The Five of Wands comes after the stability and celebration of the four in the Suit of Wands. This card can show a group of young men fighting while using five sticks, or wands, as weapons. It appears as if it is more of a play-fighting scene than a real fray. There is the moment where there is competition to beat, and there may be fighting amongst co-workers or business partners regarding decisions about the business. Because this follows the firm foundations of the four, it can be doubly shocking to undergo this kind of disruption.
Especially since there was supposed to be such an amazing future ahead. The fives of the Minor Arcana suits imply disruption of some sort that comes about through petty arguments between members of an artistic collective or business partnership since the Suit of Wands is arts and career aspirations. There is definitely upsetting news and unpredictability in fives, and although change is said to be good, it is not necessarily good for all of the involved parties.
When more than one five appears in the same spread, there is more information available to the querent. Pairs of fives surface as outer forces or outside parties setting things in motion to create change that causes turmoil for those in competitive industries or careers while three fives warns of loss, tragedy, or accidents that cause tremendous change for the querent and the future of the business. Having four fives in a spread heralds bad luck and goals and guidelines falling apart, which is very appropriate if it occurs here, considering the stability of the Four of Wands. The Five of Wands may show a difference in professional objectives in a partnership or bad decisions in business when shown in this context.
The Five of Wands in an Upright Position
The upright positioning of the Five of Wands augurs competition between colleagues and co-workers as well as competing businesses. There could be an instance where harsh words are exchanged or there are disagreements. There is a definite feeling that taking charge will help to remedy things. There have been resentments brewing for quite sometime, and there comes a point when people are no longer willing to hold their tongues. The upright Five of Wands also show debate occurring between co-workers and partners. This may be so due to the excess energy floating around or there may be jealousy among the members of a group or company where one person seems to be favoured and is seen as having more opportunity than others. The arguments are quite petty here, and the parties will realize their foolishness; both parties will apologize and back away after they’ve had a chance to get everything out in the open. The Five of Wands can also signify a meeting place such as a bar, restaurant, or other social place for discussing work matters in a casual (or more formal, depending on the venue) manner. There may be a staff meeting that provides a platform for this mild conflict, and hopefully, things are resolved without too many sore egos.
The meaning of all Minor Arcana cards can be modified by the cards that surround it. Court cards from the Minor Arcana (Pages, Knights, Queens, and Kings) all represent people. They have corresponding physical characteristics as well as their own astrological correspondences. The Five of Wands is about disruption and delay as well as mundane matters causing arguments between people in the workplace. The court cards surrounding this will determine who the quarrels are taking place with as well as those who have defended your name. The interpretation can be further expanded with the reading of the Major Arcana cards around it. The Death or Tower cards foretell an argument that cannot be remedied where things were said that cannot be taken back, and the Hermit suggests that going after one’s goals alone is better than doing it with a cranky partner who debates with the querent about every decision.
The Five of Wands in a Reversed Position
The reversed position of each card of the Minor Arcana is really as it states: an inversion of the card’s meaning. The reversal of the Five of Wands shows that the querent stands to lose their individuality as a result of all of the teamwork that has been occurring on the job. There is also a struggle seen here: struggle for a title or recognition for hard work. They may be drowning in a sea of other professionals and competing may seem futile. The aggression seen in the upright Five of Wands is exponentially worse, and people may resort to throwing punches when their verbal argument falls on deaf ears. There is an increase in severity of the conditions of the upright card in the reversed Five of Wands where a simple airing of grievances becomes an all out war, and healthy competition becomes downright cut-throat. This reversal blocks the potential for a good outcome for the conflict experienced and intensifies the negativity seen in the brawl depicted on the card.
It would be wise for the querent to lay low, keep their head down, and continue with their work, ignoring the little digs from others and plodding along without pause. This will ensure that the querent can avoid the conflict, and let others weather the storm head on. If the querent finds themselves in a position of power where confrontations are bound to occur, a diplomatic stance will work best. The reversed Five of Wands signifies utter bedlam in terms of the working environment, and a firm but fair management system will quell the unrest hat is brought to your attention and pacify those who seem to feel the need for petty and childish banter that undermines another’s ability.
Key Terms
- Competitive job climate
- Conflict amongst the team
- Arguments
- Healthy debate
- Complaints to superiors
- Harsh words
- Heated discussions
- Social issues
- Misunderstandings
- Bitter co-workers
- Envious co-workers