The Archetype and The Tarot: The Slave and Page of Wands
Through the Slave and Page of Wands, this week we’re being called to confront our feelings about powerlessness. Can we let our passions guide us to a place of surrender?
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The Slave Archetype
The Slave is one of the archetypes that most clearly demonstrates the polarities of power and powerlessness. The Slave calls us to admit to what we’re powerless against in our lives. This might be overt systems of oppression like human trafficking or other forms of bondage. Or we might be enslaved by more internal forces like our addictions, our fears, our thought patterns, etc.
It is through the Slave that we literally and metaphorically confront experiences like oppression, forced servitude, ownership, being bound, and, ultimately, the lack of the power of choice.
Given that, I have really struggled with seeing the light side of this one. I don’t feel it’s my place to slap a coat of sunshine over someone else’s horrific experience or minimize their suffering by reframing it as beneficial. So, for this post, I have chosen to look at the Slave only in terms of the sort of slavery we do to ourselves.
The card for this archetype in the Caroline Myss deck describes the light side of the Slave as having the ability to surrender one’s power of choice to the Divine with complete trust. In having the willingness—consciously making the choice—to give up one’s power of choice for the greater good, the Slave in the light paradoxically retains their autonomy.
Another aspect of the Slave in the light brings to mind a story about my sister. She recently told me that she really enjoys flying commercially because, and I quote, “I find it so relaxing.” We were on the phone when she said this and I’m pretty sure I went silent, dumbfounded, for several minutes. As someone who really dislikes the experience of being packed into a tiny space with other humans, I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what she found relaxing about it.
I believe I said, “Uh, what?”
She answered, “Yeah. Once I’m on the plane and in my seat, everything that happens from that point forward is beyond my control. None of the decisions are up to me. It’s a total moment of surrender. And that feels really relaxing to me.”
Whether we are surrendering to Divinity and the greater good, or relaxing into the acceptance of powerlessness, the Slave in the light can help us find this profound level of freedom.
In the shadow, the Slave gives up their power of choice in situations when it is either not necessary or not for the greater good. This one calls us to check our motivations. Are we giving up our power of choice out of a fear or aversion of taking responsibility? As another example, would we rather be enslaved by resentment than leave a toxic situation although it would be safe to do so? The shadow Slave continues to remain oppressed even when life offers an opportunity to get out of it.
Some questions to consider this week:
What fears, thought forms or other patterns are you enslaved by?
How can you make a practice of consciously recognizing your power of choice?
In what situations would you prefer to feel responsible? And in what situations would you prefer to give up responsibility?
What does freedom mean to you?
Page of Wands
Here we see a figure draped in golden garments while gazing intently at a large wand. In the background is a desert scene with three pyramids beneath a pure blue sky. The figure in this card is the Page of Wands.
If we look at the whole suit of wands as a story, it begins with the Ace which is the arrival of the gift of the suit. In this case, it’s the wand. Just like a magic wand, this is the tool that connects us to Spirit. It brings Spirit into us, fueling our enthusiasm and passions. And it also brings Spirit through us, resulting in transformational experiences.
In cards two through seven, we experience this wand energy in a literal, external way. Then in the eighth card, the experience shifts to an inner one. (See this post on Meaning for a brief rundown on these levels of experience.)
Once we reach the court cards, we’re in the realm of symbolic sight. We’ve mastered the literal and inner levels of experience with a suit and can now interact with its deeper meanings.
The Page is awakening, blossoming to this symbolic sight. As the Page of Wands gazes deeply at their wand, they are seeing something about it they hadn’t seen before. They are awakening to the understanding that our passions point us to something deeper; that they connect us to something larger.
Like an illuminating torch, the wand shows us this bigger picture of our passions. The Page here tells us that we are awakening to this insight.
What is the bigger, zoomed out, picture of our passions? What do they connect us to?
How does this pair work together?
What I see here is the Slave and Page of Wands standing face to face, the wand crackling with energy between them. As sparks fly from the wand, a realization dawns—the difference between being a captive OF something and being captivated BY something is not just a matter of semantics, but a profound shift in perspective.
This is the call this week: what can we allow ourselves to be utterly captivated by? Can we lose ourselves and surrender to the wonder of the web of life around us?
Whew! When I drew the Slave, I thought we’d be going some place dark and heavy this week. I can’t tell you how relieved I am that the paired vision is instead drawing us towards fascination. Yay! Hit reply, send me a DM, or leave a comment to let me know how you do with being captivated this week. 💖
Hi Jenna, Emily again,
I can really identify with what captures and captivates us. I have a long list of what has captured me over the years and some stories about freedom from those particular bonds. When I think about what captivates me, I think about longing (or, I think, what you call here passion). I used to believe that longing would get in the way at best and be dangerous at worst. However, now I look at my longings and desires as the source of wisdom, places of transformation, and the root of myself. I like the word "captivate" in this conversation, and will ponder it as it comes up around my desires. Thank you again for this!
Oooof this is giving me a lot of food for thought and is definitely one I’ll need to sit with and integrate this week…
The Slave is giving me Devil vibes and is leading me into thinking about how I have a tendency to be tethered to my thoughts and almost drown myself in them, but in an addictive “can’t stop myself” way.
However I’ve also been pulling the Page of Wands so much lately (at least once a week!) so this is also a beautiful reflection for me and I love your interpretation of it.
I think this card brings such a lightness to all of this, and the idea of being captivated by something, rather than absorbed into it or tethered by/to it, feels so freeing.
Thank you 🤍