If You Pull the Five of Wands Tarot Card, Here's Exactly What It Means (2024)

In the constant highlight reel of social media feeds, it’s hard not to get caught up in doom scrolling through photos of everyone else’s highly-curated, covetable lives. It’s understandable to feel pangs of jealousy or as if there’s some sort of “who has the best life?” competition, but to be honest, what is the point of all of that? When the Five of Wands appears in a tarot reading, it indicates a conflict—either internal or external—due to a highly competitive environment.

The spirit of competition can be a good thing when it highlights your ambition, but this particular card also highlights how rivalry can quickly turn petty, annoying, depressing, and downright miserable if it goes unchecked. Be aware of this vibe! This competition could be a learning experience, but if it isn’t challenging you to grow or it’s feeling unhealthy, then figure out how to step back, reach a compromise (within yourself or with other parties involved), and keep the peace. And yes, that definitely includes your own peace of mind. Not everything needs to be battle. Maybe it’s just not that serious!

Five of Wands Keywords

Conflict, competition, rivalry, frustration, clashing, agreement, truce, compromise, cooperation, difference of opinion

Five of Wands Upright Meaning

Sometimes not everyone is going to agree in a group dynamic or even a partnership. That’s pretty normal, actually! A difference in opinion and a diversity of perspectives can be incredibly helpful. Healthy debate can push ideas forward, but only if you take your time and listen to the other sides. But if there isn’t a peaceful environment and you aren’t communicating well, all of those differing points of view can turn into a frantic cacophony where everyone is just shouting to be heard in a nonsensical din. What’s the point of that?

This could be your moment to take matters into your own hands, rise above the chaos, and just listen to the other side. Everyone wants to be seen and heard, and providing a space where this can happen is compassionate and important. You might walk away from this conversation agreeing to disagree, or you might shift your perspective. Either way, it’s valuable and productive. Being civil is always a win.

Five of Wands Reversed Meaning

When you encounter a disagreement or find yourself tip-toeing around a conflict, you know that pretending it isn’t happening doesn’t actually make it go away, right? You don’t have to pretend to agree with something when you don’t. Bottling up your true feelings only turns into resentment and makes things a way bigger deal than they were from the start. A minor irritation could suddenly blow up into a major fight if suppressed and left unaddressed. Do yourself (and the other person!) a favor by clearing up any potential misunderstandings with honesty and clarity. Besides, a little debate is good.

Conflict doesn’t have to be a bad thing! When it’s handled with compassion, respect, and kindness, it can bring you greater understanding. You learn a lot about a person when you see how they fight. This can be applied to romance, friendship, and work situations. You aren’t always going to be on the same page with everyone. How boring would that be?!