Cards & Conversation: Four of Wands (Reversed)
Finding stability within when the external celebration is on hold.
Welcome to Cards & Conversation, a space for personal reflection and community conversation on the intuitive side of leadership—the “gut check” we all need to stay aligned to our values.
On the Bosscraft Podcast and in the Bosscraft Community, we talk about building a practice that lasts. Usually, the Four of Wands is the “homecoming” card—the party, the launch success, the solid foundation. But what happens when that energy is flipped? Today, we’re looking at what it means when the structure feels shaky or the win doesn’t feel like the win you were aiming for. Are you building on solid ground, or is the internal “home” in need of repair?
The Card: Four of Wands (Reversed)
Take a moment to look at the card. Traditionally, it shows four upright staves garlanded with flowers, a symbol of harmony and peace. When reversed, those staves can feel like they are falling over, or perhaps the celebration is happening behind closed doors where no one can see it. What do you see? Do you see a party that was cancelled, or an intimate moment of joy that doesn’t need an audience?
I use the Vindur Tarot deck, developed by Leah Pantéa, which is now out of print, but I recommend learning a deck that strongly reflects the Rider-Waite imagery.
The anatomy of the card:
The Suit (Wands): In tarot, Wands represent the element of fire. They govern inspiration, ambition, spiritual growth, and the “spark” of your business.
The Number (Fours): Fours represent structure, foundations, and stability. It is the “square” that holds things together.
The Reversal: When reversed, the Four of Wands suggests a period of internalized transition. The stability isn’t missing; it’s just being rearranged. It often points to tension in the “home” (your core business or team) or a feeling that you can’t quite relax yet.
In the reversed position, the Four of Wands represents a lack of harmony or a delayed milestone. It’s that feeling when you hit a goal, but you’re too exhausted to celebrate. Or maybe “success” doesn’t look quite like what you imagined it would. This card reminds us that external success is hollow if the internal foundation is cracked. However, it is also a card of private victory. It calls us to find happiness within our own process, rather than waiting for external validation or a “perfect” ribbon-cutting ceremony.
For mission-driven folks, the energy of the reversed Four of Wands calls for a different kind of strength. It shows up when:
You’ve achieved the “success” people expect, but it feels disconnected from your actual mission, leaving you feeling unsettled rather than proud.
You realize the “back end” of your practice—the systems, the boundaries, or the culture—is wobbling under the weight of your recent growth.
You are doing the hard, invisible work of restructuring your life or business, and you have to learn to be your own cheerleader before the world sees the result.
You’re dealing with friction in your closest circles (partners, key team members, or clients) that is draining the energy you need for your creative work.
The Bosscraft Take: Embodying the lesson of the Four of Wands (reversed) isn’t about admitting defeat—it’s about finding your foundations. This card is an invitation to stop looking for the next big win and start looking at the health of your home base. When you are aligned with this energy, you recognize that a delayed celebration is often a blessing in disguise—it gives you time to make sure the foundation can actually hold the weight of your dreams. It’s time to stop performing "stability" and start actually building it.
The Conversation
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This week’s prompt: The Four of Wands (reversed) asks us to look at the cracks in our foundation. What is one area of your practice or life where things feel “unsteady” right now, and what is one small internal shift you can make to feel more at home in your work?
I’ll be in the comments sharing a recent “win” that actually felt like a lot of work, and how I’m trying to find the joy in the messy middle.