The Six of Pentacles shows a wonderfully benevolent individual carefully measuring out their generosity from a position of power and abundance, sharing with a population that is broken, in pain, humbled and in need. There is a hierarchical relationship happening here. The giver has chosen to be surrounded by people who can, or are forced to, look up to them.
As a therapist I often think about how much harder it is to “give” to peers. If we surround ourselves with people in a different place in their lives than where we see ourselves, it is easier to achieve a position of otherness, of strength (real or imagined), and in ways remain a mystery, anonymous. The six of pentacles carries the energy of standing apart from the pain of others. It can be an easy way to look into their eyes and see a preferred version of who we are, and avoid seeing who we fear we may actually be.
How Do You See Yourself?
Are there ways you look into the eyes of others, hoping to see yourself reflected back to you? Is it possible that the only way you can know yourself is by seeing how others see you? Who would you be without that? To what lengths do you go to draw up that reflection? Constantly talking about your achievements? Out-giving in relationships? Over functioning in friendships? Withholding parts of yourself because you are pretty sure the person in front of you would reject you if you were honest? Re-writing parts of yourself to be more acceptable or loveable?
Maybe today could be a day when you looked inside at who you really are? What do you see there? What makes you happy? Hurts you? What are you really good at? How far back into your history would you have to go to see a version of yourself that believed in you? How can you be the version of you that your 5-year-old self would have admired? What parts of yourself would that 5-year-old be most proud of? This could be the makings of a wonderful day for you.
