The Meaning of
the "Eight of Pentacles" Tarot Card
Tarot Quick Info
What is the inverted meaning of
the "Eight of Pentacles"?
The Meaning of
Tarot Card
The Symbolism of the Eight of Pentacles
On the Eight of Pentacles card we see a tradesman hammering and chiseling a golden pentacle. He appears to be sure of himself and his work.
To his left, his completed pentacles are proudly displayed on the tree or a wooden wall. A single, perhaps uncompleted pentacle lies on the ground at his feet.
He wears an apron to protect his clothes, and he sits straddling a simple wooden bench. The skies are clear, and far in the background we see a town.
How to Interpret the Eight of Pentacles
The Eight of Pentacles card represents skill and mastery. It depicts someone who spends hours slowly working to perfect their craft.
When the Eight of Pentacles comes up in a reading it can either indicate a person who is striving for mastery in a field, or someone who has already attained that level.
Something well-designed or particularly well-made; Something that can be displayed with sincere pride.
The card can also represent a product crafted by a master: Something well-designed or particularly well-made; Something that can be displayed with sincere pride.
If the card deals with a current situation or dilemma, it may indicate that hard work is about to pay off after a long time — and that a diligent attitude is required for the remainder of the current task.
Overall the Eight of Pentacles is a very positive card, indicating not just hard work, but the intense satisfaction and increased skill that arises from it. The card also has overtones of financial success and career promotion.
The Eight of Pentacles Inverted
Even with perfect planning, perfect execution and deep reservoirs of skill and experience, some things just don't go as planned.
The reversed Eight of Pentacles card is one of those reminders that fate has a way of reminding us how small we are — even if we've prepared diligently.
While mastery and skill can ensure professional quality and personal satisfaction, there are always outside forces that can influence outcomes in unexpected ways.
There are times we should plan for those "What if" scenarios, and take them seriously.
When the inverted Eight of Pentacles appears in a reading it's a reminder not to put all our chips on skill and experience. There are times we should plan for those "What if" scenarios, and take them seriously.
The card is still mostly a positive one, as it references a skilled individual who takes pride in his or her work. But it does suggest that the universe may throw the occasional curve ball at us, making all that skill and experience suddenly less applicable than we had hoped.
In some cases, the inverted Eight of Pentacles can also reference a person who spends too much time trying to achieve perfection. The card may be a gentle reminder that in some cases "good enough" can be preferable to the pursuit of "perfect".
Common Symbols Found On the Eight of Pentacles Card
Tarot cards often use a language of symbols to visually communicate information about how the card should be interpreted. The Eight of Pentacles contains at least three well-known, repeating Tarot symbols. Each of these symbols which repeat throughout the deck can add additional layers of meaning to the card.
The symbols which appear on the Eight of Pentacles card are:
Hand Tools
Hand tools symbolism appears on the Eight of Pentacles card:
The symbolism of work-tools in Tarot imagery is closely bound to the positive virtues of hard work and self-reliance. With the use of tools, we make ourselves more skillful and productive — and in the end, more fulfilled.
Towns
Towns symbolism appears on the Eight of Pentacles card:
In Tarot imagery, villages and towns are sometimes pictured in the background. They are closely bound to the positive virtues of working hard and achieving success. Towns and villages are places where commerce happens and where entrepreneurs and livelihoods are made.
Grey skies
Grey skies symbolism appears on the Eight of Pentacles card:
The colors of the sky in Tarot imagery often hide small hints pointing to the message of each card. Grey-colored skies typically suggest a degree of variability. This overcast or grey colored sky is not entirely foreboding, nor very positive.
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