A Bunch of Fives

“In uncertainty I am certain that underneath their topmost layers of frailty men want to be good and want to be loved. Indeed, most of their vices are attempted shortcuts to love.” ― John Steinbeck
The fives! And what a little pot of intrigue they are.

If tens are at the zenith on the wheel then the fives are the nadir. They represent the low point of human existence. I looked up the number in numerology and apparently it means freedom and change, adaptability and progress, hmmm, now what does that mean?!

I see the fives as a pivotal point in the progression; we have hit the staid structure of the four but we have to move along so then we bring in the lumpy, bumpy, uneven, wobbly five. It kind of throws everything up in the air in order to become the stable and fulfilling six.

Fives encourage turmoil and upset and chaos.

This is especially so if they are not supported by creativity and willpower. However, they do tell us how the wound is emerging and ultimately expressing itself. They tell us about transformation and the capacity to surpass our limitations and move beyond the triggers that throw us into the murky depths. In order to rise above the depths, the fives wish to incorporate the grace of spirit where we no longer have to be concerned with adequacies, yet we have a sense of humility with the aim that we can be taken to new paradigms of understanding.

FIVE OF PENTACLES.

On the one hand this card is about disconnection, poor health and low esteem which leads to poverty consciousness. On the other hand it is about being of service and connecting to the community in a very positive and assertive way. This card, for me, is all about finding oneself. We are isolated and abandoned, either by circumstances or by our own design, but the will to become more integrated with the self drives us on. It shows a need for comfort but human requirements and spiritual progression are misunderstood and as such do not equate with each other. There is a sense of suffering and the inner dialogue does not support a healing journey that can reassure and mend the battered spirit.

However, this five is a very real stage on the path to gnosis. It could be that a phase of throwing off the dogma of the institution is required in order to find oneself again. The way to reconnection is to become a friend to self and to explore the individual through independent thinking.

DO I RECOGNISE MY DEEPER NEEDS? CAN I STEP OUT ON MY OWN TO THE BEAT OF MY OWN DRUM?

FIVE OF SWORDS.

Now this five is about the mind and how we can use it to manipulate others or situations. It is about intimidation and the need to adopt a more positive mental approach to self especially if one has suffered at the hands of a bully or tyrant. We are asked not to do to others as we have been done to, that is to say, not to mirror the bullying.

This five is also about driving out the demons in the mind, the ego, that stops us from being creative and whole.

Why fight a battle after it has already been fought, why pursue something that maybe you are not meant to have?

Rebellion is all very well but it must serve you and not fly in the face of what you are trying to say or do. Conflict, by its very nature must be resolved. Sometimes we can walk away and forget but sometimes we have to face things within us that are not easy. It is not about blaming the other but more about looking at life choices and why we make them.

AM I FIGHTING IN AN EMPTY HOUSE? CAN I MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT CHAOS?

FIVE OF WANDS.

Here we have a challenging opportunity. The possibility to learn new skills in competition with others. Muddled thinking does not bring the answers we seek. It maybe that advice has to be ignored and we have to pursue the path of the heart even if it doesn’t sit with other people and their opinions. Own your passion.

Perhaps we sometimes serve too many masters, yet we know that we should push towards going beyond fears, limitations and doubts. Awareness, mindfulness and even willpower assist in overcoming any fear of rivalry and encourage a masterpiece in whatever shape or form that may take. Avoid resistance; evolution will not come from stasis.

WHAT AM I AFRAID OF IN ACCEPTING A CHALLENGE? DO I BELIEVE THAT I AM AS GOOD AS ANYBODY ELSE?

FIVE OF CUPS.

Sorrow, loss and regret are central to this card. Yes, all is not lost but we may not be in a place to see that. We love too much and generosity has overreached. Perhaps we could ask ourselves if that generosity is a tool for manipulation?

Something innocent has been forsaken yet it also shows that maturity is required to bring forth that inner conflict and let it be healed in the light of the sun.

It is amazing how many people who are in the care profession, charities or of service have this card. There is something about the wounded healer, a longing for spiritual wholeness, that can only be healed through working with the pain of others. Don’t waste time on seeking love with those that don’t care, instead give your love to those that deserve it.

Potential is waiting to be realised but the soul contract is to understand love through pain so we seek that out in all things. We are called to move away from the carnal, lower self into the higher domain of our being. Lessons will be learned through self-honesty. We can work towards a transformation that will no longer lead to loss.

DO I LOVE TOO MUCH AND WHY? WILL MY PAIN HELP ME TO HEAL OTHERS? CAN I GO FORWARD AND MAKE APPROPRIATE LIFE CHOICES?


These fives are fabulous catalysts and inspiration for meditation and self-reflection.

The questions under each five are pointers for thinking. Perhaps you can make your notes about your perception of these cards. Certainly by understanding them they will truly assist you on your Tarot journey.

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