Last time we discussed the stability and
security of the Tarot’s "Four" cards. These cards
also represent a risk of becoming complacent and “hidebound” though,
so the Fives upset that stability by introducing the challenges of
strife, adversity, and change. Thus, the "Five" cards
in the Minor Arcana represent tests of our mettle, which we might
call the homework lessons of life. These cards generally seem rather
alarming when they come up in a reading because such learning opportunities
can be frightening, especially when we have taken refuge in the safety
represented by the Fours. They also present us with difficult choices,
for although we may not choose the misfortunes that befall us, we
do indeed choose how we face them and what we learn from them. So
the disruptions of the Fives are a necessary and valuable part of
our growth and evolution.
The dynamically posed men in the Five of Wands card are brandishing
staves at each other. We might wonder if they are fighting with one
another, engaged in a competitive sport, or working together to build
something. In any case, the prevailing sense is one of chaotic energies
or a conflict of wills. The challenge here is to find a way to unify
and focus those energies, to harness them in a creative way and not
let them become destructive. An opportunity in this is to learn how
to deal with our own competitive nature and to cope with interpersonal
conflicts. So this card suggests that we choose our battles with
care, but if conflict does arise, we should seek common ground and
common goals with others so that we may discover how to channel our
conflicting energies in creative and productive ways.
The Five of Cups depicts a man huddled in a dark cloak, with three
spilt cups in front of him, and two others standing upright behind
him. From this image we may infer meanings like loss, anguish, and
grief. However, it is rare in life that all is lost -- as implied
here by the two upright cups -- so this card reminds us to appreciate
what we still have, even in the midst of sorrow. It also urges us
to release what is past, since our greatest suffering often comes
from trying to hold on to things after they are gone. Although grieving
is important, we must make sure that our grief is a process of saying
good-bye, not one of denial and clinging to the past. When we allow
this process to bring us to a place of closure, we learn how to let
go and come to see when it is time to move on. |
In the Five of Swords we see the aftermath
of a fight. One individual has won and seems to be gloating, while
two others are retreating dejectedly into the background. The primary
concerns in this card include attitudes, beliefs, and communication.
Depending on which end of the sword we think we are on, we may see
either gloating or humiliation in this card, so its message goes
beyond winning or losing. It is about the insensitivity or hostility
that may contaminate our arguments, and it is about the selfishness
and duplicity with which we sometimes conduct our affairs. Arguments,
for example, are not bad in and of themselves. Rather, it is how
we engage in them that matters; it is the integrity with which we
win or lose them that counts. As Ram Dass has said, “Do whatever
you need to do, but never put someone out of your heart.”
For many people, one of the more disturbing Tarot cards is the Five
of Pentacles, with its depiction of two wretched souls trudging through
the snow past a bright stained glass window. At first glance, it
may seem that this card is merely about misfortune, poverty, or poor
health, but it has more subtle connotations as well, such as being “left
out in the cold.” Thus, we see in the Five of Pentacles the
difficulties we face when we have been rejected for being different
in some way or for opposing social conventions. Even sadder, though,
is when this card indicates doubting our own self-worth. Sometimes
we must overcome the feeling that lack and want are our lot in life.
If we assume instead that there is abundance around us (as indicated
by the opulent window in this card) and that we deserve it, then
good fortune will become apparent to us, and we will come to enjoy
and appreciate it.
 James
Ricklef is a professional Tarot reader, teacher, and writer. His
new book, “Tarot: Get the Whole Story,” explains
how to create your own spreads, and it presents a variety of spreads
which it illustrates using sample readings for well-known historical,
mythical, and fictional characters. For more information about the
author’s work, see his website: www.jamesrecklef.com |
