View Full Version : Five of Wands: Building A Pentacle?
In her book Tarot Reversals, Mary Greer points to the Five of Wands, and states that it is almost as though the five men are building a pentacle.
I could not see this at first, but on further reflection it became very apparent. This would seem to be very significant if we view the pentacle as a sign of stability and well-being.
Any thoughts?
C
Rusty Neon
12-03-2004, 19:54
That's not a new take on the RWS 5 of Wands. David Allen Hulse wrote of this in his _Western Mysteries_. Waite's book doesn't mention this interpretation, but it's certainly a reasonable interpretation based on the imagery.
In Robin Wood's 5 of Wands, she specifically drew it with that in mind, and you can see very clearly that they're forming a pentacle.
-- Lee
It's amazing that I missed such a thing. Amazing and good. It has brought a fresh perspective to this card for me.
C
Macavity
12-03-2004, 21:32
It's certainly an intriguing possibility that I hadn't particulary noticed... without this prompting. I also have a slight chuckle in that it makes me think too of self-assembly furniture or a bunch of (highly expert!) guys putting up a tent! })
Macavity
Originally posted by Macavity
I also have a slight chuckle in that it makes me think too of self-assembly furniture or a bunch of (highly expert!) guys putting up a tent! })
Haha. Perhaps it could be renamed the DIY card? Or the frustrated with DIY card? ;)
C
Phoenix Rising
13-03-2004, 05:31
So having built a pentacle, what new light is shed on the meaning of that card? Stability through struggle?
HudsonGray
13-03-2004, 14:06
Maybe in spite of struggle, a group can work together to one purpose. OR everyone wants to work to one purpose yet the individual problems come to the fore & make the final product difficult to achieve.
Mostly it's a card that shows it's in transition & no final clear result of their intended struggle has yet emerged, even though we see where it's SUPPOSED to go.
Just noticed the emerging "pentacle"...but the five as a number
that can be negative, this one seems more innocuous, like a competition, a fake battle....it also looks to me like they are "trying to get it right" but keep getting in each other's way...hassles?? terri
Imagemaker
13-03-2004, 16:23
With a husband who was in karate, I recognized these guys as being in martial arts stances, perhaps going through the kata (practice form) of the moves. And then I read Robin Wood's statement that she had a neighbor model martial moves for her drawings.
So it's a mock battle in that way, getting prepared "just in case."
Originally posted by Imagemaker
With a husband who was in karate, I recognized these guys as being in martial arts stances, perhaps going through the kata (practice form) of the moves.
Yes. It does look like that!
I always think that when this card is reversed it looks like the men are snatching the wands from the sky.
Anyone else see anything different?
C
Originally posted by Imagemaker
With a husband who was in karate, I recognized these guys as being in martial arts stances, perhaps going through the kata (practice form) of the moves. And then I read Robin Wood's statement that she had a neighbor model martial moves for her drawings.
So it's a mock battle in that way, getting prepared "just in case."
It does look like katas...my husband used to do them...and it looks like a group of young martial arts intiates practicing with the sticks....good observation...adds another image for me...t2