I’ve written interpretations for every card in the Wild Unknown Tarot. As the box of the deck states, there are no rights or wrongs. These are simply my perspectives on the tarot card meanings. I hope you find them useful!
Click here for a directory of all posts in my Wild Unknown series.

Five of Wands :: Wild Unknown Tarot
Creator’s Keywords: conflict, competition, lost
Carrie’s Keywords: hassles, conflicts

Five of Wands Tarot Card Meanings in the Wild Unknown

 
The ace through four of wands were full of bright color, but the Five of Wands is entirely black and white. The lack of color makes gives this card a starker, less vibrant energy than the earlier cards. A point of conflict has been reached in the progression of the suit. There is a slowing of momentum here: what was once an engaging experience is now getting off course.

The wands are haphazardly dispersed about the card. Black and white background lines extend from various angles to divide the card into portions. This gives the impression that each wand is separated from the others in it’s own little forcefield. They aren’t working together and none are going anywhere.

The wands do seem to reach towards each other, but not to make a genuine connection. On the contrary, they almost seem to be defending their own territory, unwilling to compromise. They are scattered at best, working at cross-purposes at worst. Without a unified vision, progress is hard to attain.

If it seems like life is testing you… well, maybe it is. Derailments are part of the package. Conflicts will arise, annoyances will try to thwart you on your path. You may not always be able to make things better immediately, but you can certainly make things worse, based on your reaction! In order to re-harness vitality, you need to know when to wait out the bumps and when to move in a more productive direction.
 

Five of Wands Tarot Card Meanings in General

 

For my deck (pictured above, The Spacious Tarot) we took a cue from the Wild Unknown, going for a minimalist illustration. However, this imagery is largely inspired by the Waite-Smith tarot, which shows five people brandishing wands. Each wand is eschew, as though in conflict with one another. A lot of energy is being exerted, but it doesn’t seem to be creating anything productive. Thus, one of the first things I often think about when I see this card is “am I spending my energy wisely?” There’s no point in getting all riled up if it’s not going to lead to meaningful action.

This card sometimes relates to conflict with other people, but in a somewhat minor sense. It’s the way that sometimes even little things about others annoy you. You may then start to micromanage them, or they try to micromanage you – and no one likes to be micromanaged!

Most often, this card represents any minor hassles. Typically these are small annoyances, yet still things that get under your skin. There’s nothing wrong with acknowledging the petty stuff that irritates you, but at the same time, by dwelling on it you might only be giving it more power.

In a reading

 

The Five of Wands might draw your attention to where you have gotten off track. Have you been giving your energy to things that only drain you? Are you letting minor hassles throw you entirely off course? Are you too invested in competition? 

Perhaps you just need the patience to ride out a rough patch. But you may also need to bring things back to center. Reclaim your power, rearticulate your vision, and trust that in time you’ll move forward productively.

Book a private reading with me here.