By Luna Ravenwood · Updated August 3, 2026
Divination and Dreams Guide
Quick Answer
In the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot tradition, Five of Wands is a Suit of Wands card numbered 5 corresponding to Saturn in Leo. Upright it speaks to competition, conflict, tension; reversed it mirrors avoiding conflict, inner conflict, compromise. The archetype pairs with Garnet for grounded reflection, not prediction.
Upright Keywords
Reversed Keywords
Five of Wands Upright Meaning
Five figures clash with wands, but look more carefully: are they fighting, or are they engaged in passionate debate? The Five of Wands represents creative friction, competition that sharpens rather than destroys. Today's conflicts may be productive disguised as chaos.
In the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot tradition, this card is read through three reference works. According to Rachel Pollack in Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom (1980), Five of Wands functions as one station in the deck’s unified literary sequence. Arthur Edward Waite in The Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1910) describes the original symbolism Pamela Colman Smith painted into the card. Mary K. Greer in Tarot for Your Self (1984) describes the upright meaning as the archetypal opening, the question the card offers, not the verdict it delivers.
Five of Wands Reversed Meaning
Reversed, the conflict moves inward, you're fighting with yourself. Or you're avoiding necessary confrontation, letting tensions simmer rather than addressing them. Some fires need to be fought through, not around.
Today’s Guidance
“Expect some friction today. The Five of Wands reminds you: not all conflict is harmful. Some tension creates the spark you need.”
Morning Intention
Set an intention aligned with passion, creativity, ambition, and spiritual energy. The Five of Wands asks you to be present with this energy today.
Midday Reflection
Notice how the energy of passion, creativity, ambition, and spiritual energy has shown up for you today. What has this card's message revealed?
Evening Release
Release today's weight. Hold your Garnet and let the day's lessons settle without forcing conclusions.
“I engage with challenge. Creative friction sharpens my purpose.”
Crystal Companion: Garnet
Garnet resonates with the passion, creativity, ambition, and spiritual energy that the Wands suit embodies.
Garnet
A deep red stone of passion, courage, and revitalizing energy.
Astrological Correspondence
The Suit of Wands corresponds to the element of Fire, and the zodiac signs Aries, Leo, Sagittarius.
The Wands suit corresponds to the Fire signs, Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius. Each numbered card represents a decan (10-degree slice) of one of these signs. Wands cards mirror the territory of will, action, passion, and creative drive.
Card Details
Number
5
Suit
Suit of Wands
Element
🔥 Fire
Astrology
Saturn in Leo
Neighbouring Cards
Five of Wands in Love, Career, Finance
The same archetype mirrors different territory depending on the question. Read how Five of Wands meets specific dimensions of your life.
What’s Next?
Three good directions while Five of Wands is in the room.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Five of Wands tarot card mean?
In the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot tradition, the Five of Wands is a Suit of Wands card corresponding to Saturn in Leo. Upright it speaks to competition, conflict, tension; reversed it mirrors avoiding conflict, inner conflict, compromise.
What crystal pairs with the Five of Wands?
Garnet is the crystal companion for the Five of Wands. Garnet resonates with the passion, creativity, ambition, and spiritual energy that the Wands suit embodies.
Is the Five of Wands a yes or no card?
In yes-or-no readings, the Five of Wands answers maybe. The Five of Wands brings conflict and competing interests. The answer is unclear until the tension resolves. Be prepared to fight for what you want.
What does the Five of Wands mean reversed?
Reversed, the conflict moves inward, you're fighting with yourself. Or you're avoiding necessary confrontation, letting tensions simmer rather than addressing them. Some fires need to be fought through, not around.
How to Read a Spread
Luna Ravenwood's free guide: the structure of the deck, three spreads and what each is for, the three schools of reversals, and how to read for yourself without flattering yourself.
We respect your inbox. Unsubscribe anytime.