Five of Pentacles
Five of Pentacles
The Five of Pentacles, like the fives in the other suits, portrays a situation of adversity. Again, as with any card in the Tarot deck, the meaning of this card should not be taken completely literally. Here we encounter a destitute couple walking through the snow outside the stained glass of a church window. The man uses a crutch because of his crippled leg and the woman attempts to cover herself with her threadbare shawl.
The Five of Pentacles may literally augur a time of financial strife and this possibility must be considered. However, other meanings of this card arise in connection to your psychological state at the time of the reading and your attitudes and expectations about money. Just as the Four of Pentacles indicated a psychological attachment to money and a tendency to over-value this means of exchange, the Five of Pentacles is also likely to indicate an inner difficulty with your relationship to money and material things. This card may therefore indicate a lack of confidence which is reflected in your self-judgement. If money becomes the primary motivating force in life and the gauge by which we judge our worth, the lack of its abundance may produce anxiety and a sense of being excluded from the good things money can provide. In addition, if we encounter financial difficulties such as the loss of employment or an investment gone sour, we may fall into the trap of losing faith in our ability to recreate a positive financial situation for ourselves.If you encounter the Five of Pentacles in a reading, you should not only consider your actual financial circumstances but also your attitudes toward money. What fears do you experience about money? Is there anxiety that there will never be enough, or do you have faith in your ability to manifest what you need to live a prosperous, fulfilled life?
The Five of Pentacles indicates failure and loss. This is applied more with regard to material loss than personal losses. You will experience troubles, dissension and possible loss in your work or career, as well as difficult dealings with others; and/or a heated debate over papers or contractual agreements. Someone in your family will be unhappy about their finances, partner or an infidelity. The trouble is that you will be too emotionally exhausted to help or lend any comfort.
In readings, the Five of Pentacles can represent several kinds of lack. First, there is poor health. It is hard to tackle life's challenges when we do not have our vitality and strength. This card can be a signal that you are neglecting the needs of your body. You are moving away from complete physical well-being, so you must take steps to discover and correct the problem.
This card can also be a sign of material and economic setbacks. There is no doubt that life is harder when we lack money or a decent job. When we are struggling to make ends meet, all other problems are magnified. Even if we are comfortable, we can still feel insecure, afraid that misfortune will take away all that we have worked for.
The Five of Pentacles can also represent rejection or lack of acceptance. We are social animals and feel pain when excluded from our group. We want to be included, not only for our emotional well-being, but also for mutual support. Being rejected can mean physical hardship as well.
The Five of Pentacles relates to material lack, but it also has a spiritual component. From the stained glass window, we can guess that these two are outside a church. Comfort is so close at hand, but they fail to see it. The church symbolises our spirits which are perfect and whole in every way. We are meant to enjoy abundance in all areas of life, but sometimes we forget that this is our birthright. Whenever you experience hardship, know that it is only temporary. Look for the spiritual centre that will take you in and give you shelter. When this card isn't related to material problems, then it is a time of being alone, of feeling abandoned, of feeling ignored and unwanted. It tells of a need for support and comfort. This can be either giving or receiving.
Anxiety. You need to learn to cope with stress and anxiety. Worries can paralyse your actions until you face their source, focus on the present and do what you can with what you have now. Stress management is a vital concern.
The Five of Pentacles reversed is about an end to difficult times. As the Five of Pentacles in the upright position is about loneliness, despair, loss, rejection, hardship and abandonment, the reversed Five of Pentacles signifies that this difficult period is coming to an end. You may be starting to feel as if life is worth living again and starting to regain your self-confidence. If you have experienced severe monetary problems or illness, these situations, too, are easing. A time for relief and breathing easier are at hand.