This month I picked a card to work with for these Thoth tips and came up 5 wands – strife.
Sometimes people see this card as being a hard card to work with – indicating stresses and strains and general difficulties in making things work as they wish. It can indicate conflict with others and with the situation in general. However it is a card which also indicates that the effort expended is worthwhile. The intense, clear yellow, reminiscent of the sun, in an indication of self-esteem being the background of the effort expended. The wands themselves have behind them the motivation of flames of passion and energy to move things forward despite the difficulty. This can apply to both business situations and also personal relations.
The 4 wands preceding the 5 is in balance and now the energy builds and needs to face conflict next to create the changes needed to achieve the overall goals being worked for. This can be likened to breaking out of the old ways of success and facing new challenges to keep business projects afloat. It can also be the stage of a relationship where you have decided that the relationship is good and worth investment in time and energy, however the honeymoon period is just over and with the areas of commonality fully explored – now the territory of how you are different from each other is broached. This brings conflict, but also respect as you gain a measure of each others integrity and ability to hold their own. You also work out the ways you can deal with the conflicts between you that enables both parties to be both respected and also honoured in their individuality as well as in your togetherness.
The phoenix heads on the ends of two of the wands indicates the ability to come through this time of conflict renewed and refreshed, the lotus’ on the other two wands indicates the love that is still there and influencing the conflict as it arises, for love is within conflict as well as within peace. The main wand has upon it a symbol of the sun and the guiding principle of self-esteem, personal self value and from here value of others as individuals with their own perspectives. You hold your own, discipline yourself, and work with the conflict rather than run from it.
The efforts expended with this card can be compared to training for a sporting achievement, the effort required needs discipline and the building of stamina, the competition – or conflict – is what enables, or rather sparks, the growth to take place. It is the striving for the highest outcome in a situation and being prepared to go through personal difficulty to achieve it whilst also holding true to ones own values and respecting ones limitations. A card that can bring powerful growth and success.