The Sacred Pause

Three of Wands, Dharma, and the Breath Before Becoming

I feel it in my chest, this tightness of waiting. The dynamism of the Three of Wands points towards a movement of self and libido. A movement towards that which feels purposeful (Dharma). In some ways, this tickles my curiosity of how I can begin to grow Bone and Mirror Tarot, reaching more people, and growing a community. This quiet excitement of what could be, this pause before the step. Do you hear that? It is the unknown. The breath before movement. The stasis; as holy as all of the other Acts of God. Rest here and sit, waiting for the pull of creation, to take your hand as you enter the dance with your Dharma.

The Three of Wands brings with it a tension of poised anticipation. It is a card of movement, yes; but more than that, it is a card of readiness. A state of watchful awareness, of alignment toward something greater. A moment of inward pause, before the next outward step.

This is the moment just before the leap; when we’ve made the decision to move, to pursue something deeply felt, but have not yet fully stepped into the current. A moment charged with purpose. With Dharma.

In the view of non-dual Śaiva Tantra, Dharma doesn’t speak to our duty. It’s the alignment of our inner self, with that of the wider Light of Awareness. It is the unique rhythm each of us plays in the unfolding of reality. It calls us into relationship with our gifts, our desires, and how we can use them to serve the needs of the collective.

The Three of Wands reveals the liminal space between vision and action, between idea and manifestation. It asks us not just what we want. It invites us to consider what wants to move through us?

The Tantric Lens: The Five Acts of God and the endless Cycle of Becoming

In non-dual Śaiva Tantra, the entire cosmos is viewed as a divine unfolding; a continuous action known as The Five Acts of Śiva:

1. Sṛṣṭi (Creation)

2. Sthiti (Stasis)

3. Saṃhāra (Dissolution)

4. Tirodhāna (Concealment)

5. Anugraha (Revelation)

These aren’t linear steps. They’re constantly co-arising, on both a macrocosmic and microcosmic scale. Take a moment to notice the sounds around you; you may hear a passing care, or bird song. In this moment, there is a creation- this is when the sound emerges and reaches your conscious awareness. It is sustained for a period of time (in this case, maybe a few seconds). Then, it fades, and dissolves back into nothing. This also aligns with the natural cycles of the natural word- through birth, living, and death. They are always present in each moment and process. The Three of Wands resonates deeply with sthiti. Something has already been set in motion (creation), but it is not yet complete. It must be held, nurtured, watched over.

To stand in sthiti is to remain in the fire without flinching.

In a culture that is so focused on the outcome and the reward, we can often forget that the spaces in between is where transformation takes root. The Three of Wands calls us to honour this sacred interval.

Jungian Insight: Wands, Libido, and Individuation

In depth psychology, particularly in Jung’s work, the word libido doesn’t refer to sexual energy, but as the total psychic energy of the individual. That is to say, libido is the force that propels us towards individuation, and the realisation of the Self. It is creative, directional, and meaning-seeking.

In Bone and Mirror Tarot, I consider the Wands as the embodiment and exploration of our Intuitive Function and the libidinal drive towards meaning. The Wands suit corresponds beautifully to this concept. The Wands are considered a magical suit because the Intuitive Function is able to perceive when something is meaningful to us. While the Sensation Function perceives the thing, the Intuition Function focuses on the purpose of its existence. The Wands carry our fire; our drive toward purpose, passion, and becoming. In Tarot, Wands aren’t just about creativity or ambition. They are about the life-force that animates us when we are in alignment with what truly matters.

From the wholeness of one and the duality of two, comes the dynamism and movement of the three. When moving through the invigorating spark of the Ace and the tension of the Two, we see a real engagement with the Intuition Function in the Three. Our Three of Wands has considered the crisis in the Two and decided to move forward. When the Three appears, it signifies a moment where our libido has been set into motion, but we are not yet reaping the harvest. This is a liminal stage, a moment of active receptivity; we have sent our signal, now we await the echo. We’ve planted seeds, and we must learn to tend the field without tearing up the soil in anxiety.

Final Reflections

The Three of Wands teaches us that movement is not always visible and purpose is not always loud. The call to our Dharma often begin in the quiet, subtle places of knowing; a breath before the leap.

This card is a an invitation to come into relationship with the sacred pause. and to trust the unfolding. To stay with the fire. To recognize that your Dharma does not need to be chased; it is already reaching it’s hand out towards you.

So the next time you draw the Three of Wands, ask yourself:

What in me is waiting to move — and do I have the courage to wait with it, not rush it?