By Sarah Taylor
As the central and uniting card in this week’s reading, the Two of Pentacles invites us to consider a balancing act between two states depicted in the flanking cards — at precisely the same time that both figures in these cards are looking away from each other. Both are devoting their attention to what is going on in their immediate surroundings; neither seems aware that they are part of a bigger picture, a triptych.
How then can all three dance together?
The female figure in Strength is engaged in her interaction with the lion as it pertains to the animal instinct. She is a visual contradiction of sorts: dressed in white, she is virgin; with a lemniscate above her head, she represents the eternal — the eternal feminine.
And yet this figure of the eternal feminine busies herself with matters that to some may seem unfitting for a maiden. Her hands enfold a beast’s head, its tongue licking her inner wrist. This part of a woman’s body is deceptively intimate: body language experts have found that a woman’s wrist is exposed to potential suitors in fleeting glimpses, and only if she finds favour with them. Here the lion is more than suitor; he is granted physical access to her — as is she to him. There is a reciprocity, a place offered where the spiritual and the carnal come together. Which might beg the question: in which ways do we deny what it is to be fully human?
On the other side of the Two of Pentacles, we have the Page of Pentacles, whose attention is fully upon the object of his desire — in this case, the material world. Pentacles are our manifested reality. Yes, they are money, but they are not limited to that. They are anything with which we engage with one or more of our five senses.
The Page of Pentacle’s ability to see is narrowed to a single point — to what he can hold. He represents our experience before we have apprehended what lies beyond the physical. His sense of romance and wonder is the fuel that propels him into an exploration of what it means to be human — not that he knows what he is embarking upon when he first steps out. And how many of us would start a journey if we knew what would be sent to test us? This idealism is indeed tested in the Knights, who embark on a crusade for their beliefs — whether they are driven by a lust for life (Wands), love (Cups), ideas (Swords), or things (Pentacles).
However, it is a state we are invited to transcend when, as Knights, we begin to understand that no amount of questing in the outer world can take us into the realm of Queen and King. Once the royal marriage has been enacted, we are then entitled to sit upon the throne — our authority in service to a higher, inner authority that guides us. The Page may be a Page right now, but without his enthusiasm and love for the object of his affection his journey would be over before it started. He is the inner child who leads us into an adventure of the spirit.
Finally, we return to the Two of Pentacles, the lemniscate in Strength here taking centre stage and dictating the give-and-take, back-and-forward, constantly adjusting movement of the juggling act that the figure is performing. He is dervish; he dances the world into life. Both Strength and the Page share a very similar background. Both, as you can see, are needed. Superficial differences aside, they are simpatico.
A process of marrying the spiritual and the animal meets a willingness and ability to embark on a journey that could transform you to the point where you have to give up the idea of the very thing that you currently hold as all-important. Progress hinges on keeping these two ideas in play, so that an awareness is developed between what happens inside and what you experience in the world around you, and vice versa.
By living your inner truth about who and what you are in a way that gives it outward expression, you neither withhold yourself from others, nor do you flee yourself into materiality. And who you are is the greatest gift you have to offer.
Astrology/Elemental correspondences: Strength (Leo), Two of Pentacles (Jupiter in Capricorn), Page of Pentacles (the earthy aspect of earth)
If you want to experiment with tarot cards and don’t have any, we provide a free tarot spread generator using the Celtic Wings spread, which is based on the traditional Celtic Cross spread. This article explains how to use the spread.
Thank you, all, for your fabulous contributions! I saw this quote this morning by Anaïs Nin that I think works well for this reading:
“We do not grow absolutely, chronologically. We grow sometimes in one dimension, and not in another; unevenly. We grow partially. We are relative. We are mature in one realm, childish in another. The past, present, and future mingle and pull us backward, forward, or fix us in the present. We are made up of layers, cells, constellations.”
The trick is to honour, and therefore balance, both.
Sina and DivaCarla, thank you! Yes, it is both i am learning, or one may need to proceed the other first.
It’s taking the responsibility in claiming power in knowing our worth in relationship; mastering self love and respect. And also, I see myself as the Lion. Being lovingly lessoned and tamed spiritually, for the purpose of surrendering joyfully, accepting the blessing of receiving; resting in letting go. Then, is the balance of power finally set right, it is infinite.
Sarah thank you!
“A process of marrying the spiritual and the animal meets a willingness and ability to embark on a journey that could transform you to the point where you have to give up the idea of the very thing that you currently hold as all-important.”
Thanks Sarah, and P.Sophia for this beauty:
The message of the Strength card is: ‘Strength is not a force with which to exert power over others, but a force to stop others exerting power over you.’ And only this will finally enable right power (the balance) of energy.
I’ve been consciously trying to stop being a doormat to my children and husband (they aren’t bad, it just me who lets it happen) and was wondering why this card kept coming up. It’s all good 🙂
Thank you P. Sophia. I just read you, and now I know why Strength was ringing so many bells for me. I have been working with Strength through surrender, or … How Surrender reveals Strength. Strength is that rock solid core knowing and confidence of BEing who you are. I feel it as anchoring power in the Bedrock of Self.
The monthly Fire Ceremony also had unmistakeable infinity message. It fell to the west almost instantly. That is 8 in the Way of Inspiration. Or Lazy 8 as Grandfather calls it. We fall into infinity, we embrace infinity and complete creation.
Love resonance, don’t you!
“As far as time is concerned the most common similar medieval symbol is the snake biting its own tail, or the empty circle (O). It is as if it (the figure 8) represents a double endlessness or eternity.”
http://www.symbols.com/encyclopedia/25/251.html
The Paige of Pentacles, the teacher, brings this message here of effort, struggle even, juggling the attainment of earthly physical/material balance. i see the II of Pentacles clearly showing the ‘balancing act’, which can be accomplished if flexible, but is not easy, nor done confidently, consistantly continuously, or relaxed.
But in looking at the VIII (8) Strength card, this ‘act’ goes beyond balance, the image represents the perspective of focus; for me this card is depicting a reading of Mastery.
It is the spiritual, purity compassionately, taming the wild beast. Look at her hand she strongly purposely and confidently yet gently, applies good pressure on the beast’s head to enable the lion to effectively meet her most intimately. And he is at the same time enjoying, willingly… almost in ecstasy.
The message of the Strength card is: ‘Strength is not a force with which to exert power over others, but a force to stop others exerting power over you.’ And only this will finally enable right power (the balance) of energy.
The relationship value can be explained simply I believe in the definition of lemniscate found here:
“A lemniscate is a plane curve (8 turned sideways) with a characteristic shape, consisting of two loops that meet at a central point…The lemniscate, reduced in size to that of typographical characters, is commonly used as the symbol for infinity, or for a value that increases without limit.”
http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/lemniscate
…and to add to that, WHAT IT WAS isn’t what it was. A decent perspective changes everything.
As always, Sarah, right on time, and right on the money. I had a moment just this morning where I was tempted to avoid “living your inner truth about who and what you are in a way that gives it outward expression.” I laughed out loud at my avoidance, reading your post. This has been such an insane pace of transformational work over the past few months, I couldn’t even tell you what it is that I “currently hold as all-important,” but it’s surely on its way out. Nothing is what it was, no matter how I’d like to cling to something familiar.
Thank you again.