Five of Pentacles
© Photography by Soulchology | Five of Pentacles - Radiant Wise Spirit Tarot by Lo Scarabeo
i. The Nutshell
Upright
The Five of Pentacles reflects experiences of loss, exclusion, or hardship, often tied to feeling unsupported or disconnected from help. This card points to times when external circumstances or internal beliefs lead to isolation, financial strain, or worry about survival needs. These feelings can create rumination about what’s missing or reinforce a sense of being left out or abandoned. Noticing these patterns is important because they often show where fear of rejection, failure, or unworthiness is shaping behaviour. This can lead to withdrawing, struggling to ask for help, or ignoring available support. The discomfort in this card highlights where growth lies in learning to receive assistance, confronting beliefs of being undeserving, and recognising that vulnerability is not weakness but an entry point to connection.
The snow and cold illustrated in this card symbolise numbness and emotional distance. They point to ways we may protect ourselves from feelings we don’t know how to cope with. While this can offer temporary relief, it also prevents us from connecting with what nourishes and sustains us. Being present is central to moving through these experiences, but it is not simple or inherently comforting. The present moment is not an idyllic, utopian or pain-free state; it can be heavy, overwhelming, and at times extremely frightening. It requires skills and practice, along with unlearning old patterns that have kept us disconnected. But - presence matters because it is the foundation for fulfilment. If you won’t be present during difficulty, you are unlikely to fully inhabit moments of joy when they come. Without that capacity, even when life improves or long-held goals are reached, dissatisfaction soon returns.
Accessing what is good in life is as much a psychological capacity as it is a physical one. Without developing this capacity, achievements and possessions feel empty, and the search for ‘more’ becomes endless. Learning to be present allows us to feel both pain and joy fully, building the resilience needed to engage with life as it is, not just as we wish it to be.
Keywords: Loss, exclusion, hardship, fear of rejection, scarcity, asking for help, vulnerability, the truth about ‘being present’, physical responses to trauma (Tension Myositis Syndrome)
Translation: Notice where fear of exclusion or unworthiness keeps you isolated and practise receiving support.
Reversed
The Five of Pentacles reversed signals a shift from isolation or scarcity toward recovery and reconnection. It often highlights the underlying causes of hardship, such as fear of dependence, mistrust, or early experiences of abandonment. These patterns can lead to reluctance in seeking help or relying on others, reinforcing feelings of being alone. This reversal invites the examination of beliefs that drive these responses. Relief comes from addressing the root fears behind self-reliance or avoidance. Building trust in yourself and others, and taking steps toward reconnection, helps dismantle old narratives of exclusion. Progress is gradual but begins with recognising that support and belonging are available when you allow them in.
This card also shows that leaving behind protective numbness takes time. Reconnecting with feelings, both painful and uplifting, restores vitality, and developing the skills to be present is part of this process. Without them, even positive changes may feel hollow or fleeting, because presence is what enables us to fully receive and appreciate life’s blessings.
Keywords: Recovery, reconnection, overcoming fear of dependence, healing abandonment wounds, rebuilding support
Translation: Address the origin of your fears behind isolation and allow transition from scarcity toward connection.
ii. Illus-traits
A look at the symbolic language of the Five of Pentacles in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck:
Two figures in the snow – Represent struggle, hardship, or exclusion. Symbolise the experience of being outside of support or resources, and the impact of feeling left out or abandoned.
Snow and cold surroundings – Reflects numbness, distance, or shutdown in the face of difficulty. Indicates how protecting against pain can also block connection to what nourishes and heals.
Tattered clothing and physical strain – Suggests vulnerability, exhaustion, or the cost of ongoing hardship. Points to how depletion - physical, emotional, or spiritual - can make it harder to access help or take action toward recovery.
Lit church window – Symbolises hope, refuge, or assistance that may be nearby but not yet recognised or accepted. Represents the possibility of support and belonging, even during times of deep challenge.
Figures moving past the window – Indicate self-protection, mistrust, or self-sabotage that keeps help at a distance. Shows how old patterns can lead to bypassing opportunities for relief or connection, even when they are available.
iii. Influences
Planetary Influence
The Five of Pentacles corresponds to Mercury, representing thought processes, communication, and how we interpret and respond to information from the world around us. It is linked to Taurus, an Earth sign focused on stability, resources, and maintaining comfort. Together, Mercury and Taurus highlight how patterns of thinking about security and worth can influence how we respond to loss, hardship, or exclusion. When balanced, this influence supports practical problem-solving, patience, and persistence. When unbalanced, it can show as rumination, scarcity thinking, or equating self-worth with material or external conditions. The life path lesson is to develop a perspective that recognises value beyond possessions or circumstances, so that security is supported from within.
Natal Houses
Mercury in Taurus aligns with the Second House, connected to personal resources, income, values, and self-worth. Early experiences of instability, lack, or being undervalued can shape how you relate to money, possessions, and your own value. If these experiences left gaps in security or self-esteem, they can lead to over-reliance on external stability or patterns of self-sabotage when it feels at risk. The evolutionary lesson is to strengthen a sense of worth that is not dependent on fluctuating external conditions, encouraging balanced decisions and being open to help.
Astrological Signs
Taurus channels Mercury’s mental energy into practical, grounded thinking. It values consistency, comfort, and tangible results, but under strain, this can lead to inflexibility, avoidance of risk, or holding onto what feels safe even when it keeps life small. The Five of Pentacles points to how fear-based thinking and protective withdrawal can block growth and connection. Its lesson is to rebuild trust in your ability to adapt and receive support, so stability is created through presence and resilience rather than solely through material means.
Numerology
The Five of Pentacles is linked to the number five, which represents change, challenge, and the disruption of established stability. It shows a stage where security feels tested, resources may be strained, and adaptability is required. When balanced, it brings growth through learning to navigate uncertainty. When unbalanced, it can lead to instability, withdrawal, or self-sabotage. The key lesson is to develop inner strength and perspective so that external changes do not undermine your sense of worth or connection. Five asks you to adjust, adapt, and find opportunities for growth in times of difficulty, using hardship as a teacher rather than a barrier.
Element
The Five of Pentacles belongs to the Earth element, which emphasises material needs, stability, and the structures that support daily life. In this card, Earth energy is under strain, reflecting experiences of scarcity, exclusion, or loss. Balanced, Earth energy provides grounding, reliability, and the ability to consistently recover. When unbalanced, it can show as fear of lack, over-reliance on external resources, or disconnection from support. The karmic lesson is to restore a stable inner foundation so you can meet challenges with resilience, stay open to help, and rebuild from a place of self-trust.
iv. A Day in the Life of the Five of Pentacles
Well That Escalated Quickly
You may feel unsafe asking for help, letting go of control, or taking risks. This can appear as withdrawing from others, avoiding opportunities, or focusing on what is lacking. It may also involve overspending, neglecting your needs, or sabotaging progress before it can take root. Fear of instability can create a pattern of self-protection and mistrust, even when help is available. Early experiences of exclusion, neglect, or loss may shape how you guard yourself against further harm. Physical symptoms can arise, including tension-related conditions such as Tension Myositis Syndrome, where unprocessed stress is expressed through the body. These patterns can limit your capacity to connect with others, take in support, or experience stability without fear of something going wrong.
Adjusting the Knobs
You start noticing how thoughts of loss, rejection, or scarcity affect your decisions. You identify when you hold back, push others away, or create distance to avoid disappointment. You experiment with small, safe changes by accepting help, seeking guidance, or addressing problems without retreating. You work on staying grounded when fear or mistrust arises, separating present realities from old experiences. Over time, this reduces the pull toward anxiety, over-control, or withdrawal, and builds trust in your ability to handle uncertainty without self-sabotage.
Writing the TED Talk
You can manage change and uncertainty without feeling under constant threat. You take practical steps to care for yourself and your resources while remaining open to growth and connection. This may include practices such as learning tarot to better understand invisible themes and unconscious patterns, nourishing your body through massage, movement, and exercise, and expanding your network of supportive people to strengthen your sense of belonging. Support is received without guilt or suspicion, and you extend help without fear of depletion. Stability feels balanced because it is grounded in self-trust and adaptability, rather than in rigid control or the avoidance of risk. You recognise that challenges can be met without closing off from the very connections and opportunities that sustain you.
v. Working with these Energies
The Five of Pentacles can mean feeling as though you’re in constant survival mode; being unsafe, fearing loss, and holding tightly to what seems secure. It highlights the need to balance self-protection with openness to growth, as excessive guarding can prevent healing and progress.
Notice what holds you back
Pay attention to moments when you resist change, avoid risk, or isolate yourself. Do you overspend, withdraw, or use other behaviours to soothe fear or numb discomfort? These patterns often arise from early experiences of instability or neglect, where control became a way to survive. Recognising these habits helps you see whether your reactions respond to present realities or repeat old survival strategies. Physical tension or pain, such as Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS), may signal unaddressed stress connected to these patterns.
Track what’s underneath
Behaviours like over-controlling, reluctance to ask for help, or tying self-worth to material security often come from fear rooted in past loss or abandonment. You may feel caught between needing safety and fearing what happens if you loosen your grip. These tensions reflect unresolved conflict between protection and growth. Reflect on whether your current responses fit today’s situation or echo earlier times when security was fragile.
Choose steady presence
The Five of Pentacles invites you to build security from within. Care for your body and mind, practice grounding, and slowly release rigid control. Learn to trust yourself when things are uncertain, and understand that progress happens through patient effort by balancing safety with being open to change and connection.
vi. Building Skills
The Five of Pentacles often brings experiences of fear, isolation, and tension that affect both mind and body. Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) skills like defusion and committed action can help you step back from overwhelming thoughts, reduce anxiety, and build connection and self-trust - key steps for moving through hardship toward growth and resilience.
Defusion Practice
The Five of Pentacles often brings intense, worst-case thoughts that fuel fear and tension. These thoughts might include:
I’m going to lose everything.
I’m going to die.
I’m not good enough and never will be.
I have to rely on others, and that makes me weak.
When these thoughts arise, practice stepping back from them. Instead of believing them as absolute truth, see them as just words or mental events passing through your mind. Label them simply as ‘thinking’ or ‘worrying.’ This reduces their power over you and creates space for more balanced perspective.
Helpful Replacements
Replace the extreme thoughts with more balanced, proactive statements such as:
I’m worried about loss, but I can take steps to manage what I can.
My fear feels intense, but it is not a prediction of what will happen.
I am enough as I am, and I can grow at my own pace.
Relying on others is a part of connection, not weakness.
Repeat these rescripts when old thoughts arise to build new mental habits.
Committed Action Exercise
Fear and isolation can deepen tension and disconnect you from support. Taking action to build connection helps expand your sense of belonging and self-trust. Choose one group or community that aligns with your interests or values - this could be a support group, a class, a sport, an exercise group, a hobby club, or an online community. Set a specific, manageable goal such as:
Attend one meeting or event this week.
Reach out to one person in that group for conversation or support.
As you take these steps, practice accepting yourself as you are, including your fears, imperfections, and needs. Remind yourself that connection doesn’t require perfection or having everything figured out. Self-acceptance makes it easier to reach out and be present with others authentically. Notice how engaging with others, even in small ways, can lessen feelings of isolation and strengthen your confidence. Committing to connection and self-acceptance supports emotional and physical well-being and reduces the tension tied to fear and withdrawal.
vii. Embodiment
This five-minute mindfulness practice helps you reconnect with your body when fear or the urge to control rises, especially during stressful moments. Use it to pause, breathe, and regain perspective before believing everything you think:
Scent – Choose a scent that grounds you, such as musk or cedar. Breathe it in slowly, bringing your attention fully into the present moment.
Body – Place a hand on your chest or stomach. Take several slow, even breaths. Roll your shoulders. Stand up and move if possible. Wiggle your fingers and toes. Notice any tension or tightness without trying to change it. Let your breath ease physical strain and help you feel more anchored in your body.
Action – When stress or fear arises, pick a nearby object to focus on. Mentally name and describe its details including its shape, colour and texture. This helps move your attention away from overwhelming thoughts and back into the present as the two can’t coexist.
Focus – Keep your awareness on your breath and body sensations. If your mind drifts into rumination about loss, control, or security, gently bring it back to the here and now. Connect with your deeper values and choose actions that build inner safety rather than feeding fear. From a place of inner safety, you can then choose actions that align with outer safety based on self trust.
viii. Your Impressions
Look at the Five of Pentacles in your deck or the image above. Allow your first impressions to arise without analysing.
What stands out first - the figures, their posture, the cold setting, or the distant building? Notice any physical sensations, memories, or shifts in energy as you observe. Does anything relate literally such as the cold of the snow to an ice pack to soothe pain in your body?
Check in with your body. Do you feel tense, withdrawn, or disconnected? Does the image evoke feelings of isolation, fear of loss, or vulnerability?
Reflect on how you respond when facing loss, insecurity, or change. Do you withdraw, panic and overreact, avoid asking for help, or hold onto what feels safe? Notice what happens when you stay present with these reactions without self judgement.
ix. Intuitive Meaning
Use this space to reflect on what the Five of Pentacles means to you personally:
When you feel left out, unsupported, or at risk of losing something important, how do you respond? Do you withdraw, shut down, or try to manage everything alone, even when support is available?
Are there moments when disconnecting feels safer than reaching out? Have you numbed your feelings, avoided help, or chosen isolation over vulnerability? Where have you noticed yourself sabotaging chances for connection or stability before they can be secured?
What physical or emotional signs appear when fear of not having enough, or being enough, takes hold? Do you experience shutdown, tension in your body, recurring or cyclical pain, rumination, shame, or restlessness? Have these patterns led to neglecting your needs, pushing others away, overspending, or sabotaging your progress under the guise of self protection?
How have past experiences of abandonment, instability, or exclusion shaped your current ways of protecting yourself? What might shift if you learned to stay present and name the pain instead of reacting against it? How could this change your ability to accept and receive what is already good in your life?
Applied insight with a three-card reading using the Five of Pentacles as your anchor:
What past events or experiences that are possibly buried in my subconscious and outside my current awareness, have contributed to the feelings of isolation, loss, or insecurity I’m experiencing right now in this Five of Pentacles moment?
What past experiences or beliefs influence my tendency to sabotage stability or connection when things feel uncertain? Likewise, even when things are going well, how do these patterns show up in my daily actions, especially when past trauma or a chaotic upbringing makes it hard for me to recognise stability and leads me to instigate or get caught up in drama?
Where in my life do I feel unsupported or excluded, and how might I be contributing to this through my own choices or actions? What is one step I can take today to change this pattern?
Let your cards talk and note your feelings as your answers unfold, writing your own words below:
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x. Closing Reflection: Track Your Evolving Lens
Your relationship with each card will grow over time because it’s meant to shaped by your life. Consider the prompts below to revisit and reflect.
What I thought this card meant when I first pulled it: —————————————————
A recent experience that changed how I see it: —————————————————
How I feel about it now, in my body or life: —————————————————
What surprised me as this card kept showing up: —————————————————
One way this card is living in my life right now: —————————————————
If this card visited me today as a guide, what would it want me to remember? —————————————————
Revisit these after a week, a moon phase, or a meaningful moment. Let the card evolve as you do.
If you feel a quiet sense of recognition, curiosity and want to explore it, browse the sessions page for what feels right.