Daily Reading

5 of Pentacles

This is a famous card. Two poor folk sit outside a church with five pentacles on its stained glass window. This is a card that predicts loss, financial loss, bad luck, a possible set-back in health. It is a hard time, as all fives are. The poor folk feel embarrassed by their poverty, but they are too proud to ask for help, preferring to rely on each other rather than begging for help from the rich church.

This card relates as well to the emphasis on community and social norms. In some views of the card those out in the storm have chosen to be out there. Society disapproves of them or their relationships and rather than bow down to traditional standards, they stay outside. Like the other fives, there is the issue of pride and humility.

The problem, "How can I survive this hard-up time without compromising my pride?"

The answer: "You have to re-evaluate your values."

While those in this card may have lost material things, even the respect of society, they still have each other. Such times teach us who our real friends are, who is honestly generous, and what really matters to us.

When times are good again, we will remember what we learned in these hard times and not be fooled by fake friendships or fickle social regard. We will know who and what we can really trust.