The Five of Wands Tarot Card: A Guide to This Challenging Card

The Five of Wands is the ‘Hunger Games’ of Tarot. If this Minor Arcana card appears in your Tarot reading, prepare for some stiff competition.

Disagreements and discord reign when this card is in the mix. However, the outcome doesn’t have to be all bad. If you’re willing to hold your position while working through the challenges presented by the drama, you’ll come out on top.

The question is, do you have what it takes to ride the wave to the finish line? Without further ado, let’s explore the Five of Wands Tarot card meanings.

FIVE OF WANDS Keywords

Before diving deeper into the upright- and reversed Five of Wands card meaning and its connection to love, work, and life, first a quick overview of the most important words connected to this Wands card.

What Does the Five of Wands Mean in Tarot?

The Five of Wands signifies conflict, competition, or challenges. It suggests a period of tension or disagreement where different energies or perspectives clash. It’s not necessarily a negative card, though—it can also represent a healthy competition that pushes everyone involved to improve.

In relationships or projects, it might indicate a need for open communication to resolve conflicts and find common ground.

Five of Wands Tarot Card Description

The image on the face of the Five of Wands is one of the most straightforward in the Wands Tarot cards. Although there is always room for interpretation, the five men depicted on the card are obviously in conflict.

Their raised wands are not being used as weapons but are stopping them from moving forward as they clash with one another.

Their aggression is bringing trouble, but no one seems willing to compromise. Is this a good thing? After all, only a battle brings forth a victor.

Look to the other cards in your reading to decide if this is a case of healthy competition or something that will bring about a setback.

Now, let’s explore the potential meanings of the Five of Wands card.

Upright Five of Wands Tarot Card Meaning

The Suit of Wands is representative of the fire signs in Astrology, so it’s no surprise that the Five of Wands symbolizes passionate struggles and firey conflicts.

When this card appears upright in a reading, it calls attention to disharmony in your life. You may be engaged in mental or physical warfare with those around you.

This condition brings up feelings of contempt and anger in all those involved in the fighting. Although there is always a way to resolve the issue, no one is interested in doing so.

If this resonates with you, you must dig deep within to find a way to bring peace once again to your inner circle. It’s important to remember that constant arguing doesn’t solve issues; rather, it only adds anxiety and discord to your life and the lives of those you care about.

Upright Five of Wands Tarot Card Love Meaning 

Regarding your love life, the Five of Wands suggests trouble in paradise, personal struggle, or clashing personalities. If you’re single, you might be finding it hard to stand out or see yourself in competition with others for the same potential partner.

Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be this way. By tapping into your authentic self and refusing to compete with others, you’ll find the person who is good for you. Playing, aggressive behavior, and fighting won’t help you win the person over.

If you’re in a relationship, a lot of times, the trouble is being caused not by you or your partner but by those on the outside wanting to interfere.

This card in the upright position can also predict issues with jealousy and insecurity. In some instances, your partner might even become your rival and create conflict.

Upright Five of Wands Tarot Card Career and Money Meaning

The Five of Wands upright in a career context is notorious for representing workplace strife. Are you at odds with co-workers or your boss? Are there lots of different opinions on the direction you should take moving forward? Now is a chance to show your skills.

What do you bring to the table? Don’t be afraid to present your ideas about a very important project confidently. Even if everyone doesn’t agree, giving your all guarantees success, even if the outcome isn’t 100% what you want. 

When it comes to finances, the Five of Wands card denotes temporary personal financial stress and issues. You can rest easy knowing that these problems won’t last forever.

Focus your energy on coming up with solutions rather than dwelling on the position the finances have placed you in. You will overcome this with time. 

Upright Five of Wands Tarot Card Health Meaning

When the Five of Wands appears in a health spread, the health Tarot reading indicates you will be battling or fighting off an illness.

It could also serve as a warning that you need to take time for yourself to relax and decompress.

If you’re taking on too many projects at once and it’s overwhelming you, take a step back. If you continue to spread yourself too thin, you might have a battle with a health issue like high blood pressure in the future.

Setting aside some time to recharge your batteries can protect against this.  Are you caught up in negative thoughts and emotions? If so, this could be manifesting physically.

If you want to improve in this area, find ways to reduce stress and embrace gratitude and positivity. This is easier said than done when chaos is present, but by focusing on all of the good, you’ll be able to drown out the negative.

Reversed Five of Wands Tarot Card Meaning

The Five of Wands reversed has a unique message. It’s one of the few Tarot cards that holds a more positive meaning when drawn upside down. 

At this point, you may be exhausted, especially if you feel as if the conflicts you’re facing at work or home will never end.

The Reversed Five of Wands Tarot description suggests that whatever struggles you have been going through, internal or otherwise, will soon be solved. If you have competed with others, a resolution will quickly present itself. 

If the Five of Wands Reversed is drawn in the reversed position, it predicts conflicts and battles that will quickly come to an end if you compromise.

What do you want most? If it’s peace and harmony, you may have to consider losing the battle to win the war.

Reversed Five of Wands Tarot Card Love Meaning

How you handle conflicts can impact your love life, whether you’re single or coupled up. If you’re in a relationship, make sure you’re not keeping your frustrations bottled up to avoid conflict.

Open communication is key to a healthy partnership, especially if you’re in a fiery relationship. Remember, it’s okay to have needs, and expressing them doesn’t make you any less lovable. If you’ve been honest with your partner, you might see misunderstandings fading away.

Clear and open communication can turn arguments into vanished clouds. And if you’re flying solo, don’t forget to apply these principles to your relationship with yourself—it’s just as important!

Reversed Five of Wands Tarot Card Career and Money Meaning

Career-wise, a reversed Five of Wands depicts the end of recent work conflicts and competition. It could be that you’re transitioning to a less competitive industry, or the work environment is becoming more friendly.

Either way, the career meaning of this card is associated with positive change.

In terms of finances, the Five of Wands reversed holds two possible meanings. The context of the card’s appearance is crucial in determining which applies to you.

If surrounded by supportive cards, this reversed card suggests relief from financial instability—a victorious moment in your battle against monetary challenges.

Your financial state will change for the better!

However, without supportive cards, it warns of a potential escalation in money conflicts with loved ones. In this case, debates about finances will likely intensify and persist.

Reversed Five of Wands Tarot Card Health Meaning

In health readings, this Minor Arcana card suggests a welcome relief from physical or mental strain. Recent health challenges or conflicts may be subsiding, allowing for a period of healing and recovery.

It could indicate that you’re finding better ways to manage stress or conflicts that impact your well-being. Embrace this positive shift and use it as an opportunity to focus on self-care and maintaining a harmonious balance in your health and daily life.

Remember, it’s okay to prioritize your well-being and seek support if needed.

Important Five of Wands Tarot Card Combinations

The Five of Wands stands for competition, disagreements, and challenges. However, when combined with other cards, this meaning can slightly change. Below, you can find the most important card combinations.

Five of Wands and the Emperor

The Five of Wands combined with the Emperor indicates that someone is challenging authority or those in decision-making positions. Is it you?

Whether you’re the rebel or the one facing the opposition, you must decide if you will hold your stance or cooperate. What is at stake here? You should consider each path carefully before you make a choice.

Five of Wands and the Three of Cups

The Five of Wands, together with the Three of Cups, serves as a reminder that although friendly competition is healthy, in excess, it can lead to unnecessary drama and confusion. So, don’t be jealous of other people. Instead, focus on your success.

Five of Wands and the High Priestess

Together with the High Priestess, the Five of Wands suggest the conflict is internal, and therefore, personal reflection and growth are in order.

Are there things about yourself or your situation that you’re unhappy about? Getting in touch with your authentic self and trusting your intuition will change your circumstances for the better.

Five of Wands and the Wheel of Fortune

The card combination with the Wheel of Fortune tells you that now is the time to embrace your uniqueness and find ways to stand out from the crowd.

If you want a promotion, try to start a business, or take any part of your life to the next level, you’ll have to showcase what sets you apart.

This doesn’t mean changing yourself but instead highlighting the positive parts of you that make you (or your business) special.

Five of Wands and the Hanged Man

Are you feeling left out or ‘out of the loop’? When paired with the Five of Wands, the Hanged Man suggests isolation that isn’t of your own doing.

The key here is not to let what feels like rejection from others affect your well-being. It could be that their distancing isn’t personal.

To see if this is the case, try taking the first step and reaching out. If the rejection is a reality, accept your feelings and try to strengthen other connections that will help you feel whole again.

Five of Wands and Ace of Pentacles

The Five of Wands, together with the Ace of Pentacles, indicates a job interview is in your future. For those who are unemployed, the end of your struggle is near.

If you hold a position that you’re not happy in, now is the time to branch out. Take the leap and go after your dream job – you have a great chance of landing it if you do it now.

Five of Wands and Seven of Cups

When the Five of Wands and the Seven of Cups appear alongside one another in a spread, it serves as a warning against wasting time. If you have a project that you have been putting off, now is the time to stop procrastinating.

Gather all your energy and focus it on getting things done. The fulfillment and joy that will result will make it well worth it!

Is Five of Wands a Yes or No Card?

The Five of Wands in Tarot is more about conflict, competition, and challenges rather than a straightforward answer. It suggests that there may be some obstacles or disagreements to navigate. So, if you’re asking a yes or no question, pulling this card in a Tarot spread might indicate that there could be some complications or conflicting factors involved.

Five of Wands Tarot Meaning: Conclusion

That’s all for the Five of Wands Tarot card meanings! If you have pulled this Minor Arcana card in your Tarot spread, did the meaning make sense to your situation in life?

Drop a comment below, and let’s chat about Tarot!