Have you ever tried to dazzle your friends by giving them a tarot reading but came across a card you didn’t recognize? The Kellee blog has plenty of in-depth guides to various tarot cards so that embarrassment will never happen again (or at all)! This article will focus on the Two of Pentacles and how to interpret the card during a reading. To go into specifics, this article will cover:
Let’s jump into it!
Before getting into card specifics, it’s important to note the number and its numerology, the suit, and whether it’s a part of the major or minor arcana. Knowing these staples will give you a better sense of the cards, even if you completely blank on the specifics.
The Two of Pentacles is a member of the minor arcana, which, ironically, is the larger group within a tarot deck. While the major arcana focuses on overall life themes, the minor arcana focuses on day-to-day occurrences. For example, if you pull the Two of Cups from the minor arcana, the theme of loyal and equal partnership is a new(ish), relevant part of the querent's life. However, the Lover’s card, from the minor arcana, with a similar theme is reflective of a long term partner or even soulmate.
So when giving a reading with the Two of Pentacles, be sure to note that it is a temporary or very current part of their life, not a be-all-end-all.
Now that we’ve covered the minor arcana, we have to get into the suits. There are four suits in the minor arcana– cups, wands, swords, and pentacles– each correlating with a different element. The suit of pentacles, today’s focus, is most aligned with the element of earth. Think practicality, stability, and determination.
The suit of pentacles, or coins, is often considered to be a sign of material wealth. However, that is not necessarily the case. The suit of pentacles is a sign of prosperity or value in any category, not merely financial. The success could be through health, career, or relationships. Your assets are valuable, even if they are not money-making.
Finally, the suit of pentacles is a sign that something in the material world needs your attention. Positive or negative, you need to focus on your belongings and physical life to make sure everything is working well.
Numerology can be incredibly intimidating– there are so many numbers to remember! Thankfully, the tarot numbers only go up to ten, before switching to the beginnings of the royal court (page, knight, queen, and king). Additionally, the numerology of two is fairly straightforward. The number two represents the dichotomy of life.
When you think of dichotomy or duality, concepts like Yin and Yang, black and white, right and wrong, and life vs death may come to mind. This is exactly what the number two is about– opposites that need one another to thrive. The energies may be different, but they truly compliment each other.
The conflict between the opposites allows you, the querent, and everyone to find balance and possibilities. It’s impossible to expand yourself if completely stuck on one side of the spectrum.
Now it’s time to put everything together into the Two of Pentacles!
The Two of Pentacles depicts a young figure juggling two coins, linked together with the infinity symbol. This is symbolic of balance– the man can handle anything so long as he manages his time, energy, and resources well. Additionally, you may notice in the background that there are two ships on bobbing waves. These are another indicator that life’s ups and downs are manageable with focus and care.
When you pull a tarot card, the image can either be upright or upside down (reversed). The card’s orientation will determine the meaning of the pull. An upright Two of Pentacles is a sign that you are wearing many hats and balancing them at once. Perhaps you’re working multiple jobs or a working parent. The upright nature means you are balancing them well, but the two reminds you that there is a fine line between balancing everything and falling apart.
The upright Two of Pentacles reminds you to manage your time and priorities carefully. Are you getting caught up in daily struggles and losing sight of the big picture? Make sure that you are taking breaks to avoid burnout.
This card is a celebration of balance and equilibrium, however it’s not always possible to balance things 50-50. Sometimes your family is a higher priority, other times your job needs more attention. Be flexible with your responsibilities and remember that if you’re succeeding in one area, another might need work.
When giving a tarot reading with love in mind, the card has a slightly different meaning, though the focus is still finding balance. The Two of Pentacles tends to appear when you have many tasks on your plate, and love might be on the backburner. You may be feeling strained from work, but it’s important to not neglect your partner, otherwise your balance will be offset.
It may also be a sign that you are considering making a large financial decision with your partner. Have you fully thought through the options? Are you ready to make such a large commitment with this person? Be honest with yourself if you and your partner can balance your relationship and the monetary discussions.
For the singles, the upright Two of Pentacles may be a sign to calculate if you can handle romance right now. You need to determine whether you want to put love higher or lower on your priority list, and if it can fit in with the rest of your busy life.
In a career spread, the upright Two of Pentacles is a sign that you are juggling a number of tasks for your job at the moment. Your coworkers and supervisors may be impressed by your skills, but this should only be a temporary state (minor arcana). If this continues long term, make sure that you are being appropriately compensated for your extra labor.
As for your finances, you are working hard to cover all the essentials. Maybe you are trying to balance funds for savings, rent, car payments, and more and are feeling stretched thin. This is likely not a permanent state of finances, but stay flexible to ensure success.
If the card is pulled upside down, or reversed, the opposite of its upright interpretation is true. For the Two of Pentacles, you are not balancing everything well. You may be overwhelmed and overcommitted to different tasks. It may be time to start turning down tasks that don’t line up with your goals.
The reversed Two of Pentacles may also be a sign that you are overinvesting your time in one area, and not enough in the other. Maybe all the late nights at the office are taking away from much needed family time. When reversed, this card encourages you to focus on your priorities so you can achieve your long-term goals.
If you are in a relationship, the reversed Two of Pentacles is a sign that you are trying to juggle too much, and aren’t putting in enough time for your partner. This stress may be causing tension in the relationship.
If you’re not in a relationship, this card may be a sign that you are indecisive between two potential partners. It may also mean that you are not in a position where you are prepared for a serious relationship– there are too many other factors taking up your time.
In a career or finance spread, the reversed Two of Pentacles indicates that you are stretching yourself too thin. Perhaps you’re taking on too many extra projects at work, or accepting tasks that shouldn’t belong to you. Your work life may be causing high amounts of stress and it might be time to reach out for help. Are there any deadlines that can be pushed back? Can you redelegate some of the work to your team or coworkers? You need to be careful if you want to avoid burnout.
As for your finances, you may have overestimated your income. Maybe your loans and investments aren’t going too well. Your resources may be tight right now, and it is probably worth it to seek professional advice or make a budget to work your way out of debt or prevent financial ruin.
Despite the nature of spirituality and fortune telling, tarot card definitions are surprisingly straightforward. Everything follows a pattern. Once you memorize some basic numerology, the definitions of the suits, and look at the images a little bit, the definition will practically come to you.
The Two of Pentacles is about juggling responsibilities to accomplish everything you want. Keep studying the deck and giving practice readings, but make sure not to neglect other aspects of your life. As the Two of Pentacles implies, you need balance.
