The Magician, reversed

Possibly a time of not being in control of a situation, or being in command.  Perhaps someone has maneuvered in and taken your position and left you in a perilous state - this could have been because you trusted someone who presented themselves as trustworthy when their only motive was to take what rightfully belonged to you so that they could get ahead of you.  This has left you with feelings of confusion, despair - feeling isolated, "out of the loop", and perhaps alone.

Do not despair, the day is still young, take his as a learning experience.  If this situation is work related, look at the situation, use your work experience to your advantage, use you knowledge and experience, approach the situation with a pure heart and be passionate without being arrogant.  This person may have a good sales pitch but their lack of experience will be their down fall - they will crash, like Icarus.

The Emperor

The Emperor is a man in high position - he arrived at his place of prominence because he was strong willed, had great determination, learned from experience - both good and bad.  He's very patient, he's waiting to see how events will unfold, however he can step in at a moments notice and influence the situation.

A quiet, still stream runs behind the Emperor, symbolizing his emotional state - calm, watchful, at peace, confident in his ability to lead and take charge when necessary.

His beard is grey - his wisdom has deep meaning and knows that every situation doesn't require brute force or a sword for a resolution to come about.  He wears armor and is not afraid of going into battle however he is also adorned in red cloth, indicating to us that he can have a softer, gentler side, perhaps even be a negotiator.  The Emperor knows which battles are worth fighting.

The staff or cross the Emperor holds is a symbol for balance, reminding us that we we need to look at all sides of a situation, not be quick to judge, put ourselves into someone else's shoes and attempt to see the other person's point of view.

Ace of Wands, reversed

The Ace of Wands reversed tell us that there is some self doubt, lack of creative forces, or even some lack of courage occurring in or situation or within.  There would be a tendency to withdraw and keep our talents hidden or not address a potential conflict or situation.  If the quarent's question has to do with money, it might mean that austerity measures (i.e. reducing spending or cutting back) may be in order - this is confirmed by the color gray,which is the primary color in this card.

This would be a time to slow down and think about new avenues to turn the situation around.  Sometimes solitude and contemplation will help you rekindle the creative fire within and bring to the forefront a solution that was not apparent at first.

Green, the secondary color in this card, would indicate that there is still a possibility to turn the situation around.  Green is a symbol for growth and prosperity.  See what you can learn about the situation, consider alternative points of view - this may cause you to act or make a decision counter to your nature but could prove to be a huge blessing in the long-run.  It's time to be brave, be strong, and go forward.

Five of Pentacles

The Five of Pentacles shows two people, shuffling along in a snow storm.  One of the individuals is on crutches, both are in tattered clothes.  This card shows harsh conditions with the snow and the lack of proper dress of the two individuals.  One of the individuals has no shoes, the other has an exposed broken foot and their clothes are thin.  The broken foot is a symbol for a broken mental foundation - sometimes situations cause us much mental anxiety, we feel unstable or even broken.  The crutches are a symbol for the thing or person that's helping us get by but really isn't a solution, the crutch is  more of a stop-gap measure because that's what was expedient or the only option at the time.

The stars on their cloths represent hope - "wishing upon a star" as the old saying goes.  The stained glass on the building represents hope, faith, and comfort.  It could be that these two are hurrying to the front door and hoping to find shelter - a place to regroup and prepare for the rest of the journey that is still ahead.  Sometimes we need to stop and regroup - we need time to get out of the fight and think about how to resolve the situation and even rest and recoup.  This also can be a time of getting council from a a friend or elder so that we can get a different perspective of the situation.

I think this card is also a symbol of strength - these two had to press though their situation to get to this point.