5 of wands

I had the funniest exchange the other day.  My client had drawn the 5 of wands,  and I went into my usual description of it - there are people,  clashing with sticks,  but it's sticks, not swords,  so it's like a game of hockey,  and if you sit on the field and huddle,  it's terrifying but if you step up and grab and stick and play,  then it's just a game. 

And she said,  a field?  Hockey's on ice.  And then we had to have a cultural exchange.  As an Australian,  we played field hockey at school.  We had these long curved sticks and ran.  Ice hockey was a derivative of field hockey.  She wasn't sure about that,  and we looked it up on our phones.

"Well, I'll be," she said. "you learn something new every day!"

Five of Wands

The 5 of wands is another card I see often describing New York situations, especially around work.  We all want the 3 of pentacles in our work space – creative, harmonious work.  But often we get the 5 of wands – people hitting at each other with sticks.  I remind my clients that life in New York City can be like a game of hockey -  loud and boisterous and sometimes, unimaginably, people will actually block your goals.

But for the most part, this is a game without malice (the malicious situations get different cards:  the 5 of swords or the 7  of swords often appear)  If you are sitting on the field without joining in, it can be frightening, everyone thundering above your head. The only way to win is to participate - get up and grab your own stick, and play along - then New York can be exhilarating. 

Five of Wands

In the Tarot, Fives represent mayhem and conflict. With the wands, at least, there is conflict, but there is also energy. This reminds me more of a group of boys bumping sticks and play fighting rather than overt malice. Some people thrive on a bit of adrenaline entering their lives. If you are one of those kinds of people, then this card means you are going to bump ideas with some folks, and jostle for position. If you are the kind of person who hates any kind of conflict, then this card is not so welcome, because conflict is coming. It’s not life threatening, but a certain push and shove, a jostling for attention is present here.



How we read that really depends on how we feel about that. I personally don’t like it when this sort of thing happens, but I know lots of people (more men, it has a kind of male energy to it) who love it, and feel clearer and stronger after a bit of rough housing. I like the bridesmaids image - which is more how females fight, and it strikes the right cord with me, this is the sort of fighting we're talking about - not bloody with enemies, but a little elbowing out of the way between friends (or frenemies...)



It’s funny as I look through the cards I realize that the inner child version is the one that comes up most in readings for me, and is more the familiar imnage. Here she is unfurling a flower, all by herself and the saying that the inner child book quotes is ‘and the day came when the risk to remain in tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom…’ and here she is, forcing herself to blossom. It’s more about an inner struggle, and it’s worth it.

I guess that’s what all the 5 of wands cards are saying – it’s a struggle but it’s worth it.