Six of Pentacles

Guiding words/ideas”

Exchange between beings; exchange of resources; are you in a time of abundance or need?; all beings constantly give and receive (ex. trees and humans); fear leading to hoarding; lack of fairness; when balanced, all beings can engage in easy flow of resources; if you are resourced, practice giving freely; if you are in need, practice asking for help; investigate where human systems have damaged your ability to be in an easy flow of giving and receiving; be aware of resources you need and engage in giving back.

Channeled guidance:

This card is about meaningful exchange between beings. The suit of Pentacles traditionally connects with areas around money and commerce, so even though this card can be viewed with any kind of exchange, we will look at it through this lens of resources.

This card depicts three hands. One hand is holding a small purse. The other two hands are cupped or in a palms-opened position. The images are situated in such a way that there is money (coins/pentacles/talismans) flowing or falling from the small purse down into the two open hands. However, you could also turn the card over and see those two hands as dropping coins into the purse. Know that either interpretation is valid.

In working with this card, it can be helpful to think about how you are feeling in terms of your resources at this time. Do you feel like you have an abundance of resources, or do you feel like you have a need for more resources? Do you feel like you are in a time of scarcity in your life?

All beings constantly give and receive. Think about the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen that occurs between humans and trees. There is a constant giving and taking of resources, and sometimes humans forget to be conscious in this exchange. Sometimes, out of fear, humans can hoard what they have or be terrified to ask for more. When we are resourced, we can give more fully. If we are underresourced, it is hard to give. And in the systems that you may find yourself, you will notice that there is a lack of fairness around who is resourced and who is not. In a perfect and balanced situation, all beings would have the capacity to give and receive, and this exchange would be constantly fluid and even easy. This may not be the case for you as a being at this time.

And so it’s helpful to see where you are in this pattern of giving and receiving. If you have resources, this card is encouraging you to give, to be generous, and to share as freely as you are able to. And if you notice that there is resistance, and there may be, look on that with love and see where these systems may have damaged your ability to be generous and have created fear in your mind and in your heart. If one is resourced, there can be a fear of giving away those resources. There can be a fear of having nothing come back or not enough. So just notice that with love and tenderness.

And if you’re under resourced and are finding that others are not freely giving, you may have to build the strength to ask for resources. You may need to find other beings that are able to support you and to share their resources in a way that you build strength and confidence. and in such a way for you to move into a position of also being resourced so that you can also give to others.

Exchanges are happening between all beings on this planet. All beings are giving and exchanging. You are all connected. It can be helpful to think about this and to be more conscious of what you are giving to other beings and what you are receiving. An easy and accessible way to think about this is to be conscious of your intake of food (which is required for your existence). It is essential that you take from other creatures. To continue to exist, you need to eat other beings… to consume fruits, vegetables, grains, and, for some, other animals. Be conscious of this.

Be aware of the resources you need and think about how you can give back. It may not be as obvious as coins or money. When it comes to something like food, or what you make give back is most likely not what you have taken. So if you have taken in food from other beings, that food is transferred into energy in your body. Think about how to use that energy to give back to all other beings. This could be through work that you are doing, raising children, creating art or music, or cooking for others. There are many ways to use your energy to give back. Allow yourself to be more conscious of these kinds of exchanges.

So this card, the Six of Pentacles, provides a beautiful opportunity to investigate the exchange between beings, to be more conscious of that, and to feel the beauty and the energy that come from this process.

Plant and metal guidance:

Logwood (dark and light blues of background): Our color connects outwardly but its source lies deep within. We help you reach inside yourself to find strength and beauty.

Pokeberry (pink of purse): Our energy is fast and strong. You need only a small amount to revitalize and cleanse. Too much will overload your systems.

Coreopsis (golden yellow of purse opening and latch, and around each pentacle): We are here to smooth out any sharp edges and to aid in opening hearts.

Acorn cap (medium brown/grey hand): Like a gentle pat on the head, we offer up slow-moving energy to open the senses and awaken the mind.