Suit: Suit of Wands
Card Type: Minor Arcana
Tarot Element: Fire
Star Sign: Leo
Planet: Saturn
Angel: Archangel Raphael
Key Meaning: If You Want It, Fight for It!
The Five of Wands means you should fight for what you want. Don’t be afraid to compete against others.
Number 5 Meaning In Tarot
All fives, including the Five of Cups, Five of Pentacles and Fives of Swords indicate movement and change. As wands represent action, it means you need to act in order to achieve what you want. This may mean competing with others or speaking out.
The basic idea with number five, is that change is inevitable. Life evolves and nothing stays the same. You can temporarily resist, but this just kicks the can down the road. Resistance makes eventual change more abrupt and radical, because the longer change is resisted, the more stress builds up behind it.
A to Z: List of Tarot Cards
Five of Wands Keywords
😒 Upright: Competition, winning, tension, disagreement
🥰 Reversed: Harmony, stress-released
Five of Wands Description
This description is based on the Rider Waite Tarot Deck. Five men armed with wands are fighting in what appears to be a mock battle. It is unclear if this is in sport or in earnest, but regardless, the competition is fierce. At the very least, nobody here is questioning whether this is worth the effort. Note, that the Five of Wands does not predict who will win, it simply says – if you want to win, then you have to be in. Be prepared to make an effort and get your hands dirty.
LOVE: What does The Five of Wands Mean when You Ask About Relationships?
When the 5 of Wands turns up in a love reading, the meaning will depend on whether or not you are in a relationship.
❤️ In a relationship, this card can indicate disagreements and tension. Someone needs to blow off steam, try not to take their words to heart.
❤️ Are you competing for someone’s attention? You may have to continue your efforts a while longer, and there is still no guarantee that you’ll end up with the prize.
❤️ A little harmless flirting is fun, but be careful not to go too far if you are not serious.
❤️ If you asked: how do they feel about me? This card means they see you as competitive, and someone who knows what they want. Depending on their personality, this may be a good or bad thing.
Self Development: What does This Card mean for You?
When this cards appears in a self development reading it can mean something that has gone wrong. Any problems manifesting in your world are the direct result of inner conflict and lack of direction.To fix what is happening out there in the world, you must first take responsibility for your actions. How much of an effort do you really make with life? Do you learn from your mistakes? When things go wrong, do you tend to blame others? This not the time to be ‘soft’ on yourself. Explore how you work.
CAREER: What does This Card Signify When You Ask About Work?
If your question relates to work, business, career or study and you receive the Five of Wands, then the guidance is:
⭕ Don’t be afraid to aim high and compete for what you want, be that a college course, job, promotion or prize.
⭕ Don’t allow competition to undermine your confidence. Believe in yourself and your ideas.
⭕ Careers associated with the 5 of Wands include: Attorney, lobbyist, public relations, human resources, investor, military, police, humanitarian relief efforts and journalism.
MONEY: What is the Meaning of The 5 of Wands in a Money Reading?
💲 As the number five signifies change, this card can predict changes to your financial situation. You should stay alert to money making opportunities but also to any dangers, as this could go either way.
💲 This card can often represent investing in a high risk area, such as the stock market or cryptocurrencies.
💲 If you asked about a significant purchase or sale, like a house – this card signifies interest from several parties and a potential bidding war.
💲Travel plans may be disrupted or delayed. Make sure you have a backup plan.
Tarot Card Combination Meanings
“Five of Wands combined with Ace of Cups” – A new person (lover or baby) turns your life upside down.
“Five of Wands combined with Five of Swords” – Compete for what you want, but don’t get angry.
“Five of Wands combined with The Lovers” – Make a choice or the opportunity could slip away.
HEALTH: What does The Five of Wands Mean When You Ask About Health?
The 5 of Wands can signify health problems associated with stress and burnout. Your immune system may be compromised, making you more prone to infections, colds and flus.
Health conditions associated with this card include: Infection, any inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcers and sore gums.
YES/NO: Does The Five of Wands Mean Yes or No in a Reading?
❓ When you ask a Yes or No question and the 5 of Wands turns up, then the answer is NO, unless you are prepared to do your best.
TIMING: Does The 5 of Wands Predict any Particular Timeframe?
🕔 The 5 of Wands is only a timing indication when you specifically asked a timeframe question. For example, if you want to know if something will happen, and when, then you need to draw two separate cards. These are in fact, two separate questions. This is a fundamental principle and core to my teaching in my book Tarot in 5 Minutes.
🕔 Using my timing method, the 5 of Wands is about 5 weeks. If the card is reversed, timing will be slightly longer – so up to 7 weeks.
Karina’s Timing Method:
Swords are days. Wands are weeks. Cups are months and Pentacles are years. Please note this is my personal timing method. Feel free to adopt it (or not).
What is the Meaning of The Five of Wands Reversed?
When the Five of Wands is reversed then the men lay down their wands and peace is restored.
✔️ The need to compete or struggle for what you want is over for now. Events have moved forward.
✔️ Arguments and tension dissipate. Or you manage to get your stress levels under control.
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5 of Wands Symbolism
Read Next! – Five of Wands Symbols
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Complete List: Tarot Card Meanings
Karina, author of Tarot in 5 Minutes.
