six of pentacles

The Sixth Path, Mediating Intelligence - Beauty

God Name = JHWH Aloah va Daath
Archangel = Raphael
Order of Angels = Kings, Malachim
Mundane Chakra = The Sun
Virtue = Devotion to the Great Work
Titles = Zeir Anpin, The Lesser Countenance. Melekh. The King
Spiritual Experience = Vision of the Harmony of Things.
Atziluthic Color = Clear Rose-pink
Briatic Color = Yellow
Yetziratic Color = Rich Salmon-pink
Assiatic Color = Golden Amber
Vice = Pride
Symbols = Rose Cross. Lamen. Truncated Pyramid. Cube

Pride as the vice for this, also the Sun and the colour yellow. Yet it also means a vision of harmony. So we come back to harmony...

I did as you suggested Aoife and looked at the two figures whilst blanking out the Merchant - one thing that struck me was the poorer figure is holding out their left hand whilst the right is concealed. The left hand is the feminine and lacking very much in this card. The one being given to has both hands out and they are both looking at the money not its bearer.

I can't help the feeling that this card indicates a lack of harmony and looks to the querent to adjust accordingly. A lack of the feminine, of the subconscious, of true generosity.

Also, maybe the more raggedy beggar is less deserving or has been judged (scales) less deserving of the gold. Getting what you deserve? Karma? Maybe the merchant listened to both cases before sharing the money and decided the other fellow deserved or needed the money more...Maybe the yellow beggar needs the money whereas the green beggar simply desires it.

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing." St Paul

This discussion is very very interesting.

Hi caridwen, I agree, as Vincent pointed out, that that this is a depiction of the Kabbalah.... Tiphareth in the world of Assiah - the Mediating Intelligence.

So maybe we see a tableau here demonstrating the process of mediation, the pursuit of equilibrium between Tiphareth, Hod [intelligence, reason] and Netzach [love, emotion].

I agree that the shadow side of this card could be a lack of harmony, imbalance, pride and hubris, gender imbalance, disparity between intellect and emotion.... but this would be largely determined by the surrounding cards.

On reflection, I see this tableau more and more as a process rather than an act. A process of exchange and the tension of maintaining a balance. And as such it encompasses both the most positive and negative connotations.

I see what you're getting at Aoife - this process of exchange - how does it work in a reading? What are the various interpretations you see for the card?

...this process of exchange - how does it work in a reading? What are the various interpretations you see for the card?

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Lol... the sort of things I’ve mentioned already.
But goodness me, the permutations are endless!

Try a two card reading, using the 6 of pents and a major.... see what you come up with!

Aoife said:

Lol... the sort of things I’ve mentioned already.
But goodness me, the permutations are endless!

Try a two card reading, using the 6 of pents and a major.... see what you come up with!

Click to expand...

Maybe I should have phrased this better

I have difficulty with this card - always have. I was hoping this thread would give me further insight, and it has. It's been very enlightening. I suppose I am unclear as to what you mean exactly ie process of exchange and was wondering if you could give some other indication of what this meant. Clarify so to speak.

Let's say for example: Six of Pentacles/The Chariot

The Chariot key words: Victory/Will/Self Assertion/Hard Control

Six of Pentacles: Process of Exchange.

I don't know how that works or can't work it out. Let's give it a go and pick the easiest option. Will. Submission means domination. Could it mean that through asserting your will on the other, through that process you gained something ie the assertion of your will yet at the same time something was lost ie the assertion of the other?

I'm already lost...scratches head and shuffles feet.

*****

My dear Cardiwen, I understand your frustration: it is one thing to explore the symbols and artwork in a card, along with the author's writings and associated philosophies (Kaballah, etc.) -- generally what we think of as study thread material -- and quite another thing to know how such a card may be read.

How a reading turns out depends upon the context - the question, the sitters situation, the surrounding cards, etc. A study thread almost by definition lacks context. My suggestion would be to post some real readings in which this card has come up - post them in the "Your Readings" forum - include the context - the question, the situation, the spread, the rest of the cards, etc. And then see what everyone comes up with.

firemaiden said:

My dear Cardiwen, I understand your frustration: it is one thing to explore the symbols and artwork in a card, along with the author's writings and associated philosophies (Kaballah, etc.) -- generally what we think of as study thread material -- and quite another thing to know how such a card may be read.

How a reading turns out depends upon the context - the question, the sitters situation, the surrounding cards, etc. A study thread almost by definition lacks context. My suggestion would be to post some real readings in which this card has come up - post them in the "Your Readings" forum - include the context - the question, the situation, the spread, the rest of the cards, etc. And then see what everyone comes up with.

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Thank you - yes, I'll try it.

lol - I suppose I don't really know how this forum works yet and wrongly assumed the Study Groups was to help with reading interpretation. I suppose it does but not everyone is using the cards for reading. Some may be using them for meditation or magick...

I hope this blip doesn't stop people from adding to the thread, I was finding it fascinating

So he's a merchant. In the era or tableau depicted, who has money to distribute? We know the church would not!

And the balance scales are a metaphor - the whole thing is a metaphor...a metaphor is a guise - a depiction!

So yah - he's in the guise of a merchant.

Why the scales?

Cuz you cannot give - without a receiver. You can't have wonder without the wonderer. You cannot have balance unless there is something to balance against.

3+3 is a balance. 4+2 is not. 3+3=6 Ya just cannot over complicate this.

Only a Pisces works for scale…(lol)

Umbrae said:

So he's a merchant. In the era or tableau depicted, who has money to distribute? We know the church would not!

And the balance scales are a metaphor - the whole thing is a metaphor...a metaphor is a guise - a depiction!

So yah - he's in the guise of a merchant.

Why the scales?

Cuz you cannot give - without a receiver. You can't have wonder without the wonderer. You cannot have balance unless there is something to balance against.

3+3 is a balance. 4+2 is not. 3+3=6 Ya just cannot over complicate this.

Only a Pisces works for scale…(lol)

Click to expand...

Thank you Umbrae - so we seem to all agree that the card means, essentially harmony and to look to the other cards accordingly to asertain what the harmony refers to.

Teacher/student Reader/querent and so it goes on. Yin/Yang without one you cannot have the other...am I on the right track?