The 5 of Wands indicates competition, sparring, inner tension, arguments, conflict, blocks to creative/sexual energy and restrained passion. It is Saturn, the planet of limitations, in playful and confident Leo.
“We are never so much disposed to quarrel with others as when we are dissatisfied with ourselves.”
― William Hazlitt
While all 5s speak of conflict or hardship to a certain degree, the 5 of Wands is nowhere near as deadly as the 5 of Swords, as filled with sorrow as the 5 of Cups or as filled with physical hardship as the 5 of Pentacles. Think of the energy of the 5 of Wands as teammates on the same sports team, all aspiring for the top position or latest record.
The grace to be found in the 5 of Wands is to realise that the only person you ever need to compete against is yourself. If you are better than yesterday, you are on a winning streak. Victory and defeat both serve to make you better at the skill you are trying to hone so that you can better use it in service to all of humanity. When you are truly confident in yourself, the need to prove yourself by beating the competition ceases.
Hence, the true nature of the limitations imposed here by Saturn is a lack of confidence. Become aware of this and work on building it up the right way, which is by improving a little every day. Respect and encourage your sparring partners. We are all in this together!
“Never letting the competition define you. Instead, you have to define yourself based on a point of view you care deeply about.”
― Tom Chappel
Affirmation: “My inner standard of excellence dictates how I improve day by day.”
5 of Wands Prayer
Dear Mother-Father God, thank you for helping me dig deep to be a little bit better today than I was yesterday. Help me find good sparring partners as well as joy in the process of improving myself for the Highest good. Amen and so it is!
Correspondences for the 5 of Wands
Planet: Saturn
Zodiac Sign: Leo
Archangel: Michael, ruler of the Element of Fire
Gemstone: Golden beryl, hematite and tiger’s eye
Essential oils: Bergamot, melissa and sandalwood
The 5 of Wands in Love and Relationships
The 5 of Wands can be a sign that there is a battle of egos going on. It could show up in a reading where both partners are quite competitive and like to be on top. This doesn’t have to mean anything too sinister and, in fact, if both parties have a humorous approach and are able to laugh at themselves, this could actually be quite a fun component. It’s likely that there is a lot of sexual chemistry between these two. However, they may not be synchronised or they may have to spend time apart and sexual frustration could be an issue.
In a single person’s reading about love and romance, this 5 usually indicates a strong, non-reciprocated desire for another person. The other person could be spoken for or simply not interested. Alternatively, it can indicate that a love interest is not sure about what their needs and desires are. They could be suffering from guilt and shame around their sexuality or simply not be confident enough to pursue anybody.
The Marseille Tarot image in this post is from the CBD Tarot by Yoav Ben-Dov.
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