Hello, and welcome to The Tarot Astrologer’s “Tarot Numerules”! In this 10-part series, we'll analyze the numerology of Major Arcana tarot cards 1-10 and discuss the relationship they have with the corresponding Minor Arcana cards. In today's edition, we're dissecting the Fives of the Tarot!
V. The Hierophant
The mentor of the tarot. The Hierophant stands before two individuals, who represent a couple saying their vows at the altar, or students in the front row of the classroom. In either case, The Hierophant, adorned with a crown of authority, and a red robe of intelligence and spiritual wisdom, guides our youth as they begin to understand and integrate into the world that awaits them. The Hierophant is considered the masculine counterpart to The High Priestess, and is a reliable and trusted source of information for the community. The Hierophant’s name derives from the Greek “hieros'' meaning “sacred,” and “phainein” meaning “to reveal” (essentialzodiac.com)
This figure, associated with the zodiac sign of Taurus represents religion, family and cultural traditions, and societal norms that we all learn during socialization. In the workplace, at school, in community groups and social settings, there are written and unwritten rules that we learn to follow in order to blend in and be accepted by those around us. Those who follow these rules are perceived as obedient and trust-worthy, and are praised by law-enforcing authorities. Those who disagree and/or deviate from these rules are labeled outcasts, outlaws, troublemakers, and in some cases, revolutionists.
In any case, The Hierophant provides individuals with a sense of belonging; a crucial need for all human life. From birth, we rely on our community to support, guide, and nurture us as we grow. Like many species of mammals inhabiting Earth, we cannot and will not survive in isolation.
Luckily, as humans (particularly as human adults), we have the power of choice on our side. We can choose what communities to align ourselves with. We can choose what norms or traditions we agree with, and which ones we want to challenge. We discover what belief systems resonate with us, while respecting that everyone has a different one.
As we grow, learn and expand our understanding of life, independent of what we’ve been taught was “right” by authority figures, we discover our own unique paths, making mistakes and learning from them. The lessons we learn in love, friendship, family, career, health, spirituality, and so many other life factors, can then be taught to the generations to follow.
Spiritual Meaning of 5
The number 5 signals change, challenges, and lessons. It represents times of struggle, upheaval, chaos, and feeling like life is out of your control. 5 is the turning point between 1-10, the halfway point on the journey to enlightenment, healing, freedom, or success. This phase of the journey shows you just how bad things can really get. Maybe it’s the end of a serious relationship, a period of financial hardship, or daily arguments with colleagues. What this phase also does is force you to get curious and creative about how you can/will flip this situation around, and work it to your advantage instead of your downfall. It is important to remember that these events are not happening to you. They are happening for you. They are opportunities to grow and evolve.
The lessons you’ll learn on the other side of these events will make you wiser, and more equipped to handle similar situations in the future. Think back to the major lessons you’ve learned over the last 5 years. Assess all areas of your life: love, career, family, physical and mental health, spirituality, and any other areas that were significant for you. What did you learn about yourself? What did you learn about the people (or types of people) around you? What wisdom do you have now that you wouldn’t have had if it weren’t for that situation? Did these lessons challenge you to question the life you’ve always known? Did these lessons force you out of your comfort zone?
The Minor Arcana Fives
Five of Wands:
This chaotic card represents arguments, petty gossip, drama, rude behavior, or visceral reactions to minor inconveniences. This card depicts an all-out brawl between 5 outwardly diverse people (dogs in the This Might Hurt deck) Some of them are more involved in the fight than others, though nobody seems to actually be getting injured. Either way, senseless arguing doesn’t solve the issue at hand, and creates more chaos than necessary.
Represented by the element of Fire, Five of Wands can show us how our ego and our “need to be right” can actually hinder our growth and productivity. It can cause us to be snappy with strangers or make aggressive comments towards loved ones. Of course we’d all like to believe that our way of seeing the world is the right way, and this belief can sometimes cause us to pass harsh judgments or even discriminate against those who are different. Mainstream culture tells us the “other” is less than, bad, dangerous, or not to be trusted. But we don’t always focus on what we can learn from our counterparts.
If this card comes out for you in a reading, consider the following questions
How might their personal background and belief system have shaped their perspective of the world?
Does their way of thinking cause me to question or feel unsure of my own belief system(s)?
How can I be more understanding of others beliefs and experiences?
Are my beliefs causing harm (knowingly or unknowingly) to other individuals and/or communities?
Five of Cups
The Five of Cups symbolizes loss, grief, heartbreak and depression. The figure in this card stands outside in a desolate area, with their head held low, and wearing a dark and gloomy outfit on a dark and gloomy day. Nothing about this card seems happy! The three spilled cups in front of them represent their disappointment and sadness. A small building rests across the river, a safe place to take shelter, if they had the courage to cross the bridge. They’re not quite ready to move past this pain yet. Our heartbroken babe would rather ruminate on all they’ve lost. If only they’d turn around and see the two standing cups that remain! People are waiting to share their love and support, but like the saying goes. “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink.”
Represented by the element of Water, this card shows us how changes or endings in relationships and close connections can affect our emotions, self-esteem, and outlook on future love possibilities and opportunities. You’re likely to see this card in a reading after a breakup, the falling out of a friendship, a death in the family, or another form of personal loss. Once the feelings of hurt and loss have passed, the lessons learned from these endings can then be applied to new, or existing relationships.
When you see the Five of Cups in your reading, consider the following questions
Has this situation affected my sense of self? In what ways?
Am I ready to accept this situation for what it is and move on? Why or why not?
Who can I count on to support me in my times of need?
How can I cultivate more relationships like that?
Five of Swords
The Five of Swords speaks of arguments, inflated egos, defeat, and sore winners. In the Rider Waite and This Might Hurt version of this deck, we see a person picking up 3 swords and wearing a look of contempt and pride on their face. They look victorious, and are celebrating their battle win! But where there is a winner, there is also a loser. The other two people have dropped their swords, and given up, terrorized and mentally exhausted by this conflict. By accepting defeat, they are choosing to no longer involve themselves with the victor. Though this fight is long over, the looming clouds/dark sky signify that the negative energy from this interaction is still lingering.
Represented by the element of Air, this card demonstrates how asserting your knowledge and trying to “teach” can be perceived as bossy, controlling, and domineering. You may see this card when someone around you is obsessed with sharing all that they know, but they may be unaware of when they are dominating a conversation, and not creating space for others to give input. That “know-it-all” energy turns everyone the fuck OFF. This card could also come out to show you that you are behaving like the victor, and are at risk of damaging your relationships! You’ve put the need to be right over the desire to listen to where the other party was coming from. Talking over people and not giving others an opportunity to be heard breeds hostility, tension, and passive-aggression.
Did you get the Five of Swords in your reading? Consider the following questions.
What is more important to me? Being right or being respected?
Am I choosing my battles wisely?
Do I listen to reply, or do I listen to understand? Do I listen as much as I speak?
Am I willing and able to apologize and own up to my behavior?
Five of Pentacles
The Five of Pentacles symbolizes times of financial hardship, job or housing insecurity, illness, or feelings of abandonment . In this card, we see a pair of struggling people outside in the snow. Their clothes are worn and tattered, telling us that they may have been in this predicament for a while and are trying their best to stay afloat despite their circumstances. The illuminated church/shelter window symbolizes a safe place to seek support and refuge for a few nights. Help is available, but will they allow themselves to accept it?
Represented by the element of Earth, this card represents struggles in the material world or with material possessions.
Depending on the placement in your spread, you might see this card when you are feeling insecure, unstable, and unsafe. Whether it’s related to love, career, family, or spirituality, this feeling of being abandoned and left to fend for yourself is causing you to hyper-focus on your own problems and to ignore the support that’s being made available to you. This can also indicate a scarcity mindset, where you are focused on all of the things you lack, and neglecting the abundance that already exists in your life and within you.
If you see this card in your reading, consider the following questions.
Am I financially prepared for an emergency? What can I do to prepare?
Do I ask for and accept help when I need it?
What am I grateful for today?
What do I value about myself?
Channeled "Five" Songs:
To close out this post, Spirit and I chose 2 songs for each card that we felt related to the energy of the tarot Fives! Check out the songs below for additional messages.
The Hierophant:
Five of Wands:
Five of Cups:
Five of Swords:
Five of Pentacles:
Thanks so much for checking out the first installment of Tarot Numerules! For updates on the next installment, make sure you're following me on Instagram @thetarotastrologer or on Twitter @tarotastrologer
Until next time! All my love flows out you ~
Outstanding material here! This helps me better understand the connection between tarot and numerology!