to the Decan wheel, you will notice that there are additional cards that are also linked to the 2 of Wands. Let’s take a real quick look at them, and see if they add any more layers of meaning.

Ace of Pentacles

The Ace of Pentacles is the energy representing the Root of the Powers of Earth. Interestingly, in this context, this card is connected to the Season of Spring (Northern Hemisphere) or Autumn (Southern Hemisphere). Traditionally, however, the suit of Pentacles is connected with the season of Winter.

Nevertheless, the Ace of Pentacles represents the very earthy energy that is at once the seed and the manifestation of one’s desires in the material world.

Page of Pentacles

Pages are also clubbed together with the Aces since they, too, represent the energy of beginnings. In the Thoth decks, these cards are called Princess of Disks. They are associated with the Earth energy of an Earth Sign. They stand for someone who is grounded, honest, studious, and nurturing by nature.

Queen of Wands

Here is an interesting energy. This is a combination of Water (because she is the Queen) and Fire (because of the Suit of Wands). We can see by the way she sits that she is in no way a demure, lady-like persona. Instead, she is someone who is aggressive and creative. She is warm and generous. But she can also be quite bossy and moody. Often, accompanied by a cat or a member of the Cat family, she is able to tap into her feline grace and charm and is very much guided by her intuition.

Ace of Pentacles + Page of Pentacles + Queen of Wands → 2 of Wands

Putting these cards together, one could say that the Ace of Pentacles ensures that the ventures pursued in the 2 of Wands will always have the blessings of necessary material resources. If the energy is accompanied by the studious and honest vibe of the Page of Pentacles, they will certainly find their success. The Queen of Wands lends them her creative powers, along with a feline ability to remain flexible and graceful.

🎞️ The Video

In case you wanted to watch the video, here it is!

📸 The Infographic + ⬇️ Download

I love mind maps. Of course, I had to chart all of this in a nice one! 😉

Want a copy of this infographic?

Click here to Download the Copy of the 2 of Wands Infographic

📚 Homework

📓 Things to Think (or Journal) About the 2 of Wands – Mars in Aries

These thoughts occurred to me while I was organizing the transcription of my video into this blog post.

• Where in your life do you find yourself feeling driven or motivated to pursue your goals?
• What are the things that you love to do, passionately and aggressively, despite any and all odds that may come your way?
• Can you use these linked cards to figure out what you need to do to go after and accomplish a passion project? For example, the Ace of Pentacles could help you identify the necessary seed resources you’ll need; the Tower could help you identify the structures you want to break apart with your dream project, etc.
• If you are a student of Astrology, go take a look at your Birth Chart. In which House do you see the Sign of Aries? How does the Aries energy show up in that particular area of your life? [Each House in your Astrology Chart represents an area of your life.]
• Do you have the Mars in Aries combination in your birth chart? If so, in which house does it fall? How has this energy manifested in your life?

Please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below. If you have anything at all that you would like to add to the interpretations and meanings of the cards, do share your insights with me. Your input would add tremendous value to this journey of knowledge and discovery.

With this powerful push and passion, we have embarked on our adventure. Let us see where this leads us. One thing is for certain: our quest for knowledge holds a lot of promise. No matter how the twists and turns may show up, we will certainly learn something important along the way. And so, in keeping with the Mars in Aries vibe of the 2 of Wands, Carpe Diem! Let us Seize the Day!