2 of Pentacles, International Icon, Tarot Nova

Well, well, well, this juggler seems to have let his pentacles get away from him, hasn't he? The delightful Tarot Nova shows what happens if you let your attention wander while juggling. Or could he have been expecting the pentacles to be coming from the other direction? These seem to have come out of left field and thrown him for a loop.

The International Icon is my current favorite deck. Here our juggler is literally floating in the air. Have we caught him in the act of jumping, is he levitating, or did he just trip? The sea behind him is choppy and the boats are at an angle, perhaps there was an earthquake and things are in the process of settling down. Whatever the reason, this is not a stable position. Yet the juggler seems at peace and confident.

Notice the loop connecting the two pentacles, these tasks are connected and happening simultaneously. I don't get the feeling of decision making that I get from other 2 of pentacles. This is the ultimate multitasker.

2 of pentacles, further musings

Whimsical ------------------------ World Spirit ------------------ Tarot of Prague

Here are three more examples of the Two of Pentacles

In the Whimsical we see Jack Spratt and his wife.

Jack Spratt can eat no fat,
his wife can eat no lean,
and so betwixt the two of them,
they licked the platter clean

Another sort of balance, where the two opposites come together to make a whole, or complete a project. This card says to me that one way is not better than another, but together they are stronger than they are alone.

The World Spirit tarot speaks more of decision making, weighing your options and making your choice. The pentacles she holds are differently colored. Is one better or are they just different? Notice how she stands, one bare foot on a water swept rock. We've caught her right in the midst of moving. This is a very active card.

The Tarot of Prague shows a similar image, though this time our juggler has two feet firmly on the ground though his arms are actively moving. His decision may be harder as the pentacles look identical. The clock tower in the background adds a sense of urgency, time is passing.

The 2 of pentacles isn't always about decisions, it can also be balancing many things at once. But I have decisions on my mind right now, and the consequences of your decisions. A few weeks ago at the Women of Wisdom conference I had to decide between two workshops, Tarot or Egyptian Mysteries. I was torn, then I heard that the Egyptian Mysteries material would also be offered in a longer format a few weeks later. Ah ha--I could have my cake and eat it too. I signed up for the tarot class, knowing I'd have the Egyptian experience later. I just received a phone call that the Egyptian workshop was being canceled. There are unseen consequences to any decision. No one knows what the future holds.

2 0f Pentacles, Spiral Tarot

I open my tarot blog with this card, the 2 of pentacles. I admit that I picked this card because I have the image on my computer, and could easily post it here. But it has given me a lot to think about.

2 of Pentacles

Balance and choice.

The 2 of pentacles in the Spiral tarot is a rather static card, compared to the two in other decks. The movement here is represented by the juggler's hat, not the act of juggling itself.

Note the two flowers, one of which is in bloom and the other that has wilted. The ocean in the background shows opposites as well, calm on one side and choppy on the other.

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Wow, I had not noticed all these differences before. I think keeping this blog will be a good practice for me. Another way to look deeply at the card images.