The Meaning of
the "Two of Pentacles" Tarot Card

The Two of Pentacles card shows us a jester juggling two pentacles within a ribbon which is twisted into an infinity symbol.

The stance of the jester is off-balance. His whole body tilts in the opposite direction from the infinity symbol in his hands.

In the distance, ships are in danger of capsizing on stormy seas, despite the clear skies overhead.

The whole picture is one of uncontrolled, unbalanced motion. Rolling back and forth. And yet, as the infinity symbol implies, the jester can keep this up indefinitely.

NOTE: Because Pentacles are associated with the element Earth, it's rare for a Pentacles card to feature water-imagery as prominently as this one does. In this case the stormy seas in the background are not intended to associate the card with water, but to illustrate the imbalance and chaos of the scene.

The Two of Pentacles is a mixed message card: On the one hand, it indicates rough seas and turblence. As we see in the illustration of the jester, his juggling looks chaotic and imbalanced.

While that setup might look like a recipe for disaster, the jester's infinity symbol indicates that he can actually perform his act forever. What we're really looking at is mastery, and the smooth execution of complicated tasks in a difficult environment.

The Two of Pentacles is a reminder that skill and focus can overcome complex challenges.

The Two of Pentacles indicates a time of chaos, multiple priorities and conflicting responsibilities — but the card also has a positive message: You can pull this off, somehow. The Two of Pentacles is a reminder that skill and focus can overcome complex challenges.

The skill of the jester is that he makes the impossible actually work. Just when it looks like things are about to fall apart, he keeps things going.

The card reminds us to look at setbacks as mere challenges. Challenges that can be overcome.

The Two of Pentacles is a somewhat positive card. It doesn't paint a rosy picture of success. But it does suggest competence and grace under pressure. Those are two powerful ingredients for success down the road.

The reversed Two of Pentacles reminds us to find our balance.

Perhaps too much of a juggling act is taking place in one way or another. We live in a multi-tasking world of conflicting expectations, and most of us have more commitments than we have time.

When the Two of Pentacles appears inverted in a reading, it's often a reminder to find stability first before making a decision. It may also herald increased instability on the horizon.

We are reminded to find harmony by centering our outlook and walking the middle path of balance and moderation.

In many ways, the reversed Two of Pentacles parallels the Buddhist idea of "walking the middle path". The card may be indicating an accidental shift towards one extreme or another somewhere. We are reminded to find harmony by centering our outlook and walking the middle path of balance and moderation.

Another meaning of the Two of Pentacles is that the infinite juggling act is wearing something down. Someone or something — or maybe you — just might need a break.