Eight of pentacles Upright Keywords
Employment, craftsmanship, apprenticeship, repetitive tasks, mastery, skill development
Go to Upright MeaningEight of pentacles Reversed Keywords
Voided ambition, perfectionism, misdirected activity, vanity, cupidity, exaction
Go to Reversed MeaningA youth sits at a workbench constructing his last of eight pentacles. He is an apprentice working hard at his craft. The city is in a distance and he acknowledges it not as his gaze is fixed upon his work and his work alone. His countenance is that of satisfaction and strong, confident joy in his art. A tree stands above the workbench where he has displayed the graduation of each pentacle. Look how far he has come!
Minor Arcana Tarot
Eight of pentacles Tarot Card Meanings
Upright Card Meaning
There is no way around it, the Eight of Pentacles signifies work. This may not be the happiest card, or the most esoteric. In fact, it may even feel a little bit boring. However, that does not mean that it is not important.
The Eight of Pentacles does not signify work for work’s sake, that is mindless drudgery. Instead, the Eight of Pentacles represents the kind of work that hones the knife’s edge of your mind and your skills. Perhaps you are hoping to improve in your field of work or even in a hobby. You may even be working as an apprentice, formally or not, to a master in your field. Your work is designed towards a careful goal, each task bringing you closer to mastery.
This work will not always be entertaining. Your mind may glaze over at the repetitiveness of your tasks, your body may ache. But through careful practice of vital skills, you will find that your mastery of a chosen craft will improve by leaps and bounds. Continue this way, and you will find yourself well on the road from apprentice to master before you realize it.
Minor Arcana Tarot
Eight of pentacles Tarot Card Meanings
Reversed Card Meaning
The Eight of Pentacles reversed signals that you have been derailed from your path. You lost the practice of hard work and now your goals are no longer within reach. Or, instead of working strategically at tasks that you need to improve on, you threw yourself at everything like a bull and now find yourself exhausted and unmotivated. Perhaps your vanity has gotten in your way and your motivation was punctured when you realized that you are not the prodigy you thought you were.
The Eight of Pentacles reversed does not represent a permanent failure, but a setback. Your ambition and motivation are still there and can easily be accessed with a bit of humility and self-reflection. The workbench will be waiting for you when you are ready.
The Eight of Pentacles reversed may also be a sign that you are being too hard on yourself. Sometimes, the work we are doing may not be visible, although it is still important. Do not underestimate the importance of strategic rest and meditation on your path towards your goals.
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