Sagittarius 20°-30° — the Ten of Wands
The third decan of Sagittarius runs Dec 12 - Dec 21, is ruled by Saturn under the Chaldean order, and carries the Ten of Wands — titled Lord of Oppression by the Golden Dawn.
Ten of Wands
Lord of Oppression
Upright: Burden, extra responsibility, hard work, completion
Reversed: Doing it all, carrying the burden, delegation
Full Ten of Wands meaning →Saturn in Sagittarius
Saturn in Sagittarius puts a limit on the sign that least accepts one, and the Ten of Wands, Lord of Oppression, is the result: a figure carrying ten staves bundled so awkwardly he cannot see past them. The detail that matters is that he picked them up. Saturn's contribution is that the burden is real and structural, not imagined; Sagittarius's is that it was accepted enthusiastically, one commitment at a time. This is the closing card of the fire suit and the most honest about what sustained enthusiasm costs.
Using this decan for timing
As a timing marker the Ten of Wands points at a burden with an end that the querent cannot yet see. Saturn's ten days say the load is finite; the card says it will not feel finite until it is nearly over.
Where it sits in Sagittarius
Sagittarius spans thirty degrees and divides into three decans, each with its own ruler and its own card from the Suit of Wands. This one is the closing ten degrees.
| Decan | Dates | Ruler | Card | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0°-10° | Nov 22 - Dec 1 | Mercury | Eight of Wands | Lord of Swiftness |
| 10°-20° | Dec 2 - Dec 11 | Moon | Nine of Wands | Lord of Great Strength |
| 20°-30° | Dec 12 - Dec 21 | Saturn | Ten of Wands | Lord of Oppression |
The sign as a whole is attributed to Temperance in the Major Arcana — see why Sagittarius carries that card.