Two cards

The Eight of Pentacles gives you a taste of success but reminds you that you can’t have what you want overnight.

There is a goal in sight for you right now and you are on the right path – learning new tricks, creating healthy environments around you, and otherwise doing what you can to succeed. The Eight of Pentacles is a reminder not to give up and to continue on the path that you are on now.

When this card comes up in a reading it usually will accompany a daunting time in one’s life where life seems mechanical or monotonous. Consider daily tasks in which you are bored from doing the same repetitive motions. You may feel like you are caught in a rat race or that you are trying with your all but you are not getting anywhere. Often before we can advance onto higher lessons in life we have to continue taking baby steps. You may feel that you are ready for more or that you should be doing more in your life… however if you feel this way then you are probably discounting the actions you take and their importance. Right now is an important time in your life and you are on the cusp of something greater. It is important to not quit just yet and allow your actions to complete their cycle.

The man on the Eight of Pentacles card is working diligently at creating new coins out of wood and then placing them onto a tree. The background sky is white and is indicative of purity and spirituality. Often it is assumed that he is an apprentice of some sort of trade and that the coins and the wood are symbolisms of his future prosperity. Like the apprentice, you are learning skills for your life so that you can ultimately get what you want. You need to learn to take pride in your small accomplishments. Avoid downplaying your own efforts.

The card can also be a sign that you need to lighten up on someone around you. Rather than focusing on you as the apprentice, the Eight of Pentacles be showing you as the master in a relationship in your life, where you have the skills to succeed but someone around you is not quite up to par with you. In work and love both this card can indicate problems that can be easily resolved with patience and communication. The overall message of the Eight of Pentacles is that hard work and determination will allow you to succeed. Whatever your role is regarding this card, communication, building a foundation, and consistency is key to the questions that you have of life right now.

The Eight of Pentacles in Love

When dealing with other people in relationships petty arguments and bickering is bound to happen. The Eight of Pentacles comes up when there are small complaints in the relationship or insecurities about a partner. If either of these situations are you then the Eight of Pentacles is reminding you that we are not all perfect. We must all start somewhere in order to grow on your path and it is likely that you are with your partner at this time for a reason. You more than likely have some information or experiences that will prove beneficial to your partner.

Right now is a good time to think of ways in which you can offer yourself as an example, rather than a standard. Think of the ways in which you express to your partner and how the two of you work together. You may find that you are being looked to for guidance and that you are being too harsh in your own judgments. When looking for love, the Eight of Pentacles has a different meaning entirely. In this case traditionally the card turns around and places you back as the apprentice and advises to take small steps forward right now. Focus first on ways that you are ready for love and cultivate those. Be aware that you likely still have old emotions or hang ups from a previous relationship that need to be resolved so that you do not repeat past mistakes.

The Eight of Pentacles in Health

The Eight of Pentacles is a card that represents a work in progress. The card can be somewhat concerning in health because it usually will symbolize that you have been working hard for your health goal and yet you are not seeing the desired responses. Whatever your health concern is, right now you need to take a step back and look at the process you are taking. Consider what ways you are doing counter-productive actions and which efforts are simply not enough. Do not allow yourself to become overwhelmed with the larger picture at hand. Take one step at a time and do not lose sight of your goal.

It can be a good time to ask someone else for assistance that has dealt with similar health issues before or seek the motivation of others. Because of the earthy energy of the card and the suit of pentacles in general, you may find that you are getting overwhelmed from your efforts. Try not to beat yourself up. Realizing that you are doing what you can and that questioning the reasons of your actions or making excuses are not going to get you anywhere.

The Eight of Pentacles in Work and Wealth

The Eight of Pentacles usually indicates a beginning in one way or another regarding both work and finance. Even if you are the boss of a company and know your industry like the back of your hand, there are still things that you need to learn. Allow yourself the opportunity to increase your knowledge base at this time and work on exercises that are going to grow you expertise. Now is not a good time to be making HUGE changes in your life of finance or career, rather you want to focus on the smaller changes that you can make as well as to jump on opportunities to network, learn, and grow.

The Eight of Pentacles is also a thinking card. Your focus is important right now. You may notice that you have bitten off more than you can chew in a work project or are feeling discouraged about a lack of progress in finances. Remember that even mistakes are opportunities to grow. Take what you can out of even the worst of situations and apply it to future opportunities. The loss will work out in the end and may even prove to be for the best. 

In work the eight of Pentacles implies that you are working but are not paid what you should be. Reversed this card indicates that the work is efficient. As he has already completed five of the pentacles which are above him it can indicate that work is not finished. Like the seven of pentacles which is all about patience, the eight can suggest that on the 8th pentacle you can publicly show your strength. This card can indicate you are producing some results but it will take time. Additionally, that you are completely dedicated and also learning at the same time. In some tarot books, this card is seen in work as being responsible but above all, it implies that you can accomplish things well but you need to understand that things are needed in detail. If you are looking for work, been to a job interview then this is a positive card, it can imply that you are committed to new tasks and generally you have so much on your plate. The key is to focus on yourself right now. In business, the eight of Pentacles implies that there is mastery but it will take work to become the master. This card also indicates cash and career developments. The 8 is a great card for business and it shows that you will a “master” and you will make enough money in life. 

Reversed Eight of Pentacles in a reading

The Eight of Pentacles reversed shows a lack of motivation, determination, and vision. It can be a detrimental card in a reading because when you are not focused on the task at hand then careless mistakes can be made. Make sure you are doing all you can to make informed decisions and to not jump to conclusions. When reversed the Eight of Pentacles tells you to stop, look, and listen before making another leap physically or spiritually.

Upright Eight of Pentacles Meanings in Keywords

• Working hard in life
• Producing good results
• Extra careful at work
• Working diligently
• Appreciation
• Development
• Employment
• Appreciation
• Development
• Employment
• Authority
• Patience
• Bad results
• Small success

Reversed Eight of Pentacles Meanings in Keywords

• Late success
• Acknowledgment
• Breakthrough
• Recovery
• Material stability
• Resignation
• Organization
• New beginning

The Four of Cups Tarot Card Meaning

In my view, in tarot readings when the Five of Cups appears in your reading, you are going through a transit of emotional disappointment.

The lesson from the Four of Cups is extended to this card, but it also includes an extra layer of regret and loss over a pleasure that you thought you would get a chance to experience. The image of the Five of Cups depicts a person who is wrapped up in the black cloth of despair. Three cups lay on the ground, having spilled the wine of pleasure. He is so focused on the cups that have tipped over that he has completely missed the fact that there are two perfectly good cups of wine still available to him. But he cannot make any move toward realizing they are there, because he is too swept up in his sadness.

In life we also get swept up in what we have lost. Disappointment comes from becoming emotionally attached to something that has not come to fruition as you expected. We become extremely attached to the plans that we make in life, and when something comes through to derail those plans it is extremely difficult at points to get through. This card is referencing matters of the heart, a broken marriage or a loss of a friendship. Any kind of loss that makes you feels regret falls under the umbrella of this card. There is more for you to see, but right now it is exceptionally difficult to do so. You find that life is now no longer what you thought it would be and you are having a hard time feeling the need or want to go on. This card is one that calls out to your sadness and understands it, but the Five of Cups is telling you that there is so much more in store for you if you would only allow yourself to drink the wine of pleasure from the two remaining cups.

In some cases you have only just begun to appreciate what it is that you had now that you have lost it, and that is also a very challenging concept to take in. The process of letting go of a person or a lifestyle takes time. You cannot rush these matters. Going inward makes sense, but remember not to get stuck. True healing can occur only when you let go of the sorrow and begin to have happy and healthy interactions with others in your life who do love you.

To get out of this cycle, you must focus all of your energy on a new endeavor or project. Create some goals that you wish to accomplish but take some time to just flow. Right now it is important for you to let go of any attachment you might have to the outcomes that you have and just take one step at a time. Make a determined choice to pick up the pieces of your broken heart and move forward to your new beginning.

The Five of Cups in Love

The Five of Cups will present itself in a love reading to both honor what you are going through and to let you know what to do about it. If you are currently in a relationship that is having problems, this is going to be the card that will let you know that you must take charge of this situation and do your best to appreciate what you have or you are going to lose it. If the moment has already passed and a separation had to happen, then know that through your sorrow of this change, sometimes change is necessary for you to discover even more about yourself. As adults, we can grow apart. Sometimes we no longer want what you both wanted originally. This is a normal part of life. Spend the time grieving that you need to and then move on. In this there is some form of separation or loss that is transiting you right now, so the best thing you can do right now is hold onto the ones that do love you so that they can help you through the process of grief.

When it comes to single life in the pursuit of love, this card usually signifies a loss that is still affecting you. Perhaps you loved someone a long time ago and you find that you are unlucky in love since then. There is a portion of this loss that you have not yet recovered from, and in order for you to move forward you must. If you are in some way comparing others to that relationship, then you are not looking straight ahead, only backwards, and that is not healthy.

The Five of Cups in Health

The Five of Cups regarding health is expressing a time of your life in which you are becoming completely claustrophobic or afraid to be social. This is an extremely unhealthy place to be, as there is much that you are missing. Your physical health will be improved greatly if you start practicing getting outside here and there, meeting new people and branching out.

The Five of Cups in Work and Wealth

When the Five of Cups shows up in a reading regarding work and wealth, you can expect to be dealing with some losses. This is not the time to make investments, but to make sure that all of your legal matters are in order so that you are prepared should something relating to business change randomly.

Five of Cups Advice

A vault of emptiness, feelings of unfulfillment and sadness abound, it seems the darkest of days hangs in the clouds. Heartbreak is one of the most difficult inevitabilities of life, in the moment, things seem hopeless - but the Five of Cups brings advice for you and there is a reason to stay strong and weather this storm. This card embodies the old maxim, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. It’s true, difficult experiences help to shape you into a better, more resilient person. Remember that no state is permanent and our perception affects so much; is the cup half-full or half-empty? Choosing to see the beauty around you can inspire you to carry on and maintain bravery. See the woman on this card, she may be melancholy but she is also holding a beautiful flower - just as the sunsets, so too it must rise. The message of this card is a battle cry: stay strong, and you will overcome this period.

Five of Cups Yes Or No

Negative energy, swirling like the wind, sporadic like the waves - your question answer is most certainly a no. Few cards carry the heavyweight of negative energy to the same extent as The Five of Cups, but do not allow this answer unsettle you. It is a powerful and definite no, but whether that is good or bad thing really depends on the question and context. If you’re inquiring of another’s attitude, then be aware that this harsh answer is likely due to their own narcissism; it is apt to appear when people are so wrapped up in themselves they leave little emotional capacity for the rest of the world.   

Five of Cups Past

Your mind spins like a broken compass, though you try to redirect your thoughts the Five of Cups keeps seeing them return to a traumatic past event that lives in you like a recurring nightmare. A mistake jolted you, tripped you up like a tree root on an old road; now you suffer the consequences, walking injured and directionless. It seems that a series of unfortunate decisions have stolen possible positive futures from your grasp, and now you can’t let go of this pivotal moment that led to the pain beating through you like a heartbeat. This card reminds you to not dwell too much on what can’t be changed; mistakes become useful not by torturing yourself with them, but as lessons learned to make you a better person. Forgive yourself, open your eyes and try not to let the light of the present be blotted up by the shadows of the past. 

Five of Cups Present 

Stress, chaos, sadness. Just like a natural disaster, something is wreaking havoc with your emotions, blowing through life like a tornado in a small town. Feelings are highly strung, nerve endings are overexposed and suffering as a consequence. In the present, the Five of Cups carries a strong meaning indicating a period of heightened stress and unpleasantness. In such a moment, even the most positive mind is inclined to catastrophising. But this card insists on resilience, react calmly and take action with a level head. Don’t be too hard on yourself, remember that staying still can be considered progress when you’re in a hurricane. Hold on tightly to your morals and have faith in the universe and its plan for you; these are dark days, but many of your happiest days still lie ahead. 

Five of Cups Future and Outcome

Regret is the most bitter of human emotions, it sours life and permeates even the brightest days. Here, the Five of Cups resounds with a warning message; consider your actions in the present, are you about to take a misstep that could lead to regret in the future? These things are not fixed, changing your decisions in the now will lead you down a different path in the future. So tread carefully, think with your heart not just your head and remember when making difficult decisions that it is you who must live with the consequences. Isolation regularly leads to poor repetitive thinking, now is the time to reach out to others for help and make crucial choices with them rather than alone. Like a lifeboat with multiple people, when working together your chances of happy survival are greatly increased. 

Five of Cups Love Reconciliation

Spiralling downwards like a falling autumnal leaf, it seems that what once grew bright and green is quickly falling away into something old and rotten. The woman of the Five of Cups card is dressed in black and all alone, love and romance are unknown to her. 

Here, this card signals worrying things to come for existing partners; this goes beyond compromised harmony and veers into something even darker still. Does your partner treat you with the respect you deserve, and do you return that same respect? The answer is likely no, because mutual feelings are nowhere to be seen here. In such a scenario, clean breaks are for the best. Moving on is a liberation that will allow you to leave a darker romantic chapter behind and ultimately open yourself up to a better one in the future. 

If you are single, this card recalls past wounds that are yet to heal - entering into new relationships now will only deepen the pain you’re currently feeling. Being vulnerable can blinker you to people with dark motives who may want to take advantage of your injured state. Spend sometime healing alone and when you’re recovered you can make more enriching decisions in love and romance. 

Five of Cups As Feelings

You ask of another’s feelings, and the answer that is returned is something of a burden: the bearer of these emotions is embroiled in sadness, possibly grief. Depression cloaks their life and so their usual actions are transformed into something dower and disturbing. If you have a relationship with this person, they may feel let down or betrayed - retrace your actions, has something passed which may have led to this? Whatever the case, the feelings are clear and the person is wounded. Tread carefully before reaching out, the owner of these emotions is vulnerable may easily spiral; they require a kind hand and genuine care. 

Five of Cups As Friendship

A schism divides your friends. Bad blood has come into play like a disease and things seem fraught and unsalvagable. When pride is at stake, the worst of human emotions can escalate a situation into something acrimonious and scary. The Five of Cups indicates a tearing, here, are you split between two groups of friends? You may feel like a rag doll in a futile tug of war, but ultimately the onus is on you to decide which friends are best for you. Tap into your intuition, remember that deep inner knowledge is built into your bones and runs through your veins; be led by your heart and you can seldom take the wrong step. In matters of friendship, a resolution is more important than winning. In time, you will see that pride becomes unimportant in the grand scheme of things, while love will start to look more and more significant. 

Reversed Five of Cups in a reading

The Five of Cups will appear in a reading in the reversed position to continue to reiterate the feeling of loss that you have experienced. Think before you make any big decision. You cannot fix or change what has happened. Better to just let it go. There is a level of carelessness associated with this position as a result of the grieving period. Make sure to not abuse or mistreat others as a way to process your feelings. It is imperative now that you continue to focus on overcoming obstacles. You have only experienced the feeling of limitation, but that is not all encompassing. There is more available to you once the tears have stopped flowing.

Five of Cups Reversed - Love and Romance

Forgiveness is a beautiful thing, whether for yourself and or another - it is a way of cutting loose the weights that have been holding you back. Perhaps an old lover appears on the horizon, and now is the time reconcile like a dried out plant growing again in a hazy shower of rain. If already attached, this card can bring good news; a recurring problem has finally been overcome and you and your partner are fully reconciled. With a spring in your step and past resentments cut away, your love has a new lease of life and may become even more loving than it was at the beginning. 

​Five of Cups reversed - Family and Home

Few things are as happy as a family functioning as one, emerging from a difficult period, you have now come into the light. Family is complicated, and the stakes are high - but right now you are discovering how truly wonderful it can be to move on from the past. The home glows with the warm orange light of love, where once the house was darkened by negative thoughts and contentious relationships, now it is a safe haven once again. Remember this lesson: resentment solves nothing and hurts much. You are bonded by blood to your family, they should always be your rock and solace. Continue to put these most integral relationships first and you can take on anything that life throws at you. 

Five of Cups Reversed - Work and Finances

Life is like mountainous terrain and work is the sustenance that gives the journey purpose and the soul determination. It seems you veered off-path in your recent past; challenges were hurtled at you like rocks - there may have been job losses or financial difficulties, but now, you’ve overcome these issues. A good mood spreads in its place for not only are you back where you want to be, but you’re also likely to surpass where you were before. Remember that expressing gratitude is one of the best ways to attract more positive energy into your life. Don’t harbour resentment which will only fester and become more and more overwhelming in time, instead try cutting your losses and celebrating your successes. With a little belief, who knows how much further your dream career might take you. 

Five of Cups Reversed - Health and Wellness

This reversed card recognises the innate connection between body and mind; healing happens on an all-encompassing level, and requires both physical and mental changes. Like an injured animal rejoining its pack, you have overcome a period of ill health and compromised wellbeing. Healing energy flows through you like a stream, now that you are able to accept that you deserve full health and positivity more and more of it comes your way. Things are going right, remember to hold onto your gratitude and openness for this will enable you to maintain your spark and keep a grip on the health that currently has you glowing for the better.

Five of Cups Reversed - Personal Spirituality

In recent times your spiritual journey has been blocked by grief that descended like a grey cloud on your life; this may have been a literal bereavement or simply a period of extreme sadness. But now the clouds break, a ray of sunlight shines through - you’re coming out the other side like a train through a tunnel on a sunny day. A fresh start waits for you, and it holds more spiritual significance than ever before. Be ready to open your soul and mind to great revelations that will strengthen your enlightenment and sense of purpose. 

Upright Five of Cups meanings in keywords

• Lost in a mirror of time
• Pouring love away
• Crying and trauma
• Rejecting love
• Hurt of yesterday

Reversed Five of Cups meanings in keywords

• Acceptance of change
• You will be cuddled
• New start and happiness
• Overcoming heartache
• Letting go of the past