Ten of Wands as Love Outcome (Upright & Reversed) Tarot Card Meaning

The Ten of Wands is the card of burden, responsibility, obligation, duty, stress, and burnout. The card depicts a man carrying a large bundle of sticks. His back is bent by the weight of the sticks. He is weighed down by the heavy load. However, he is almost at his destination. He will soon be able to release the burden that he is bearing.  

The Ten of Wands reminds us that life does not come without corresponding baggage and responsibility. Sometimes, it’s when we feel most burned out that we are nearest to the end of a cycle. The Ten of Wands urges us to look at whether or not the burdens we carry are adding net positive value to our lives. Duty and obligation can be for the greater good, or it can be at our own detriment. 

Upright Ten of Wands as Love Outcome

If you are asking about what is the outcome of a relationship, and you draw the Ten of Wands, that means that the relationship could be karmic. This card is astrologically associated with Saturn in Sagittarius. Saturn, Father Time, is the planet that rules all things karmic and long-term, as well as burdens and responsibility. Sagittarius also rules equally weighty topics such as the philosophies and belief systems that we live by. It is also ruled by Jupiter, which expands and exaggerates anything it touches. Karmic relationships aren’t bad, but they’re meant to teach us a potentially difficult life lesson. Know when to let go of a burdensome situation.

The Ten of Wands as love outcome is a sign of feeling like the relationship is more burdensome than it brings happiness. If this is the case, don’t take this personally, it could be just that your partner is preoccupied with other priorities. In some cases, however, your partner could feel burdened by social and cultural expectations. This may also indicate that you feel burdened by your partner’s constant demands. Whatever is creating heaviness in this relationship needs to be communicated with each other to be resolved.

If you are wondering about a potential relationship, the Ten of Wands as love outcome means your partner is still being weighed down by past relationship baggage. This card warns against taking their baggage as your own. Perhaps your person needs professional help to process what happened to them in childhood or in past relationships. They’re carrying the burden alone when they should really be asking for help. Ask your partner what is weighing on their mind, but also remember to have boundaries – it’s not your responsibility to single-handedly heal another person. Alternatively, you or your person may have other things going on, and you’re too overwhelmed to handle a new relationship right now.

If you are in a new relationship, the Ten of Wands as love outcome means one or both of you are overwhelmed by this new relationship. Perhaps you fell in love unexpectedly, and you become exclusive very fast. You or your partner could be at a point in your lives where dating isn’t really a priority. Be transparent with your person, and let them know what’s going on. Your person could be very different from your previous partners, and you might be a bit caught off guard by the adjustments you have to make. If your person is the one who seems overwhelmed, listen to what they have to say, and try to be understanding.

If you are in an existing relationship, the Ten of Wands as love outcome means the obligations and responsibilities are starting to weigh on you. If you’ve recently moved to a higher level of commitment or had kids, you could feel overwhelmed. Alternatively, one of you could feel resentful because they feel the other half isn’t contributing as much to the obligations. If you haven’t moved to a higher level of commitment recently, this could indicate feeling unready for that. Your person could be nervous because they take commitments very seriously. Have a talk.

If you are currently in separation with each other, the Ten of Wands as love outcome means your situation is turning into a burden for them. If you are separated by distance, your person feels pressured by the need to relocate and travel. Especially since this card is associated with the Moon in Sagittarius energy, intercultural and religious considerations could be weighing on your person’s mind heavily. Your person could feel guilty about leaving behind responsibilities or relatives in their hometown or home country. If you’re inquiring about an ex, the separation weighs heavily on their hearts and they can’t let you go. However, they’re reluctant to reconcile as they realize being with you comes with obligations and responsibilities they may not be ready to take.

Reversed Ten of Wands as Love Outcome

If you are asking about what is the outcome of a relationship, and you draw the Ten of Wands reversed, that means that you and your person could be letting go of burdens. This could mean having a serious talk about how realistic your expectations are for the future. You could decide to take your relationship slow. There could be compromises to give each other time to prepare for a higher level of commitment. You’re working together to carry the burden as a team.

The Ten of Wands reversed as love outcome is a sign of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. The 10 cards in the Tarot usually symbolize completion. You might find that things are finally looking up after a major life-changing event in your lives. If one or both of you feel like you are too busy to have time to tend to this relationship, soon you’ll have that time. If anything’s been bothering you, an honest heart-to-heart conversation might shed light on what needs to be done to make a situation less burdensome for you both. This is a relationship where problems are dealt with together, and responsibilities are shared.

If you are wondering about a potential relationship, the Ten of Wands reversed as love outcome means you can have a relatively carefree relationship. However, there are certain things that need to be addressed before you can have your peace. These could be things like having an open and frank discussion on what you expect out of this relationship. Small things that, when addressed early on the relationship, can guarantee smoother sailing. However, if you ignore these things, they can interfere with your peace of mind and burden you in the long run. Don’t hide anything from each other, just be yourself, and enjoy the ride.

If you are in a new relationship, the Ten of Wands reversed as love outcome means one or both of you could have just gotten out of a heavy situation. This could be a bad break up or a divorce after a long-term marriage. Drawing this card could also indicate sharing burdens and secrets early on in the relationship. This card is astrologically associated with the karmic planet Saturn and philosophical Sagittarius. You and your person feel a sense of familiarity with one another due to a past life connection. However, note that this could also hint at a karmic relationship where you’re meant to unload karma or learn a karmic lesson. 

If you are in an existing relationship, the Ten of Wands reversed as love outcome means either: easing burdens or internalizing burdens. If the latter is the case, and you’re internalizing burdens, this card asks you to unload those burdens. It doesn’t have to be with your partner, you could speak to a therapist or trusted friends and family. Alternatively, it could mean that things are improving in your relationship. Being with your partner could have lessened your burdens now that you’ve got someone to share life’s challenges with. Or, previous issues in your relationship are healing. Either way, it’s great news.

If you are currently in separation with each other, the Ten of Wands reversed as love outcome means letting go of burdens. If you’re separated by distance, this could indicate your person taking it easy. They’re not going to break their back trying to make the logistics of this long-distance relationship work. With Sagittarius’ influence, your person could’ve let the Universe and Divine Timing take the lead. If you’re inquiring about an ex, your ex is ready to do the selfless thing: let you go and be happy elsewhere. If you’re still interested in reconciling with them, they might need some convincing.

Conclusion

For love readings, the Ten of Wands represents burdens and obligations. This can be viewed both positively and negatively, depending on the context. Too much can weigh us down. But without any duty, we are not tightly bound to the people we love. The Ten of Wands reminds us that there is good and bad in the baggage we carry. Ultimately, we have to judge whether or not it is for our own greater good. 

If you find yourself needing further clarity in your relationship matters that go beyond reading for yourself, Sibyl offers unlimited tarot readings on love & relationships, as a neutral and objective third party.