This week I'll discuss the Fives of the tarot minor arcana.
Following the peaceful interlude of the Fours, the Fives herald a period of change, movement, shifting energies and possible loss. There is pain and sorrow. Conflict and anger. Yet within each of the Fives, there is also a message about finding a path forward.
The Five of Pentacles represents worry and insecurity. Financial loss, illness, homelessness threaten to overturn one's life. The traditional image is a scene of poverty and despair; a person or family has suffered a devastating reversal of fortune. Cold, hungry, injured they wander, full of need and seemingly without the means to sustain life. Yet not far away, hope and help beckon from a glowing window, often that of a church. The solace they seek is available, if they raise their eyes and are willing to reach out for it.
Reversed, this card indicates a change for the better. Things are looking a bit brighter; your situation probably didn't fall to pieces overnight, and the recovery will likely take time as well. But the break you've been hoping for is on the way.
The Five of Swords usually depicts what appears to be the end of a duel. One combatant leaves the scene defeated, while another holds two or three swords as the rest lay on the ground before him. This card can indicate a serious loss by theft, or a crushing defeat. What's interesting is that nobody in the image appears to be injured; the person who has suffered loss is clearly unhappy, possibly humiliated, but remains able to stand upright and walk away. They live to fight again some other time.
Alternatively, this card can be interpreted as taking back what is rightfully yours; the person in front has acted to reclaim what was taken from them.
In the reverse position this card is urging you to let go of long-standing resentments and bitterness over the past. There comes a time when such feelings, justified though they may be, become a weight and a burden which can only impede your progress in life.
The Five of Wands represents competition and possible frustration; the usual illustration depicts a group of young men engaged in a lot of stick-waving and trash-talking. Shouting at the same time, nobody is really being heard and nobody is especially interested in listening. The combatants appear to be equally armed and equally determined to not give an inch. Who will emerge the victor is unclear at the moment; likely it'll be the one who is best prepared for the struggle and has perhaps been anticipating this situation. If it's realistic to believe that that person is you, persevere even if it appears that the odds are against you.
In the reverse position the message is to remove yourself from this struggle. It's a waste of time and energy that would be better spent elsewhere. Sometimes the stress and drama simply aren't worth it, and this is one of those times.
The Five of Cups is about the pain of a lost relationship. A grieving person sits wrapped in their sorrow; three overturned, empty cups lay in front of them. Perhaps a lifelong friendship has come to an end. Maybe a love relationship has irrevocably broken. Whatever it is, it hurts deeply. To the point that it's become difficult to think about anything else. Yet beyond the overwhelming sadness stand two more cups, full to the brim. When the person is ready to process their disappointment and move on, those cups filled with joy will be there, waiting to be noticed and claimed.
Reversed, the message is one of healing from the hurts and disappointments of the past in order to be free and fully able to embrace the possibilities of the present. The filled cups are seen and taken up.
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Thank you for reading. This is an open thread, all topics are welcome.