Tarot Cards – the Minor Arcana – The fives
The cards of the Minor Arcana focus the energies highlighted by those of the Major Arcana and make them pertinent to our lives. When looking for meanings in the cards of the Minor Arcana, it is helpful to have an understanding of the numbers that rule the various suits.
Five is an important number within the Tarot. It signifies a desire for rebellion and change, regardless of the consequences. Often, the fives represent a battle within; the desire to break free of old habits and to progress in a new direction. However, there must be consequences for every decision we make and choices made under the fives are often accompanied with difficult times. Yet, for the most part, these consequences will eventually transform into something positive.
● The Five of Wands often signifies direct competition with another person in your life. Often, this will result in arguments and strong differences of opinion, but these in themselves are a way of engineering change. And do not be misled into thinking that you are the person effecting that change; if you listen carefully, you may find that the change is within yourself.
● The Five of Coins points at financial, spiritual or emotional hardship. You may find you are going to enter a period of personal, financial austerity or event hat you are experiencing feelings of low self-esteem or self-confidence. The test here is to have faith that your situation will be resolved, as long as you are prepared to put the work in.
●The Five of Swords teaches us about failure. It may be that you have tried to implement certain plans or have set yourself a particular goal that you will have problems attaining. This card suggests that there is something to be learned from failure; that we may want to set ourselves more realistic aims or that we have to take a tumble in order to let go of our pride.
● The Five of Cups is the card most obviously associated with change. It usually represents the end or the absence of something; perhaps the break-up of a relationship or the end of a period of affluence. The Cups remind us to focus on what we do have, rather than what we don’t and to move through sadness into contemplation.