Eight of Pentacles

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 06 Jan 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Shadow Wolf	06 Jan 2003
What's your take on the 8 of Pentacles. It seems to be fast becoming a personal power card. In the Celtic Tarot there is a blacksmith on the front, my ancestors were blacksmiths in Ireland. Any input from you would be greatly appreciated !!!!!

Centaur	06 Jan 2003
I interpret the eight of pentacles as the talent card. For me (and ofcourse, depending on the surrounding cards), it signifies that the querent is about to undertake, or is already undertaking some new form of learning, or gaining knowledge. For me it signifies a process of working towards better things, of trying to make things work, and of dilligence and effort. Hmnnn... I dunno :o) Centaur

Sulis	07 Jan 2003
It`s a card of movement and to me it means working toward something better as Centaur20 has said. A card which can also mean an apprenticeship or some form of study. I`ve been getting this card a lot lately as well, I take it to mean my new career path which I began a couple of months ago. The spiral tarot also shows a blacksmith who has made 8 pentacles all the same, practicing until he gets it right. It`s a card which to me implies hard work. The stone tarot (one of my main reading decks) shows a river of 8 pentacles which gradually get brighter as they climb a mountain. Love and light Crystalmynx xx

samantha	07 Jan 2003
I also see it as a kind of an emotional learning curve, where the questioner should focus on the process, and what it reveals to them , rather than on the end result. Sometimes there is the implication that they have been unwilling , or unable to do that in the past.

imagoddess	08 Jan 2003
Oh Dear, I have had that eight of pentacles show up in maybe 10 readings over the last month, in spreads which encompass calender spreads, relationship spreads, decision spreads, and daily spreads. But, 75% of the time this card is reversed!

juice	09 Jan 2003
Trying to remember to think of the other aspects here. Paying so damned much attention to minutia that you are not making progress. Trying to perfect what is already good enough. Not accepting that which has already been made. The part of learning where you are doing for yourself instead of following someone or asking for help. All of the 8s to me are "wheels" churning forward, driving, spinning in place. or stuck in a rut. I've also thought of the phrase "in the groove" for the eights.

Karenwhe	09 Jan 2003
I agree with all the above said and the only other thing I can think of is when someone is being overworked (at work) and is not being paid overtime and paid under market rate etc. etc. in other words working for less than the work is really worth.

Centaur	09 Jan 2003
I suppose then you could also interpret it to refer to someone who is a very hard working. Sometimes, I see it as referring to someone who is trying to make a relationship work.

Rhiannon	10 Dec 2003
I'm resurrecting this thread for a few minutes. Hope ya'll don't mind. Bear with me, I do have a point eventually! LOL :D I had a thought on this card today while I was driving. I seem to remember getting this in a reading for someone regarding their dream job of being a rock star. The reading was several months ago. I think at the time it stumped me and I didn't know why it was there. This person had been playing for many years and was very experienced with playing for audiences and stuff. I think I said it applied to their day job instead of to their dream job. Now that I've reflected on it a bit more I think it could very well have been applying to this person's dream of becoming a rock star. Perhaps over the years he's lost some of his original passion for the music and he should to back to the beginning, back to his roots to become inspired again. So, in summary: This card could sometimes mean to go back to your basic skills, refresh your memory, become inspired again, remember why you fell in love in the first place. *ramble over* ;) R :)

lark	10 Dec 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Rhiannon So, in summary: This card could sometimes mean to go back to your basic skills, refresh your memory, become inspired again, remember why you fell in love in the first place. *ramble over* ;) I think that was a great ramble! Isabel Klingman says the same in her book Tarot and the Tree of Life. She says that the eight of pentacles is a card that shows we have found a formula for doing something very well, perhaps perfect. This is great if you're a craftsman, scientist, engineer, or doctor, they thrive on coming up with that one great formula that works every time. But for an artist or a musician this can be a dangerous card. It can mean just as you say, that things have become to set in there ways. In order to have a fresh creative perspective you have to shake things up, experiment, explore, find that first true spark of inspiration. Fall in love with your art or music all over again. That's what keeps it fresh. Great insight Rhiannon. Thanks for sharing it.

ros	10 Dec 2003
Besides all the obvious meanings for this card, Somewhere I found this used as the MID LIFE CRISIS card,also employment card etc. When I say to some clients this involves your work etc. sometimes it is the MLC card. They all laugh & agree. I tell them they have to stay focused at work or with their life because we know what happens at certain ages. lol "Stay focused at your job, hobby or anything your good at, you have rewards or achievements for your lifestyle."

gloria	11 Dec 2003
I agree with all that’s been said, but I also see this as the ‘labour of love’ card. Working away at something for the sheer pleasure of it……not merely for monetary gain. G.

firemaiden	11 Dec 2003
Whenever I see this card I know its time to buckle down and practice my craft. To me this card is about "craft" -- yes, a labour of love, but at a professional level.

WalesWoman	11 Dec 2003
Being an artist, I usually look at this card as perfecting my craft, working on the craftsmanship, paying attention to detail, NOT getting sloppy and lazy and going for quantity rather than quality. For relationships, there too, is paying attention to details, doing the little extras that make something common into something of value. The extra touches that make a little thing something really special. But mostly I see it as putting your best efforts into whatever you are doing and not being "half-assed" about it. So I will look at what I've been doing and re-evaluate myself and my efforts, what have I been putting into it? What area do I need to be working on to be sure everything is meeting quality standards?

The Eight of Pentacles thread was originally posted on 06 Jan 2003 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.