Note: Click on image to watch Erin’s video explanation.
PENTACLES:
Pentacles are related to the EARTH element.
I think of the Pentacles as a symbol of a thing with the spirit, the spirit of a thing.
The Pentacles can relate to our body, our routines, our homes, the things that we have.
They are also connected to our sacred / meaningful work.
FIVE:
The fives in the Tarot reflect the energy of change. And, in the case of the pentacles, that change can feel unstable. Suddenly what used to feel like enough, is not enough. We are in pursuit of abundance and reciprocity, but in order to get there, we must allow for our environment, our work, our finances, and our bodies to change. This is the card where our physical reality does not match our hopes and dreams.
Rejection: These folks are not allowed in the sanctuary. Or perhaps more likely is that the characters do not see themselves as worthy and they are afraid of rejection.
Waiting for a Better Place: Perhaps the church is not their safe place. Maybe they do not enter because to do so would be out of alignment with their true values. They would rather sacrifice comfort than compromise on their values.
YOU are the Sanctuary: What if YOU are the safe place! You are being asked to create a safe and sacred community where the downtrodden can come and experience enough-ness and belonging.
In the Waite-Smith Tarot deck, we see two downtrodden people passing in front of a cathedral. Here are a few stories that emerge from this scene, all of them pertaining to the notion of “belonging.”
Rejection: These folks are not allowed in the sanctuary. Or perhaps more likely is that the characters do not see themselves as worthy and they are afraid of rejection.
Waiting for a Better Place: Perhaps the church is not their safe place. Maybe they do not enter because to do so would be out of alignment with their true values. They would rather sacrifice comfort than compromise on their values.
YOU are the Sanctuary: What if YOU are the safe place! You are being asked to create a safe and sacred community where the downtrodden can come and experience enough-ness and belonging.
With the physical comforts of life in flux because of the 5-like energy of change, this card can make us feel like the World doesn’t like us. We have dreams. We have desires. We have needs. But, they are not manifest. You know your life is supposed to look different/better… this is about your relationship with that experience. How do you find enough-ness and a sense of belonging when things feel so uncertain?
I think about Brené Brown’s work with belonging. Her data shows that fitting-in is the antithesis of belonging. Fitting-in is where you tweak and adjust yourself to fit into a group. Belonging is happens when you find connection from a vulnerable and authentic place. In the five of pentacles place, you have made the shift. You are no longer willing to compromise who you are in order to fit-in. You are waiting in the discomfort for people to join you now that you showing up in a much more authentic way.
Words and YouTube video: Erin Mahollitz.
Erin Mahollitz is a founding member of the Art Junket (2015-2022)