by the way, this is the first time I’m seeing this card to mean these people without any means are seeking sanctuary. Up ‘til this point I’ve always read it as the sanctuary having cast them out, the hypocrisy of the church, preaching love but practicing greed and self-preservation, the system and social safty nets failing those in need.
2W QW XI
individual cards:
• sometimes the hard times are a result of poor planning, or good plans just not panning out – you can’t predict everything, and even if you could, resource management is a skill.
• Sometimes a poor situation is a result of extravagance and just living for the moment, the opposite of planning. Or pouring it all into one project – all your energy and resources, draining yourself in service of this thing you’re bringing to life – is that always bad? Is it extreme or a price you’re paying willingly?
• Sometimes being stripped away of resources is done in either fairness or justice. Justice – the law might require you pay retribution, whether the law is fair or not. Fairness – maybe you’ve had more than your share and now you’re being forced to redistribute it, having not let go of it in the 4 of pentacles?
It’s true I haven’t really explored previously the whys of the 5 of pentacles. I just assumed it’s the social outcasts, the minorities and downtrodden that those who are well-off don’t want to think about. But the 5 describes a state, and it’s not one only brought about by discrimination and bigotry, though the church theme does bring that to mind.
Collective spread:
interesting, reminds me of what I’ve been reading about in peace pilgrim’s book. The first guy has two rods, the queen has a rod and a sunflower – it’s been growing and changing according to the plans laid out in the 2, there’s a goal and the wands direct the spirit into growth, joy, beauty of the flower, the person stepping into sovereignty. But justice holds metal instruments, the wands are completely gone. the aggression of the sword and the weighing out of the scales – what’s yours, what’s mine, what’s “fair”. Squabbling over personal belongings and grievances you lose sight of your goals, of your mission, what you were trying to create. You descend into spiritual poverty which often manifests as physical discomfort.
Speaking of peace pilgrim, the 5P could be read as renunciation – not having too much, having just enough to live, intentionally downsizing, letting go of material matters. But also it’s clear that in this case, the people need shelter to survive the night. So living just on that threshold of “enough”. It can be terrifying or freeing and very few people reach the latter experience.
It’s also interesting to me that you can’t force renunciation. I’m seeking it, I feel ready in a few areas, but that’s only after I’ve learned that it’s alright to want, to acquire, to have, which was its own work. Was it also Ram Dass who wrote that you can’t force yourself to give up something you’re not ready to give? When you’re ready, there will be no difficulty, it will be like shedding a burden, a relief. Don’t give up something just because you think you should. That kind of lack could also be the domain of the 5P.
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