Eight Of Pentacles Tarot Card

The Eight of Pentacles tarot card depicts a young man, straddling a bench and working with his hands. He wears the leather apron of a craftsman, a look of concentration, and holds a hammer and chisel in each hand. He is hammering a pentacle sign into a disk. At the foot of his bench is a tall tree trunk, extending past the border of the card, and stretched along it vertically are six pentacles. In addition to the one he is working on, an eighth pentacle lies under his workbench. In the background lies his town.

The Eight Of Pentacles Tarot Card From The Rider-Waite Tarot Deck.

Eight of Pentacles Tarot Card Meanings- Skill, employment, apprentices, knowledge, craft, dedication, enthusiasm, self-improvement, reputation, and confidence.

The Eight of Pentacles is devoted to hard work and mastery in a skill. This doesn’t have to be an actual trade, like plumbing or woodworking, it can be any skill that you are devoted to thoroughly learning and becoming proficient at. There is a lot of gratification to be had in mastering a skill but that fulfillment only comes after putting in the hard work and effort. Overall, this is a positive card because while hard work is involved this skill you are learning is by your choice, and generally will be something you are passionate about. It feels more fun and less like work and your enthusiasm for it drives your ambition to succeed at it.

Eight Of Pentacles Tarot Card Meanings In A Reading

Love & Relationships- This card is often thought of in terms of physical skills but learning a skill such as clear communication, your partner’s love language, or listening with your full attention are all valuable skills to have in a relationship. If you have not talked about these things and decided which are important to the stability of your relationship, it is a conversation to have soon. The time for growth is now and you will feel motivated to succeed. Perhaps you aren’t in a relationship, and wonder how the card speaks to you. Your efforts in improving yourself, in any way, will have the payoff of finding a partner because they will be attracted to someone who is actively working on themself.

Money & Career- In many ways the Eight of Pentacles speaks to students because it provides help for apprenticeships, fellowships, scholarships, and educational opportunities. If there is one piece of advice an older person will always give you, it will be to take advantage of your youthful energy and exuberance and accept all the help and opportunities you can get. You are in the unique position to make the most of the options laying before you. If you’re already working now is an excellent time to take a continuing education course, to get certified in a new modality, or to take on new responsibilities at work. One thing to keep an eye open for is someone getting ready to leave or retire whose position you would like. Exercise this opportunity to get under their tutelage in order to become their successor.

Health & Wellness- Self-discipline is a strong thread running through the meaning of the Eight of Pentacles tarot card. Hard work and effort is required every day, on a regular basis, in order to manifest results. Don’t wait for the new year or even next Monday to start your new lifestyle plan; begin it today. Make changes that seem small but that you can incorporate without much effort. Start with a couple small changes and in a week or two add another one. Keep doing this until you're where you want to be. If you’re coping with a serious or chronic health condition and your doctor has given you medicine or therapy suggestions, be consistent in taking/doing them.

Spirituality- As with all things, your spiritual strength will also improve if you practice your techniques daily. It’s important to stretch and exercise your spiritual muscles so set a time and place where you can pursue these things as a natural part of your routine. There is no need to be performative or excessive; 10-20 minutes at the same time every day is sufficient and will provide you with the regular exercise your soul needs.

The Reversed Eight Of Pentacles Tarot Card From The Rider-Waite Tarot Deck.

Eight of Pentacles Tarot Card Meanings Reversed- Mediocrity, lack of focus, carelessness, shortcuts, self-criticism, unemployment, poor quality, tedious work, and impatience.

The reversed Eight of Pentacles tarot card shows the effects of idleness, carelessness, and laziness. If you’ve made plans to undertake a task or project but have never gotten past the “thinking about it” stage, you’ll see this card. If you have started a project and abandoned it due to procrastination, laziness, or it being “too hard” you will see this card. None of these things are real barriers to success, but your belief in their validity certainly is. Feeling unsure or unfocused is not a bad thing in itself, but to move past it you can’t rely simply on things happening without your effort. That is a recipe for failure. Instead, enlist the help of an accountability partner and make the vow to yourself that shortcuts are not going to help you succeed.

Love & Relationships- An inverted Eight of Pentacles means your relationship is suffering the effects of carelessness and laziness, and is on the brink of crumbling. Sometimes it is really difficult to love someone through tough times but taking the easy route of numbing feelings with food/drink, shopping, or denial is not going to solve the underlying problem. Like every skill in life, being a strong partner takes practice and perseverance. You can choose to continue down the path you’re already on but the likelihood of your relationship having an irrevocable issue is great. Do not take your relationship or your partner for granted because this is a sure way to resentment and failure.

Money & Career- When drawn upside down, the Eight of Pentacles indicates that you have not been catching the eye of your superiors in a good way. The best case scenario is they don’t even know who you are (which is not good at all if you’re looking for a promotion or raise). The worst case is they are building a file of cause to get rid of you. Sure, work is tedious and boring a lot of the time. That’s why it’s called work. However, you’ll need to find the parts of your job or industry that excite and interest you and pursue those to break out of this rut. If you continue as you are you’ll work for many years at a job you really don’t like and really don't excel at.

Health & Wellness- Ever hear the saying “can’t see the forest for the trees?” It means you’re so focused on a single issue that you’re missing the big picture. You may be trying to improve your health but jumping from one gimmick to another is basically just making the snake oil salesmen rich. The longer you avoid the discomfort of facing the reality of your situation the more your health with deteriorate. You may also be overly “healthy” and exercise until you’re injured or eating such a restricted diet you aren’t getting enough calories or nutrients. Extremism is your enemy here, so practice moderation for the best chance of success.

Spirituality- In the concept of spirituality, the Eight of Pentacles reversed shows that you have been ignoring and suppressing your spiritual development. There is a block to your spiritual growth and it can likely be traced to a lack of focus. It’s tough to pick where you want to end up when you don’t know all the options but choose a change that seems doable (for example, meditating mindfully for 5 minutes) and work at it consistently. Ramping up slowly like this will give you the tools to get over the barrier and move on your journey to a higher place, and from there you will see more of your options.

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