Unpacking the Five of Wands

Unpacking the Five of Wands

I do a lot of livestream readings on Facebook. On Friday I do the Friday Weekly Wrap-up. I pull a single card for the collective, and then individual cards for those who make a request. The goal is to use a card to reflect on the week; to discover what we learned, what we did, and how we will move forward.

Even though I shuffle between each card I pull, I find that very often a particular card comes up a lot. This Friday the Five of Wands was the card for the collective, and then came up quite a few more times for individuals.

Then, in subsequent private readings later in the day, the Five of Wands appeared again.

It seems that the Five of Wands is describing an energy many of us are feeling right now.

A typical keyword for the Five of Wands is ‘conflict’. Yet, there is so much more to unpack in this card.

Let us start with the number Five. I see the number Four as the ‘comfort zone’, and the number Six as ‘Victory’. Therefore, Five is that place of expansion out of the comfort zone yet before we have secured our victory. By nature, Five is an uncomfortable place to be.

Now, let us look at the suit of Wands. Wands, of course, relate to the element of Fire. Fire is our motivation, our passion, our creativity, our anger, our humor, our vitality, and our spirituality.

When we add the expansive nature of Five to the fiery nature of Wands, we see great potential for an explosion. Whether that is an explosion of anger or creative inspiration depends on the individual circumstances.

The classic Waite-Smith image often makes the rounds on social media with the caption “Stupid Tent”.

The card shows an image of five people, each with a wand. They might be fighting. They might be playing. They might be dancing. Or, indeed, they might be building something or struggling to set up a tent.

Sometimes when this card appears, I like to ask my client what they think the people in the Five of Wands are doing. Whatever activity they see in the card is the activity they need to be doing. Perhaps they need to fight for what they want. Perhaps they need to dance more, to bring more joy into their lives. Perhaps they need to focus on building something. Perhaps they need to be more playful.

I think sometimes tarotists see the conflict inherent in this card and don’t bother to dig more deeply.

Sometimes, this card really is about conflict. That might be internal conflict, as in decision-making. It might be conflict going on around the querent. It also might be a conflict between the querent and someone else.

When reversed or ill-dignified, it can sometimes be about people who are unwilling to take a stand. That is, those who are conflict-averse to their own detriment.

Yet, this card can also be about creative collaboration, and the tension inherent in that process. This card can be about taking a creative risk in order to build something bigger and better than before. This card can be about the motivation it takes to push for success, and the anxiety that happens along the way.

Why is the Five of Wands appearing so often right now? Certainly, there is a great deal of conflict happening on the planet at the moment. Yet, within the Five of Wands is the journey toward success, both personal and planetary.

The Five of Wands reminds us that things are uncomfortable right now. Yet, with creative solutions and good collaboration we can, as individuals, as communities, and as a planet, build something wonderful.

The Five of Wands also reminds us that nothing wonderful happens without the willingness to incur a modicum of risk.

When Numbers Repeat in a Tarot Spread

When Numbers Repeat in a Tarot Spread

I recently received an email from a tarot student asking me to comment on a spread he had performed for himself.

In a fifteen-card spread, all four Aces had appeared, as well as the Magician. Though himself a competent reader, he was wondering what my take was on this rare occurrence. I shared my thoughts with him and got his permission to expand on that theme in a blog post.

Rather than addressing only his particular situation, I would like to comment more comprehensively on ways to interpret multiples of number and rank in a tarot spread.

First, when more than one of the same number or rank appear in a tarot spread, it is something to pay attention to. Your interpretation of this phenomenon will generally be in addition to your interpretation of the individual cards. Read it as an extra message.

If there are two of the same number, you can often make a comparison between the two cards. Are they similar or starkly different? For example, if the Ten of Swords and the Ten of Cups show up in the same spread, you are going to want to spend some time figuring out what that means. That message will be substantially different than if the Ten of Pentacles and the Ten of Cups show up together. Two similar cards of the same number will strengthen each other. Two opposite cards of the same number may present a choice, or a progression from one to the other. They may be about switching between two different perspectives. They may describe two radically different aspects of life happening at the same time; a dichotomy of significance.

When paying attention to trends in numbers and rank, the positions the cards fall in, or the specific questions asked, may or may not be a consideration as you interpret the meanings of those numeric trends.

When three of the same Minor Arcana number or rank appear, think about the fourth card that is missing from the set. What is the significance of that particular card missing? What is the message of that predominant number or rank?

When all four of a Minor Arcana number or rank appear, interpret the number itself as a specific and strong message in a reading. This message is made stronger when the corresponding Major Arcana One through Nine also appears.

The message is made stronger still when other Major Arcana cards that break down to the same number are also present. So, for example, the Magician strengthens the four Aces. The Wheel of Fortune and the Sun, also One cards, would make that message stronger still.

To interpret the value of the number or rank, you have to have a clear sense of keywords and interpretations for the numbers and ranks. If you don’t already have this, it makes sense to develop it. This will help you not only when multiples appear, but also in your interpretation and understanding of the cards in general.

For example, for my friend who received five Ones, I suggested that he should remember to be his authentic self. He needed to look for the source or origin of things. He should consider things from their simplest and most obvious perspective. He already knew that the Ones meant it was an important time for new beginnings. I suggested, as well, that the singular thing he was looking for would be found.

If the multiples you are experiencing are from the Court, you might consider that as an indicator of many people in the situation. Yet, each Court rank has specific keywords, just as numbers do. It’s possible that multiple Pages might speak of communication or education, for example.

If you work with a system that assigns numeric value to the Court Cards (typically either Page-One, Knight-Two, and so forth, or Page-Two, Knight-Three, and so forth) you can look at the corresponding Major Arcana cards as well.

Some people associate the Empress with Queens and the Emperor with Kings, and so a spread with Empress and Queens, or Emperor and Kings, would be considered a strong message.

A great tarot reading derives its depth not only from the cards that appear, but also from the trends of distribution that appear in the cards.

Paying attention to multiples in number and rank is a tarot skill that adds a great deal of meaning an insight into any reading that auspiciously contains such a trend.

The Numbers of Tarot: An Exercise

Recently, a few people have asked me how the numbers of tarot work.

Each tarot reader approaches card interpretation with their own system, and their own set of key words and symbolic meanings for the cards. Sometimes, new students are frustrated in their efforts to learn tarot until they find the right approach.

For many tarotists, regardless of deck or tradition preferences, the number associated with each tarot card is extremely significant.

Although many of us agree that the number of the card is a clue to its interpretation, few of us agree on what those numbers might mean. Even more complex is the jump from traditional forms of numerology to tarot numeric interpretation. While schools of thought agree on key words for early numbers such as 1 and 2, by the time we get to 5, 6 and 7 our understanding of the divinatory values of the numbers vary widely.

The efficacy of any divinatory tool is not threatened by divergent opinions about individual interpretations. Rather, each of us must make a journey of discovery as we come to understand which key words and interpretations make sense for our vocabulary.

If you would like to utilize the numbers in tarot more thoroughly, or if you wonder if numbers might be a gateway of understanding into tarot for you, here is an exercise to try.

First, separate out your forty Minor Arcana pips, and sort them by number. This way, you can look at all four Aces, and all four Twos, and so on.

Think about what each set of four same-numbered cards have in common. How are those qualities related to the number? How do the card images depict the energy of that number? How does the element of each suit influence the energy of that number, and how does that combination of element and number create the unique card meaning for each card?

Then, write a list of key words for your tarot numbers 1-10. One thing that is different between tarot numerology and traditional numerology is that, in tarot, we must honor the idea that 10 is a unique energy, different than 1, but also similar. I think of 10 as the “higher vibration” of the 1 energy.

Now it’s time to see how your ideas about the numbers work in the Major Arcana. You can separate your Major Arcana cards into the number groups as well. The only card that will not have a place in a number group is the Fool.

The first nine numbered Major Arcana cards, therefore, can correlate with your Minor Arcana cards One through Nine. Think about the ways the Magician is like an Ace, for instance. What does the High Priestess have in common with the four Twos?

Once you have worked through all nine numbers, look at the Wheel Fortune and the four Tens. What do these cards tell you about each other?

You can sort Major Arcana cards Eleven through Twenty-One by adding the two digits of each number together to get a one-digit number.  You’ll discover some interesting connections between same-numbered Major Arcana cards. For instance, consider the similarities between card Two, the High Priestess, and card Eleven, Justice. Card Six, the Lovers, shares the Adam and Eve characters with the same-numbered Devil, card Fifteen, in the Waite-Smith deck.

Finally, you can look for correlations between Major Arcana cards and Minor Arcana cards, based on their number in common.

You may or may not find that your key words for the numbers are a consistent fit throughout the Major Arcana. As with all tarot study, sometimes the value of the exercise is in the ability to compare and contrast, and to more narrowly define your own understanding of the cards, and of the components that give the cards their meaning.

Having a good understanding of the tarot numbers is particularly helpful when more than one card of the same number appear in a spread. You can use your key words for that number to give additional information in the reading.

Having key words memorized for the tarot numbers will help you give quick, rudimentary interpretations for the Minor Arcana cards, even when you are working with an unfamiliar deck.

How much weight you give numbers in your tarot interpretations will depend on your personal reading style. Taking time to contemplate the numbers of tarot will help you develop your tarot reading style.

Four, Five, Six: More Minor Arcana Exercises

Here is a follow-up to my One, Two, Three Minor Arcana Tarot Exercises. I will be teaching this topic this week, and expect it to help my group really understand the Minor Arcana, and the ways in which the number values and elements combine to provide the card interpretation.

Like the first set of exercises, I think these will work equally well for the individual, as journaling prompts.

I would love to hear your experiences with these exercises!

Take the Four, Five and Six from each suit, and arrange the twelve cards in a grid.

Answer the following questions.

Fours:

What do the four Fours have in common?

In what ways are they different?

What is the energy of “Four”?

How do the four elements (suits) influence the Four energy?

Fives:

What do the four Fives have in common?

In what ways are they different?

What is the energy of “Five”?

How do the four elements (suits) influence the Five energy?

Sixes:

What do the four Sixes have in common?

In what ways are they different?

What is the energy of “Six”?

How do the four elements (suits) influence the Six energy?

Stories:

Now look at the cards in numeric sequence.

What story do you see in the Four-Five-Six progression of each suit?

Do any of those stories reflect stories in your own life?

What happens if you tell the stories starting with Six and ending with Four?

Readings:

Shuffle the four Fours, and choose one at random. Let this card answer the question: How do I find comfort and stability?
Look at the card you received, and ask yourself this question. Does this energy really support you, or are you there out of fear?
 

Shuffle the four Fives, and choose one a random. Let this card answer the question: What is the struggle or conflict in my life at this time?
Look at the card you received, and ask yourself this question. How does this struggle serve me, and where is it taking me?

Shuffle the four Sixes, and choose one a random. Let this card answer the question: What victory am I achieving?
Look at the card you received, and ask yourself these questions. How does fear play a role in your journey to accomplish your achievements? What comforts have you had to sacrifice?

What story of your life is told when you put these three cards together?