Musings on the Gaian Tarot Fives

Fives for me represent something negative. A crisis, a challenge, instability, uncertainty, change. It could mean irresponsibility or being directionless. But it could also be versatility and flexibility, the old cliched 'opportunity for growth'. (I mean seriously. What isn't an opportunity for growth? What a bland thing to say.)






So we've got the Five of Fire, traditionally known as 'Lord of Strife'. What we see here is a bit of a departure from the RWS image of 5 boys semi-playfully bashing each other with sticks in a field. A fire eater spits a HUGE flame into the night air, thick with smoke. This speaks to me of BATTLE, being ready for it. Boiling with it. All this power being just exhaled forcefully from the body in a whooosh. Wow, this bodes some sort of clash indeed. I get a feeling of anger, of personal power, of a slight loss of control, or rather, the potential to harm oneself and others because of what's coming from within.

The Five of Water, suit of emotions, shows a suitably pensive figure in a winter landscape. At least she's holding a bowl, but for me it would be better if there were five of something. This card is the 'Lord of Loss in Pleasure' and she does have that look about her. Just sort of despondent.

It's Five of Air that throws me a bit. Eagles, huh. At least there are five of them. But, the Five of Swords is 'Lord of Defeat'--and the RWS depicts the victor and the defeated, in suitable postures of, well, victory and defeat. But here. Screaming eagles. What?? Are the two the victors, the flying ones the defeated? (Being kept out of the nest). Hmph. Must think on this one more.

Then of course, the huddled kid in Five of Earth. I wrote a whole post about him here.

Okay, so it's

trim: 1.50
don't trim: 3.50.