Hope in the Five of Pentacles
A month or so ago I was doing tarot readings at a birthday party, a very light-hearted and festive environment, and one attendee ended up pulling the Five of Pentacles from the Rider-Waite-Smith deck in a reading. One of the least celebratory cards you could pick.
This was the first time this card has shown up at an event for me so it took me by surprise. The guest was also new to tarot, so this imagery (courtesy of the incredible Pamela Colman Smith) was not encouraging off the bat. These people look downright miserable. Typical buzzwords for the Five of Pentacles are: Loss, struggle, poverty… Not particularly festive.
It’s an interesting position to find yourself in as a tarot reader; I want to match and add to the levity, not bring it down, but I also want to give the client an accurate reading.
When reading at events, it almost forces me to find a more “positive” spin on “negative” cards. Of course, no cards are inherently “good” or “bad,” but there are some that clearly encapsulate extremely unpleasant emotions and experiences—like the Five of Pentacles.
It’s an exciting challenge when cards like this show up during a reading at an event.
How will I re-contextualize this concept in a way that benefits the client without disrupting the party’s energy?
How can all this be re-examined in an uplifting way that serves the client and the energy of the community around us?
Every time I do readings with this intention, I’m always guided to some profound insight—that lightning bolt from the heavens moment! And in this case, after a quick grounding and reconnect, this is what we ended up with for the Five of Pentacles in this instance.
The Hidden Hope in the Five of Pentacles:
Some very bad five of pentacles fanart. ¯\_(ツ゚)_/¯
The client really identified with the two figures—clearly in distress, lacking resources, out in the cold, and in poor health.
…Yet, they are surviving. They aren’t lying down in the street, giving up. Instead they actively move down the street, walking even while they are bandaged up.
There’s a church behind them, alight with warmth and comfort. But for everything included in this image, it’s also important for me to look at what’s not pictured—a door for them to enter.
The respite pictured here is not open to everyone, all the time.
The church’s illustration is very “modern religion” coded, and in this particular case that made a lot of sense.
There are many instances of established religions gatekeeping charity, and for those who are privy to this welfare still don’t get it for free.
Charity from corrupted organizations always comes with strings attached. As they give to you, they also want to take something from you—whether it’s your time and labor, your money, or a part of your soul.
Interestingly enough, the client was in a situation where if they asked for help they would have received it, but doing so would mean going to an establishment that went against their personal beliefs.
So the interpretation in this particular instance isn’t the typical interpretation I’d first be inclined to go with; where the client should look towards the established system for assistance.
Instead, encouragement comes with the reassurance that the client can do it on their own.
They don’t have to compromise themself or their values in order to survive.
Sure, going inside would offer that temporary relief, but long-term it could end up being detrimental to their overall well-being.
The tarot is a journey, so the Five of Pentacles will then progress to the Six of the Pentacles—which offers a more healthy and balanced version of charity. No one is ever truly alone, better options are available if the client can be patient.
Even better, the Pentacles suit eventually grows into the Ten of Pentacles: A picture of established comfort, security… legacy, even.
There is hope, a future where things get better, and that knowledge can make toughing it out in the cold more bearable.
The client walked away saying that they felt a lot better about things than when they first sat down, so I consider that a success!
I love how, when circumstances necessitate a more optimistic approach, I ultimately end up learning something completely new to me, or I have a striking reminder of something I already know but needed to hear again.
If you’re a tarot practitioner who does readings at events, have you had any similar experiences? I’d love to hear about any surprising realizations about certain cards—I find this stuff so fascinating!
Disclaimers:
No, I don’t use AI (fck AI!) I just love em dashes and am only 70% sure I am using them correctly.
This interpretation of the Five of Pentacles is also heavily influenced by Rachel Pollack’s in her book: Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom ← One of my favorite books on tarot!
