Exploring Tarot: 6 of Pentacles

The 6 of Pentacles illustrates a man of means offering coins to one of two men, both of whom are holding their hands out while on their knees wearing tattered wraps or blankets. The man holds a scale in his left hand, almost behind him. A castle appears in the background along with some green trees. A dual line is visible separating the men from the castle suggesting that the offering is taking place outside the castle or town, which may indicate that the situation in which the men find themselves has left them without a place in the community.

One note about the man of means: he stands above the two men instead of helping them up off the ground. Although traditional interpretations suggest the 6 of Pentacles describes an expression of compassion and charity, and the scale is in perfect balance, I can’t ignore the fact that the scale held to the man’s side is out of full view suggesting that justice is somehow out of reach for the two men in need. Instead of true compassion for the plight of these two men, in my opinion, an imbalance is illustrated by the six pentacles above the two men by not placing three pentacles (coins) on either side of the card. It may also indicate that one man may receive more than the other.

The numerology of six includes the idea of assistance and empathy, but any empathy in the 6 of Pentacles seems fleeting and not really expected to meet the needs of the two men. So, when this card appears in a reading, I would be asking if the support that’s offered is really for the two men or to create merely the illusion of justice.