I'm in therapy for my mental health. I don't try to hide it, I need it. Just like visiting my endocrinologist to monitor my type 1 diabetes, I visit my therapist to monitor my psychoses. Particularly now, when the world is in catastrophe but the minutiae must continue, that's when I need it most. A global pandemic threatens the lives of my kids - but look at that, the goddamn car payment is due again. How dare you, auto loan? Don't you know people are dying?!?!

It's those kinds of absurd things that I talk out with my therapist - I bitch about how I can't find the car payment money when what I really mean is that I can't manage the end of the world. She knows, she gets it. She lets me talk in circles for a full hour about whether or not I should go back to work so I can pay these stupid bills, but at the very end she'll say something benign like "go ahead and unfriend the anti-vaxxers today, you earned it" and I'll be like holy shit, how'd she know that would make me feel better?

The five of wands reversed is one of these puzzling things - a profound and momentous historical event, a stupid little thing like a monthly bill, or both, or neither. It's a battle you must compromise on, or die defending. Good luck trying to figure out the meaning of this card for yourself. I suggest you ask your therapist.

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The Five of Wands is one of the particularly difficult cards to interpret, both upright and reversed. It depends on the context and the question asked.

When upright, it’s possible a conflict has arisen or may happen soon. Reversed, this card could indicate compromise or finding a solution to that conflict, but it could also imply battle fatigue – where the disagreement is unwinnable and the querant just wants to be done already.
 
Questions answered by the reversed Five of Wands:
Who? A shy person; an athlete who is frequently benched 
What? A cancelled sports game
Where? Home base; An empty sports field
When? July 21-30; When the disagreement stops
Why? “The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.” ~Chinese Proverb
Yes or No? No

The reversed Five of Wands as:
…an action?

• Cancel a sports game
• Sit this one out

   
…a place in your house?

• The sofa
• The den

 
…a place in your city?

• An empty arena
• A hotel

• A cosmetics or perfume shop

…a place in the world?

• Tokyo, Japan

• Berlin, Germany

• The location of cancelled Olympic games

 
…something to eat?

• Saltines
• Avocado toast
  
• Sweet potatoes

 
…something to clean?

• Blood
• Sports equipment
• Shred paperwork from old jobs

 
…where to find your missing item?

• Under the bed
• Near unused sports equipment

 
…a color? Green, orange, crimson
 
…a movie theme? After a fight; desperation

• The Bourne Identity
• The Imitation Game
• Reality competitions (TV)

 
A new career?

• Sales
• Management consultant
• Zoologist; park ranger; other work with animals

 
The reversed Five of Wands
Before any card: Make a compromise about (card)
After any card: Conflict; solutions

For more on the Five of Wands reversed, check out Applied Tarot Reversed:

When the Five of Wands appears, a conflict has arisen or may happen soon. Perhaps a petty annoyance occurs, or it could be something bigger, like an argument or full on fight.
This card might also represent a sports game or friendly competition.

In the Rider-Waite deck, notice that although the five wand-bearers are scuffling, none are seriously hurt nor extremely angry. It is possible they're in training for an upcoming battle, as well.

The querent should know best what is happening when the Five of Wands pops up.

Questions answered by the Five of Wands:
Who? An athlete 
What? A game
Where? At the game
When? July 21-30; within 5 weeks
Why? Because a little competition is good
Yes or No? No. Maybe, if you fight for it
 
Five of Wands
Before any card: A conflict about (card)
After any card: A fight, a game, battle

The Five of Wands as:
...an action?

• Do not make a mountain out of a molehill
• Expect a scuffle

   
...a place in your house?

• The gym
• Sports equipment storage

 
...a place in your city?

•  The arena
• The gym

• The board game store

...a place in the world?

• Turkey

• Athens, Greece

• The location of the next or previous Olympics
• The location of a famous battle

 
...something to eat?

• Donuts
• Salted meats
• Coffee

 
...something to clean?

• Sports or gym equipment
• Mop the floor
• Flip the mattresses

 
...where to find the missing item?

• At the gym
• With your sports equipment

 
...a color? Red, blue
 
...a movie theme? competition

• Eurovision Song Contest
• Pitch Perfect
• The Great British Baking Show and other reality competitions (TV)

 
...a new career?

• Sports player or agent
• Talent agent
• Competitive work such as Sales

Five of Wands combinations
With Death: The end of the fight; "at wit's end."
With Two of Wands: Your perspective is skewed or restricted; Watching the fight.
With Page of Cups: An argument with a sensitive young person.
With Two of Swords: A stalemate, or the inability to reach an agreement.
With Five of Pentacles: Insecurity in battle; The loser of the challenge.